I’ve got a Strava route:
I know a couple people that rode it on gravel bikes, and they said the last section to Soda Springs might be better with a mountain bike.
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Can you confirm appropriate bike/tire size for this route? It looks great too.
Sent you and toyman a PM with a link to a June 20, 2020 Strava ride. Guy I know rode a ~5 year old Stigmata (his gravel and CX bike). He is a really strong rider and racer.
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Or just do over and back. Can’t get too much of a good thing 
Lunch loops and Kokopelli trails in Fruita on the cards for this weekend. 
Probably this : 200/3000 Challenge by Winbike 2K21 | 204.6 km Cycling Route on Strava
It’s a little artificial, but it covers all the best bits north of Montpellier without going into the Cevennes
Thanks for the link, I’m saving them all, and hope to work out more about options for Auburn to Truckee.
- Going truckee to auburn, that video I linked has the min 32mm tire route. (which could require bigger tires for grip when going reverse).
- There’s also this which is the California Sierra Trail Race route from Auburn to Truckee. This was a bike packing race type deal.
Regardless, if you have time, and can avoid peak tourist season, then the Tahoe region has awesome riding. Many descent passes to ride, and also miles and miles of roads, gravel roads and trails in Tahoe National Forest.
Cisco Grove (exit off I-80) to Truckee along old route 40 is a great one even during tourist season.
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This is a very nice ride.
Here is a route for that, which takes you into Truckee to “Wild Cherries”, a popular coffee house with good food, and around Donner lake. Wild Cherries can be quite busy, so there have been times we’ve had to go elsewhere for refreshments.
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Cycle Folsom century variant of Cisco to Truckee and beyond - adds a trip to the top of Mt Rose highway at 8900 feet.
A couple of weekends back I rode at the Lunch Loops (Ribbon, Free Lunch, Holy Cross) and Fruita Kokopelli trails (Horse thief, Mary’s, Steves, Moore Fun).
Awesome stuff. Was a bit disappointed with the Ribbon however. It’s a unique trail, but over so quick. Was hoping for a little more to justify the ride up 
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Sounds like you got the goods in! Yeah, the Ribbon is definitely a do once because it’s absolutely like nothing else but the rest of the times get a shuttle up. You bleed a TON of elevation at 40 mph on that slab…
I live in the northern Chicago suburbs and there is not a single ride around here that I would call “epic”. We make up for it by beating the schitt outta each other on our regular rides. 
Some great gravel rides out in western IL, though…but it is a 2+ hour drive to get out there. You can also find some good gravel around Dekalb, IL, but it is less scenic than western IL.
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Would it not involve some type of Mad Max bike messenger event in downtown Chicago during rush hour?!
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Lots of options for mountain biking here in Bentonville, AR and the surrounding area. BKXC covers some of the highlights:
I live about a mile from Coler (#3 on the list) and about 15 minutes by bike from Slaughter Pen. I would also add the Back 40 and Little Sugar to the list of trails to explore. You can link the two via Sugar Bridge and get maybe 30-40 miles just from doing the exterior loops. Add in some of the interior trails and you can be out there for days. Lots of fast, flowy trails, plenty of climbing, and some pretty spectacular views. Not California or Colorado mountain views, but still pretty nice.
All of the Bentonville trails are accessible by bike via the Razorback Greenway (and some road for Little Sugar) so if you get a place in town and stay local you really don’t even need a car.
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In SoCal there are probably dozens of epic rides to choose from, depending upon what you are looking for.
How about a very large climb?
Up for a challenge? Give this segment a go! Azusa to Dawson Saddle - highest elevation gain climb in continental US (7,152 ft) | Strava Ride Segment in Duarte, CA
Azusa to Dawson Saddle, 7100+ feet of climbing in one segment.
A nice beach century? The old Amtrak Century could fit the bill, Irvine to San Diego with a train ride back.
Or, Santa Barbara to Santa Monica or so.
Around Laguna Beach is the Seven Sisters ride. Something like 35 miles with 6+k? with climbs getting very steep.
Want a gravel race, Belgian Waffle Ride could be pretty epic.
Many options around here.
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I’m on the east coast, but my in-laws lived in south-central Colorado and the ride I always looked forward to was the Monarch Crest outside of Salida.
Oh, and if anyone’s looking to step up from the Leadville 100, there’s this little race:
Unless you’re in the Mississippi valley or the southern part of the state Illinois doesn’t have any amazing climbs and it’s too flat for majestic views. Here in the middle of the state we have a lot of gravel roads with some good river valley hills.
If mtb is your thing we have 7 parks in our area that are well maintained. Really in need of an epic adventure? Go hit all 7 parks in one day…without a car.
Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/2yCEvCs5Hkb
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I’m Coming to Bentonville next week. It will be my first trip there, looking forward to it!
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