Great - 2 of the 3 PNW races I’m signed up for since relocating to the region 6 months ago 
. Doing the longest distance of both events.
I’ll likely pick up a few more races last minute depending how the weather is.
Coming from Texas races, I have a feeling most of the PNW races will still blow them away. Regarding scenery. Disappointed that there’s no aero bars or outside support allowed at aid stations, however.
What is the third PNW event?
High Cascade 100.
There’s quite a few other races within a few hrs (Vancouver WA). I may make a PNW race thread at some point to see what others are doing.
As mentioned above the Rule of 3 in Bentonville, AR. Such a fun event with varied terrain. Great vibes and the best after party I’ve ever seen. Bentonville is a a great place to visit too. I try to stay downtown where I can walk to all the cafe’s and restaurants.
High cascades is always fun. From what I’ve heard from friends who did Cascade gravel, its just brutal washboard and suspension was appreciated. Go for as big of tires as your bike will fit. If you’re planning on doing HC100, the new Dirty Bloom 50 miler looks like a sick tune up a couple months before hand.
That’s good information! I hope to get down and pre-ride some/all of the course before the actual race. My gravel bike is a titanium mosaic and I’ll probably run 50’s front and rear. I use a redshift stem as well. If I’m going fast enough, washboards aren’t usually bad, but that depends on a lot of factors. My MTB is an s-works epic 8 that doesn’t weigh much more than the gravel that could be a decent fit if the gravel is that bad, it’s just much less aero vs the 37cm handlebars on my gravel bike.
I have the Dirty Bloom 50 on my ‘maybe’ list and was just looking at it again last weekend! Looks like a fantastic race. It’s a week after the Gorge Gravel and my recoveries are usually pretty rough, so it may be a decision as it gets closer if it doesn’t fill up.
The idea behind Cascade is good. The problem is nailing the date for the promoter. Conditions are highly variable, so too early and it can be impassable due to snow and too late and it’s dusty washboards and sandpits. I am more inclined to ride the area by myself when I know the conditions are good vs pay for a set date and roll the dice. Also the 5 miles of hell section is one of the most fun parts of a gravel event ever. Unfortunately it was followed with even more miles of washboard descending last year.
HC is good. Ring of Fire of fire too. Dirty Bloom should be good. The Sage hills are beautiful that time of year.
You should venture up to Tennessee Gravel’s Reliance race the last weekend of April. It isn’t very far from Crandall.
Love KowTown. I’m going to try to make it back this summer; I’ve done it twice. The new date works well, as before it was interfering with the Firecracker 50.
What’s the skinny on the Oregon Trail gravel stage race? I’ve been eyeing it for several year and it’s something of a bucket list item for me.
Haven’t done it but from the guys that have they say it is epic… and VERY chunky.
Throwing a newer race out there that is coming up -
Valley of Tears in Turkey, TX.
It’s only a couple years old and last year got shortened due to snow, but it seemed really well organized and they get a lot of the top pros to come out. The pros do a Friday night mixed surface crit that is a fun watch along with a kid’s race. It’s coming up next week (the weekend before mid south). Weather forecast looking good this year. It’s out in the middle of nowhere, but cool small town vibes and an interesting course. Good chance of seeing some bison on the course, along with brutal sand and some tech sections. And Palo Duro canyon is only ~1 hour away, good hiking and MTB riding so we will be doing a day there after the race.
Bear 100 Laona, WI.
Alexey V has a contest to win an Enve bike if you are doing the race and Going to present at the dirt crit. Check out his instagram.
Fun weekend of racing. Two days of racing for the price of one!