RIDE GRVL

All things Texas Gravel, bikepacking, and adventure. Ride Bikes, Get Dirty, Have Fun.

07/18/2026

I want to welcome all of the new followers to RIDE GRVL over the past couple of weeks. There’s been a significant uptick in follows, activity, comments, and support.

Thank you all for the follows. It’s all of you who help build this community and help spotlight the incredible routes around Stephenville and Erath County. If you’re new here, I want to encourage you to jump over to the Together by Gravel Substack and read the manifesto linked in the comments below. Subscriptions to the Substack are completely free! 👇🏻👇🏻

Introduce yourself below in the comments and let me know where you’re from.

07/17/2026

Rattlesnake Mountain at the junction of Erath, Palo Pinto, and Comanche Counties has become a gravel landmark for those seeking adventure just outside of DFW. There are several routes that traverse this toothy climb, but Boom or Bust is one of my favorites, and where Texas industrial and Comanche history collide.

Link to the Substack feature in the comments below! 👇🏻👇🏻

07/15/2026

Fifteen miles from home, my body quit. At first, gradually, then catastrophically.

Last month I had a complete neuromuscular shutdown on the bike in rural Erath County. Cramping, muscle failure, back nearly giving out. SAG pickup. The hallmarks of a failed endurance ride.

Middle age isn't a time to push through. It's a time to take inventory before things go haywire.

This week on the Together by Gravel Substack, I break down what I think caused it and exactly what I did over the following six weeks to come back from it. Blowups happen fast, but recovery happens slowly.

If you've ever had a blowup that made you question everything, this one's for you.

Link below in the comments! 👇🏻👇🏻

07/08/2026

Looking for your next favorite gravel route?

Boom or Bust is a classic route out of the Lingleville Country Store. Only about 90 miles from Fort Worth, Abilene, or Waco, this challenging route is worth the trip.

Check out the post here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ridegrvl/p/route-spotlight-boom-or-bust?r=ath0&utm_medium=ios

07/06/2026

Ever wondered about converting a Shimano GRX from a 2x to a mullet build? This might be helpful if you’re crazy enough to give it a shot. I swapped my front derailleur for a Shimano Deore XT Di2 (RD-M8050) and converted my Obed Boundary to a sleek 1x11 with a massive 11-46 rear cassette. I love it!

But mullet builds with electronic shifting is a bit tricky. Take a look at the video before you buy.

.bikes

06/26/2026

The Hotter'N Hell Hundred is one of the best events in the nation, and this is a creative, long-term play to sustain growth and interest in cycling. Great work by the HHH leadership!

06/24/2026

Two weeks ago, I published my "why" for Erath County gravel and for choosing to ride here. Sure, I'm a local and native to the area, but The Crosstimbers have a depth of character that I haven't seen very often in gravel. Variety, challenge, and community are what keep me coming back to these roads.

https://open.substack.com/pub/ridegrvl/p/why-i-ride-erath-county-gravel?r=ath0&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

06/03/2026

You've probably seen my feature on this route on RIDEGRVL.bike, but this is a slightly different take on one of my favorite all-around routes. Let me know if you've ridden this route or any of the roads in between!

https://substack.com//note/p-194740728?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=ath0

Address

Stephenville, TX

Website

http://ridegrvl.bike/

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