Sunday's Grumpy Grind 6 proved to be a great day for riding. 90 riders started the event, and 82 of them finished. Those numbers both are pretty good for my event. Some of those riders were hearty gravel riders, like Kae Takeshita, a gravel worlds champion rider. And Bryce Mead, a local rider and former pro who burned up the coarse averaging over 19mph for the duration of 86 miles. Whoa! There were also plenty of first time riders who conquered the course and finished with exhausted grins on their faces.
The Grumpy Grind isn't the biggest gravel event on the map by any stretch, and never will be, but I think I put together a challenging ride with amenities that make for a positive experience. That being said, not everything about the day was perfect. There were some missed turns by some, a few mechanicals, a strong head wind from time to time, and even a rumor about a "fight" among a group of riders who disputed which way to go. But those are all part of the adventure.
Next year the farm at which we have started at the last five years will be turned into a Dairy Barn once again. So the venue will have to change. This in turn means the date will likely change too, but we'll see. I don't have the answers to when and where the next Grumpy Grind will be, but I do plan on it happening. I hope all who rode and are reading this search the events page next year to see what the next Grumpy Grind has in store. I'll do my best to make it an adventure worth showing up for.