Today, @adventurecycling launched the Golden Gravel Trail, a new 3,800-mile dirt road route connecting the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast. The route guide is available for free on @ridewithgps (link in bio). The GGT draws inspiration from my ride on the TAT in 2015. Last fall, I had the privilege of previewing the western half of the Golden Gravel Trail. Over the course of 38 days, I traveled 1,800 miles from Port Orford, OR, back home to Durango, CO. I focused on the sections most different from the TAT and provided feedback on the rider experience on the route. I can attest that the GGT is truly a dirt-road adventure designed specifically for cyclists. A huge reason for that is the work of @adventurecycling cartographer @amywally36, whose meticulous research shaped the route. The result is a cross-country dirt tour that prioritizes rideable terrain, thoughtful routing, and relatively frequent resupply points which makes it accessible to far more riders than many backcountry routes. I rode my @otsocycles flat-bar Fenrir Ti, outfitted with aero bars, 120mm of front suspension, and 2.4” tires, and was very happy with that setup. The route could easily be traversed on a drop-bar bike with 2.2” tires and no suspension, but personally I wouldn’t want to ride it on anything less. That said, the GGT is still a real adventure. Riders should expect: • Significant climbing on the western half—in fact, this section packs more climbing into fewer miles than the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route 
• Extreme summer heat through Utah’s San Rafael Swell 
• Wildfire closures and reroutes– an inevitable part of long-distance travel in the American West My favorite sections of the western half: San Rafael Swell
Green River → Castle Dale Wasatch & Uinta Mountains
Castle Dale → Park City Sawtooths + Craters of the Moon
Idaho City → Blackfoot Colorado High Country
Pueblo → Crested Butte The Golden Gravel Trail feels like the beginning of a new era for dirt-road touring in the U.S., and I can’t wait to see where it takes people. A huge thanks to @adventurecycling, @fjallraven_na , @ridewithgps , and @teravail for supporting my ride!