Ride your cannondale. Try the route on a weekend when there is no pressure to be on time or anything. Some of us are doing some dirt road single track and gravel on 23 and 25mm tires on regular road racing bikes. Get some Gatorskins in size 25 and check it out. Plus, riding your current bike will be fun. Put some new tires and bar tape. Adjust brakes and shifting and check it out. Don't buy any thing yet.