Bothell resident Roger Burton gets credited by his peers for being the original inspiration for establishing new gravel routes in King County and beyond.
Roger says: “We do stupid things so you don’t have to. We test the routes and find the good ones so that you don’t have to waste your time on terrible ones.”
Roger was probably the first to start exploring and popularizing the Campbell Global commercial forest, and identified “the obvious routes.”
Roger says he got into gravel cycling through a natural transition–from road and mountain biking, then to gravel in 2010 or so when modern gravel cycling started to become popular. He started riding his road bike in Campbell Global and the Marckworth Forest.
“If you are mountain biking to mountain bike, then it’s all about the thrill of the trail. Gravel cycling is more about the location and scenery, as a way to get away from traffic, and to enjoy longer climbs, quiet, and views.”
Roger makes the point that he doesn’t “enjoy gravel because it’s gravel”–he’s perfectly happy riding abandoned paved roads. His interest in gravel is more about location and setting.
He says the best gravel rides “have a destination–a view point, nice scenery, minimal traffic, nice gradients (loose steep climbs aren’t fun)–and routes that have relatively smooth surfaces. Some of the best gravel rides do have difficult sections, and the challenge of getting up those sections can reward you with some amazing views that few other people will ever see.”
Watch our interview with Roger and Tom Sumter at the Cross Washington Bikepacking 2024 Grand Depart
Roger’s Recommendations
Take special precautions if you are riding somewhere remote (even Campbell Global):
–Carry a Garmin InReach or similar satellite communicator
–Enough supplies so you can survive outdoors overnight in a worst case scenario (See The Mountaineers 10 Essentials)
–Carry bear spray on the bike frame for cougars; “it’s only useful if you can quickly grab it, and get face to face with the animal”
–A knife
Event Rides
Roger likes competition, and recommends trying gravel racing “as a way to test yourself”
—Vicious Cycle events on the east side of the Cascades
—Peninsula Adventure Sports’ Gravel Unravel Series on the Olympic Peninsula–“The routes in the Olympics are better quality for the most part”
—Cascadia Super Gravel is a good introduction to the Olympic Peninsula
Roger’s Favorite Routes
—Northwest Gravel Rider Route Collection on Ride with GPS; Ride with GPS is a Portland company and the heat maps are a useful route creation tool
—Northwest Gravel Riders on Facebook (also a great way to connect with the gravel cycling community)
—Winter Solstice Gravel Century
—Summer Solstice Gravel Double Century–aka the “Tripassic” because it crosses Stevens, Blewett, and Snoqualmie passes
—Elbe Instant Classic
—Oso Long-Necked Dog Route to the Skagit River via Segelsen Pass
—Git Out Ridge from Lake Roesinger to Spada Lake–an old road through there singletrack on an old roadbed–wall of trees with a small break in the treeline that marks the entry
–Browse the routes on Our Mother the Mountain, especially the Gifford Pinchot Wind River route
