RECAP: Pelotonia Gravel Day 2023
A day of community, grinding gravel, and crushing cancer!
Two weeks ago I participated in the inaugural Pelotonia Gravel Day. For those of you not familiar with Pelotonia, it has existed since 2009 as a charity cycling event in Columbus, OH, with the goal of putting an end to cancer. Each year it draws up to 8,000 riders and offers paved routes of 25-200 miles. To date Pelotonia participants have raised over $270 million dollars, 100% of which goes to funding research and other initiatives at the The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. You can learn more about Pelotonia and its impact at www.pelotonia.org/our-impact
For its 15th year, Pelotonia added a gravel event with the intent of attracting riders to the cause who may not be interested in the traditional paved ride. The ride was to be hosted out of the Snow Fork Event Center near Nelsonville, OH, and would feature routes of 20, 30, and 50 miles (designed by OGG members!), each with the option to tackle some of the Bailey’s mountain bike trails.
Having participated in every edition of Pelotonia, but gravel being my preferred style of riding, I was definitely excited to see the two come together! Pelotonia is a ride like no other and every year it is a meaningful and memorable experience! The way it joins people to the cause really does create a sense of community amongst the riders, volunteers, and supporters. It was that community that resonated with me throughout my Gravel Day experience!
On the day of the event we were treated to an absolutely beautiful, crisp fall morning, with the hills shrouded in mist (though we enjoyed brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures later in the day!). The ride featured a mass start for all distances, and the routes were conveniently designed as overlapping loops so that all distances started together and riders could choose different cutoff options along the way if needed. These routes were truly fantastic! There was a good percentage of gravel and plenty of challenging terrain, but the fantastic scenery, with the fall colors just beginning to pop, was the real highlight. There were so many times I thought “this is the best road we’ll ride today”, but then another would surpass it! As anyone who’s ridden in Southeastern Ohio knows, climbing hills is unavoidable—on the 50 mile route I did there were over 5000 feet of elevation gain!—but we also know that the payoff for all that climbing is some of the best panoramic vistas in Ohio! Getting to ride some of the Bailey’s MTB trails on my gravel bike was also a lot of fun; the trails are so smooth and flowy!
I had a great time riding with many folks I knew from the gravel community and also meeting new ones. I didn’t spend a moment alone all day, and everyone was excited to chat and having a grand time. The ride was made even better because the support and amenities were typical Pelotonia—all top notch! There were so many wonderful volunteers cheering and willing to lend a hand at the well-stocked rest stops. On course support was great as well. The numerous SAG motos and vans patrolling the course were a frequent site and helped folks with flats, cramps, and other issues. And despite being out in some pretty remote areas, we still saw some of the roadside support that is such a hallmark of Pelotonia. All of this meant that while the route was quite challenging, I was having so much fun and was so energized by everyone I met that I felt soooo much stronger while riding than I expected!
Snow Fork proved to be a perfect setting for the event. It also hosts the Nelsonville Music Festival, and Pelotonia did a great job of recreating a festival-style vibe at the start/finish. It felt like a big, fun party in the country! There was local coffee, breakfast snacks, port-a-potties-a-plenty, mechanical support, energizing music, and more at the start. At the finish there were bike wash stations and showers; local food, beer, and even cocktails; killer regional musicians providing entertainment; and Adirondack chairs and yard games for hanging out. And as we all know and love in the world of gravel, hanging out and sharing your experience on the day is a big part of the fun! Everyone I spoke with after the ride had a great story to tell and a big smile on their face.
Gravel Day was truly one of the best days I’ve ever had in the saddle. From start to finish there was just so much to enjoy, and so many wonderful people with whom to share the experience. It really is a great community of people, and I hope you’ll consider joining us next year! Registration opens in March on www.pelotonia.org!
