So you have a week’s worth of vacation saved up at work, you’ve been kicking some butt on the trails this summer and feeling strong, you’ve done the Laramie Enduro, Leadville 100, a few centuries around the area…..and now what? Well…….How about a little mountain bike race from Denver to Durango to test your endurance and psyche? It’s just a mere 500 miles along the Colorado Trail, 65,000 feet of climbing, 300+ miles of single track, totally unsupported, no prizes, no entry fee, no sag wagon. No big deal, right? I found out about this race way too late to think of entering it myself but as soon as I heard about it from a coworker I’ve been eagerly awaiting its start next year….
The race starts at 6:00 AM on Sunday, August 2 at the Waterton Canyon trail head in Denver. Racers are given a route description and a Spot GPS unit with their personal profile entered in it. From here, racers are on their own to carry their own food, water, shelter and bear repellent. What! I’m sure after the first day of 16 hours or more on the bike, my clothes would be repellent enough! It is also legal for racers to use post offices to pick up care packages they’ve sent to themselves anywhere along the route, but they must return to the same point on the course where they exited and are responsible for all the time wasted in line! It is also perfectly fine to stop in any fast food joint and eat to your heart’s content – however, racers are also required to pack “it” out. Hmmmm….
The race ends in Durango at the Junction Creek Trail head. If you’re good, five days in the saddle is the fee for a soft bed and a shower. If you’re not, a call to your boss for an extra day or two of vacation may be in order. With this year’s weather patterns, I’m guessing the racers will be in for a little moisture out on the trail. Speaking of “out on the trail”, the Spot GPS units also allow real time viewing of the CTR leader board for those who wish to follow the action from the couch. Ready to join or watch the fun?……Go check out the CTR website.
If the CTR is a little much, how about something a little closer to home for a great cause? The Pedal to the Point Bike Tour was created to help at risk youth in Northern Colorado. Three fully supported routes of 24, 52 and 72 miles take off from Waverly, Sunday, August 9 at 7:00AM and return to an after ride BBQ. 100% of the entry fee is donated to Turning Point. Visit Turningpnt.org for registration and more information.
Now, this is all exciting news and stuff, but remember, before going out on any of these rides, don’t forget to lube your chain…..and here’s a little tip – lubrication does nothing on the outside of your chain except collect dirt and give you a nice black chain ring tattoo on your calf. After lubing your chain, take a rag and wipe off the excess lube from the sides of your chain to keep it from gathering dust and grime. You’ll thank me for it!
Last but not least, don’t forget your helmet!
Steve Lacey
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: colorado state university, colorado trail, colorado trail map, Colorado Trail Race, csu, ctr website, denver, Durango, durango colorado, fort collins, fort collins colorado, going back to school, gps, junction creek trail, laramie enduro, leadville 100, mountain bike, Pedal to the Point, racing, road bike, Turning Point, Waterton canyon
Wow! What a start to this year’s Tour de France; to think race organizers were thinking of keeping Lance’s bikes hung on the hooks! What would Versus do with all that extra time from the absence of the Lance commercials? The opening time trial ended pretty much as anticipated – a strong showing from Lance and other favorites performing to expectations. The second day’s sprint finish was textbook for team Columbia-HTC and Mark Cavendish. Day three will go down as the cornerstone of the tour should Lance walk away with his eighth tour. One corner and one split second was all it took for a breakaway group of riders including Lance, to have the opportunity to split from the herd in a cross wind and make a run all the way to the finish. If not for a spectacular move from Cancellara to join the group, Lance would now be in yellow. Fabian saw the break and instantly jumped a curb in order to stay with the group. As predicted and to my delight, the team time trial did not disappoint on day four. The tight technical course let only those teams whose concentration rivaled their leg strength finish in the top spots. Teams without were quick to look for their team car and spare bikes. In the end, Team Astana was victorious and succeeded in erasing a 40 second time gap between Lance and the yellow jersey and moving him to within one second of the leader.
How can Fort Collins compete with such a race?
Well, how about the return of the 6 day races on
CSU’s Oval brought to you by the
Fort Collins Velodrome Association and co-sponsored by
Lee’s Cyclery? On Sunday, July 12
th at
5:00PM, the
Oval will come alive with a multitude of races and categories for all to enjoy for six weeks. At the
Oval, there is not a bad seat on or off the track and spectators can get close enough to the action to experience racing without lifting a
pedal! Last year the number of racers and spectators proved Fort Collins loves cycling and is worthy of their own velodrome. Visit the
Fort Collins Velodrome Association web site for more information about the races and the velodrome.
Another upcoming event which is a little less competitive but just as exciting, is the Urban Assault race/ride. July 19th, Fort Collins city streets will be the proving ground for teams of two to plot their route to checkpoints around town where they will be faced with wacky obstacles and challenges. First team to reach all the checkpoints and complete all its roadblocks and riddles will win a pair of coveted New Belgium Brewery cruisers and personal acclaim. After the event, all are invited to attend the celebration and sample New Belgium’s brew and raffle at El Monte Grill. Check out the UAR website for more information.
This week’s tip is again brought to you from one of my own personal experiences…..When riding in a group or peloton try to look at least two riders ahead of yourself. As in driving looking ahead gives just a bit more notice of road hazards; it also gives you a little advanced warning when the peloton is making a break or brake. Just watching the wheel in front of you may leave you out of a break/brake and make for a lonely or sore ride home.
Have a good ride out there whether you’re on the track, trail or road.
Steve Lacey
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: cancellara, colorado college cycling, colorado cycling events, colorado events, colorado state university, colorado university, csu, CSU Oval races, cycling, fort collins, fort collins colorado, hilton fort collins, loveland colorado, mark cavendish, new belgium brewery, oval races, Peloton, tdf, team astana, tour de france, urban assault, Urban Assault ride, velodrome association, versus
