“Ride weekend typically has me loading up and heading out of town to some starting line on the horizon. Last Saturday was much like any other, but the trek to the start led to downtown Dallas!
On Saturday, Mar 6, I participated in Spinistry’s Gravelthon, billed as the world’s largest urban adventure ride for 100K of gravel goodness on the Trinity River levee system in the heart of downtown Dallas Texas. The event is one of several activities in this easily overlooked oasis in the middle of urban blight!
As I understand it, more than 300 cyclists lined up for the start with options to tour the skyline on a six mile gravel(ish) loop or cover just about any distance desired… for me it was my first metric century of the year.
Saturday’s weather could not have been better for this urban adventure. The Trinity river levees are topped with service roads that range from nice packed dirt to deep golf-ball sized rocks strewn over the hardback for long stretches.

In spite of the crowd, the “levee adventure option” of courses provided plenty of opportunity for riding in solitude.

I partnered up with a veteran of the levee system for much of the first 50K to make sure I didn’t get lost, but quickly grew comfortable with the layout and spent the next 50K practically alone with my thoughts and my new (to me) titanium Salsa Fargo.

Good times!”-Lynn B.