Gravel is Good for the Soul

If you live in rural southeast Georgia, you’re surrounded by thousands of acres of farmland stretching as far as the eye can see, dotted with the occasional farmhouse or barn. The area is a network of dirt roads, some sandy, some red clay, all winding and crisscrossing the landscape. Gravel cycling is a staple for most pedal-pushers here due to all this acreage.

After contacting some local landowners and explaining that I’m training for an upcoming gravel race in a few months and my 316-mile challenge for Annie Armstrong Easter Offering next month, both parties gave me permission. So, I spent this evening, after returning from a doctor’s appointment, taking a slow ride around the fields.

Taking in God’s handiwork always feels good, the fresh air invigorating and the sights calming. That’s one reason I love riding off the beaten path. You witness the world with newfound reverence, each detail a testament to something greater. In a nutshell, gravel cycling equals solitude. Solitude is good for the soul. Therefore, gravel cycling is good for the soul. That’s a syllogism I can get behind! With all that said, here’s a collection of photographs I took this evening. Although they will never capture the grandeur of a slow gravel ride in Georgia dirt, I hope they bring you the same sense of wonder I experienced.