It's been quite a while since I made an entry. This summer I've become more interested in riding on gravel. I enjoy the solitude and lack of traffic. Occasionally, I'm eating dust from a passing vehicle, but this seldom happens. The people I've met on gravel roads are very polite. No one seems to be in too big of a hurry, and this seems like a good match for the slow solitude of riding a bicycle.
The bike I rode today is a Salsa Spearfish 3. It's really overkill for riding on gravel-- but the big 29er tires combined with dual suspension, give it a nice floaty feel. I've had more fun with this bike on singletrack, but I like it for gravel as well.
In Thief River Falls, I have my old loaded touring bike set up with Kenda cyclocross tires. This is actually pretty good-- quite speedy, actually. It's not as comfortable, but the 27 x 1 3/8 tires are just fine for providing enough floatation. I only get bogged down in the really loose stuff.
Gravel Grinding has become a sport-- but the only internet discussions of it have been about long distances or competition. For me, it seems to be the kind of uncharted territory I like to explore. I'm not in a hurry, and it really doesn't matter how fast I go. I've got nothing to prove-- so the time I spend riding is pure enjoyment.
Last winter, I really missed riding a bicycle. I have a Surly Mukluk on order so that I will be able to have some adventure this winter. Mostly, I'm interested in travelling on the rivers around here. In the winter, you don't have to travel very far to have a great deal of solitude. If I ride five miles from my home in Thief River Falls, I'm pretty much in the middle of nowhere.
Much of my work as a pastor involves working with people. Yet in order for me to find my centre with God, I need to have periods of solitude. This is part of why living in north-western Minnesota is a blessing for introverted clergy.
