Check out the 2016 gravel route under the “Routes” tab.  This will be the route for both the gravel RACE and gravel RIDE.

Working on the routes.  They need to be changed this year because of road construction and destruction.  The routes will be posted 2 weeks before the ride.  As I did last year there will be:

• 100 mile paved route
• 100 kilometer paved route
• 100 kilometer gravel route
• 100 kilometer gravel race

So challenge yourself and sign up for the ride.    Look how happy these riders are at the finish.  Hope to see you on August 28th. 

This year’s River Valley 100 will start and end at the Mankato Brewery, 1119 Center Street, North Mankato, MN.  There are four options to choose from:

• 100 mile road ride
• 100K road ride
• 100K gravel ride
• 100K gravel race

You choose which you want to do when you register.  See you on the 28th of August.

Come and join us on Saturday, May 28th as we ride a 25 mile route as part of Greater Mankato Bike Walk Month.  The ride will start and end at the Mankato Brewery, 1119 Center Street, North Mankato.  Registration starts at 9:00 am and the ride starts at 9:30.  The ride is FREE and maps will be available on the day of the ride.  Helmets are required.

Come join the fun on Sunday, August 28, 2016 for the River Valley 100 in and around Mankato MN.

More information to come later this winter.  It’s never too early to start riding!

Here is the official forecast from KEYC’s meteorologist Colin Oraskovich.

The annual River Valley 100 is upon us and conditions are favorable, but dew points will definitely be on the sticky side so extra water should be a consideration. Winds will also increase during the day, but not nearly to the extent they did last year. After Friday’s rain we remain dry through the weekend and into next week.

The morning of the ride will be calm with patchy fog mainly confined to low-lying areas. Sunday starts with low temperatures of 61F and winds light and variable. Skies will be mostly clear to partly cloudy, but no rain will fall from these fair-weather cumulus clouds. Dew points will be around the 60F mark, and will steadily increase through the hours.

Around 7:00 AM – Temperatures haven’t warmed much from their low, but still sit at a comfortable 63F. Dew points also follow suit and increase to 62F. A few places will still be holding onto patchy fog, but those will be very isolated in nature. Winds begin trending consistently out of the south, but only around 5mph. Skies will be mostly clear with a few puffy cumulus clouds around

Around 10:00 AM – Clouds continue to dissipate and skies will be mostly clear. The increased sunshine will warm temperatures to 67F, and expect muggier conditions with dew points closing in on 65F. Wind increase out of the south to 5-10mph.

Around 1:00 PM – Temperatures warm to 76F under nearly clear skies, but dew points are quite sticky as they clock in around 68F – 69F. Winds continue their upward trend as they clock in around 10-13mph out of the south.

Around 4:00 PM – Dew points are nearing a tropical feel as they begin topping out at 70F. Temperatures will have climbed to 83F and winds will be around their strongest out of the south at 12-15mph. Skies will be clear with only a few isolated cloud floating by.

Around 7:00 PM – Temperatures hold fairly stead, but do begin falling slightly to 81F. Dew points remain unchanged from their 70F mark in the late afternoon. Winds hold fairly steady around 12-15mph, but will begin falling closer to 10-12mph around 7:00 PM. Skies should be almost entirely clear.

The River Valley 100 is a non-supported ride.  That means you need to know how to fix your own flat tire and do basic bike repair, rely on the kindness of strangers or call someone to come and get you.

To help you prepare, there will be a FREE Emergency Bike Repair class for registered riders at Scheels in Mankato on Wednesday, August 26 from 6-7 pm.  Charley will teach you some basic repairs that you may have to do on the ride.  Last year it was fun and informative.  Meet a little before 6 by the bike shop at Scheels in the River Hills Mall.