Kananaskis All-Road

It's that time of the year. The time where the weather is beautiful and the relaxation of summer sets in. But you've been riding lots and the motivation to repeat the same is low. With cyclocross lurking around the corner, my mind has wondered to what can be done to expand the reach of roads and trails we ride regularly. This has brought me to branching out into gravel, which we all love in the winter but seldom see come summer.

I started dreaming on Monday of a ride some of us have always talked of doing: a grand-loop of the Bragg Creek, Kananaskis, and Powder Face Gravel areas. The weather was right and rumors were that the Powder Face gravel was packed to point of near-pavement. It dawned on me that this should be done, and should be done on road tires, because we can. Devin, Erik, Pat, and myself were down for the challenge.

130km started from Bragg Creek, then out hwy 22 until near the trans Canada. This would be the only busy road ridden today, because soon we were on the first gravel to take us near the jumping pound gas plant, and onto more backroad gravel to parallel hwy 1.

Even though we were hundreds of meters off the busy highway, the country and terrain rolled by nicely. Soon the road-less-traveled was parallel beside the road constantly travelled (photo 3), and we were onto hwy 68 to Sibbald Flats. Devin had been rolling with us but now had to turn back, and i was odd man out when I realized I forgot to bring my titanium... (photo 4)

The ride turned great when we hit the gravel of Powder Face road (photo 5) which was packed hard and quick for the whole 35km. As we climbed through 6000 feet and descended the gravel multiple times, it was a real thrill to ride on fast and nimble bikes. Erik can descend gravel with speed and confidence that does not bely his 27mm road tires (the smallest of the group).

We popped out at the little elbow campground, filled bottles in the creek (tasted cool and clean, and felt badass) and hit the tailwind back to Bragg on a net-downhill.

130km (~55km gravel) in 5 hours rolling time, with 6385 ft climbed. That is a new Strava-segment for Erik, and maybe his first ... Lets see how many share that in the next years, but there's no reason for anyone not to.

All-in all a great day, capped off with lunch and a beer in Bragg. Can't wait to try some more all-road adventures.