GA/AL Gravel

What's the Gravel Like?

Though the roads mirror one another, they’re like night and day. Georgia gravel guides meticulously along ridgelines, meandering up and down for a smooth ride. Alabama says, good luck with that, suckers! We’re careening straight down this ridge and back up the other side, creek be damned. Both are a blast, and neither is better than the other, despite what the old-timers say. 

Our routes are all over 70% gravel and beyond remote. We’ve literally ridden for hours on our discovery rides without seeing another human soul. Not even farmers. Not even Starbucks.

A grueling tour-de-torture through the dip-dives of Alabama’s timber territory and the duck -dodges of Georgia’s farmlands, Border Wars can hold its own against all the thrills, chills, and challenges of the big-name “lottery” events. The gravel, the hardpack, the scenery—they’re well worth it.

Georgia

Smooth & rolling along ridge lines, mostly well kept... mostly

Spin the District on Border Wars
Mostly groomed and not deep
Georgia Creek Crossing
Typical Georgia Creek Crossing

Alabama

More clay and dirt with some gravel here and there with steep grades

Alabama Creek Crossing
Don't let the fat tire MTB bike trick you, your gravel bike will do just fine on the 23% grade that may or may not be just on the other side of the stream.
IMG_6578
Hard clay with some rock here or there is pretty common

AFTER THE GRAVEL
IS OVER. ENJOY THE FIRE
THANKS TO

You’ll be toasty at the party in more ways than one, and you’ll notice a certain ineffable flair below the comforting glow of the fire. This is no primitive campfire, no bottom-of-the-barrel burn pile. All Border Wars bonfires come to you courtesy of our sponsor, S&S Fire Pits. These bad boys are welded from ¼” thick steel bowls repurposed from the tank industry. They’re made to last several lifetimes and look good doing it. And while an heirloom fire pit may be an unlikely souvenir from a destination cycling event, gravel riders have never been known for limiting themselves to what’s expected. Shop S&S Fire Pits >>

the worst of it

Like all gravel when wet, we have the good and the not so good news

20230225_153010 GGOT
Typical Georgia gravel when wet, mostly good, but will have a few squishy spots.
20230225_113540 GGOT
Ground to the core gravel. Basically riding on Bedrock
Muddy Border Wars
Pretty much the worst. We try hard to limit areas like this, but sometimes...
IMG_3471 GGOT
Typical Alabama clay road when wet.

There’s a distinct difference; y’all will know when you cross from one state to another. Georgia typically has more gravel than clay, and Alabama has more clay than gravel. Both can get rutted, and at times, both states can grind down their roads to the core of the earth where you’re riding on hard bedrock with baby-head-doll-sized granite sticking up. Both sides hold up pretty well in bad weather, though last year’s event saw the worst, with several inches of rain leading up to the event and all day mist that created a few fairly muddy sections with ruts for the worst and a thin layer of sticky clay on some others for about 30% of the ride. All the mostly gravel sections – half the ride – was in great condition. We’d be remiss not to show you the worst.

So then what's the weather like