In late 2019, I was event directing Westchester Cycle Club‘s annual fall gravel ride, The Dirty Apple, when I experienced what can only be termed an epiphany.
what if we did an extreme early season mixed-terrain gravel ride with lots of climbing and 2.5 miles of unmaintained road in the middle? Conditions would be variable; most people aren’t in hilly ride shape in March … could be a great challenge!
I pitched the ride as a low-lift event: one rest stop, no route markings, marketed to more advanced gravel riders. The club agreed to provide volunteers, insurance, rest stop fare, swag, and a draft beverage token at the local brewery at the end. Most importantly, I wanted this ride to be affordable so we set the price at $45. I estimated we’d get 50-100 riders who would be willing to brave a very hilly course in dubious conditions when we set the date for the second day of spring – March 22, 2020.
The route featured the best of the roads between Peekskill and Cold Spring, NY. I enlisted my fellow intrepid riders to test the route under a variety of conditions, including one day in December where the entire 2.5 mile unmaintained section was under 2″ of solid ice, to get a realistic idea of what a rider will encounter and set timing for the rest stop and SAG support.
Despite all this … the ride sold out twice … first at the original 100 rider limit and again at the 200 rider limit. Clearly, we underestimated the market demand!
Unfortunately, this coincided with the early days of Covid-19 spreading across the globe. As we monitored reports of this new virus in New Rochelle, NY, we quickly pivoted to minimize exposure by following local health guidance at the time: changing to individual prepacked snacks, sanitizer wipes, individual bottled water, and maintaining distance between participants and volunteers.
Not long after we pivoted to this plan to continue with the event, then-Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency and shut down the state of New York. With heavy hearts, we opted to cancel the ride because we didn’t want to be a vector for someone to contract covid.
We mailed out everyone’s swag – posters, stickers, and the coveted beanie featuring Chip our mascot.
Some riders went out to ride the route unofficially on March 22, 2020. The weather and conditions were perfect – sunny, fast, and frozen.
Since then, the Frozen Apple route has become a local favorite for many riders who want to challenge themselves and ride some of the best dirt roads available in the Lower Hudson Valley. The roads are available to ride year-round, with foliage season being popular for obvious reasons.
I hope you get out and enjoy the route. If posting on Instagram, use hashtag #frozenappleride.
Frozen Apple Ride 