We are so excited that you’ve decided to join us for the 2025 Boise Gravel Gala! We hope to answer any pre-event questions you may have, but if not, please feel free to respond to this email!
We will start the ride at 7:45 AM with a police escort (for your safety!). You MUST stay with the group!!! You can spread out as much as you want once the police escort ends (at the dirt on Rocky Canyon Rd). Please arrive at the start (1420 W Grove St, Boise, ID 83702) by 7:30 AM (at the latest) to check in. PLEASE, even if you don’t want to party (WHAT??!! WHYYYYY???), check in at the finish to let us know you’re good AND to get your sweet swag
I signed up for this event but don’t really know the history… What’s it all about?
Chris and Ami moved back to Idaho in 2018 and soon thereafter found a group of amazing adventure partners who never shied away from the grueling routes Chris put together. In 2019 seven friends headed out to tackle the first Boise Gravel Gala in cold and snowy conditions with Chris’ dad, Doug, driving behind with snacks and beers. It. Was. Epic. And the word got out! In 2020 we invited a larger group of friends to take on the same route, with better weather. With fantastic volunteers, we were able to provide snacks and beers again and a pizza party at the house after. For 2021 we mixed up the route, moved the start / finish to our favorite bottle shop, Hops & Bottles, and opened up the event to anybody who dared to join us. IT WAS AMAZING and has been ever since! We are stoked you are attending the 7th year of Gala!!
Can my friends still register?
Maybe? Email the organizers
What is the event schedule?
We will start and finish the ride at Hops and Bottles (1420 W Grove St, Boise, ID 83702) at 7:45 AM MST. Please plan to stay for the after-party at Hops & Bottles (21 years of age and older!) and invite your family and friends – it will be a good time! Awards for segments (see “Is this a race?” section) will be held at 7:00 PM MST.
Is this a race?
Nope. We do not have a start-to-finish timing system for this event. If you hate Strava and don’t care about competing for the segments, you don’t need to use it. BUT if you do want to compete for the following segments, you MUST USE STRAVA AND JOIN THE BGG STRAVA GROUP. There is ONE segment per course. You do not have to do the long course to be eligible for a segment prize!
Segments (prizes for fastest male/female/non-binary person using strava, and finished course before awards at 7 PM):
Smol course segment presented by SIERRA NEVADA, family owned, operated, and argued over ~31.2 miles in
Medium course segment presented by TANNUS, PROVEN TUBELESS RIM PROTECTION — FROM DOWNHILL TO GRAVEL ~28 miles in
Long course segment presented by IDAHO RIVER SPORTS, YOUR GO-TO DESTINATION FOR WATERCRAFT RENTALS IN BOISE ~36.9 miles in
Will the course be signed?
Errrrrrrr... no. As per rules of the event (see “Are there any rules?” section), the course will not be marked. You MUST download the course you plan to do on your computer/phone if you’re not local and don’t already know it. We don’t have a sag vehicle and unless the kind volunteers want to haul you back to town, you’re pretty much on your own out there (though this isn’t a race and you’ll likely be riding with fun and cool people who will be willing to help you out in the event of a mechanical or accident). If you’re racing the segments, study the course!
Recommendations on cut off times?
Let’s be real. The courses are purposefully very hard. The long course is 93 miles with nearly 12,000 feet of climbing. The average finishing time will be around 9 hours. We start at 7:45 AM. So, at that pace, you’d be done around 6:00 PM (we assume you will enjoy yourself at the aid stations!). Sunset on September 7 is at 7:34 PM. That gives you about 12 hours of daylight to ride. You are welcome to finish in the dark but, if you think that’s a possibility, you should bring your own lights. We aren’t going to cut you off. BUT we are going to give suggestions and tell you when aid stations will close:
· Aid station 1 is near the base of Pine Creek climb, about 25 miles in for all courses. This aid station will be open from 9 AM - 1 PM. If you get there and aid is gone, we recommend you change your plan and ride the smol course (shortest route – 62 miles) or medium course (medium route – 82 miles).
· Aid 2 is in the center of Placerville (you can’t miss it), 44 miles in for medium course, 55 miles in for the long course. The smol course does not cross this aid station. This aid station will be open from 12 PM - 5 PM. If you get to aid 1 near noon and you think you can do 82 miles but maybe not 93, we suggest you do the medium course.
· Aid 3 (2 for the smol course) is at 38 miles (smol), 58 miles (medium), and 70 miles (long course). This aid station will be open from 11 AM - 6 PM. See notes on bail out option from the long course due to aid station timelines above.
Course turn by turn directions can be found on the Strava courses by going to the Strava link on the courses page and clicking “Print”
Will there be aid stations?
Yeah! There will be 3 official aid stations with a mix of food (Saltstick chews, Bonk Breaker Bars & Chews, GU Energy waffles, and lots of other good snax), beverages (water, Formula 369 drink mix, non-alcoholic beverages (soda, sparkling water, etc.), Vida Mate energy drinks, Shilling Hard Cider, and various beer offerings from Sierra Nevada), bike lube, sunscreen, first aid, etc., and all around good party vibes. That said, depending on your speed, you may still want to ride with a camelback. There are no other places to get water on the course except Bogus Basin lodge, unless you bring a water filter!
Aid 1: Base of Pine Creek climb (where the smol course turns):
~25 miles in, presented by K-Edge
Aid 2: Placerville*
~44 (medium) / 55 (long) miles in, presented by Ami’s parents
Aid 3: Pine Creek & Bogus Basin Road*
~38 (smol) / 58 (medium) / 70 (long) miles in, presented by Sierra Nevada & Vida Mate
Is there an after-party?
Heck yes there is! That’s actually the whole point of the Boise Gravel Gala – to bring a rad community together to celebrate the love of bikes and dirt, specifically! The after-party will start at 3 PM at Hops and Bottles (1420 W Grove St, Boise, ID 83702) with food truck starting at 4 PM. Attendees must be 21 to enter Hops & Bottles (sorry youngsters! But we will have tables outside the boozey area for you to enjoy your meal and non-alcoholic beverages). Riders who want to drink alcohol should bring their IDs. Beers from Sierra Nevada, Cider from Shilling, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available! And, since Hops and Bottles is a bottle shop, there are also many other beer, wine, seltzer, cider, and non-alcoholic beverage options for purchase! We are bringing in a food truck, Madre Tacos, for sustenance and pleasure (pre-paid (with a limit!) for registered attendees and available for purchase for the rest of ya!). There will be vegan and vegetarian options (we love you veg heads!). Awards for segment winners WHO USE STRAVA and ARE A PART OF THE BGG GROUP ON STRAVA will be presented at approximately 7:00 PM MST. Finishers (of whatever you decide to do), will be given a BGG insulated mug from Miir, other cool stuff from our many awesome supporters, beverages, and delicious food.
Are there any rules?
YES!
Rules of the road:
The Boise Gravel Gala course features a blend of pavement, dirt road, gravel road and single-track.
Riders must obey all applicable traffic laws during the event and are encouraged to use common sense, keep their head up and stay in their lane of travel. At no time will the course be closed to traffic.
Riders must obey all traffic laws and use common sense, keeping their speed under control.
Riders should expect vehicle traffic on all roads, along with ATVs, motorcycles, livestock and wild animals. Stay in your lane and follow the rules of the road. Seriously, don’t get hit by a side by side and don’t cause them to wreck, mmmkay?
All riders must ride as far right as possible to avoid vehicle traffic. This applies to both the pavement and dirt sections.
Timing will utilize Strava. You must be a member of the Boise Gravel Gala Strava Club to compete for KOMs/QOMs for prizes. No exceptions!
There will be three segments for prizes, one on each course, announced above. You must upload your ride (completed on September 16th, duh!) to Strava, as part of the BGG Strava Group, by 6:30 PM MST, to be eligible for segment prizes.
More rules and common sense:
Be cool, have fun and enjoy the ride. Those are the rules!
For those of you who need things spelled-out, here you have it…
All riders must wear an approved helmet and cannot remove it at any time while riding.
No support or follow vehicles are allowed but you may call for a pick up if you need it. Aid stations will be well stocked and able to handle participant’s needs.
Riders must ALWAYS obey traffic laws and strictly obey any law enforcement persons or official ride personnel. In the interest of your own safety, you should always assume the same level of vigilance in riding your bike during the event that you would under normal circumstances.
Headphones/earbuds are NOT permitted during the ride.
The responsibility of keeping on the prescribed course rests with the rider. There are no course marshals and no course marking. You are responsible for downloading the course and use your phone or bike computer’s maps to know the course. Don’t get lost in Mordor!
Laws and ordinances of appropriate jurisdictions shall be observed during participation in the event. Don’t litter, vandalize, etc.!
Respect public and private property. A rider will be held liable for all costs associated with any damage or destruction to public or private property.
Boise Gravel Gala organizers reserve the right to make changes to the course, delay start times and/or postpone the event as necessary for safety or security purposes.
What do I do if I have an emergency?
Emergency contact: all riders should have an emergency contact to call if they need a pick-up. We are not able to provide a pick-up service for riders.
Weather: September is usually cool (~50 degrees) in the mornings and warm/hot (70 - 80 degrees) in the afternoon but it’s the mountains – you really never know. It’s a rider’s responsibility to be aware of the weather around them and make a call regarding their own safety based on their comfort with the elements.
Crashing, Overheating, Mechanicals, etc.: you are responsible for your own safety. Ride within your ability level. You are responsible for calling your emergency contact if you need. We’ll have limited first aid at the start/finish and aid stations including a standard first aid kit. We will have limited stuff to fix your bike at aid stations, including pumps and lube. Our volunteers are not medical professionals or bike mechanics and not responsible for your care. If you have an emergency, please call 911.
On the road safety: Boise Gravel Gala is an event that takes place on open roads. The course has been designed to utilize as low-traffic roads as possible but the first and last few miles are in downtown Boise where traffic, while kind to cyclists, should not be trusted. If you have an emergency in relation to a drive, please call 911.
Safety Volunteers: We will have 2 volunteers out on course in case of a mechanical, physical, or emotional breakdown. They will have a first aid kit, some extra tubes, tires, and CO2s, and a small amount of water. They are NOT for riders who get in over their heads and get tired. If you think that could be you, please do a shorter course and have an emergency exit strategy in place. These volunteers will be on the medium and long courses and where those courses meet up with the smol course. There will be no volunteers driving the Pinecreek climb so PLEASE ensure you take full advantage of aid station 1!!! If you have a mechanical, do not leave an aid station until it has been sorted out. Please let them know if you know of a rider in dire distress. Please also inform the aid station volunteers if you see something that is concerning. See above on emergency contact, crashing, overheating, mechanicals, etc.
I want to support the businesses who have supported this event. Who are they?
Check out our partners page HERE
I want to help spread the stoke. How should I tag you in my social media posts?
We aren’t anti-Facebook, we just didn’t bother with a Facebook account. We are @boisegravelgala on Instagram and look forward to re-posting your posts and stories!
Where should I park?
While we encourage locals to ride from their homes, we understand some might want to drive. There are some nearby parking garages and the street parking near Hops and Bottles (1420 W Grove St, Boise, ID 83702) is free but pay attention to signs! Some roads have time limits.
Are there drop bags or a place to drop layers?
No. Kinda. We aren’t doing official drop bags. Plan to dress in layers and carry anything you take off or want to maybe put on later. Only caveat: you can leave stuff at the aid stations and find them at the finish line. Since there won’t be any labeled bags or anything for this drop option, we recommend writing your name on your stuff to make sure it’s yours at the after-party. Everybody owns a black jacket…
Is there packet pick up?
Nope. See sections on course, segments, and after-party. This is not a race. We aren’t timing you.
Can I bring outside alcohol to the after-party?
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Please plan to support Hops and Bottles after the free beer runs out.
Are e-bikes allowed?
Yeah, sure. But you won’t be considered for any segment prizes.
What kind of bike / tires do you recommend?
Don’t ride a road bike. You will not have fun and will likely flat, need rescuing from a family member, or have to take an alternative route home. We fully support you riding a mountain bike but take into consideration the extra time it may take you and select your course accordingly! As for tires, Boise gravel is rarely of the champagne variety – we recommend at least 40 mm width tires with knobs. Feel free to message @boisegravelgala on Instagram if you need more advice.
Any questions, please email us back at boisegravelgala@gmail.com or message us on Instagram @boisegravelgala