David Shim // Mini Epic

April 30th had perfect weather for the Epic Ride - sunny, mid-50s climbing to the high 60s, light winds. Rode my Super Albardi Ti gravel rig, Schwalbe G-One R's (45mm), with 36x9-50 gearing. Rolled out around 9am, and the paved start up to Jones Trail made for a good warm up. The climb to John Nicholas Trail shook out any remaining cobwebs in the legs, especially the steeper ramps! From John Nicholas to the end of the dirt, it was smiles for miles. The trails were fun, flowing and never too crowded. There were just a handful of technical spots, but were just a few meters at a time. From Black Mountain to the finish, the steady (and incredibly fun) descent was very welcome for tired legs.

Living in the East Bay, this was the first time riding trails on the Mini Epic route, and they were absolutely fantastic. Trails were in great shape with very little water damage, or cattle damage, as I find in many other places. I am planning to do the Bay Area Epic again in 2023, and perhaps tackle a longer route!