A few weeks ago one of the local groups sent me an invite to join them on a 50 mile mixed road/ gravel ride.
Flattered... yes. Scared schiteless... yes.

As one guy said this morning as he walked into the coffee shop the ringleader owns, "Looks like there will be an A and a B group." Correction, there will be an A and an A+ group.

I've gone with this group three times and the format is the same. Fast pavement for 8 or 10 miles then as soon as we hit gravel the hammer falls. The speed jumped 2 mph and it was flat out from there. Minor correction, it was flat out for me. I'm happy to be able to hold on to the tail end. Not once have I been the one to drive the pace.

They regroup occasionally but the pace is not for the timid. Solid bunch of guys and an occasional woman that is strong as can be and asks no quarter of anyone.

My tires are not up to the task for this kind of riding. Vittoria Terreno Dry are awesome sand cx tires but the profile makes them super squirrely in gravel turns... they just don't take to leaning very well. Fast as can be going straight but a very flat profile and they don't transition to a turn very well.

Anyway, I'm open to gravel tire recommendations but mainly wanted to brag about getting the invite to the fast ride and not getting totally blown out the back