KG3.0 Route Recon - All the Rest

Over the course of a few days we got out and did a recon of the proposed Kingdom Graveleur KG3.0 extra credit route and some of the full route non extra credit sections. All in all, the route is looking fine and the gravel is coming along quite nicely after the long hard winter and spring. Even the ClassIV sections were not that bad all told and with a few weeks still to further settle we should be in great shape come June 22nd.

It's looking like the full route is going to come in at a respectable 97.2 miles with just over 10000' of gain spread pretty evenly throughout the course of the day. The extra credit route will top that at 114.3 miles and just a hair under 13000' of gain with the tipping point that jumps it up from just about 100' of gain per mile come in at mile 88 with the day's optional out and back ascent that garners about 1800' in about four double digit average percent grade miles. But hey, then you get a really long descent. Nice thing is that you can take it or leave it at any point based on how you are feeling.

There are a few ClassIV unmaintained roads that the route will hit. Most of these are easily passable but all require attention. Ride safe, ride smart especially on the multiple long descents after the first rest stop which will be at Top of the Mountain Vegetable Farm, which as the name implies, is at the top of a mountain which you will have the opportunity to climb. The ClassIV that gets us back to civilization is remote and rustic. The descents are steep and in cases, loose. Treat them with the respect that they deserve. I posted a video compilation of the Coles Pond ClassIV Descent.

After last weekend I modified the routes to avoid a couple of the longer and steeper descents that were on the initial proposed route. They added nothing and had more risk than reward.

I still need to do a little more recon to look at some of the minor points but I think in general we are in good shape. The route visits many, many scenic vistas with incredible views. Enjoy those views and the route and don't treat this as a race. The reward is in the ride itself.

If you are not on the notification email list for the ride, which is how all notifications, plans and invitation are handle, and you would like to be shoot us a message and we will get you in the loop as appropriate. You can also contact us through our social media presence at Kingdom Graveleur.

For now, here are some images of the route from last week.

Enjoy and see you soon!

KG3.0 Route Recon - The First Thirty

With the near perfect weather last evening I got out for a nice solo recon ride of the first thirty miles of the KG3.0 extra credit ride route. Unfortunately, I ran out of time and had to bee line back home twenty something miles to try and make it home before dark. We'll call my arrival back at camp dusk-thirty. 

The front section was riding fantastic last evening, running just under 100' of gain per mile and affording lots of great scenery and at least five stunning vistas. Plenty of rise with more than a half dozen notable climbs in that first stretch and an overall upward trend but nothing that is relentless or spite full. I've tried to avoid those types of climb, well, except for the end of course. 

The route also follows one of the nicest back road rivers around before climbing it's way up and connecting to the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail for a short distance along a nice gentle stretch into Danville. The stretch of ClassIV was in pretty fair conditions given the amount of rain that the area has received. With luck, the weather is changing and we will start to see some drying. Regardless, the road had only a couple of wet sections that I was able to fairly easily skirt in order to keep my bike and more importantly, my drivetrain clean for.

This was where I had to depart however, so that piece of the puzzle will be left for another day I'm afraid. With luck I'm planning to recon the entire route over the coming weekend. 

More to come ...

Kingdom Graveleur KG3.0 - Coming Soon

I can't believe how quickly the spring is flying by, especially given that we haven't really seen much spring weather until this past week. I don't know about you but I'm certainly ready for some good conditions, some sun, some mild temps and some dry gravel.

We are only a month and a couple of weeks out from the June 22nd KG3.0 ride at present and we will  start doing route recon in earnest starting next week. Lots to do but I'm aiming to make a route that is super scenic and gives a huge sampling of the best that the NEK has to offer while still affording places to refuel. I'm leaning towards a route that is somewhat less remote than the KG2.0 route, one that incorporates many of the vistas of the KG1.1 ride but without the quest for overall brutality in the form of excessive ClassIV and climbing. That said, without trying there is a lot of climbing though the reward is some incredible views, many of the best that the area has to offer in fact.

Once again we can assume the full route will be just under 100 miles (98.6 at present) with one or possibly two shorter routes diverging from the full route late in the ride. In addition there is, as always, the extra credit route which comes in at 114.5 miles and boasts over 13,000' of gain with the biggest optional out and back carrot climb dangling in your face at mile 100. Just plain cruel and unusual. Besides that extra credit option there are a half dozen or so other side jaunts throughout the day that will help keep the groups closer together on the road and afford more back and forth overlap. This was one of the best aspects of the ride last year so I've really tried to accentuate it this year. It would be awesome if we could all roll back in together.

One thing is for certain and that is that it is going to be great fun. Oh, and it will be free, as always, and we will hang out and eat and drink afterwards. There will also be limited camping space, which will also be free.

Just a group of folks out riding their bikes and enjoying the day, together.

#ForTheLoveOfTheRide #RidingBikesShouldBeFree