Fifth Annual BIKE THE GRAVEL: Tour de Conservation Easement

Fifth Annual BIKE THE GRAVEL: Tour de Conservation Easement

A scenic one-of-a-kind ride through private properties in Fauquier and Loudoun counties takes place on September 24 in the fifth annual Bike the Gravel: Tour de Conservation Easement event. The ride begins and ends at Buchanan Hall in Upperville starting at 9 a.m.

“This event has become a wonderful outreach tool for us,” said Sally Price, executive director of the Land Trust of Virginia (LTV), a nonprofit organization that partners with private landowners who voluntarily protect and preserve properties with significant historic, scenic, or ecological value.

“The best way to talk about conservation easements is to physically show people what we are protecting for us all. The private properties our bike riders get to experience are stunning but more importantly, they create a network of protection, meaning our roads stay scenic and in many cases gravel, and we all benefit from the natural resources being protected.”

The experience features three routes through five protected properties. It includes the Beastly Gravel Grinder (65 miles), the Grand Gravel Paradise (34 miles) and the Gorgeous Gravel Explorer (18 miles), allowing bicyclists of all levels to enjoy a spectacular fall day riding in the countryside.

Registration fees vary from $65 to $90 depending on the route, and includes pre-ride donuts and coffee, fully stocked rest stops, post-ride lunch and beer and more. All proceeds benefit LTV’s mission to preserve quiet country back roads and open spaces for all to enjoy.

“We’re making some tweaks to this year’s courses to include some new roads that have never been on our ride that really showcase what this special area has to offer,” said Michael Catlett, course designer for Bike the Gravel. “We have some of the best gravel rides in the entire country and the popularity of this event demonstrates that. The event has grown every year and this year we’re capping it at 500 riders. In prior years we’ve had people come from all over the country.”

“We’re thrilled with the number of brand-new registrants we are already seeing,” Price said. “With every new rider we welcome, that is another opportunity to educate them about why conservation easements are such a critical piece of our country’s effort to conserve land. Our government agencies cannot afford to buy it all for parks.

“We need private citizens working with land trusts to take this important step if we’re going to stand a chance to protect the natural resources we need, such as farmland, forests, and waters. With each cyclist, we hope for a new advocate for conservation easements.”

The 2022 Bike the Gravel: Tour de Conservation Easement is sponsored by America’s Routes, Old Bust Head Brewing Co., Maverick Bikes, and Lost Barrel Brewing. More: http://www.landtrustva.org.