Essential Gravel Bike Ride

June 1-16, 2024

Start/finish: 172900 State Hwy 29, Ringle, WI, 54471

10, 20 and 44 mile route options

What is the IRONBULL essential Gravel Bike ride?

This free bike ride is returning in 2024 for its fifth year! Its purpose is to introduce people to gravel riding and provide an option for gravel enthusiasts. You may ride at a leisurely pace or race and get some competitive juices flowing. You can even ride the course as many times as you want! You may participate as a small group or solo.

There are three looped route options, all starting and ending at the Mountain-Bay Trailhead at the Marathon County Solid Waste landfill, 1.5 miles east of Ringle, WI. All riders (age 16+) will need to purchase a state trail pass (available at the trailhead) for the route which includes the Mountain-Bay and Wiouwash State Trails (44 mile route only). One pass is valid for all Wisconsin state trails, so consider an annual pass. More info here. Note that trail fees on state-operated designated state trails are waived for Free Fun Weekend the first weekend in June.

Haven’t done a gravel ride before? Historically, most of the Essential Gravel riders were participating in their first-ever gravel ride too! So this is a perfect event for you to try it out! It’s free, you can do any time, you choose the route best for you, and you can even do the route again (and again)!

Since we want to make this not just competitive, but fun, we want to encourage all ability levels. So we have lots of ways to win prizes and you don’t need to be the fastest to win! See info below on prizes. Since the route is unmarked, download the cue sheets and GPX files.

Participants can do the route as many times as they wish and get a drawing entry for each time they participate! Make sure you bring your phone to take a selfie along the route.

We ask that you register for the event so we can track the community impact, even if you’re out for a casual ride or not interested in winning prizes. You may register onsite. Anyone that registers and submits a result and picture (see rules below) will be eligible for prizes!

Although you may not be able to physically race with your friends, encourage them to join in and share our Facebook event. Or make it a family adventure.

prizes

Winners may choose from any of the following prizes:

• One free entry to the 2024 IRONBULL Red Granite Grinder event

• $20 Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce gift certificate

• IRONBULL merchandise (t-shirt, pint glass, hat, or headband)

There are multiple ways to win!

1) One prize will be drawn randomly from all official finishers every six days and will be announced at the conclusion of the event. To be an official finisher, you must complete a route and submit your result and picture. You may earn multiple entries, even on the same day! If each person in your household registers separately, you can earn entry for each person, so bring your family!

2) The person with the post in the IRONBULL Essential Gravel event having the most likes & comments, will also receive a prize.

We also encourage you to post on your personal Facebook page and tag IRONBULL and the IRONBULL Essential Gravel event.

3) The fastest time for the following:

• Male (44 mile route only)

• Female (44 mile route only)

• Under 12 years old (all routes)

Updates including fastest times will be periodically updated on our website and Facebook page. 

Every registrant earns a discount to the 2024 IRONBULL Red Granite Grinder upon submitting your result.

Cost

The event is completely free!

RULES

• Riders are responsible to track their own time and submit it.

• Riders must follow the rules of the road.

• All riders must have a valid trail pass (may be purchased at the trailhead if age 16 or over).

• Riders must wear a fastened helmet when riding.

• The ride is self-supported.

• You are required to enter the name and email address and sign a liability waiver for each participant prior to starting the route. (There is a reminder onsite so you can register online immediately before starting the route.)

• To be eligible for prizes, riders must register, submit a result (you may omit your time if desired), AND submit at least one picture participating in the event which may be posted on social media. You may post the picture yourself on the Facebook event or email pictures here.

• Participants are encouraged to do the course multiple times. Participants may submit one entry for every route completion to increase your chance at a prize (as described above)!  To help you remember to submit your result, a QR code is located at the finish line to direct you to the result submission form.

• For the fastest times, winners must be verified by submitting their route within 24 hours of notification. Examples may include Strava, FitBit, Garmin or another tracking app data or you may submit selfie pictures along the route.

• The ride must be completed between June 1 and June 16, 2024 and results submitted before June 18, 2024.

• One prize per household.

• Please uphold good sportsmanship and trail etiquette. If you need to pass someone on the trail, alert them and give each other plenty of space. Earbuds are discouraged.

• Dress for the weather in bright clothing and leave a plan with a friend so they know where you are and when to expect you back.

  Note: This is NOT an official race and you do so at your own risk. Be safe, make good choices, follow all applicable directives regarding public lands, and make sure you have gear suitable for your local environment.

Course designer

• Shane Hitz (and Red Granite Grinder race director)

More opportunities

Ready for more gravel?

Check out the Red Granite Grinder with 12 mile, 50 mile, 85 mile, and 144 mile route options on 10/12/24.

Or sign up for the free TTT on June 22, 2024 starting and ending in Tomahawk with 103 mile, 33 mile, or 63 mile ride options!

The Essential Gravel, Red Granite Grinder and TTT are all part of the Ironbear 1000 which highlights Wisconsin’s epic gravel.

QUESTIONS? 

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