I'm Not Worthy

The Durham Destroyer routes hit the best Gravel, Dirt, Trails and Rail Trail that the Region has to offer. The Full Monty and Tapping out do venture into the Kawarathas due to their Epic Distance.
Although the official routes start in Port Perry, they can be tackled from any point along the route.
Whatever route you take, enjoy the journey and challenge.

I’m Not Worthy

The Durham Destroyer Full Monty has a little sibling and it’s I’m Not Worthy. Make no mistake about it, this is one challenging Gravel Century ride. Packing in an impressive 2000m of elevation gain over the 160kms, this route packs a punch. The first 20 kilometers hit you hard with a series of sharp stinging climbs and then relents a little as the terrain flattens slightly before depositing you on some rail trail where you can relax for a bit as you ride towards Uxbridge. This is the only spot for food resupply on the route. Leaving Uxbridge you tackle over 20kms of flowy single/double track trails until you rejoin the gravel roads and a last opportunity to fill up your bottles at the chalk lake Spring at km87. The remainder of the route is packed with more climbing and the notorious sandy sections on Byers and Boundary roads. Only upon arriving at the routes finish will you be able to answer the question… Are you Worthy?

Rail trail
Singletrack
Doubletrack
Gravel Roads
Punchy Climbs
7km Sandbox

KM for KM this is by far the hardest of the Durham Destroyer routes. A true Century, Lots of Climbing, Ample Trail Sections and 7kms of Soul Sucking Sand will have you screaming I’m Not Worthy.

Mountain Bike: If riding a mountain bike, there is no need for anything other than a hardtail as the route is not so rough. There’s a real tough sand section which big tires over 2.4″ will make much easier. However, it’s not overly long and having really big tires will slow you down on the rest of the route. Something in the 2.2″ – 2.4″ mark will probably best your best option.
Gravel Bike: A cyclocross bike would be good for the majority of the route but would result in a 7km walk through the sand section. A gravel bike with 40C or larger tires would be your best gravel bike option.

For a detailed write-up of the route, check out the ride report by Cory on An Athlete’s Blog.

This route is not particularly long in the grand scheme of things and can be done in a day by more experienced riders. If you are going to take more than a day…and that’s perfectly cool…you’re going to need to figure out a sleep plan for the night.

Hotels: Not too much along this route. Uxbridge at km50 of the route is the last town you will go through. For any other towns, you will need to leave the route to find a place to stay.
Campgrounds: The only campsite near to the route is the Trout Water Family Camping near to Sunderland.
Wild camping: When wild camping, do your best to leave no trace. Find a quiet spot near a lake, in a field, etc. I’m not sure what Crown Land options are available along the route, but there are many forests, ski hills, conservations area, etc in which one may opt to hide away for a night.

Fresh water: Unlike the Rookie Route, there are a lot less re-fill option along this route. Make sure you carry enough water or have a filter or purification tablets so you can fill-up in a river, lake or stream.
Restaurants/Cafes/Bars: The main towns along the route where you can find food at in Port Perry (the start point of the route) and Uxbridge. You will need to plan a lot better on this route as to how you will manage your nutritional needs. If necessary you can leave the route at km133 to go to Blackstock, which has a variety store.

I’m Not Worthy is a great gravel bike route that has many punchy climbs and a good amount of elevation overall for the length of the route.

Average Physical Difficulty – 4

1-2 – Relatively level riding
3-4 – Regular rolling terrain with sustained climbing
5-6 – Rugged terrain with frequent climbs, some of which may be steep and unrelenting
7-8 – Very rugged terrain with abundant climbing, some of which is very steep and unrideable
9-10 – Numerous very steep, climbs requiring bike-pushing and/or carrying

Average Technical Difficulty – 4

1-2 – Smooth riding surface with few obstacles (e.g., graded dirt roads, rail trails); suitable for novice mountain bikers
3-4 – Track has occasional obstacles and steep sections (e.g., maintained forest roads, mellow singletrack); suitable for beginner mountain bikers
5-6 – Continuous sections of track may be rocky, loose, and steep; (e.g., 4×4 roads or singletrack in rugged/rocky terrain) suitable for intermediate mountain bikers
7-8 – Narrow trail with regular obstacles, sustained steep grades; suitable for intermediate to advanced mountain bikers
9-10 – Very challenging riding with frequent large obstacles, exposure, very steep grades; suitable for advanced mountain bikers

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