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Introducing the Allied Recon Rides series, brought to you by Allied Cycle Works!  

 

The Allied Recon Rides will be a series of 6 rides leading up to the Dust Bowl 100, with each ride covering a different portion of the DB100 race course.  Each recon ride will be approximately 20 miles in distance, breaking down the entire route into more manageable chunks. Riders that participate in all 6 rides will have seen every mile of the Dust Bowl 100 course before race day!

 

The Allied Recon Rides are open to anyone and everyone (you don’t have to be registered for the Dust Bowl 100 to participate), and we’ll have various pace groups each ride, so both front end racers and party pacers are welcome!

 

Facebook events have been created for each recon ride, and we would appreciate an RSVP on those if you plan on attending (links below).

 

We can’t wait to share the Dust Bowl 100 roads with you and provide some locals only knowledge ahead of race day! 

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Allied Recon Rides calendar and specifics:

 

  1. Alpha and Omega - Tuesday, April 19 - 6:30pm - Event Link

    • Start Location: Eminence Community Schools, 6760 State Road 42 North Eminence, IN 46125

    • Ride Details: This ride covers the first 6 and last 11 miles of the Dust Bowl routes (the Alpha and the Omega), arguably the two most important sections to scope out prior to any gravel race.  21 miles.

    • Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38375412 

    • Dust Bowl routes riding this section on race day: ALL
       

  2. Horizons - Thursday, May 12 - 6:30pm - Event Link

    • Start Location: Well Spring Christian Church, 3256 S County Rd 725 E, Coatesville, IN 46121

    • Ride Details: This ride covers the most wide-open portions of the Dust Bowl routes where you can see to the horizon for miles on a clear day.  20 miles.

    • Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38375213 

    • Dust Bowl routes riding this section on race day: ALL
       

  3. Burdge Forest and the Gravel Pitch - Thursday, May 19 - 6:30pm - Event Link

    • Start Location: Union Valley Baptist Church, 5499 S County Rd 800 E, Coatesville, IN 46121

    • Ride Details: This ride hits two of the most iconic sections of the Dust Bowl routes - the off-road Jeep trail section, known as the Burdge Forest, and the super short but super steep Gravel Pitch climb, which isn’t that intimidating but packs a huge punch toward the end of the race!  21 miles.

    • Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38375347 

    • Dust Bowl routes riding this section on race day: ALL
       

  4. Vandalia Trail and the Devil’s Backbone - Thursday, May 26 - 6:30pm - Event Link

    • Start Location: Big Walnut Sports Park, 1562 S County Rd 250 E, Greencastle, IN 46135

    • Ride Details: This ride starts with a fun descent to one of the historic iron bridges on the Dust Bowl 100 route before quickly climbing the Devil’s Backbone.  After a relatively flat and tame 10 miles, we’ll reach the Vandalia Trail, a crushed limestone rail-to-trail section taking us almost all the way back to the start.  23 miles.

    • Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38375287 

    • Dust Bowl routes riding this section on race day: 80 and 100
       

  5. Big Walnut and the Railroad - Thursday, June 23 - 6:30pm - Event Link

    • Start Location: Coatesville Vandalia Trailhead, 5000 Milton Street, Coatesville, IN

    • Ride Details: This route parallels the CSX railroad for a few miles, while also previewing the track crossing on the Dust Bowl 100 route.  The middle portion of the ride goes north along Big Walnut Creek before crossing the creek (via bridge) and heading back south along the creek again.  Two cool historic bridges on this section as well!  24 miles.

    • Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38375305 

    • Dust Bowl routes riding this section on race day: 80 and 100
       

  6. Covered Bridges - Tuesday, July 12 - 6:30pm - Event Link

    • Start Location: North Putnam High School, 8869 250 E, Roachdale, IN 46172

    • Ride Details: This ride crosses the two covered bridges on the Dust Bowl 100 route.  On race day, only the 100 mile riders will cross these bridges, so this is the perfect opportunity to experience the covered bridges if you’re racing the 44 or 80 mile option.  Though the shortest recon ride, it also includes arguably the two toughest climbs on the Dust Bowl route.  19 miles.

    • Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38375324 

    • Dust Bowl routes riding this section on race day: 100

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About Allied Cycle Works:

Founded in 2016 and based in Bentonville, Arkansas, Allied Cycle Works’ mission is “to make the best carbon fiber bicycles in the world, manufacturing them right here in America.” Allied currently offers three different frame models, with a variety of spec builds available for each:

  • The ABLE is Allied’s “nowhere off limits” bike, purpose-built for wider tires, but with a shorter rear end for telepathic handling. The formula works, as both Colin Strickland and Amity Rockwell piloted their ABLEs to overall victory at the 2019 Dirty Kanza.  

  • The ALFA DISC is Allied’s “pure speed” road bike.  

  • The ECHO is the perfect middle ground between the ALFA DISC and the ABLE and serves as Allied’s “quiver killer” for fast road riding to gravel.  The ECHO has tire clearance up to 40mm and allows a truly optimized road geometry thanks to its flip-chip system.

Find out more about Allied and their bike offerings at alliedcycleworks.com.

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