Horse poop (a/k/a road apples), Amish country, dirt and farm roads, frigid temps, snow, and ice. If those things sound enticing, the Road Apple Roubaix (RAR) is for you! For JB, those things and many more have made riding RAR an annual tradition. It was his first ever gravel event back in 2017, and has served as the unofficial start to the cycling event season. Read on if interested in a summary of RAR.
About the Event
The Road Apple Roubaix is a grand fondo-style event that takes place on the first Saturday in March each year. RAR is not a race per se, but is now chip timed with posted results. There are also a few timed segments clearly marked out on course for the Strava Go Fast Challenge.
HQ for the Road Apple Roubaix is Slim & Jumbo’s in downtown Garrettsville, Ohio. The town is quaint with shops, restaurants, bars, and a café or two. It is about an hour southeast of Cleveland and a two-ish hour drive northwest of Pittsburgh. Amish country and farms surround the town.
Slim & Jumbo’s is a massive bar/restaurant with great beer, food, and people. It even has a nice patio out back for nice days. The RAR Gang handles packet pickup from Slim & Jumbo’s and it is where the afterparty takes place. Always a great time!
Start/Finish
The start of RAR is staged on High Street and then moves to Main Street just prior to the start. It is tradition for a local to sing the National Anthem and for the Garrettsville mayor to welcome participants and volunteers.
As indicated in the intro, the weather for the Road Apple Roubaix is variable. In 2017, it was in the low to upper twenties with snow and ice. In 2022, it was in the sixties with wet and thawing conditions. Bet on closer to the 2017 weather. 2022 was a treat. The below pics from the start/finish over the years give you a flavor of the conditions.
Terrain/Course Conditions
The terrain at the Road Apple Roubaix makes this event perfect for first-timers and/or serves as a great kickstart to the season. The course takes place on farm roads in the heart of amish country. It is relatively flat to rolling with no super huge climbs. The gravel/dirt roads are usually muddy from the freeze/thaw cycle. They are also fairly rutted and littered with potholes from the winter season. Pavement links the gravel. Some of these roads are main thoroughfares, but the traffic isn’t terrible and the roads are wide and/or have wide shoulders.
Another key element is wind. The flattish course profile and open farm fields make for some serious wind gusts, and what seems like headwinds in all directions.
The one section of the course that sticks out and always dreaded is the Headwaters Trail. Near the end of the course and just after the last aid station staffed by the local cross country team, this “rail trail” is always snowy, icy, slushy, muddy, and treacherous. Below is a small gallery of pictures containing the representative terrain.
RAR Course
JB has always ridden the long course, which has varied from 42-ish to 47-ish miles. The route is darn near identical every year with slight variations on the far northern side of the course. See the below pic. The red is the 2022 course with the gray representing roads used in years 2017-2019 and 2020.
JB likes that the course stays relatively constant. It is a nice mix of terrain, and the predictability is nice early season.
As for the short course, it is traditionally around 26 miles. It detours and heads back towards Garrettsville just before U.S. Route 422.
Course/Event Highlights
There is so much to like about the Road Apple Roubaix. One key course highlight is Heckle Hill! Riders come to the Alpha Road Climb, a/k/a Heckle Hill at about mile 39 for the long and 17 for the short course. This relatively short and punchy climb is always well attended by local residents that “heckle” riders as they crest the climb (they also donate a raffle basket each year, pretty cool). The “heckling” is worth the reward you may receive!
Another key highlight is the volunteers/sponsors! An event is only as good as its community support. Every year the area businesses and organizations show up for RAR. Registration and all of the aid stations are supported by genuinely awesome people. The aids are always well stocked. The Garrettsville Police Department provides an escort out of town and other support on course. The 2022 edition even saw the addition of a bike washing station post-ride, which was hosted by the Rotary Club of Garrettsville-Hiram and Interact kids organization (in cooperation with the Police Department).
In addition, the RAR Gang puts their all into this Event. Much, if not all of the proceeds from the Event are donated to local charities. Their efforts don’t end on event day. RAR hosts preview rides in the months leading up to the Event, and they do other things throughout the year to introduce people to the community. Check RAR out on Facebook for more.
Road Apple Roubaix – Shirts and Glasses
To the extent that all of the above doesn’t convince you that you need to be in Garrettsville on the first Saturday in March, then there are a few more carrots to dangle. . . . Each year the Road Apple Roubaix takes on a music theme and friends of the Event design t-shirt and pint glass artwork to match the theme. Most pre-registered participants receive a free t-shirt and pint glass donning the theme. These are items to cherish!
Longtime sponsor, Double Wing Brewing Co. fills up the glass with a free pint post-ride, which is served alongside Slim and Jumbo’s infamous homemade chili. Check out the gallery with shirts/glasses from 2017-2019, 2020, and 2022.
Road Apple Roubaix – 2022 Course Map
Seem like a cool event? Consider starting out your season at the Road Apple Roubaix. Like this article? Consider sharing it with your friends and family and on social media.
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