This is a good article about the rise of gravel races in Minnesota. I won’t make it back for a gravel grinder this year, and I miss them! Perhaps I need to check out the Eroica California course.
Minnesota is swept up in the growing Midwest interest in gravel bike races, known as “gravel grinders.” Hailing from every corner of the sport — mountain bikers, touring enthusiasts, tandem riders, even cycling rookies — many are finding a home on the gravel scene. Indeed, the variety of wheel widths and frame shapes at gravel start lines are testament to the sport’s inclusiveness.