Thursday, April 18, 2019

Strawberry Jam



A gravel event in Alberta in mid-April? That’s a bold--and optimistic--proposition, but, hey, it worked. Last Saturday’s Strawberry Jam out Telfordville way, organized by gravel impresario Tim Bulger, was a hit. The weather was perfect, the roads in splendid early season shape, the traffic light, the dogs friendly, and the riders tickled to be out and at it pre-Easter.

The landscape was largely fields of endless brown, with occasional fringes of dirty snow in the ditches, but, I think we can agree that brown beats white in April. Plenty of time for green to come.



Tim’s 60-km course included four crossings of fraise creek, adding some spice to what is generally bland topography. The figure-eight layout, while maybe not to everyone’s liking (Val hates riding past his vehicle in the mid-ride; says it’s just wrong), does allow for some options for those who need/want them.




Telfordville United

The star of the day, without question, was this incredibly energetic dude who joined Cheryl’s pretzel-bun gang for the final 20 km of the ride. If there were a Golden Strawberry awarded to the participant who best exemplifies the spirit of gravel, this fella gets my vote.




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