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11-14-10 | 07:53 PM

#1

BluesDawg

just keep riding

Joined: Feb 2005

Posts: 13,560

Likes: 44

From: Milledgeville, Georgia

Bikes: 2018 Black Mountain Cycles MCD,2017 Advocate Cycles Seldom Seen Drop Bar, 2017 Niner Jet 9 Alloy, 2015 Zukas custom road, 2003 KHS Milano Tandem, 1986 Nishiki Cadence rigid MTB, 1980ish Fuji S-12S

Dirt Road Exploring

I took the fenders off my Salsa Casseroll and put on wider tires so I could explore some of the dirt roads near my home. I've been wanting to do this for a while and today seemed like a good day to go for it. It was a beautiful sunny day with temps high 60s to low 70s. A perfect day to take in the autumn scenery on the back roads around rural middle Georgia.

The bike worked out very nicely for the dirt roads. The wider tires made it very stable on the gravel and dirt roads. It never felt squirrely or like it might slide out and dump me. The ride was pretty smooth on the dirt roads as well as the shake 'n' bake paved roads. I like the look of the big tires. It makes the bike look muscular somehow.

The bike was not as much slower on smooth pavement as I expected.

I found some nice dirt roads, but I eventually got hemmed in between dangerous sections of two highways, so after 40 miles of wandering around, I called my wife to come and pick me up. I'll study the Garmin map to see where I can find connecting roads to make a full loop for riding in the future.
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/132209

I really liked this kind of riding. It is nice to not be limited to only the paved roads but still be able to make good time on pavement. There are some very pretty places out there on dirt roads.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluesda...86080702/show/