Riding the Castell Grind: Castell, Texas - Gravel Cycling in the Texas Hill Country!

[@SMLPhotography1]

Thanks for riding my “home” event. I grew up in Llano back in the ‘70s and rode my Sears 10 speed all over the county. Now, I look forward to coming back for the Castell Grind every year.

[@richardwernick4930]

As an Austin resident, I have ridden out there multiple times. And yes, I rode it in July and August, and it gets interesting for sure. Thanks for the great video.

[@GravelCyclist]

Such an amazing area to ride, thank you!

[@lexcommon1357]

As mentioned, that's an Agave Americana. It's frequently referred to as a Century Plant. Glad to see you in our neck of the woods. Hope to see you at The Wild Chicken 100 soon.

[@GravelCyclist]

Thanks Lex!

[@jbratt]

Yes and once they bloom the die 😢

[@garyives1218]

Many here in AZ........where gravel is great and hills are mountains :)

[@GravelCyclist]

Rode there recently.

[@andrewkelk8414]

Wow, looks like a beautiful area for adventuring. Bluest sky's (like the song). I'm traveling America vicariously through you Jom, thank you.

[@hansschotterradler3772]

Amazing countryside. Looks like a perfect place to ride bikes. I guess it could suck in the middle of the summer.

[@BarronFujimoto]

Glad you enjoyed the Castell loops! I rode both last year (separately) and your video brought it all back. Thank you for sharing your ride.

[@copdwarriormcdonald7968]

Thanks for the Ride -along, Mate! Semper Fi and Can Do OORAH

[@DaneKromer]

Lovely video. Thanks for sharing JOM!

[@davidhall5015]

I have wanted to ride in this area ... thank you for an inspiring view ... can't wait to do the same ride ... Thanks and keep them coming

[@GravelCyclist]

Thanks David, get out there and ride the course, you will love it!

[@rsrnsrwds]

Beautiful ride! Thanks!!

[@davidbennett4812]

So cool! I grew up in LA (Auburn, Troy, Waverly) and have been loving all your small town southern rides! I live in Flagstaff now and wondered where you were for the lag in videos......oddly enough we were both riding in Patagonia around the same time! A gem of a place to ride! Thanks for helping me get through the mayhem!

[@GravelCyclist]

Glad my videos could help! I have a lot of videos to come from my recent trip to Arizona and beyond.

[@MichaelFergusonVideos]

Very interesting. I would like to try this with my ebike with gravel tires, perhaps. I have road tires now.

[@wellynawang8977]

awesome and it was great ride

[@C.Medina]

Beautiful Jom, thanks for sharing.

[@garypostell5268]

Most enjoyable ride indeed!

[@tommenke836]

Jom, that was a great tour. I appreciate the work you put into these videos so I get a chance to see different areas. I live in Iowa and have an abundance of gravel roads but don’t have much variety in scenery.

[@drewgarfield5331]

Never thought I'd see our chunk of land in a gravel cyclist video! Glad you enjoyed the route.

[@GravelCyclist]

Thanks Drew! I would prefer to ride the event, but this area has been on my must-ride list for years.

[@garyives1218]

B&Bs, long empty stretches of gravel, flowing water and kayaking......sounds sweet.

[@SuperJohnnyO]

You need to come to Hico, Texas for Gravel Locos in May!

[@GravelCyclist]

Agreed! At the very least, ride the course if I cannot make the event.

[@SuperJohnnyO]

@@GravelCyclist Come to my house. I'll show you MANY Hico routes! 😀

[@donaldlewis1836]

Some sort of agave and when they put up that sprout they usually die. That is the end of the plant. It happens here in Tucson, AZ and usually have to dig up the plant after it dies.

[@GravelCyclist]

Interesting stuff, thank you Donald.

[@jbratt]

Welcome to Texas! I’ll be racing that course in a couple of weeks.

[@GravelCyclist]

Thank you! Such an amazing course and area of the country to ride bicycles!

[@prestachuck2867]

Hey John B! It’s Art. Hope you’re doing well.

[@jbratt]

@@prestachuck2867 hey Art. If you are at Castell this weekend I’ll see you there 👍

[@jbratt]

@@GravelCyclist it was a great event last weekend 👍. The weather was perfect and the race was fast. Wish you had been there.

[@tommahnke]

If you are in Austin would be happy to buy you breakfast or lunch.

[@xhrrdg]

Drop by Dallas and ride the levees. I’ll lead the way.

[@GravelCyclist]

Appreciate the invite, I was in Castell on March 2nd. However, I plan to return to Texas to ride, hopefully sometime soon.

[@rbachalo]

Or the NETT

[@bytemyshinymetalass]

Ahhh you're a Crow Eater! You know this part of Texas look quite similar to my neck of the woods Down Under WA.

[@GravelCyclist]

Totally a Crow Eater! You be a Sand Groper, haha. I'm embarrassed to say I have yet to visit WA, but there is so much good riding there, I need to visit next trip home. Parts of this route also reminded me of the South Oz far north region, close to Wilpena Pound.

[@bytemyshinymetalass]

@@GravelCyclist Ahh and me too..I've yet to visit your great state to sample a drop of some famous SA red...one day when I find an excuse to go visit the Adelaide Hills. I hear there's some pretty nice riding there.

[@GravelCyclist]

@@bytemyshinymetalass Off the chart riding for road, MTB, and of course, gravel. I am homesick AF right now.

[@bytemyshinymetalass]

@@GravelCyclist I feel ya. Hope you get a chance to come back soon. See you...in the next video. ;)

[@samondjm]

Ride that loop all the time and love it. Too bad they resurfaced Keyserville Road in 2019. It used to be deep sand pit after deep sand pit. A brutal technical challenge. On race day, it was a yard sale in each one. Any chance you made it to Dally's Down Under just west of Henly while in the Hill Country?

[@GravelCyclist]

Negative on Dally's. An Aussie owner or theme?

[@samondjm]

Aussie owner and themed (although it's not terribly different than Texas themed--just more Australian history/maps/etc.).

[@buzzman4860]

This route I would love to ride

[@GravelCyclist]

Do it!

[@bici_rides4600]

Great vid in beautiful country! The route looked rather smooth, how much washboarding was there, if any? Hard to tell with the image stabilization (not complaining about smooth video though).

[@GravelCyclist]

There wasn't too much washboard, but rain fell close or onto the course the day before, which greatly helps.

[@MichaelFergusonVideos]

I am guessing that was a Yucca plant.

[@davidimrie1394]

That’s a Yucca. You will find them in California as well.

[@adrianc6534]

is there a map available for this route? this is a little over an hour from my families ranch, would love to try this out.

[@GravelCyclist]

Adrian, check out the Castell Grind website, that is where I pulled the route from. Failing that, check RidewithGPS.com, search Castell, key word gravel, or Castell Grind. You should find what you're looking for, good luck!

[@karlr6810]

Out of curiosity, what is your average speed when filming these types of videos? Cool video...

[@GravelCyclist]

Anywhere from 15mph to 18mph, depending on elevation. Those speeds generally favor flatter courses.

[@karlr6810]

@@GravelCyclist Groovy, thanks sir

[@russellspeight5175]

The plant may be Agave americana?

[@GravelCyclist]

Thank you Russell.

[@angelot8251]

Castell is castle in catalan language , hi friend

[@lolwutyoutube7561]

Any relation to Jomboy over at Jomboy Media?

[@GravelCyclist]

Definitely a coincidence. My nickname was coined in my Aussie homeland way back in 1993.

[@stephenmalta2906]

Speaking of gravel cycling Texas, just published today KOMs in Downtown Austin Texas with a Hot Lap Challenge for other riders: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGe1f3qOeLZ4h5Y

[@rsrnsrwds]

That was a mescal agave.

[@GravelCyclist]

Thank you Bob.

[@david-yj4qw]

I want your job

[@GravelCyclist]

Gravel Cyclist is a side passion project in addition to my real job. I too would like to do what you see in these videos full time!

[@osint6372]

The gravel road looks good and long and quiet...but that's about it....Other than that no thank you.......nothing but cow land and not a freaking mountain in sight....

[@GravelCyclist]

You don't need mountains to enjoy a mixed-surface road experience. But, each to their own! Thanks for chiming in.

[@osint6372]

@@GravelCyclist Hi JOM, as I mentioned the gravel road is fine and long..and your content is fine which I always enjoy...I just prefer something more scenic and Texas is not the place for this. It is a personal preference....Cheers..