The SweetWater Whiskey Rebellion Gravel Race commenced in 2017, just before the full-on gravel road cycling boom. It is apparent that the visionaries of the event, Laura and Don McKee of SweetWater Bikes, were in the gravel cycling know when they created the event and are still all-in on western Pennsylvania gravel. The Whiskey Rebellion Gravel Race is but one example. Another example is SweetWater’s gravel ride series, REAL Gravel Free Ride Series, which will be the subject of a future post.
This post will provide some background and stoke for the event and share a link to The Unpaved Hub’s SweetWater Whiskey Rebellion Gravel-inspired route.
Background on SweetWater Bikes and the SweetWater Whiskey Rebellion Gravel Race
SweetWater Bikes is located in Ambridge, PA, which is 16 miles northwest of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. In its day, Ambridge was a booming steel town. Currently, it is on the upswing with revitalization from those days, thanks in part to businesses like SweetWater Bikes. SweetWater occupies the space of its predecessor, Ambridge Bike Shop, which has served the community since the 1970s. From its beginnings, SweetWater’s passion and focus has been gravel. That is not meant as a limiting statement – SweetWater is a full-service shop, but it carries some of the best and most exclusive gravel-specific brands in the industry. In addition, the folks at SweetWater love to explore and seek out the sweet gravel of the tri-state (PA, WV, and OH). The SweetWater Whiskey Rebellion Gravel Race is the child of those two passions.
The SweetWater Whiskey Rebellion Gravel Race traverses the peaceful country and farm roads where the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion took place in Washington County, PA. The start/finish is in Prosperity, which is an hour or so southwest of Pittsburgh. The roads are largely gravel, dirt, and busted up chip seal. The gravel ranges from pea gravel to baseball-sized rocks. We think the gravel falls into Category 1 to 3 on the Industry Standard Guide to Gravel, with a few Category 4 sections. Predominately falling in Category 2. There are five distances (Sip 35k, Shot 60k, Pint 90k, Jug 120k, and Cask 200k), which take place over four possible loops to equal the appropriate category distance. All of the loops consist of classic western PA topography, which is short, punchy, and relentlessly steep and rolling terrain.
SweetWater Whiskey Rebellion Loops
Below are screenshots of The Hub’s Ride with GPS data on the 2019 Whiskey Rebellion loops. The routes were tweaked for 2021, but the core roads remain. Hover over or click on each to get a brief description of the loop and how they are assembled to comprise each category distance. Check out the event website for fuller descriptions of each route.
2021 Whiskey Rebellion Gravel
The Hub’s JB rode the 2017 25k, the inaugural year of the Whiskey Rebellion. That edition saw the event start/finish at Krenzelak Orchard. It was an awesome event with a nice farm-to-table meal with live music and whiskey tasting, of course. As a bonus, the proprietor of the orchard, who was so nice, sat around and talked with riders during the post-ride meal. The current iteration starts/finishes just down the road at the Morris Township Community Park, which can accommodate more people. That equates into more fun, right!?! Due to the pandemic and scheduling conflicts, JB has been unable to ride any of the more recent editions, but is sure they rivaled 2017.
The 2021 SweetWater Whiskey Rebellion Gravel Race is scheduled for May 22nd, and builds upon the event’s successes from past years. The plan is to run the Sip 35k, Shot 60k, Pint 90k, Jug 120k, and Cask 200k. As of the posting of this article, the Pint 90k, Jug 120k, and Cask 200k are open. Spots for the former two must have just opened up as they were on waitlist earlier in the week. The Sip 35k and Shot 60k are on waitlist. Per the Mid-Atlantic Gravel, Travel & Dirt podcast, Laura advises to sign up for the waitlist for the desired category and they will try to accommodate entry.
Conclusion and Link to The Hub’s Whiskey Rebellion Gravel-Inspired Route
Make no mistake. Each course is up and down for the entirety, but you will have a smile on your face all day (even through the teeth gritting and choice words). Don’t wait. Sign up. In the words of the event, “Be a Rebel. Ride Gravel” at the SweetWater Whiskey Rebellion Gravel Race.
As a way to pay homage to the event during the pandemic, JB rode all of the Whiskey Rebellion Gravel loops. The following is a link to The Hub’s Claysville Gravel Route, which is largely a product of those rides. Check it out if you are interested. Think of it as training for the real deal.
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