First Gravel Touring Expérience

Just FYI- anyone considering gravel touring. I toured on pavement in France last few years. Used a road bike. It all went fine. I wanted to go off-road so I got a used steel frame gravel bike and set it up. Not disappointed. However since I was not a gravel rider previously, I cumulated two new experiences: Gravel and touring on gravel. Trying the “Grand Traversée du Massif Central” in France now. The itinerary is too rough for me, so I opted for a variation whose itinerary is mostly on road with some – doable for me – gravel. I am medium loaded: tent sleeping stuff and cookware. That much weight and 40mm tires on busted up single track in a forest with muddy holes and loose rock passages on 10percent slopes or more is too physical. Plus alone so if I crash it’s sorta a problem. Once I switched to the “lighter” version I was in the right place for me now. About 90% back roads with a few gravel spices here and there. I’m 60. Still learning. I brought a chair. Huge difference.