I'll start. I try to ride gravel at least twice a week - Monday and Saturday. Saturday is for the longer, perhaps epic rides. Mondays I join a shop club ride in West Michigan and are they about 30-ish miles starting at 6:30. These are no-drop rides with one person knowing the route, so no one can get frisky and take off.
Last night was a great ride with the temperature dropping quickly as the sun disappeared. I have a somewhat unusual bladder issue as I get colder; I need to stop for a nature break more frequently. I was a tad under dressed for the climate last night, and was forced to make yet another stop. We don't go so fast that I'd be left behind for good and I wasn't worried as the group rode past me since we were close enough to the shop that I felt I could find my way back.
In any event, my city nature was my undoing as I stepped down into the ravine by the side of the road - the flooded ravine. I dunked my right foot into about 16'' of water and, man was that cold! I still had maybe three miles to go and it's amazing how cold one can become riding with a soaking wet foot. I think it was still frozen this morning.
Otherwise this ride was outstanding. The sunset was an amazing flaming fire of reds, yellows and oranges. With a full compliment of lights - rear blinkie, a bar head light and a helmet light, gravel riding at night is as fun as it gets. It's rather nice at this time of year since the sun sets at 7-ish. Night riding at the height of summer will leave us out until 1:00 AM.
The two lights up front work very well with the helmet lamp giving me the ability to look ahead or around corners before turning. My bar light hangs under my bars (helps keep it out of the way) and is low enough to cast forward shadows in the contours and texture of the road so I can see the serious holes or the washboard to steer clear of.
