This year's tour was a great ride! It was just three of us - I rode with Andy and Laura Bergen. Pete Bergen dropped out and Dan Buettner was unable to join us unfortunately. We had a lot of fun and absolutely perfect weather. The roads were great aside from nearly 50 miles of bumpy dirt roads and some wicked pot holes coming down Independence Pass.
http://www.bicycletourcolorado.com
Day 0 - Sat 6/22/13 - Registration Day in Canon City:
My journey truly started on Friday when I drove about eight hours to Fort Morgan, CO so that I would have a shorter drive for Saturday afternoon's registration. I left the hotel around six AM so I arrived in Canon City early with a few hours to kill. Our starting town was only about 10 miles from the Royal Gorge area that was ravaged by wild fires just a week prior to our arrival. Tiffany and I had visited a few years ago and I wanted to see the destruction for myself. The narrow winding road was surrounded by burned forest in many areas and the final portion of the road was closed so that you couldn't see the actual bridge. Also, very near this area is one of my favorite Colorado attractions: Skyline Drive! The very narrow 15 mph road winds its way above Highway 50 over the town of Canon City and offers some spectacular views if you have the guts to stare at them while trying to stay on the road!
One advantage to arriving early was the choice of a camp site. I made sure to follow our SOP to find 1) Future shade, 2) a location not too close to the port-o-potties, and 3) a spot close to the baggage trucks. Laura and Andy arrived, we finished camp and then picked up our registration packets. It was good to see them again; I had never spent more than a few minutes with Laura so it was a fun week getting to know her too.
Skyline Drive was so much fun I just had to share it with them of course. Then we caught some food at a
local brew pub in downtown Canon City (including something called a "mountain of fries" - ask Andy, http://royalgorgebrewing.com/). We turned in fairly early as we were going to set alarm clocks at four AM through the week!
Day 1 - Sun 6/23/13 - Canon City to Buena Vista:
Mileage = 86 mi
Ascent = 6500 feet
Moving Time = 6 h 5 m
Pass = Trout Creek Pass (9,346 feet)
Let me describe a typical morning on previous bicycle tours for us: Rise around 5:30 AM, pick up camp, hit the restroom, then roll around to find a suitable restaurant for a full breakfast. We finally hit the trail for the day between 8 and 9 AM.
Here was our typical day on BTC 2013: The latest we rose was probably 4:30 AM each day - with the possible exceptions of the rest day and the short day mid-week. On day one we set a new record for departure time - wheels rolling at 5:40 AM! It was nice to avoid both the heat and the stronger winds however. It also felt nice to get into town earlier and setup camp in a spot of my choosing.
Today's route was somewhat strange in the fact that we did most of our climbing early in the day, but didn't hit the actual pass summit until much later in the day. We rode near that elevation all day until one final short push to the summit of Trout Creek Pass. Today was Laura's first official Colorado mountain pass! We warned her however that today's summit climb was fairly atypical in its brevity.
The town of Buena Vista seemed to offer a lot of promise. We caught a ride into town on a 1923 fire engine and began our search for food. Strangely enough we were too early for many places, and several establishments were out of business. We finally found a nice Thai restaurant (The Asian Palate - http://www.theasianpalate.com/) and had some great Tofu curry. We steeled our nerves for what we
knew would be one of our more challenging days tomorrow: Independence pass and 93 miles.
Day 2 - Mon 6/24/13 - Buena Vista to Carbondale:
Mileage = 93 mi
Ascent = 5190 feet
Moving Time = 6 h 34 m
Pass = Independence Pass (12,095 feet)
Awesome: Today's word of the day for my second climb through Independence Pass via bike. Last year we rode this pass in the opposite direction on Ride the Rockies. Today was a 4 AM call, but we got rolling around 5:40 AM again. I was still over the pass before noon! The start was a chilly 46 degrees, but it was above freezing at least! Last year I remember scraping ice off of the tent one morning. My sleeping bag was also nice and cozy this year; this was much improved over last year's lightweight model.
The profile map showed a near-constant climb to the summit at mile 43, but in actuality the first 25 miles were mostly a gradual ascent at 3%. The final summit climb lasted for about 4 miles, with numerous "rest" opportunities when the grade leveled off for a bit so that one could catch their breath. I often compare passes between those with such rest opportunities and those without. I think it is more challenging both physically and mentally to climb 3-4 miles through a pass without any leveling out at all, but some are like this (see McClure pass below). Going through Independence Pass in this direction was definitely easier than the reverse, but the downhill was very dodgy with lots of potholes that we happened to notice on our ascent last year.
Last year I was just trying to survive; I did not know what to expect. This year I was more confident, healthier, and better trained. I was very proud of achieving this four mile summit push without taking any breaks. The top of the pass was just how I remembered it - above the treeline, snow, and a path to view the continental divide. I spent about 30 minutes walking around.
The highlight of the day may have been the 53 foot tanker truck that completely ignored the numerous signs prohibiting vehicles over 35 feet from navigating the pass. I road past the truck on my descent - the cops had it pulled over on the side of the road. Later I heard that shortly after I passed this vehicle the cops forced him to turn around and the truck got stuck, blocking traffic for quite some time.
Day 3 - Tue 6/25/13 - Carbondale to Paonia:
Mileage = 56 mi
Ascent = 3200 feet
Moving Time = 3 h 52 m
Pass = McClure Pass (8,755 feet)
 |
| At the top of McClure Pass, surrounded by mountains! |
|
|
|
Hot, but very scenic. I am calling today one of the most scenic days I have had in the Colorado. All day we seemed to be surrounded by mountains. The view out of Carbondale was also spectacular as you could look down the valley at multiple mountain ranges, with the sun rising beside it all. I only wish my phone camera could do it justice.
The three-mile climb up McClure Pass was one of those that offered no breaks. There were a few sections with an 8% grade during which it felt as though the bike could very easily stop! But I was able to motor through it without any breaks which made me quite happy. I even passed several people on the way up (a rarity on BTC for me)! This was also a pass that we rode in the opposite direction on RtR last year. This quaint road also passed by the sleepy little mining town of Somerset and a small tourist village of Redstone.
The final 25 miles after the pass were similar to most days on these rides - hot and very windy. I caught a pace line though and the final ten miles into town flew by. Unfortunately we passed about five emergency vehicles as we pulled into town. We later heard that a woman had been hit by a car, but she was in stable condition.
We actually arrived before noon today, so this was a two-meal town! A short 10 minute walk brought us into town twice. We found a cozy little diner for lunch that posted a closing time of 2 PM for the day. We tried to no avail to convince them that if they stayed open later they could make a killing. We all ate some massive desserts here - a perfect setup for some afternoon naps. Dinner was in a chaotic but tasty Mexican restaurant. Unfortunately there were only two options still open in town at this point. This was also the town that offered no Verizon cell service for my phone; it was the only night that I was unable to call home and talk to the Ben. I missed hearing his little voice very much!
Day 4 - Wed 6/26/13 - Paonia to Crested Butte:
Mileage = 47 mi (option for 111 miles unsupported)
Ascent = 5170 feet
Moving Time = 4 h 23 m
Pass = Kebler Pass (10,007 feet)
 |
| Kebler Pass Summit |
|
 |
| Aid Station 2 before the summit |
|
Dirt, bumps, but scenic! Today was the day many of us had been fearing - the route with 26 miles of dirt road! The alternative was a 111-mile trek without any official support and few towns along the way. We opted for the dirt roads... I would characterize today as my least favorite
ride, but the scenery was fantastic.
We left Paonia on the same road that brought us in (although I didn't see any of it due to my pace line fun). So we back-tracked for about 10 miles before the first aid station near mile 15. This aid was positioned just prior to the beginning of the largest portion of the infamous dirt road section. The road had been pressed and treated with a chemical recently and was in relatively good riding condition. It was very bumpy, but for the most part it was a good riding surface with just a few spots of mud. I knew by the end of the day that my arms/shoulders would be sore, especially on the jarring downhill stretches.
The day included many small climbs that wound around and around the mountain. Each time we turned a corner, the view seemed to take my breath away again. It was difficult to not stop every few minutes to take pictures and I kept waiting for the best place from which to adequately capture the vista. I felt very strong on this climb leading up to aid station two between miles 20 and 30. I knew that this was a shorter day with a rest day behind it so I put a lot of energy into this and averaged 7-8 mph, passing many folks on this first series of ascents. This was the type of climb that offered less-intense grades, probably around 4-5%. We were also greeted by plenty of spots where the road leveled off for resting.
As I pulled into Aid two I thought I might be in trouble. I had some back pain and I knew that we still had 10 miles of mostly dirt roads to get to the summit. According to the profile map the real climbing still lay ahead. The views were impressive at this aid station so I probably spent about 30 minutes resting here before the final push to the summit. Only the last few miles leading up to the pass summit were paved. Once the pavement started it was clear that the final climb was near. By this time I had spent about all of my fuel but I made it. This was the only pass that did not have an official sign - we were instead greeted by spray paint on the pavement telling us that "Yes, this is the summit!"
The descent on the other side into Crested Butte was one to remember! This was a soft-pedal all the way, and the views continued to be second-to-none as we rode into town. A quaint little ski town, this was the perfect place to spend a rest day! We had no worries about finding a restaurant and the school facilities were some of the best we had all week. I even had cell phone service! This was another two-meal day: lunch was sandwiches at a wonderful little cafe across the street from the school (Le Bosquet - http://www.lebosquetrestaurant.com) followed by the new Superman movie at a small little theater. We then tried to free up room for dinner at a great pizza shop in the main drag in town (The Brick Oven Pizzeria - http://brickovencb.com/). Our Veggielicious pizza was excellent! Tomorrow is sleeping in and then COFFEE!
Day 5 - Thu 6/27/13 - Rest Day in Crested Butte:
Mileage? Pass? Ascent? Not today! Crested Butte was definitely a good choice to spend an extra day. Plenty of restaurants and a gorgeous view all around. I was struck by the fact that we seemed to be surrounded by mountains in every direction. It felt as though we were in the middle of the Rockies. I took a panoramic shot to try and capture this, but as always it doesn't do it justice. I found myself spending long minutes just turning around and soaking in my surroundings. This is definitely a place to which I want to return and do some hiking!
 |
| The view from our first lunch spot |
|
 |
| I have no idea - there was no description... |
|
|
Today I slept in until 5 AM! The three of us headed into town for some breakfast at McGill's. We seemed to open the place up as the crowd came when we were just finishing up. We all ordered the exact same veggie omelet, complete with a dollop of guacamole. The best part was the three cups of COFFEE! This was the first time this week that I had consumed coffee, it was a wonderful start. We then headed to a local book store for reading and more COFFEE!
Our lazy day was complete with two more meals at Pitas in Paradise (awesome Thai bowl with rice), and we finished our tour at Bacchanale, an very nice Italian restaurant. The owner of the latter told us how they have zero tomato-based sauces in the house - very interesting for an Italian restaurant. But my veggie lasagna was quite good. What day would be complete without some Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory ice cream and shop-hopping? We have to come back here and do some hiking/mountain biking.
Day 6 - Fri 6/28/13 - Crested Butte to Salida:
Mileage = 93 mi
Ascent = 5485 feet
Moving Time = 6 h 3 m
Pass = Cottonwood Pass (12,126 feet)
The middle ring. Today I tried to pretend that I had no small ring up front. I almost made it. We knew that the ride today would be a long one. Originally posted as 99 miles, some roadwork and a detour ended up taking this down to 93. It was going to be extremely difficult to leave behind the beautiful Crested Butte however. Andy took the massage therapist's advice and put in a short ride on the rest day, but I did no such thing. Would my muscle's freeze up? Did the day off actually hinder my performance? Would I be more sore than if I had not taken a break?!
As expected, 4 AM felt pretty chilly at 46 degrees in Crested Butte. We left at a record 5:30 AM however! I lost the feeling in my hands quite a few times and I was reminded of many training rides in the early Iowan spring. I separated from Andy and Laura earlier than usual today - We had a nice long patch of flat ground leading out of town and I just had to open it up a bit. The detour soon took us on more dirt roads unfortunately, but after 30 miles of dirt last time I didn't think too much of it. I actually hit aid one before its scheduled opening at 7 AM.
The first aid station marked the beginning of an absolutely beautiful ride on some brand-new blacktop (Jack's Cabin Rd.) through the gorgeous Gunnison National Forest. If looking at a map, north of this area is the Mt. Massive Wilderness area. "Wilderness". Awesome. This is also an area in which we passed several head of cattle and cowboys on horses with dogs. That's just not something you see everyday riding on Iowa roads. Did I mention the fast-moving stream that accompanied the road the entire time? It was all very "A River Runs Through It" and very picturesque. I rode for miles on this road without seeing another human being. At times I thought I had strayed from the official course.
After aid two we knew we had a 14 mile trek to the summit. And this is exactly where the dirt road started again! This time the dirt did not end until the actual top of the pass however. I knew this was my last mountain pass for some time and I wanted to see if I could achieve it with only using the middle ring, without hitting my 30. This was another climb that offered some resting periods and the inclines weren't too aggressive. I don't think we hit seven or eight percent too often if at all. I even stayed with a few riders and chatted for a few miles during the climb. Finally two of the three riders dropped me and I eventually gave up and switched to the old granny gear with a few miles to go. I also ashamedly had to take a short break on this climb. Once we neared the summit we kept hitting switchback after switchback, and it was somewhat unclear to me where the actual top was. When I turned the final corner and saw the summit aid station, I knew I was just about done climbing in Colorado for the season. Sadness. There were some neat trails at the summit above the treeline and I could see hikers farther up the mountain that looked like tiny little ants.
The next 20 miles flew by descending from the summit, but then the day grew very hot and windy as usual. This was one of those days in which the water is never cool. I caught another pace line with about 10 miles to go to town, and they brought me home. I quickly set up camp as the clouds looked like rain, but we only suffered a small shower much later in the evening. This evening was pretty low key. We went to a local brewery / pizza place again for some dinner and turned in fairly early for the final day.
Day 7 - Sat 6/29/13 - Salida to Canon City:
Mileage = 58 mi
Ascent = 1260 feet
Moving Time = 3 h 5 m
Pass = None!
The final day had come. Today was literally a soft-pedal downhill all the way. The whole gang stayed together for the entire journey today, Laura doing most of the pulling. We had a very scenic ride through that which becomes the Royal Gorge. I had been at the top of each side, but I have never been at the bottom of it. We rode alongside the Arkansas River for much of the day, surrounded on each side by high bluffs. The "Royal Gorge Route" train also runs alongside this route, so we could see the train tracks following us as well. The only real climb was near the end to get out of the Gorge on the North Rim to return back to Canon City on Highway 50.
The thing that struck me the most about today was the utter lack of ceremony at the finish line. We did arrive rather early at 9:30 in the morning, but we were met only by a line of construction cones with balloons tied to them and a "Finish" banner. Last year for RtR we had cheering crowds and people handed us a button and a certificate indicating that we had finished the journey. I think they were preparing something for later in the day, so we may have just beat the excitement. We shared one last meal at the ever-popular Waffle Wagon and then embarked on our respective long drives home.
Epilogue:
This year's BTC was absolutely wonderful. Even the 50 miles of bumpy dirt roads offered some of the best views of the week. The weather could not have been better for us - only once we received a short rain shower after we were already in our tents in Salida. The other days were sunny and clear for the most part. As I expected, the 15 hours of driving alone was the worst part, but it was well worth the wait and effort. Laura definitely captured the essence of these rides when she noticed how most of the riders were fairly laid back about everything. Unless you want to stay in hotels (boo) you really can't get too concerned about conditions surrounding meals, shows, camping locations, etc. You often have to go with what you are given, but that is what gives the event most of its charm. I have never been able to explain to others why this is "fun", but I love it!
Which ride is better- BTC or RtR? I have only experienced each of these rides once now (RtR 2012, BTC 2013). As we were heard many times, the BTC ride draws a more serious crowd. In my opinion the RtR ride is more laid back and slightly better supported (more aid stations, slightly better logistics on the route, more concern for conditions - alerting of bad sections of road, more venders at stops and the overnight towns). However, both rides are so similar in the important aspects that I would truly make my decision based on the route for the year. I would have no problem returning for either ride, and I very much hope I am soon offered the opportunity to do just that.
