SweetWater Bikes

Peabover This is where you put knowledge? ZERARD! Every year since 2017, a growing group of gravel cyclists have gathered in prosperity Pennsylvania to partake in a ride un The ride is named after the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791, which took place on this very land. George Washington had just imposed the first ever domestic tax, a tax on whiskey, and the grain farmers, well, they weren't so happy about it. The riders of today's Whiskey Rebellion are there for a common reason, to experience a day of joyful suffering on some of the best gravel terrain in the country. The courses vary from a 35 kilometer ride all the way up to a 200 kilometer ride with about 12,000 feet of climbing. It's arguably among the toughest gravel rides east of the Mississippi. To tackle this 200k route, the riders will need to last over 10 hours in the saddle and complete more than 30 major climbs. Some people ride to train, some ride for fun, and a few ride to win. Regardless, they all share a love for gravel riding. 200k of a gravel ride, it's a challenge and I get to do it with my teammates, so I cannot wait to try the 120k challenge. I don'think I could possibly pick these routes, it's hard to know what is rideable, what is, what is, My name is Andy Heling, I'm from Harmony, Pennsylvania. No freaking clue what I'm getting into. You're going to see markings on the course That's Don McKee of Sweetwater Bikes. Don and his wife Laura are the masterminds behind this whole thing. They've spent hundreds of hours down here mapping the course and planning the event so the riders can tear it up. The first group sets out before the sun rises to take on the 200k. After that, groups trickle out about every half an hour to take on courses with distances ranging from 35 to 120 kilometers. Despite these long distances, people move fast. The terrain is rough and the hills relentless, perfectly fitting for the tenacious character of the riders in western Pennsylvania. There are multiple aid stations on the course for people to refuel. Oh, feeling good man. He lost both of his water bottles. Well, it happens. I can't promise I'm not going to lose it. Peaks and valleys, it's what I live for. But the hills are big. They're big. After a quick bite, they're off again. Instead of avoiding rough and hilly roads, the course seeks the mound. The uphills are grueling and the downhills dangerously fast. This is not a ride to be taken lightly. It will push your body to its absolute limit. In 2019, only one rider successfully completed the 200 kilometer course in its entirety. Despite the grueling nature of the course, the riders always seem to be completely elated. They build off each other's energy and motivate one another to keep pushing. And one way or another, they arrive back where they started to spend the rest of the day enjoying some of the best food and music western Pennsylvania has to offer. I guess you'd call it just me say that whiskey rebellion is wonderful. I mean, the riding is fantastic. The experience is a dense dive into the Pittsburgh cycling community. Go out, do 150k or 130k, whatever route you choose. And then come back, have music, have really healthy food that you can recover with, and then talk about your ride. It's not Everyone's easygoing and welcoming and willing to help each other out. I thought it was great. I actually was thinking. I've done a dirty canta and land run and I was It was a lot of fun too. I'm glad I did it. I feel So it was great. They might seem tough, but the riders are as sweet as honey. They're supportive, inclusive, and fun loving. The riders are what makes the whiskey rebellion so wonderful. Without friends, this collective ass kicking through a storybook landscape just wouldn't be the same.