The RAT 1000: The Legend of Texas Gravel 🐀
The Only Continuous Mixed Surface Route Across Texas. Contested Every Year Since 2014.
Some call it the Race Across Texas. Some call it the Ride Across Texas. Everyone calls it the adventure of a lifetime.
Are you ready to tackle the Granddaddy of Ultra Endurance Texas Gravel? Whether you are here to race against the clock or party across the Panhandle, the RAT 1000 is a challenging odyssey that connects the piney woods of the East to the high desert of the West.
Club Spinistry Members ride FREE!
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🚴 Choose Your Adventure
We offer three ways to tame the RAT. Choose your poison:
1. The RAT 1000 Stage Race / Party
For the social adventurer.
We ride as a group, suffer together, and gather at the same overnight locations every night. It’s a rolling festival of grit and gears.
Vibe: "Camaraderie over Cut-offs."
Format: Scheduled daily stages.
2. Self-Supported ITT (Individual Time Trial)
For the ultra-endurance purist.
Runs under "Tour Divide" rules. The clock starts when you pedal off and doesn't stop until you hit New Mexico.
Vibe: "Just you, the bike, and the demons in your head."
Rules: Live tracking required. No private support allowed (unless available to the general public). Trail Angels are the only exception during Group Depart week.
3. The Mini RAT
For the "I have a job" cyclist.
Ride any portion of the route you want. No pressure to finish the full 1000. Join us for a single weekend or pedal back to DFW.
🗺️ The Route Overview: From Texarkana to Tucumcari
Based on the 2024 Permanent Route Cue Sheet
This is not a ride around the block. The RAT 1000 is a geographical tour de force, evolving from humid forests to arid high plains.
Leg 1: The Green Tunnel & The Red River (Texarkana to Paris)
Miles 0 - 100
You roll out of Texarkana on city streets before hitting the gravel. The route creates a jagged line along the Red River valley. Expect segments of the Northeast Texas Trail (NETT)—a mix of primitive double track and rail-trail. You'll weave through Sugar Hill and country roads, skirting the Arkansas border before heading west toward Clarksville.
Leg 2: The Cross Timbers Transition (Paris to Gainesville)
Miles 100 - 300
Leaving the pine curtain behind, the terrain opens up. You’ll tackle the roads north of Bonham and Honey Grove. The route dances along the OK/TX border near the Red River, crossing over near Denison Dam and traversing the rolling hills around Sherman and Whitesboro. This section is a mix of paved connectors and gritty county roads leading into Gainesville.
Leg 3: The Gateway to the West (Gainesville to Vernon)
Miles 300 - 550
The trees get shorter, and the sky gets bigger. You'll push past Lake Arrowhead State Park and deep into the ranch lands of North Texas. The route utilizes a network of farm-to-market roads and gravel grids through Henrietta and Electra. By the time you hit Vernon, you are officially in the West.
Leg 4: The Red Roads & The Escarpment (Vernon to Silverton)
Miles 550 - 750
This is the icon. The famous "Red Roads" of the Panhandle await. You will traverse the rugged beauty near Childress and Turkey, home of Bob Wills. The terrain gets rougher and more spectacular as you approach the Caprock Escarpment. The climb up to Silverton is the gateway to the High Plains—expect stunning views and burning quads.
Leg 5: The High Plains Drifter (Silverton to Tucumcari)
Miles 750 - 1000
You are now on the Llano Estacado. The air is thin, and the wind is (usually) your enemy. You’ll push through the vast agricultural grid of Happy and Umbarger, skirting the edge of Amarillo near the famous Cadillac Ranch. The final push takes you past Vega and onto the legendary Route 66. You cross the border into New Mexico, ending your journey in Tucumcari under the neon lights of the Mother Road.
📅 The Stage Race Schedule
(Subject to modification - Plan for 9 Days of Glory)
Stage 1 Saturday 6am Start from Texarkana 1112 miles, 2169ft, ends in Clarkesville
Stage 2 Sunday Start TBD 98 miles, 2517ft, ends in Bonham
Stage 3 Monday Start TBD 111 miles, 3582ft, ends in Gainesville
Stage 4 Tuesday Start TBD 108 miles, 3440ft, ends in Lake Arrowhead State Park (camping required)
Stage 5 Wednesday Start TBD 104 miles, 1869ft, ends in Vernon
Stage 6 Thursday Start TBD 104 miles, 2390ft, ends in Childress
Stage 7 Friday Start TBD 102 miles, 4511ft, ends in Silverton (camping only)
Stage 8 Saturda Start TBD 124 miles, 2188ft, ends in Vega
Stage 9 Sunday Start TBD 139 miles, 3333ft, ends in Tucumcari
📜 A Brief History of the RAT
The RAT was born in 2014 as a "gateway drug" for the Tour Divide—a 900-mile primer with a safety net (every mile is within a day's drive of DFW).
The Early Years (2014-2015): We focused on State Parks and Rail Trails. We learned the hard way that trail conditions are unpredictable and State Parks aren't always the best for resupply.
The Evolution (2016-Present): We shifted to the "Permanent Route," utilizing public roads and the iconic "Red Roads" outside of Turkey. In 2017, we rounded it up to a clean 1000 miles, and we've been chugging along ever since.
⚠️ The "Don't Be That Guy" Rules
We want everyone to finish safely. Please read this closely:
Obey Traffic Codes: Stops signs apply to bikes, too.
No Littering: Leave Texas better than you found it.
No Trespassing: This is Texas. Trespassing can lead to disqualification. Trespassing might also get you shot. Don't test the theory.
Be Cool: Represent the cycling community well.
Violating these rules leads to immediate disqualification.
