Sunday I started the Bicycle Tour of Colorado's week long ride with a 60 mile ride on Peak to Peak highway from Central City to Estes Park. The first time I've ever ridden in Colorado. The climbs are demanding and the scenery breathtaking. I felt a sense of accomplishment from the first day's ride. This tour is pretty disorganized, but my strategy is to go with the flow and enjoy the riding, scenery and camaraderie.
I managed to arrive in Estes Park in time to set up my tent before the afternoon rainstorm. At dinner we were advised that the Park Service might not allow us to use Trail Ridge Road to pass through the summit in Rocky National Park on Monday. The alternative would be to ride back to Central City and be bussed to Granby, the planned day two destination. Later we were told an announcement would be made on the Park Service's decision at 5:00 am. The climb from Estes Park HS where we stayed to the peak on Trail Ridge Road goes from 7,500 feet to 12,100 feet over 29 miles. I was looking forward to the challenge and hoping the Park Service would allow access.
The 5:00 announcement came at 5:15 and was of a postponement to 6:15 of the announcement. A couple of more postponements later and the announcement came. There was a possibility the road would be opened. At 8:00 we were allowed to begin riding up the mountain. If the road was not opened, we would ride back down the mountain to Estes Park and be bussed to Granby. You don't want to be around when bicyclists are threatened with separation from their machines.
We rode up to the first rest stop only to be held there because there were too many cyclists were already at the second rest stop waiting for the road to open. Eventually we were allowed, in groups of 50 to proceed up to the second rest stop. Along the way we passed the snow line and felt the air chill significantly. There we refueled and awaited word on the possibility of opening the road. Many riders became discouraged and cold and rode back down the mountain to get in line for the shuttles to Granby. I thought that this would be my one and only chance to ride Trail Ridge Road and so, despite the dire warnings of snow and rain and cold and poor visibility and possible icing conditions, I decided to wait for the chance to make the ride.
At noon, my patience was "rewarded". We were allowed, in groups of fifty to begin the final six miles of climbing to the peak. The climb was bracing. The temperature dropped, the wind picked up and echos of warnings played inside my head. Still, this was a grand adventure made all the more appealing by the anticipation, dangers and shared nature of the event.
As we climbed, the snow along the roadside continued to get deeper, the winds rose and it began snowing. When we reached the top, the wind seemed to be coming from all directions, the snow was coming down harder and blowing off the snow pack, which was over our heads on one side of the road. We reached the visitor center which was open, but unstaffed. I decided to continue on because I was cold and wanted to get off the mountain before conditions worsened. Once I started to ride downhill, the snow changed to hail, then sleet, blew horizontally and coated my glasses. My thought was to get down the mountain as fast as possible so the rain would abate and the temperature rise below the snow line.
The rain picked up and wind criss-crossed as the road wound down the mountain. Still no sign of the snow line. I tried to wipe my glasses in an almost futile effort to see ahead.
Failing clarity, I decided to follow a rider in high visibility yellow down the mountain. He wasn't going fast enough for me. When another rider came by, I began to follow him at 20-21 miles per hour, as fast as I dared, and faster than most. I feathered both brakes and could feel the sand grinding my rims. My fingers were cold, wet and tired from gripping the brakes. But they were all that kept me from running off into the woods. Gradually the rain moderated as did the angle of descent, I increased my speed to 25-27 mph. Still, the snow field, cold and rain persisted. Then suddenly I heard someone yelling, "Good job! You made it." I was very happy to be at the rest stop where we were ushered into running cars with heaters going full blast. After fifteen minutes of shivering, warming up and eating, I got back on the bike and pedaled the last 17 miles into Granby. It was a great adventure. Not one I would choose knowing all the travails that transpired. But still I'm glad I had the experience and will remember the ride as an epic event. I've talked to other riders who made it over top and almost universally they feel the same way. Others were stopped at the visitor center and driven down the mountain. Eventually all riders made it into Granby with various stories to tell. No one was seriously injured. And all have a story from the day. How they choose to regard it is up to them. For me this day will be recalled fondly.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Two Loops
After riding TOMRV (Tour of the Mississippi River Valley - back to back century rides from Bettendorf to Dubuque and back the next day) I drove west to acclimate for the Bicycle Tour of Colorado June 19-25 through CO mountains. Always wanting to see more, I had found routes in Idaho and Utah to ride on Mapmyride.com. It seems a bit goofy to be riding routes mapped by strangers in states where I've never ridden before, but new adventures are always fun, right?
The Idaho loop started in Pocatello at the campus of Idaho State. I had printed maps and cue sheets of the ride before I left. The cue sheets seem to have been computer generated. The verbiage is awkward at times, and instead of a simple turn right, the cue sheet often reads like this, "Head southeast on W Buckskin Rd toward N Beehive Rd", then the next cue is "Head northeast on W Buckskin Rd toward Prospector Hollow Ln". Now N Beehive Rd and Prospector Hollow Ln are nowhere in sight when the cue is given. In fact those two cues were two of eight cues given while riding a total of 8 1/2 miles on Buckskin Rd. So the critical turns are buried in the mass of cues.
Accepting the cue sheet as written (I've learned not to argue with them, just to do my best at interpretation), I started the ride with a nice 1,200 foot climb up Buckskin Road. It is a hilly area filled with large 2-3 acre lots with horses, llamas and cattle. The six mile climb was followed by a fourteen mile descent back to the starting altitude. Then the road leveled out through ranch and farm country. All the way to McCammon there was a rock ridge off to the right. If I knew geology I could explain it. Another subject for future study. At McCammon I crossed the interstate and headed back north along a peaceful valley. More neat and tidy ranches and farms. at mile fourty-four, the route turned west and four miles later the second 1,200 foot climb of the ride began. Eight miles up and thirty five miles down this time through the Caribou National Forest. The scenery was breathtaking. If you need to exercise your sense of Awe, turn here. Coming out of the forest I was continuing that long, gradual descent through the Arbon Valley. I rode Arbon Valley Road for twenty-four miles. A peaceful, serene ride. Very, very little traffic on the route after leaving the U. At the end of the valley, the route turned East back to Pocatello, paralleling I86 so again no traffic while passing potato farms and endjoying a brisk tail wind. The temps. started in the upper fifties and rose to the low seventies while sunshine filled the sky most of the day.
The lilacs were in full bloom and planted all along the twenty mile stretch on Buckskin and Rapid Creek Roads. Have you noticed even the road names are scenic? And I haven't mentioned Hoot Owl, Sawmill Creek, Marsh Creek, Mink Creek and Portneuf Roads. It was so scenic I saw only one C store - twice at mile 22 and 41. Along about mile 85 I had to stop and fill my water bottles with snow melt from the creek along side the road.
If you've read this far, you know why I ride a bike. This was a close to perfect as bike riding gets for me. The second loop ride will be another post. Let me know what you think.
The Idaho loop started in Pocatello at the campus of Idaho State. I had printed maps and cue sheets of the ride before I left. The cue sheets seem to have been computer generated. The verbiage is awkward at times, and instead of a simple turn right, the cue sheet often reads like this, "Head southeast on W Buckskin Rd toward N Beehive Rd", then the next cue is "Head northeast on W Buckskin Rd toward Prospector Hollow Ln". Now N Beehive Rd and Prospector Hollow Ln are nowhere in sight when the cue is given. In fact those two cues were two of eight cues given while riding a total of 8 1/2 miles on Buckskin Rd. So the critical turns are buried in the mass of cues.
Accepting the cue sheet as written (I've learned not to argue with them, just to do my best at interpretation), I started the ride with a nice 1,200 foot climb up Buckskin Road. It is a hilly area filled with large 2-3 acre lots with horses, llamas and cattle. The six mile climb was followed by a fourteen mile descent back to the starting altitude. Then the road leveled out through ranch and farm country. All the way to McCammon there was a rock ridge off to the right. If I knew geology I could explain it. Another subject for future study. At McCammon I crossed the interstate and headed back north along a peaceful valley. More neat and tidy ranches and farms. at mile fourty-four, the route turned west and four miles later the second 1,200 foot climb of the ride began. Eight miles up and thirty five miles down this time through the Caribou National Forest. The scenery was breathtaking. If you need to exercise your sense of Awe, turn here. Coming out of the forest I was continuing that long, gradual descent through the Arbon Valley. I rode Arbon Valley Road for twenty-four miles. A peaceful, serene ride. Very, very little traffic on the route after leaving the U. At the end of the valley, the route turned East back to Pocatello, paralleling I86 so again no traffic while passing potato farms and endjoying a brisk tail wind. The temps. started in the upper fifties and rose to the low seventies while sunshine filled the sky most of the day.
The lilacs were in full bloom and planted all along the twenty mile stretch on Buckskin and Rapid Creek Roads. Have you noticed even the road names are scenic? And I haven't mentioned Hoot Owl, Sawmill Creek, Marsh Creek, Mink Creek and Portneuf Roads. It was so scenic I saw only one C store - twice at mile 22 and 41. Along about mile 85 I had to stop and fill my water bottles with snow melt from the creek along side the road.
If you've read this far, you know why I ride a bike. This was a close to perfect as bike riding gets for me. The second loop ride will be another post. Let me know what you think.
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