A new gravel bike event is coming to northern New Mexico in August.

Aztec Adventures will present the Gas Field Grinder on Aug. 27 in Aztec, offering riders three distances to find the right challenge for themselves.

There will be a 10-mile ride, a 26-mile ride and a 50-mile ride. All three routes will return on Ruins Road for the last three miles of the ride.

“One of the best things about the event will be the ability to start and finish in the city of Aztec,” said Neal Hannum of Aztec Adventures.

Hannum said the 10-mile course will be on well-used roads and can be ridden with most any bicycle. The 10-mile ride will even have a Classic Cruiser Class for participants.

The 26-mile route is still on well-traveled roads, but will have some sandy sections

The 50-mile route, however, will have longer stretches of sand while climbing around 4,700 feet during the ride.

“The landscape the route goes through is magical, a landscape where you can see fossils if you search around,” Hannum said.

The event will start with an 8:15 a.m. gathering across the bridge by Aztec Ruins and have a “controlled” roll out at 8:30 into the desert north of Aztec.

There is a pedestrian bridge from the city’s new N. Main Extension over to the Aztec Ruins, which is how the event will start.

Music, vendors and food trucks are planned. The organizers are also trying to bring on sponsors to help with a pro prize purse. The 50-mile ride will have male and female open pro and U23 pro classes. The 26-mile ride will have sport classes for U23 and adults while the 10-mile ride will have U16 and beginner divisions in addition to the classics.

More information and registration at https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=316602.