It’s June already??? That was fast. It’s time again for our annual GravelCat! If you aren’t familiar or you have missed our other announcements about what the GravelCat is, head over to this page for more information:
https://vermontbicycleclub.com/2026gravelcat/
As a part of the GravelCat weekend we also ride as a group on the Sunday of the event. Because of the elevation and terrain, this ride is for intermediate to advanced riders. It is not a fast paced ride, it does contain a section of washed out, riding alongside high cliff like drop offs, as well as single track mountain bike type terrain. This year we will be leaving a little earlier than we have in previous years due to a change in hours at Carrier Roasting. So here’s the details for Sunday’s ride:
Sunday, June 14
8:15-8:30 We’ll gather at the Vermont Bicycle Shop.
8:35 Head over to Espresso Bueno
9:00* wheels roll
*While our goal is to be riding by 9:00am, we should be prepared for delays in order to give the coffee shop lots of time to handle their customer flow, and our orders.
In the coffee shop world, shops start closing procedures anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes before their posted closing time. Due the size of our group and out of respect for the staff, my goal is to make sure we arrive at Carrier Roasting early enough to have our orders prepared and in hand more than an hour before closing. That way we don’t keep the staff from finishing their work and enjoying the summer afternoon.
• Hopefully by 9:00am we’ll head off to Northfield as a group. We will regroup at key areas. We should have plenty of time to make it to Carrier Roasting before they close, at the same time we want to allow for incidents on the ride without feeling rushed. The ride to Northfield should take us anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours.
• Riders should have some kind of way to navigate this route on their own. We do not want to leave anyone behind, at the same time, we don’t want the group to miss the window for arriving at Carrier Roasting. We’ll end up at Carrier Roasting in Northfield, and have lunch, typically at Good Measure, right next to Carrier Roasting. Then we’ll head South out of Northfield and ride a bit of pavement and wackadoo to Berlin Pond where we’ll ride gravel and bit of significant class 4 road and then some pavement back toward Barre.
• The ride is a total of 34 miles with a LOT of climbing and a couple of spots of challenging terrain. The ride is at a casual pace, at the same time it includes some very challenging and occasionally dangerous terrain, as well as significant elevation considering the short distance. It is a moderate to difficult ride for experienced cyclists. Bicycles should have at least 38mm wide tires.
Here is a link to the Trek Ride Club route:
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/ride-club/route/b62aa6a6-6c74-417a-8c2f-eda44515ec22
• All the normal rules and suggestions for joining us for a group ride apply to this ride, including filling out the 2026 Rider Waiver (if you haven’t already done so this year).
Here’s a link to ride rules:
Notes on joining us for a ride.
Here is a link to the 2026 Rider Waiver
2026 Rider Waiver
You don’t have to join the group ride to participate!
What is the GRAVELCAT?
It’s a fun alleycat-style bike event on Vermont’s back roads, organized by the coffee and bike communities of Barre and Northfield that can happen on your own schedule during the second weekend in June. June 13 and 14 this year.
Start at one coffee shop, finish at the other (see Rules and Eligibility here):
• Espresso Bueno – 248 N Main St, Barre, VT
• Carrier Roasting – 17 East St, Northfield, VT
Ride any bike-friendly route, or private trails with proof of written permission.
Learn more here:
https://vermontbicycleclub.com/2026gravelcat/