Gravel biking in Patagonia - It's all true!

 It’s all true!

Gravel biking has been sweeping through cycling like a breath of fresh air. Between it being a

safe alternative to congested roads, and people getting outside more due to the pandemic,

people have been buying up gravel bikes and getting out on the back roads in droves.

Gravel events, which lack the pretention and dead-seriousness of road events, sell out in

minutes. And they’re popping up everywhere.

Being a long time die hard roadie, I’ve been sitting on the sidelines observing this for a long

while now. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve ridden on more gravel and dirt than you can shake a

stick at. Growing up in the rural northeast we rode gravel a lot, and we did a lot in CO on the

farm roads outside of town when I was doing the big miles in training. AND, I’ve raced a ton of

cyclocross, and even some mountain bikes now and then. All of this is to say I like mixed

surfaces and I’m moderately experienced at it.

Recently my older boy has really begun enjoying riding his mountain bike on the desert single

track around our home in the Phoenix ‘burbs. And I wanted to be able to connect with him over

something we both enjoy. I didn’t particularly want a mountain bike but a gravel bike would

suit my needs just fine AND allow me to ride on the dirt with him. SO… I pulled the trigger on a

gravel bike in early April and I’ve been loving riding it.

Velonews.com recently published an article about Patagonia, AZ being the next gravel mecca.

Sort of the Moab of gravel biking. I had already heard a little about the gravel riding and an

amazing bed and breakfast there through other people and places. When I read the Velonews

article and watched the short video, I was sold. We HAD to go there. I sent my wife the links for

The Gravel House BnB and the Velonews article and she texted me back within the hour to say

“Let’s GO!”

So we made plans, rented her a gravel bike, and off we went.

And, guys, everything you’ve heard about it is ALL TRUE!

We headed down to Patagonia, about 2.5 hours from Phoenix on a Friday morning. We brought

food with us for leisurely breakfasts at the house and then did a mix of lunches out and lunches

in and went out for dinner each night. Patagonia has about 8 or 10 businesses, roughly half are

restaurants. Patagonia is a dustly, quiet little border town about 18miles north of the border.

We arrived in time to take a 1.5 hour ride to the southeast of town. My wife, new to gravel,

immediately fell in love with it. AND we saw a bobcat run across the road in front of us. We got

back and made margaritas and then sat on the lovely porch of the Raven’s Nest at the Gravel

House til dinner. Dinner was at the hotel downtown. It’s good bar food and a nice patio to

watch the street and the park “downtown.”

We woke the next morning and had a leisurely breakfast of bread, cheese, olives, fruit, jam, and

heavenly coffee provider by the BnB. We got on our bikes around 10 and rode to the northwest

of town. It was rolling to hilly and my wife, not a cyclist, performed great and we both

enjoyed the experience. We got back for lunch and a nap. And then went out for a second ride

retracing our steps from the previous day and then took another paved road home to make a

loop. It was a quick drink at home before walking to pizza at the pizza place around the corner.

Our final morning we woke late and realized we wouldn’t have enough time to ride before

heading back to Phoenix. So it was a casual morning of more coffee and a little shopping in the

curio stores on the main street.

We’ve fallen in love with Patagonia and actually went back to camp outside of town with my

kids this past weekend. Gravel riding outside of town with my boys and my wife was a different

experience. Not really “going for a ride”, it’s more riding up and down the road going slow and

looking at the sights. But still fun.

I don’t think it’s far-fetched to think that Patagonia will become the Moab of gravel riding. The

riding is great, quiet, and varied. And the town is welcoming and a great place to get away