The Ride: Unpaved fun on Banks backroads (photo gallery) @BikePortland

Great roads await in the hills surrounding the Banks-Vernonia State Trail.
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Once you open yourself up to the possibility of riding unpaved roads, a whole new world awaits. That, to me, is one of the most exciting things about the “gravel riding” revolution. It’s like we just scored a bunch of new places to ride and it came without loss of blood or treasure.

On Saturday I joined a group of backroads connoisseurs on a 26-mile loop north and west of the small town of Banks. Many of you likely know Banks as the southern end of the very popular Banks-Vernonia State Trail. I have ventured off that path before, but Saturday’s ride took me in intriguing new directions.

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