unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley recently announced the details and routes for the 2021 edition of the event. In the the event coordinators’ words, [t]aking what we did (and loved) in 2019, adding in some of the changes we made for 2020, sleeping on it (see below) and voila!” Please take a read of The Hub’s article on the 2019 unPAved to get the skinny on the weekend of festivities, along with a course description of the 90-mile Plenty course. The deets of the 2019 event will largely apply to 2021. Below we cover a brief history of unPAved and how it applies to 2021, and explain the 2021 unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley format and course changes v. 2019.
Note: It is probably fairly obvious, but The Hub has no affiliation to unPAved other than the road/trail surface in both names. Just wanted to be clear so that we are on the same page.
Brief History of unPAved
2018 and 2019
The inaugural unPAved was in 2018, which saw riders tackle four routes: the Full (approximately 120 miles with about 10,000′ of climbing), Plenty (approximately 90 miles with about 6,000′ of climbing), Half (approximately 54 miles with about 3,500′ of climbing), and Taste (approximately 30 miles with about 1,000′ of climbing). 562 riders lined up for the inaugural event, including 160 in the Full, per Bike Reg.
The 2019 edition saw 973 riders, including 334 in the Full, per Bike Reg. The Half was renamed the Proper and the Taste the FUNpaved. There was one noteworthy change with respect to the Plenty and Full courses in 2019. Ingleby Road to Tunnel Road (and everything in between) near Coburn was removed from the course. A close-up Ride with GPS map shot below depicts the change. We point out this change for those that rode the 2018 edition and skipped 2019 or for those who read reports about the 2018 edition.
2020
In 2020, unPAved planned on expanding to 1000 riders, but COVID-19 had other plans. Miraculously, the maestros behind unPAved, Dave Pryor and Mike Kuhn, along with their team, sponsors, and community partners, put on a highly modified, successful, and COVID-free event. The 2020 event included 200 riders who rode the Full, which was the only distance offered. There are several podcasts and articles detailing the 2020 event and the insane amount of work required to put it on. Check out unPAved’s Facebook page for links. In addition, 2020 saw a few key changes to the format and route used in 2019.
Format Change
To abide by COVID protocols and keep everyone safe, 2020 didn’t see a mass start or traditional head-to-head racing. Instead, riders chose their own start times and headed out on course and rode individually or in small socially distanced groups. The race was decided by four timed segments. The remainder of the ride was “neutral.” The format is similar to enduro mountain bike events. Another PA-great, Keystone Gravel normally uses this format. So does Grinduro. It really is an enjoyable way to “race.” For a great recap of the 2020 unPAved, see winner, a/k/a “Queen of the Whoopie Pies,” Kelly Catale’s blog post.
Route Change
In addition to format, the Full route changed from 2019 to 2020. The changes must have been a hit because the route is the same for 2021. Other than a few small tweaks that aren’t really noteworthy or applicable to 2021, the 2020 route saw a fairly major change near the town of Woodward. The 2019 edition sent riders west from Woodward toward the town of Coburn, which had them enter Poe Paddy State Park from the west. The 2020 route sent riders southeast from Woodward over Woodward Gap, which had them enter Poe Paddy from the east. In essence, the change flipped the direction of the route from Woodward to Poe Paddy and back. A detailed explanation of the changes and Ride with GPS map markups are below.
Ride with GPS Maps Comparison
Route Change Specifics
Specifically, once in Woodward, the 2020 route had riders climb Woodward Gap Road and descend Cherry Run Road on the approach to Poe Paddy. After completing The Difference, riders in 2020 climbed Pine Swamp Road, descended Siglerville-Millheim Pike into Coburn, and headed from Coburn and Woodward back to The Ranch aid station before making their way to Hobo Vista via Stony Run Road. The 2019 route took riders from Woodward to Coburn, had them climb the S-M Pike, and descend Pine Swamp into Poe Paddy. Riders then completed The Difference, and headed to Hobo Vista by climbing Cherry Run and Sheesley Run Roads. Below is the distance and elevation profiles for 2019 and 2021 for comparison.
Plans for 2021
The lottery for the 2021 unPAved opens on April 11, 2021. As it now stands, the organizers plan to accept 800 participants for the unPAved and 400 participants for the SOMEpaved. The latter includes updated routes for the 30 and 50-mile distances (formerly the FUNpaved and Proper), and adds a new 20-mile route that stays on the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail. The routes are up now on Ride with GPS.
The unPAved courses, that is, the Full and Plenty routes will include a mix of what worked in 2019 and 2020.
What’s the same as 2019?
The organizers plan to run the weekend festivities very similar to 2019. Smart move. The festivities include “Get un(G)raveled in Lewisburg,” the Saturday Fall Festival (and surrounding activities), the DONEpaved Party, and Monday morning Brunch Ride. Check out The Hub’s post detailing the 2019 weekend for more on the festivities. It goes without saying, but all is subject to the status of the pandemic.
What’s the same as 2020?
The COVID-induced format of 2020 was a hit. That is, the organizers and riders enjoyed the gravelduro-style timed segments with individually chosen start times. For 2021, there is a slight difference. In 2020, there were four segments of racing. This year there will be six segments (scroll about a quarter of the way down the page for the segment descriptions). Hopefully, social distancing won’t be as necessary, but we will see on that one!
In addition, and as indicated above, the course for 2021 will be the same as 2020.
What’s new for 2021?
An overnight category. Start at the Miller Center any time after noon on Saturday, camp out in Poe Paddy State Park on Saturday night, and head back to Lewisburg on Sunday. This category will not be timed. unPAved will even shuttle your gear for meager $10. Pretty cool idea!
Also, the SOMEpaved routes are new. Dave Pryor spoke about the 2021 event on the Mid-Atlantic Gravel, Travel, and Dirt podcast. We recommend taking a listen to get all the details. On the pod, Pryor indicated that while he really likes the Proper 54-mile route, bridge work called into question whether it, along with the 30-mile FUNpaved, would be doable by October. To eliminate even more uncertainty, the 30 and 54-mile routes will change for 2021, and join a new 20-mile rail trail route, as SOMEpaved.
unPAved also expects a few added touches to the weekend thanks to the event’s great sponsors. Stay tuned for those nuggets.
Conclusion
That’s it for the 2021 unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley format and course changes. The Hub will update this post as we approach event day or if there are any newsworthy updates. Check back for updates and for other cool unpaved content. Until then, make sure you keep up-to-date on all The Hub’s content by following us on social media (links on the top and bottom of this page), and by entering your info into the Newsletter signup (to the right and bottom). And in the words of unPAved (and the guys at the Mid-Atlantic Gravel Travel and Dirt podcast) – “Love ya, bye.”