RMBP May-June - Bicycle Paper.com

Transcription

RMBP May-June - Bicycle Paper.com
May/June 2013 BicyclePaper.com Vol 2 Issue 1
Transportation
Is it Altitude or Attitude?
What Keeps Colorado Among the
Healthiest States in the Nation?
By Alyssa Altman,
Marketing Manager for the Denver Century Ride
C
olorado is widely known as being among the most active and
healthiest states in the nation. For
years, it has been considered the
“lone ranger” in winning the national
fight against obesity. With its health
conscious political leadership, unique
culture and abundant active lifestyle
opportunities, there are many reasons why Colorado is able to maintain
this prestige.
The Center for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) has kept track
of American adults’ body mass index
(BMI) since 1985. Colorado has consistently ranked among the most fit and
slimmest states in the nation according
to their data. In 2013, Colorado was
once again named the leanest state,
with only 18.7 percent of the adult
population considered obese — it is
also the only state in which less than
20 percent of adults are obese.
Led by Governor John Hickenlooper, Colorado’s political leaders
have made significant impacts on infrastructure in order to combat obesity
and encourage healthy lifestyles. The
Governor has played a critical role in the
implementation of specific initiatives,
which encourage residents to maintain
their overall fitness and well-being.
Cycling, as a form of transportation,
exercise and fun activity, has emerged
as a major component of this broader
plan and has ultimately changed how
Coloradoans, and the nation as a whole,
view the sport.
In 2009, Hickenlooper announced
a plan to improve Denver’s “bikescape”
and bicycle infrastructure throughout
the city in an effort to stimulate alternative transportation, increase the
opportunity for safe cycling, and promote the activity within city limits. By
creating a comfortable, connected and
safe environment, Hickenlooper hoped
it would further encourage residents to
incorporate bike riding into their daily
lives and become woven into the fabric
of the community.
With additional ambitious goals
to increase the percentage of bicycle
commuters from 1.6 percent in 2010
to 10 percent by August 2018, Hickenlooper supported improvements
that would standardize bicycle lanes
and improve signage with regular road
and street maintenance. Along with a
$250,000 grant dedicated to bicycle
mobility enhancements, these city wide
improvements set the stage for Denver
to be recognized among the top cycling
cities in America. This type of political
See “DENVER FITNESS” on page 7
Aspen
The Race Across America
Riding the Line Between Endurance, Beauty and Time
By Laura Kindregan & Chad Moore
A
ny athlete preparing for a big event feels the adrenaline rushing, the excitement flowing and the trepidation of the unknown during the months and months of
preparation colliding into one race. For athletes competing in The Race Across America (RAAM) Powered by
Trane, it is more than just a race, it becomes a
part of them forever.
In its 32 years, the event has seen thousands of athletes set a goal and take the
challenge of completing the toughest
endurance race in the world.
Once again, RAAM 2013 is starting in Oceanside, Calif., and ending
in Annapolis, Md. What is unique for
this year’s edition is that the solo
field is shaping up to be the
most competitive in the history of the race, with three of
the last four editions’ winners
returning to compete against
one another. Not only will they
be battling each other, they will
attempt to break Pete Penseyres’ solo record established in
1986. This particular group has the best chance to break
the record, which entails crossing the U.S. (3,000 miles) in
under eight days.
RAAM has a history of shaping lives and taking worldclass athletes to the next level. Compared to other endurance
LAW
races, it unfolds slowly, with solo and team athletes experiencing the country, not just seeing it. They feel the heat,
the curves in the roads and the hills and mountains while
climbing over 170,000 vertical feet and crossing 12 states.
A notable team to follow in this year’s team relay
field is Love, Sweat & Gears. In their second
race appearance, the ladies are out to break
the women’s 4-person team record, and
team member Julie Lyons poignantly
expressed her emotion after completing RAAM in 2012: “There are so
many different levels to RAAM, it’s
not just about going out and riding
your bike. I am just a normal person
who had a goal and set out to achieve
that goal.”
“I did not expect the team
experience to be what it was,
the intimacy, spending a week
on the road, the preparation
before, and the journey home after
the completion, is life changing,” says Ann Lantz,
team member of Love, Sweat & Gears.
Relay categories feature 2-, 4-, or 8-person squads that
race relay-style, with each group orchestrating their own
strategy. RAAM has added a live tracking system on its
See “RAAM” on page 9
Badges
The rich and famous
love it. So do the area's
many cyclists.
The bike path can be
a pleasant experience for
everyone if used correctly.
pg 4
pg 5
These head tube
accoutrements have a
storied history and are
significant to builders.
pg 8
Trivia & News
The All-Time Greats
I
n the last few years and indeed the last few weeks, we have had the great fortune of witnessing
the exploits of riders who are already being counted amongst the all-time greats. Belgian Tom
Boonen and Swiss Fabian Cancellara’s achievements in the Northern Classics, Belgian Philippe
Gilbert in the Ardennes, and Spaniard Alberto Contador in the Grand Tours all come to mind.
Surely young phenom Peter Sagan of Slovokia is already on his way to such status as well. This
month’s column celebrates the all-time greats. Oh, and as no one will dispute that Eddy Merckx
is the greatest cyclist ever, he is featured in only one question!
Q1. Who is the only rider to win all the Grand Tours on his first attempt?
Q2. Who holds the record for the most stage wins in a single Grand Tour? Hint: Unlike most
modern prolific stage winners (sprinters), this rider also won the general classification
(GC).
Q3. There are five classics in professional cycling known as “monuments” due to their history,
difficulty, and prestige. They are Milan-San Remo (Italy), Tour of Flanders (Belgium),
Paris-Roubaix (France), Liege-Bastogne-Liege (Belgium), and the Tour of Lombardy
(Italy). Who has won the most monuments?
Q4. Who is the only rider to score the rare double of the Tour of Flanders (in April on the
cobbled bergs of Belgium) and the Tour of Lombardy (in October in the mountains
of Italy)?
P
art of the Bicycle Racing Association of
Colorado’s (BRAC) mission is to develop
and grow grassroots cycling in Colorado. A big
portion of that is the commitment to women
racers. They encourage females who are relatively new to cycling to join a club to “find support,
training tips, carpooling to races, and options for
coaching, equipment and improvement.”
Each year BRAC designates several criterium
races as Senior Women Mentoring Events where
more experienced racers ride along with the
Category 4 field. While shadowing, these mentors
offer advice to create a fun and safe environment.
On May 4, BRAC, along with Bicycle
Colorado and TheCyclist-Lawyer.com, will host
Answers on page 9
Greegor Named FC Bikes
Program Manager
F
ort Collins searched long and hard to find
its new FC Bikes Program Manager. The
yearlong process culminated with the hiring of
Tessa Greegor from Seattle, Wash.
Greegor, 30, has been the principal planner
for the 14,000 members of non-profit Cascade
Bicycle Club for the past five years where she
worked on the Seattle Bike Master Plan and
helped advise local government planners on rider
safety. She was also involved with managing federal grants. With a BS in Environmental Studies
and a master’s degree in Urban Planning, more
specifically on Urban Design and Non-Motorized
2 l Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper
Transportation, in 2012 the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals recognized
Greegor as the Young Professional of the Year.
Part of her work will include updating the
Transportation Master Plan, which “serves to
document a bold vision for the long-term multimodal transportation system that will support
the Fort Collins community well into the future.”
Along with the master plan is building up the
bike share program in an effort to help the city
achieve the League of American Cyclist’s Platinum level status. Greegor will assume her new
role on May 13.
a women’s racing camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at
the School of Mines’ Student Center Building
in Golden, Colo. Coaches will teach handling
skills and other subjects pertinent to good racing.
Registration is just $35 and includes a T-shirt,
lunch, prizes, food and drinks. The event calls for
pre-registration only and and a one-day USAC
license is necessary for non-USAC members.
There is a 30-person limit. To register go to
www.MadSync.com.
BRAC also hosts an annual Women’s
Summit dedicated to “addressing issues specific to gaining and retaining more women
bicycle racers.” To find more information, visit
www.coloradocycling.org.
Boulder Valley
Velodrome Updates
Q5. When considering Belgium’s “Golden Week,” which features the Tour of Flanders,
Ghent-Wevelgem, and Paris-Roubaix (all cobbled classics), who is the all-time greatest
on the pave?
Dave Campbell has been writing race trivia since 1992. He began racing in 1982 in Wyoming, moving
to Oregon in 1987. After years of racing triathlons, he returned to his roots as a competitive cyclist, now
racing in the Masters category.
BRAC Promotes
Women’s Cycling
By Darren Dencklau
I
n 2005, Frank Banta and Doug Emerson
formed Boneshaker, LLC, a business venture created to bring a velodrome to Colorado’s
central Front Range area. The following year
the partners purchased land in Erie, Colo.,
and the duo has been working diligently since
then to get the “Olympic-caliber” facility — a
250-meter track featuring 42-degree banks and
12-degree straightaways, a club house, and bike
storage depot — up and running.
Originally scheduled to be open late last summer, Boulder Valley Velodrome has experienced
various setbacks that have kept the facility from
opening, but it is now scheduled to open in the
summer of 2013.
Banta — who has more than four decades of
construction experience — and Emerson have
utilized the services of local architect David Beal
and renowned velodrome designer, Peter Junek,
during the building phase.
Currently they are looking to raise membership numbers and to find sponsors that have interests that are in line with those of the velodrome’s
mission. In other words, they don’t want to simply
have a corporate sponsor with deep pockets and
little interest in the sport.
The opening is scheduled “by July, 2013,”
says Emerson, who is also the owner of long
running and successful University Bicycles in
Boulder. “It’s difficult to pin down, but we hope
to be operational by mid-summer.”
It will become the de facto training facility for
Olympic hopefuls and it’s a place where parents
can get their kids involved in a structured, drugfree, athletic environment. Emerson states that
the majority of rider development on the track
will be geared towards female and Junior riders.
He believes track racing builds community and
improves riding skills that crossover to other
cycling disciplines as well. It also makes racing
cheaper and safer for participants.
“Think about how easy it’s going to be to
put on a race at the velodrome ... there’s no road
closures,” he remarks.
For up to date information visit bouldervelodrome.com or facebook.com/bvvelodrome.
May / June 2013
Community
Bicycle Longmont is Growing
By Bryan Ganzel
May / June, 2013
Volume 2 • Number 1
Publishers Jay Stilwell
Ryan Price
Associate Publisher Claire Bonin
Editorial
Editor Claire Bonin
Assistant Editor Darren Dencklau
Writers Alyssa Altman
Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado
Dave Campbell
Ellen Chow
Darren Dencklau
John Duggan
Bryan Ganzel
Katie Hawkins
Maynard Hershon
Logan Hood
Paul Johnson
Paul Kieler
Laura Kindregan
Joe Kurmaskie
Chad Moore
Brad Tucker
Photographers Brian Bishop, Cycling Soul
Craft USA
Denver Century
Darren Dencklau
Paul Johnson
Race Across America
Joshua & Co Photography
Cover Photo Team members of Love,
Sweat & Gears supporting each other during the 2012
edition of the Race Across America. Photo by Brian
Bishop, Cycling Soul.
Art and Production
Design and Production Amy Beardemphl
Advertising
Contact Darren Dencklau
Phone 206-903-1333 x 103
Toll Free: 1-888-836-5720
EmailDarren@bicyclepaper.com
sales@bicyclepaper.com
Distribution
Distribution & Mailing Get Active Colorado, LLC
Calendar Powered by
Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper is published 3 times
per year from March to November by Seattle Publishing.
Subscription is $14 per year; $26 for two years.
C
olorado is known as a cyclist’s state. With
everything from world class road races and
high alpine mountain passes to epic singletrack
treasures, there’s a lot of riding to be found here
and something for everyone. While there are at
least a dozen cities that come to mind when
people think of bikes and Colorado, Longmont
probably isn’t one of them, but to the thousands of people, those families and friends who
were in Longmont over Father’s Day weekend
last year, they know better. Father’s Day is usually filled with homemade cards, bad ties, and if
dad is lucky, some meat from the grill and beers
from the cooler. In Longmont, it is different: it
features a Saturday afternoon of riding bicycles
on a route around town followed by food trucks,
adult style beverages, and live music. And Father’s Day itself ? Dads use it for recovery!
Having fun during the 2011 G’Knight cruiser ride.
Photo courtesy of Joshua & Co. Photography.
Ryan Kragerud moved to Longmont in 2004
and found himself looking for a good way to make
connections with his new neighbors. Figuring
that if he could get at least one other person out
on a bike with him, it would allow him to call it
a successful ride, so he started pedaling around
town getting the word out about a great way to
meet people on Wednesday evenings. Gradually
people started showing up, friends and connections were made, and families grew up as they
rode around town.
Fast forward a few years, and Kragerud’s
Wednesday rides were filled with riders having
a great time. He eventually joined the local club
and bicycle advocacy group Bicycle Longmont,
and soon thereafter became president of the
organization to assist with the goal of getting
“more people on bikes, more often,” the 501(c)(3)
organization’s mission, along with educating and
advocating for cycling in the area. Since their inception, they have added to their lineup in addition
to the Wednesday ride, including a bike valet service at Longmont’s Farmer Market, a film festival,
a meetup group, the annual G’Knight Ride and their Holiday Bike Program.
Bicycle Longmont was asked to help fund and assist the local Kid’s Holiday Bike Program,
which, through the local YMCA, gives refurbished bikes to kids who wouldn’t otherwise get one.
After a few years of adequate but hard to find donations, the organization decided that a larger
fundraiser would help fund and grow the giveaway project. In 2011 many suggestions on how to
accomplish the goal were thrown around including the idea of a half century that would take riders
outside of town, although this was not ideal for showing off the city and getting more casual cyclists
involved. Eventually, Bicycle Longmont settled on a Saturday afternoon cruiser ride. After rousing
sponsorship interest, local craft brewery Oskar Blues stepped forward with a huge sponsorship, and
the G’Knight Ride was born.
2012 was a resounding year for Bicycle Longmont, as they engaged a cumulative 9,000 cyclists
over all of their events, rides and services. The member-led, member-organized meetup rides drew
a cumulative ridership of 1,700 people while the Bike Valet service doubled its number of events,
and at the local Farmers Market volunteers parked nearly 2,200 bicycles. Bike Night had a 19-week
season that topped 2,000 riders. Wednesdays nights in Longmont are now known as “Bike Night,”
and attracts little kids in trailers, and gray-haired folks well into retirement age. People not riding
join in by gathering on their porches and waving as the riders snake through town.
The G’Knight ride grew two-fold, reaching more than 2,300 riders, giving the organization
a huge bump in exposure and creating over 2,300 smiles. Lastly, Bicycle Longmont, with the help
of corporate sponsors and volunteers, raised more than $9,300 for the Kid’s Holiday Bike Program.
Besides those increases in ridership, the group also focused energy outward across the
community. In May, the League of American Bicyclists upgraded Longmont to Silver level status
after many years of hard work to live up to the organization’s mission statement. This designation
was seen as being so successful that in June 2012, the city council changed the name of the town
to “Bikemont.”
Additional good news came last September when the owners of NewMark Merrill, the local
enclosed mall they hoped to renovate into a new retail space, made an offer to allow Bicycle Longmont to rent the empty auto repair bays at the end of the building. More than a dozen volunteers
spent a Saturday morning loading and unloading the organization’s used bike and parts stock into
the 6,000-square foot space. Soon after, they cleaned and repaired the entire bike stock for the Kid’s
Holiday Bike Program.
The year concluded with the best day any kid could have: receiving a new bike day. Not just for
a dozen kids, or even a couple hundred as in years past, but thanks to the support received and volunteer work, Bicycle Longmont helped fund and facilitate the giveaway of 560 bikes to local families.
Not a bunch to sit on their latest success, the organization put “growth” again on the agenda for
the third annual G’Knight Ride. The 2013 event is moving to a larger park, blocks from Longmont’s
revitalized downtown. Riders will be treated with a route through areas of town unseen during
previous rides. And the expo area will at least double in size with the addition of a simultaneous
Rocky Mountain Bike Festival (RMBF).
The RMBF has had several homes over the last couple of years, but with a change in ownership
to G’knight Ride organizer Scott Conlin, it has found a new home (Bicycle Longmont will be able
to take over permanent possession this summer). Conlin expects the expo area to grow from 20
vendors to more than 70. Riders and bike enthusiasts alike will be able to browse and talk to bike
builders and vendors before and after their cruise through town. Registration has been capped at
3,000 participants and already the number of entries is higher than last year.
With the help of Bicycle Longmont, the next time you’re in the area you’ll want to make the
town one of your stops. Come and join Kragerud as he leads families and friends like the pied piper
of bikes through town, much like he has done for many years. Bring the cruiser bike and enjoy a
good time.
68 South Washington St., Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-903-1333 and Fax: 206-903-8565
Toll Free: 1-888-836-5720
All materials appearing in Bicycle Paper are the
sole property of Bicycle Paper. No reprinting or any
other use is allowed without the written permission
of the Publisher or Editor. Unsolicited contributions
are welcome. All manuscripts should be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelope. Write or
call for editorial guidelines and deadlines. Bicycle
Paper is listed in Consumer Magazine and Agri
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President Jay Stilwell
jay@seattlepub.com
Vice President Ryan Price
ryan@seattlepub.com
May / June 2013 Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper l 3
Profile
How’s Your Aspen?
By Logan Hood
A
spen, Colo., is a mountain town that sits at an elevation of nearly 8,000 feet. Located in Pitkin
County, the area was originally inhabited by Ute Indians and was actually named Ute City
until white miners took residence in the late 1800s during the state’s silver boom-era. In 1880 it
was renamed after the abundance of aspen groves in the area. Early white residents were mostly
“entrepreneurs, athletes, idealists and environmentalists,” according to the Aspen Chamber. Modern Aspen was built around the historic part of town when it faced a declining population after the
collapse of the silver market — that lasted until Aspen Mountain was developed into a ski resort in
the ‘40s and the advent of the Aspen Skiing Corporation came about.
Sometime during 1962 the city paved 16 downtown blocks — around this time the first condominium was built as well. Today, Aspen is one of many year-round resort areas found in Colorado,
albeit one of the most expensive places to buy real estate in the country; many who work here actually live in nearby towns such as Carbondale, Basalt, and Glenwood Springs. Not only does Aspen
have some of the best skiing and snowboarding during the winter, there are a host of bicycling
opportunities in the shoulder seasons and during summer months.
Much of the area surrounding Aspen is public land within the White River National Forest.
The Maroon Creek, Castle Creek and Hunter Creek Valleys are all easily accessible from town and
boast plentiful hikes and bike trails. That said, the majority of the high mountain area surrounding
Aspen lies within the designated wilderness areas of Maroon Bells-Snowmass, Hunter-Fryingpan,
and Collegiate Peaks, denying access to mechanized transportation, including bicycles.
Road rides are somewhat limited by the seasons, as the winter months are generally snowy and
cold, but with the emergence of fat bikes, it’s possible to ride year round, snow or no snow. When
the temps rise and the roads dry up, there are a plethora of opportunities to explore on skinny tires.
Most anyone will agree that the out and back ride on Maroon Creek Road to the base of Maroon
Bells is one of the most scenic routes in the North American Rockies. Best of all, it is not a very
steep clim, it features limited vehicular traffic and is accessible only by bus between the hours of 9
a.m and 5 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day (with a few exceptions). Another favorite is the
Aspen to Ashcroft and back ride, about 44km total.
The local advocacy group in the area is the Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association (RFMBA).
The organization works hard to ensure that mountain biking is accessible and does its best to help
build trails and educate users as well as encourage participation through volunteer trail work.
“Our mission is to make the best possible trail network while working with numerous entities,”
says Charlie Eckert, Vice President of RFMBA.
Recent projects include negotiating to preserve riding access with those wanting to designate
more wilderness areas. The group is also working with the Forest Service regarding the Smuggle
Mountain area. The Forest Service has brought in partners to plan this region. One of the major
challenges they face is finding a balance between protecting the space and its natural habitat while
also allowing users to enjoy the various recreational opportunities. Eckert states that it is at “the
top of the page for us.”
In May of 2012, Aspen was awarded Silver Level Status by the League of American Bicyclist’s
Bike Friendly Community program, thanks in large part to the city’s urban master planning effort,
which has introduced bike lanes and other such infrastructure. The community has worked diligently
A lone rider climbing at elevation.
Photo courtesy of Logan Hood.
with Pitkin County and the adjacent towns to
implement shared use paths and the goal is to
connect them with a safe route away from regular
traffic. One such trail is the Rio Grande, which
runs from Glenwood to Carbondale (also a Silver
status community) and to Aspen. This assertive
master plan ties in with the Canary Initiative, a
countywide effort to reduce carbon emissions.
The Aspen Cycling Club features roughly
250 members and each year they hold races
alternating between road and mountain bike
events. The series welcomes all levels of riders
and includes a kids’ category. Entry fees are just
$5 for club members and $10 for non-members.
Ute City Cycles, Hub of Aspen, Ajax Bike
and Sport, and Aspen Velo are the town’s main
bike retailers. In addition to selling high-end bikes,
most also rent cruisers, full-suspension mountain
bikes and carbon fiber road bikes. They are a
great resource for advice on the best routes and
stretches of singletrack on Aspen and Smuggler
Mountains, the Montezuma Basin, and Pearl and
Independence Passes.
Kicking off the summer cycling event schedule is the annual Ride for the Pass (May 18), where
participants get to climb to Independence Pass
before the road is opened to motorized vehicles.
The following day is the Aspen Cycling Criterium,
where the area’s best roadies race through the
streets of downtown.
On August 19 and 20, Aspen will again host
national and international professional racers and
their entourages during the USA Pro Cycling
Challenge. The town also partners with the 10th
Annual Susan G. Komen Aspen/Snowmass Ride
for the Cure two days before on August 17.
The Aspen/Snowmass Ride for the Cure is
the only ride dedicated exclusively to funding
breast cancer treatment, screening, education,
research and survivor support programs for
Susan G. Komen grant recipients in Western
Colorado. As a participant one can choose the
adequate challenge, a 100-mile full century, 62mile metric century or ride the 37-mile route. The
course takes participants through Maroon Bells,
Ashcroft, Woody Creek and Snowmass, and offers
a breathtaking backdrop of the Aspen trees. A
minimum fundraising of $250 is required. Those
who may be at first intimidated, but interested,
will have the opportunity to access online coaching, training, hotel accommodation discounts,
and fundraising support necessary for this high
altitude life-changing experience. More details
can be found at www.komenaspen.org.
So when traveling the I-70 corridor en route
to places like Fruita or Moab to get your cycling
fix, consider taking a left in Glenwood Springs
and checking out what the valley has to offer.
You may be surprised.
For a complete calendar of Aspen
events as well as visitor information, visit
www.aspenchamber.org.
Health
Ride Through Your Asthma
By Katie Hawkins
P
et dander. Pollen. Pollution. Cold weather.
These may cause you to cough, but what
you may not realize is that it could be more than
allergies or a common cold. If you find yourself
experiencing wheezing, shortness of breath,
chest tightness, and fatigue while exercising,
you may be one of 300 million people around
the world who suffer from asthma. However,
that doesn’t mean you have to avoid riding, especially if proper precautions are taken.
“Asthma is an inflammatory process,” explains Daniel DeMerell, MD, of Allergy, Asthma,
and Dermatology Associates in Hillsboro, Ore.
“Three different things are occurring: constriction of the muscle in the airway, increased mucus
secretion, and inflammation, causing obstruction
of the lungs.”
Some may suffer from chronic asthma, while
for others it may be exercise induced — both
can be triggered by allergens and cold weather.
Treatments such as inhalers and bronchodilators
work to reduce swelling and mucus production
in the airway. Some may only need a rescue
4 l Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper
inhaler once in awhile, while others may need
daily preventative medication.
“People in good shape may not realize
they are limited and can do better if they are
treated,” says Michael S. Kennedy, MD at the
Northwest Asthma & Allergy Center and participant in the Seattle to Portland (STP) and Trek
Tri-Island rides.
He and Dr. DeMerell encourage riders
who may be suffering from symptoms to see a
doctor. They also give advice on how to best
ride with asthma:
• See a specialist. Meet with a doctor
to form a treatment plan that is best
for you. Each asthmatic is different and
may require different combinations and
frequency of medication.
• Avoid triggers. Whether it is cold
outside, flowers are in bloom or your
route has some hills, bike during the
right season and in the best location for
you. If you ride during the winter or on
chilly mornings, wear a ventilated mouth
cover or breathe in through your nose. If you find yourself breathing too heavily up a hill,
dismount and walk to the top.
• Prepare for a ride. If you have an inhaler, use it 15 to 20 minutes before exercise. Long
rides may require you to use it again. If you are riding with a partner, let them know where
you keep your rescue inhaler. Note: if you find yourself using your rescue inhaler more than
a few times per week, you may need a daily medication instead. Speak with your doctor.
• Work your way up. Listen to your body and know your limits. Start out slowly by going on
short rides until you feel more comfortable at a faster pace and for longer distances. Warm
up slowly for 10 minutes before strenuous exercise and take time to cool down. Perhaps join
a spin class to keep up your endurance if it is too cold to bike outside. The better physical
shape you are in, the easier it is to tolerate obstruction.
• If you have an attack, stop all activity and stay calm. Get away from or remove any
obvious triggers and take your prescribed medication. Try to slow any erratic breathing. If
symptoms continue, seek medical attention quickly.
• Warm up. If you don’t have an inhaler and find yourself suffering from symptoms, get to an
area with warm, humidified air to help release constriction of the airway (perhaps by turning
on the shower and letting the room steam up). Purse your lips, take deep breaths, and exhale.
Everyone’s body is different, so some of these steps may vary depending on severity. By taking
these precautions and educating yourself, asthma won’t keep you from physical activity.
“Everyone can exercise with asthma, whether you are a hardcore cyclist or weekend rider,”
says Helen Greenwell, a casual rider who rode in the Ride Around the Sound fundraiser for the
American Lung Association. “You just have to prepare for it.”
May / June 2013
Law
Bike Path Etiquette
By Brad Tucker, ColoradoBike Law
T
hough many of us in Colorado ride our bicycles 12 months out of the year, there are without
question many others who wait for warmer weather. Many of those “fair weather cyclists” frequent the many miles of excellent bike paths that we have throughout the state. While these paths
are an excellent way to enjoy cycling, they also present a variety of hazards and risks that we don’t
often face on the roadways.
I refer to these stretches as “bike paths” as I am sure that many of you do as well. In reality,
these are multi-use paths that are frequented by a number of different types of users. Year-round
users who ride them often know very well that in addition to cyclists, they are utilized by walkers,
runners, dogs (leashed or not), in-line skaters, baby strollers, skateboarders, and even horseback
riders. Before venturing out on these trails, it is important to keep in mind the variety of users, and
the risk of mishaps that can result when such a diverse group shares a recreational path. When I
speak to clubs, communities and organizations, I always encourage people to travel on these paths in
a safe and courteous manner. Utilizing common sense is the fundamental principle. While multi-use
paths can make for some very enjoyable riding, they are really ill-suited for fast and serious training. The risks associated with that type of cycling go up significantly when being done by groups
of cyclists riding in a pack.
Because of the wide-range of users, you will unquestionably be faced with passing others. When
doing so, it is the safest practice to pass on the left, when the trail is clear of traffic. While it is important to give an audible warning before overtaking others, you should also keep in mind that the
person you are passing may very well not know how to react to your warning. On multiple occasions
I have shouted “On your left” only to have the walker begin moving to their left. Many non-cyclists
are simply not accustomed to the types of commands that are so routine among us. Slowing down,
such that you have additional time and space, can help mitigate the problem. Additionally, the more
information you can impart, the better. “I’m on your left side” is probably more informative to a
casual walker utilizing a multi-use path than would be the much more common “On your left.”
It is very important to expect the unexpected. When approaching a dog, it is essential to quickly
gain an understanding as to whether or not the dog is on a leash. If it is, it is important to know the
length of the leash; extremely long or retractable leashes can cause more of a risk to cyclists than
Metal Cowboy
Taking the Time
Machine for a Spin
unleashed dogs. This is just another example as
to the importance of slowing down when the path
is crowded, and traveling at speeds that are safe
and appropriate for the conditions. Of course,
it is also important to stay on the right side of
the path unless overtaking others.
Regretfully, in my bike law practice I have
represented many cyclists who were injured on
these paths through no fault of their own. The
injuries have come from many causes, most of
which are outlined above. If you are unfortunate
enough to be injured in an accident on a multi-use
path, it is just as important to secure information
and evidence as it is in a roadway accident. If
possible, make every effort to have the mishap
investigated by the authorities. Law enforcement
should respond to a crash that includes injuries.
Even if an accident report is not required by
your jurisdiction, law enforcement can assist in
gathering and exchanging information. Getting
any witness details before they leave the scene can
make the difference between ultimately receiving
fair compensation or not. It is also imperative to
get full and complete identifying information of
the other party. Typically in accidents such as
this, the homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy
A group of G’Knight riders on the bike path.
Photo courtesy of Joshua & Co. Photography.
applicable to the other party will provide liability
coverage for personal injury claims arising out of
an accident. In situations of serious injury, it is wise
to contact an experienced bicycle attorney right
away so that important evidence and data can
be secured as quickly and effectively as possible.
Despite these risks, we are fortunate to have
hundreds of miles of multi-use paths to enjoy in
Colorful Colorado. When we all work together,
these paths can provide some of the most relaxing,
scenic and enjoyable cycling our state has to offer.
Brad Tucker is an avid cyclist, member of Bicycle Colorado’s Board of Directors, and an attorney with a
specialty in bicycle liability and insurance issues with ColoBikeLaw.com. If you have questions concerning
legal issues effecting cyclists, you can contact him by e-mail at Brad@ColoBikeLaw.com, or by phone at
(303) 694-9300.
By Joe "Metal Cowboy" Kurmaskie
“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything." - William Shakespeare
For those who know me, the mantra “It’s Always A Good Day To
Ride,” isn’t just a cool catchphrase of mine, it’s a way of life. Having made
the voluntary choice of weekend-only access to a car, it’s also, at times, a
harsh reality. Wind, rain, sleet, hail, sleety/hail, sideways rain, it doesn’t
matter and it doesn’t last. Eventually, and more often than outsiders would
believe, the Pacific Northwest gives up its seasonal riches and you find
yourself trekking the boys to school through a sunrise masterpiece worthy
of a roped off area in an art museum.
April has been called the cruelest month, but for us it’s the best time to
be in the saddle. The light in the mornings and evenings is ethereal, everything is in bloom, the dogwoods, the rhododendrons, the cherry blossoms
and those other pink trees I mistook for cherry blossoms until my scientist wife who did graduate
work in tree identification laughed at me. It’s the time of year I can actually feel the bike taking
me back. Every time I mount it I feel a slight rush to the head, a flutter in my stomach, because I
know something so many of us have forgotten; we’ve had the means to time travel sitting in our
garages and basements all along. It’s a real Dorothy and the Wizard moment that I make my boys
aware of as we prepare for another trip back. I revert to my former self, to when I was 10 years old
and everything was a challenge, an obstacle course, a game of wits and speed and cunning, and of
course, it was always being covered by ABC Sports with full color commentary.
These days I do my own commentary for the boys who are hanging on the back and laughing
up a storm. “Looks like we have some traffic up ahead on the course, two dog walkers and a distracted coffee drinker. Ring the bells boys, I’ll take evasive action!” I cut the distance between the
sidewalk and the turn, smile and wave as we jump the curb, splash a leftover puddle, and rip and
roar into the rest of our morning, quacking out to the ducks overhead and taking in the aromas of
a neighborhood in full bloom and projecting in eye popping technicolor.
And to think, not more than a week ago I had to answer the well meaning, well intended question of whether I could afford a car... I’d like my official answer entered into the record now. Who
among us can afford NOT to ride a bicycle?
A Guide To Falling Down In Public: Stories of Finding Balance On A Bicycle by Joe “Metal Cowboy”
Kurmaskie will soon be available. Visit metalcowboy.com to pre-order it.
May / June 2013 Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper l 5
Mountain Bike
What? TRAIL CLOSED?
By Paul Kieler
L
ast fall, many riders from the Front Range were met with the most unwelcoming of signs as the proper funding and approvals in place, the
they traveled to the Fraser Valley area of Grand County: TRAIL CLOSED. For the unin- Forest Service commenced the removal project
formed mountain biker, the signs seemed to appear out of nowhere and were centered near Winter and so trails were temporarily closed.
Park Ski Resort continuing westward to the St. Louis Creek area. This is an area widely known for
Additional mountain bike trail closures loits miles and miles of prime mountain bike trails. So what gives?
cated near Winter Park in the Tunnel Hill area
Beginning in 2012, the Sulphur Ranger District of the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest, are concentrated on tree removal to reduce fuels
whose job is to maintain the forest service roads and trails, initiated a tree hazard removal project. for fire protection as well as other safety hazards.
The current phase of the project includes an area covering more than 100 miles of roads and trails. The goal of the Tunnel Hill Fuels Reduction
It included many of Grand County’s best biking routes, which were closed
Project is to create “a
while tree cutting and clearing were conducted. This initiative was specificritical firebreak between
cally designed to remove dead and dying trees within falling distance of
Winter Park Resort, the
roads and trails in an attempt to provide a safer recreational environment
Town of Winter Park and
for users of all types. This safe zone can be up to 60 feet in width and
the Arapaho National Forrequires a great deal of hard work.
est.” Closures include the
These activities were concentrated in several popular recreation areas.
Serenity, Twin Bridges and
Trails were temporarily closed in the Fraser Experimental Forest, St. Louis
Ice Hill trails, which will be
Creek, Vasquez and Little Vasquez drainages and included local favorites
closed for at least a portion
such as Flume, Zoom, D2 and WTB as well as many others. Occasionally
of the 2013 riding season.
the project also required the closure of forest roads providing access to
The hazardous tree
these trails. In many spots, slash piles of recently cleared timber are left to
removal project is only
dry or cure prior to future burning when conditions allow.
one aspect in the greater
The trees were specifically targeted where there is intense mountain
effort to provide a comprepine beetle (MPB) infestation. As most Coloradoans are aware, the MPB
hensive and safe system of
outbreak that began 10 years ago has decimated much of our forests. In
trails in the Grand County
some locales up to 80 percent of the mature trees, primarily composed of Singletrack meandering through aspen trees.
region. As the Forest Serlodgepole and ponderosa pine, have been impacted. The region surround- Photo by Darren Dencklau.
vice continues its efforts to
ing the eastern portion of Grand County has been so impacted that trees were falling without even keep existing trails open and safe, many other
being windblown. Their trunks were so weakened by the MPB attack, even the bases at ground groups are looking to add trails. The Bureau of
level were unable to support the trees. These areas located within the Sulphur Ranger District
were identified as hazardous with potential danger of injury due to fallen or falling timber. With
Land Management, US Forest Service, Denver
Water Board, Winter Park Resort, Grand Mountain Biking Alliance and the Headwaters Trail
Alliance are currently in the planning stages of
a trails master plan.
The Grand County Trails Master Plan will
include input from local municipalities such as
Granby, Fraser and Winter Park. The primary
goal is to provide access and new routes to connect
Grand County trails. Initially, work will focus on
the eastern edge of the county to add and connect
various trail systems and existing routes. Details
on the overall system will become available during
the coming months and next few years.
Katherine Armstrong, Public Affairs Specialist for the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests,
recommends researching the areas you plan to
ride prior to hopping into your car. With more
than 450 miles of trails and roads within the
Sulphur Ranger District, more hazard mitigation
work is expected to continue.
In an effort to help trail users, the Sulphur
Ranger District has developed a program called
“Know Before You Go.” It provides several informational sources to reference when planning
a mountain bike trip to the Grand County area.
Resources include visiting the Forest Service website (www.fs.usda.gov/arp), keeping informed via
See “Trail closed” on page 9
Book Review
A Bike Snob Abroad
By Darren Dencklau
E
ben Weiss, more widely known as BikeSnobNYC, has been putting his satirical brand of humor on the state of cycling culture for quite some time now. What started out as an anonymous
blog by some unknown smartass from the big city has become a social phenomenon, and his popularity — much like cycling — has skyrocketed in the past few years. Coincidence? Maybe so, but I
would venture to say that his books and the regular touring and speaking he does to support them
have added to the allure and overall boost of urban riding.
His latest effort, A Bike Snob Abroad, is a lot less about categorizing and poking fun at tattooed
skintight-jean-wearing fixed gear riders and heavily bearded uber commuters who live and sleep in
yellow rain jackets and cheap bike shorts. Instead, it is more about the significance and the possible
impact of the bicycle being seen as utilitarian here in the United States instead of simply a way to get
one’s kicks, terrorize pedestrians, or get in the way of drivers. You see, in many European countries,
bikes are as integral in everyday life as the automobile is on America’s roadways. In his travels he
finds that other cultures barely bat an eye upon seeing a helmet-less rider or someone transporting
a child that’s not stuffed inside a trailer wearing a brain bucket, whereas in the States both instances
would undoubtedly be frowned upon ... or even worse if these “infractions” were combined.
He also expounds on the boundaries that keep many from riding. On page 118 he details
how many of today’s cyclists started through recreational riding and so they are somewhat pretentious when it comes to the type of bike they’re willing to mount — he admits to being one of those
such people.
“This is probably one of our greatest handicaps as a cycling nation — the complete inability
to simply jump on any bike and ride ... the few of us who do actually ride can’t so much as hop
on a basic city bike without fussing over seat height and bar width and lamenting the lack of foot
retention,” he writes.
This mentality later ties into bike sharing programs, which he experienced while briefly visiting London. Americans are very independent, so things tend to have to be personalized to fit our
perception of who we think we are — this includes the tricked out Escalade, the souped-up Subaru
WRX ... or in Seattle, the shiny black Amazon.com-issued Audi A4 complete with a hurried puffyjacketed driver. Being seen on a generic step-through bike that others are also on may quell the
coolness factor. But what if we didn’t care and saw shared bikes for what they are — convenient.
After all, that’s what most of us modernized humans want, something that doesn’t take a whole lot
of effort to fulfill our needs. What if you didn’t need to own a bike?
“Fixed-gear riders may talk about ‘Zen,’ but I can’t think of anything more Zen than being
a cyclist who doesn’t own a bike,” he writes on page 152. It made me stop and think. Although I
6 l Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper
could never fathom not having my own, it would
sometimes be nice to just grab a bike, head to my
destination, do my thing and then grab a different one on the way back — never fretting about
someone stealing something I
worked so hard for, or in the
very least swiping my flask out
of its custom cage (true story).
In many ways Weiss calls out
our unwillingness to change and
let go of tradition. In America
we like to own things and let
others know this without any
uncertainty. Sadly, many out
there think they own the roads,
especially if paying for gas, the
taxes and fees that come along
with automobile possession.
Add to that the monthly car
payment and insurance, there’s
a strong feeling of “I pay for
this, get out of my way.”
I can relate to much of the reminiscing Weiss
writes about in the book, as we are about the
same age. His tales of riding to the record store
to buy punk and metal albums as a teenager and
simply riding around town to watch people was
a normal and frequent escape for me and my
friends in the small town I grew up in. It was a
time of complete freedom, then one day when
that magical number 16 came up it was no longer
acceptable to be seen pedaling around on two
wheels. Instead, the automobile became a status
symbol and burning rubber in the parking lot was
the next rite of passage and the surefire way to
gain acceptance among peers. That said, at least I
could play my music on the car stereo — although
thinking back, I used to carry a
boom box with me while pedaling around my neighborhood,
usually something like Judas
Priest or Ted Nugent turned
up to 10.
So what does my teenage
self have to do with this particular book? Much of A Bike Snob
Abroad is about the simplicity of
bicycles and where they stand
to help create safer streets and
a positive change in our society.
This straightforwardly written
and rather short publication
sometimes goes astray and often
the prose does get redundant
(his movie to life comparisons,
at least five, were a bit much), but in the end it
compelled me to think; not only of where we
stand as cyclists today, but where we came from,
our roots. And if more people remembered where
they came from, perhaps we’d all get along a
little better and take a few small steps that are
necessary to creating a better world to live in.
A Bike Snob Abroad, Strange Customs, Incredible
Fiets, and the Quest for Cycling Paradise. Eben Weiss,
aka BikeSnobNYC. Chronicle Books. Hardback.
192 pages. $16.95.
May / June 2013
Transportation
record breaking crowds and increasing statewide
popularity continue to brand Colorado as a state
support has been key in encouraging the kind of healthy lifestyles Colorado is known for and aids dedicated to the sport.
Through strong leadership and political supthe state’s ability to fight off the obesity epidemic.
To push fitness activities further into the mainstream, Governor Hickenlooper worked to bring port, improved infrastructure, increased access,
two nationally recognized cycling focused opportunities to Denver — the Denver B-Cycle program awareness and education, Colorado has develand the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Denver B-Cycle was the first large-scale municipal bike shar- oped a culture in which its residents can more
ing system in the United States. In 2008, 1,000 bicycles were distributed at high traffic connection naturally adopt active, healthy lifestyles through
exercise and nutrition. For
points around the city and rented to the public
Coloradoans, weekends
for a nominal fee. In its first year, participants
spent hiking, skiing, cylogged 5,552 bicycle rides totaling 26,463 miles,
cling, running, kayaking
and burned 818,899 calories. This bicycle sharing
or visiting outdoor events
system opened up the concept to everyone in the
is considered standard
Denver area — owning a bicycle was no longer
practice and many take
a factor in whether or not residents were able to
advantage of the 300 days
gain the benefits of riding.
of sunshine. Whether resiHickenlooper also played an important role
dents or visitors are lookin bringing the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, an
ing for organized athletic
annual professional road bicycle race, to Colorado.
events or wish to head out
During the seven-day stage race, the event visits
independently, there is a
more than 11 host cities across the state and attracts
multitude of choices availthe world’s most elite professional cyclists. It has
able. Events such as the
sparked an unprecedented interest from crowds
Coldwell Banker Denver
of new fans who line the roads enthusiastically,
crossing the finish line at the Denver Century Ride.
Century Ride, Ride the
cheering the peloton as it flashes by. In both 2011 Riders
Photo courtesy of Denver Century Ride.
Rockies and the Tri for the
and 2012, more than one million people attended
the Pro Cycling Challenge. More than half of those spectators reported that they actively ride bikes Cure, among many others, support and encouras part of their fitness routine. Reminiscent of the energy that surrounds the Tour de France, the age athletes of all levels.
“Denver fitness” FROM PAGE 1
The Vegetarian Athlete
The Denver Century Ride, the city’s only
urban-based century ride, offers cyclists the
opportunity to explore miles and miles of bike
safe streets throughout the metro area. With four
routes ranging from 1 to 100 miles, participants
can choose their challenge as they decide between
the signature hill climb up Lookout Mountain or
take on the wide-open roads of the Front Range.
The event offers the opportunity for entire families
to enjoy a full day of outdoor activities.
In 2012, 25 new miles of bicycle lanes were
added to Denver streets to bring the total to 96
miles. It is anticipated that the city will reach the
milestone of 100 dedicated bike lanes sometime
in 2013. Through the continued support of the
state’s “bikescape” and the repeated improvements
of infrastructure, Colorado's political leaders have
created a long-term successful plan to keep everyone healthy and active. At 5,280 miles above sea
level, residents enjoy the beautiful weather, varied
terrain and challenging altitude whether through
cycling, hiking or the many other activities. Simply
put, it is part of Colorado’s culture. With three
cities in Time Magazine’s “Most Active Cities” list,
Boulder, Arvada and Denver help lead the state in
its efforts to generate the opportunity and culture,
which help maintain Colorado’s prestige as the
leanest state in the nation.
Health
By Ellen Chow, MS, RD, CSSD, CD
B
eing a well-balanced vegetarian is not easy.
Being a well-balanced vegetarian athlete is
even more challenging. The good news is that
it is possible and rewarding with some practice. There is certainly no lack of vegetarian
world-class athletes, from runners to bodybuilders. Not only can this choice be good for your
health, it is also eco-friendly and gives that “doing the right thing” feeling.
The definition of vegetarianism continues
to evolve. With the exception of veganism, the
variations are plant-based diets with limited
meat intake.
The different types of diet include:
• Veganism: a diet that excludes animal
products in general, including honey;
additional forms of veganism are macrobiotic, Rastafarian (Ital), and fruitarian
vegetarians.
• Lacto-vegetarianism: excludes animal
products except for dairy.
• Lacto-ovo-vegetarianism: excludes animal
products besides dairy and eggs.
• Pesce-vegetarianism: excludes animal products aside from fish and seafood.
• Pollo-vegetarianism: excludes animal products other than poultry.
Excluding vegans who consume a strictly
plant-only diet, vegetarians who eat as little as 3
to 5 ounces of meat or egg almost always fulfill
their nutritional requirements. This is evident by
Danish researchers who compared aerobic capacity and immune response to exercise-induced
stress1. The results were identical despite animal
protein providing 10 percent and 3 percent of total
calories in the mixed Western and lacto-ovo diets,
respectively. Those who avoid dairy should make
an effort to include calcium, vitamins B2, B12, and
D from other foods and/or dietary supplements.
Overall, when planned well, a vegetarian diet is
a viable option in providing complete nutrition
for athletes and the general population.
The ABC’s of Vegetarian Athletes
Since even a small amount of meat, seafood,
poultry, and dairy would satisfy one’s needs for
protein, iron, and vitamin B12, this discussion
emphasizes on veganism and strict vegetarians.
A= Adequate
Athletic training requires a significantly
higher caloric intake than does exercising for
recreation or health. It is of paramount importance, therefore, for vegetarians to consume
enough calories without overusing fats. This can
be challenging due to the low calorie density of
plant foods.
Thankfully, many whole grains and legumes
are high in complex carbohydrates and proteins.
Creative use of plant fats also adds calories and
flavors to vegetarian dishes. Nutrient metabolism
is a miraculous process in which intake is only
Vegan
Lacto-ovo
Food/Calories
1600
2000
2500
1600
2000
2500
Whole grains
5
7
12
5
6
9
Legume & soy
3
3
3
3
3
3
Vegetables
6
8
9
6
8
9
Fruits
3
4
4
3
4
4
Nuts
2
2
2
1
1
2
Oils
1
2
2
1
2
2
Dairy
-
-
-
2
2
2
Eggs
-
-
-
-
-
-
Loma Linda University. School of Public Health, Dept of Nutrition3.
May / June 2013 one factor, which must be accompanied by proper absorption, retention, and utilization of said
nutrients. For example, there are over 400 types of anemia and only a handful of them are related
to dietary intakes such as iron, vitamin B12, folate, and protein2. Consider regular medical checkups
to prevent unintended nutritional deficiencies. When appropriate, your providers can direct you in
selecting quality dietary supplements and monitor their safety and effectiveness.
B= Balance
Relating to the aforementioned challenge of adequate energy intake, not only do you want
to avoid a high fat diet, albeit from plant sources, maintaining a consistent balance of macro and
micronutrients is crucial to your performance. For cyclists without health concerns, a “base” diet
with 50 percent calories from carbohydrates, 25 percent fat, and 25 percent protein is a good start.
Additional carbohydrates for rides and small amounts of protein and fats for recovery are very
appropriate.
C= Convenience
After you developed a well-rounded meal plan, is your routine sustainable? Does it fit your lifestyle
without demanding hours of shopping and cooking? How about social gatherings and dining out?
Some of your meals may be prepared in a larger batch that will last for several days. Sharing meals
and taking turns to bring lunches and snacks among vegetarian friends can also save time and add
variety. Fortunately, the Northwest is no stranger to vegan cuisine and dining choices are abundant.
It is possible, and sometimes advised, for people with chronic conditions such as arthritis,
cardiovascular diseases, type 1 and 2 diabetes, and celiac disease, just to name a few, to pursue a
vegetarian diet. Consult your healthcare providers to create personalized meals. One group that
warrants special attention is adolescent vegetarian athletes. Even a few months of “experimental
vegetarianism” can result in anemia and lower bone mass accumulation when poorly implemented.
The good news is that they can likely be reversed when nutritional status is corrected. Regarding
weight management, note that meatless does not always mean low calories. Foods such as cooking
oils, nuts and seeds, hummus, and avocados are rich in calories.
Vegetarian diets can be flavorful and provide adequate nourishment for athletes. Vegans need
to address vitamin B12 supplementation and include ample calcium, iron, and vitamin D.
The following chart provides an overview of the number of servings required to maintain a
healthy vegan and vegetarian diet while meeting various caloric needs.
References:
1. Richter EA, Kiens B, Raben A, et al. Immune parameters in male athletes after a lactoovo vegetarian diet and a mixed Western diet. Medecine & Science in Sports and Exercise. 23(5):
517-521. 1991.
2. MayoClinic.com. mayoclinic.com/health/anemia/DS00321/DSECTION=causes
3. The Vegetarian Food Pyramid. Loma Linda University, School of Public Health, Dept. of
Nutrition. 2008. vegetariannutrition.org/food-pyramid.pdf
Ellen is a Seattle-based sports and wellness nutritionist. She works with athletes of all ages. She also works
extensively with athletes who have stable cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Ellen can be contacted at
endgamenutrition.com.
Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper l 7
Memorabilia
The History of Head Tube Badges
By Paul Johnson, Classic Cycle
B
icycles have personalities. Some bikes develop theirs over miles and miles (like a
notched headset that pulls to one side). Sometimes they take on the personal style and behavior of their owners such as the battered and grimy commuter or the sleek
racer. Other times a bicycle is born
with a personality tattooed to its
forehead — a head tube badge.
The little metal badges that builders put on the front of their frames
may not seem as important to cycling
as the derailleur or carbon fiber
tubing for example, but badges have
been around since cycling’s very
beginning and come in thousands
of variations.
In our own little Classic Cycle
museum we showcase a fraction of
the badges that have been made, and
we have more than 400 unique versions. The
craftsmanship and pride built into a brand really comes through in these small components
that adorn both the classics and their newer
handmade counterparts.
Around the turn of the last century,
the brass ornaments on the front of
frames tended to be overly ornate
and grandiose. Like today, builders
of the era would hire artists to create
an image for their label, something
to bring customers through their
door and to differentiate their bikes
in crowded showrooms. These
early graphic designers would try
to infuse their clients’ product
with all kinds of different qualities. Pictures of birds in flight and
different types of weaponry were
popular. Images that evoked regal
qualities, industry, and gods on high were common; Mercury’s winged feet showed up on more
than a few early head badges.
Some brands were more practical than others. Wastyn Cycles, for instance, didn’t go
for fancy logos or images of arrows in
flight. They just wanted everyone to
know where to get one of their bikes
and simply etched the store address
onto their badge: 2629 Fullerton
Avenue in Chicago. Brennan racing bikes, a premier label among
professional racers in the 1930’s,
didn’t use a head tube badge. In
fact, Brennan’s frames had no
branding at all and simply let their
reputation and word-of-mouth
bring in new customers.
From the 1930’s through the
mid-century, Art Deco style took hold, as
did imagery borrowed from comic books and
popular culture. The Monark Silver King badge
was a cool one, evoking images of skyscrapers
and the machine age. The Ludwig badge made it
look like a biplane was bearing down on anyone
too slow to get out of the way. The Paris Cycle
one featured the Eiffel Tower (of course). The
French Rochet has a lion sitting proudly on top
of the earth. The Armstrong brand also features
a globe, and it looks like it was taken from the
top of Clark Kent’s Daily Planet office building.
Beginning in the ‘50s, it seemed that bike
brands were trying to convey a modern
image above all else. Badges and logos
with simple and clean lettering became
more common. Emblems that featured
rockets and evoked the space age
replaced Roman gods and flying
birds. Raleigh had a British Blue
Streak missile on one of their bikes
and NASA’s Apollo rockets were
featured on a couple as well.
Of course, the Olympic rings
and World Champion stripes show up
on a number of badges. Builders have
generally been pretty honest, using
these easily recognizable symbols
only if an athlete riding their bike had
actually won a gold medal.
Sometimes a builder reinforced its style and
image with its head badge. The British brand
Hetchins often utilized curvy tubing and intricate
ornate lugs on its bicycles. For a busy design like
a Hetchins, a simple logo with block lettering
just won’t do, they instead look like a royal
coat of arms.
Dario Pegoretti, a modern Italian craftsman, is known as much
for his abstract paint jobs as he is
for building custom steel bikes.
When the paint has more in common with Jackson Pollack than
with Schwinn, the insignia needs
to preserve that vibe. Pegoretti’s
contemporary stainless steel badge
is edgy and elegant. A perfect fit.
Washington Cycle & Supply
in Tacoma once produced a line
of bikes with model names like the
Senator and the President. The head badges
that adorned them look like they belonged on
U.S. currency.
It’s too bad that economics play a role in
badge design. Early on, Schwinn had fairly
intricate emblems, and had different
versions made for various models in
their line-up. Over the decades, they
became simpler and were somewhat
standardized across the line as they
sold more and more bikes. Imagine
selling half a million bikes each
year — reduce the production cost
on labels by just a few cents and the
savings can really add up. Today,
custom builders often offer upgrade
to materials such as sterling silver
and even real gold badges for buyers,
however, that kind of bike jewelry will
certainly add quite a bit to the total price.
Modern carbon fiber bikes still employ head
badges, but in decal-form to save a little bit of
weight. The Colnago club logo and the Bianchi
crest are still around, but these days they’re not
made out of brass, but full color decals stuck
under a layer of clear coat.
To find out more about badges and their
history, visit Paul at the Classic Cycle Museum.
He’ll be happy to show you the collection.
Photos courtesy of Paul Johnson.
Paul Johnson owns Classic Cycle on Bainbridge Island in Washington. If you want to admire some of these
great badges in person, Classic has a showcase full of famous and historic brands.
8 l Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper
May / June 2013
Mountain Biking
“RAAM” FROM PAGE 1
“TRAIL CLOSED” FROM PAGE 6
Twitter at www.twitter.com/usfsarp, and signing
up for email notifications on upcoming projects
and trail information from the Sulphur Ranger
District at SRDupdates@fs.fed.us.
As the snowpack begins to melt and the trails
start to dry out, the Fraser Experimental Forest
and Vasquez areas will be open for the 2013
summer biking season. Other spots including
the Idlewild, Grand Lake and Church Park regions will also be open. Riders beware though,
as temporary trail closed signs will be a fixture
in Grand County for the next several years, but
there will always be a place for the informed rider
to go and have a great time.
With all the work required to keep the trails
safe, users such as us mountain bikers can do our
part to help maintain them. The best way is simply
to get involved. The Adopt-A-Trail Program is a
volunteer directed initiative to keep Fraser Valley
trails maintained for all and is administered by
the Headwaters Trail Alliance. Additionally, the
Grand Mountain Bike Alliance is a group with
the specific goal of enhancing the Fraser Valley
mountain bike experience.
Remember to always use designated trails
and avoid cutting and riding on non-designated
trails. Bike only when conditions are favorable
and refrain from riding wet, saturated sections,
which can accelerate erosion and deteriorate
the watersheds. Following a few simple rules
can increase our riding enjoyment and help to
maintain the beautiful trail networks we love. So
when the weather conditions are right and the
trails are open, get out there and enjoy.
Trivia Answers
Answers from page 2
Allied Forces-Team 4Mil/Strategic Lions at the finish of their 400-mile RAAM Challenge Series in
Oceanside, Calif., on April 6, 2013. Photo by Brian Bishop, Cycling Soul.
website so browsers can follow along and read
the stories of the teams and racers setting their
sites on this shared cross-country adventure.
The heart behind the athletes, support crews
and organizers keeps racers coming back to set
new records and this attracts new racers training
for the first time. As some might expect, RAAM
is not limited to professional cyclists, but rather
it’s open to pro and amateur athletes alike. While
solo racers must qualify to compete, anyone may
organize a team and a support crew to try to
prove they have what it takes.
Seeking a new challenge is notable pro
motocross and supercross racer and world-class
athlete, Micky Dymond,
who has his sights set
on conquering RAAM
in 2014. This year will
serve as a period of
training, preparation
and qualifying for his
2014 quest. As a part of
that journey, RAAM will
join him and bring you
a behind the scenes look
at his progress.
“Riding The Line,”
a video series highlighting the ins and outs of
RAAM through the eyes
of several solo racers
and teams, will air each
month leading up to
RAAM 2013 and into the “off-season” as 2014
approaches. The first episode, released this past
March, introduced Dymond as the host and the
athletes to be followed as they prepare to race
and learn what it takes to compete.
Team racers have a maximum of nine days
to complete the distance with most finishing in
about seven and a half. They cover 350 to 500
miles a day, racing non-stop. Solo competitors
have a limit of 12 days to reach the finish, with
the fastest crossing the line in just over eight days.
Solo racers log between 250 to 350 miles a day,
balancing speed and the need for sleep.
RAAM has a rich and storied past. In 1982
four individuals raced from the Santa Monica Pier
in Los Angeles to the Empire State Building in
New York City. Covered by national television, the
race captivated the public’s imagination. Teams
were added in 1992 and it quickly became the
May / June 2013 most popular and fastest growing segment of the
race. Relay racing made the event accessible to
any reasonably fit cyclist and continues to grow
each year.
From triathletes and Xterra racers to ultramarathoners, athletes are always looking for the
next challenge, but many find it difficult to move
from one field to the next, so RAAM has established the RAAM Challenge Series, a seven-city
series created to give people the opportunity to
dip their toes into endurance cycling.
The Challenge Series offers distances to push
limits and discover the adventure of endurance
cycling in some of the best cycling locations in
the country. Five events
remain on this year’s
calendar: Portland, Ore.
(May 11); Minneapolis, Minn. (August 17);
Sacramento, Calif. (September 14); Columbus,
Ohio (September 28);
and Daytona, Florida
(November 2). Each
event offers a glimpse
into what RAAM is,
whether choosing the
120- (a true gran fondo),
200-, or 400-mile solo
RAAM qualifier.
A half step between
the series events and
the full size RAAM is
the Race Across The West (RAW). RAW runs
concurrently with RAAM, following the same
course, but ends in Durango, Colo. At 860 miles,
it provides a good insight of what the full-length
team endurance event would be like while still
accomplishing an exploit, featuring terrain that
is arguably the most beautiful in the country.
There is no other race in the world like
RAAM. It inspires and it is a true test of speed,
endurance, strength and camaraderie. It is unlike
anything else out there.
Fred Boethling, owner of RAAM and the
oldest solo finisher, still revels in the feeling he
had after completing RAAM in 2006: “I look
back and have an incredible sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that has stayed with
me and always will.”
To learn more about the Race Across America
and associated events, visit raceacrossamerica.org.
A1. Frenchman Bernard Hinault. He won the Vuelta in 1978 (then held in April/May) and his
debut Tour de France a few months later. The following year he again won the Tour and he
then won his first Giro in 1980. “The Badger” is definitively one of the all-time greats.
A2. Belgian Freddy Maertens. In 1977, he won 13 stages of the Vuelta Espana enroute to the
overall title.
A3. Who else could it be ... Belgian Eddy Merckx. He won an incredible 19 of them including seven
Milan-San Remos, two Tours of Flanders, three Paris-Roubaix, five Liege-Bastogne-Lieges,
and two Tours of Lombardy.
A4. Belgian Rik Van Looy, an early tormenter of Merckx. “The Emperor” accomplished this
singular double in 1959 and won eight monuments as well as two world titles.
A5. Belgian Tom Boonen, the only rider still actively racing (and winning), has won a total of 10
cobbled classics. His three Flanders, four Roubaix, and three Ghent-Wevelgems eclipse the
mighty Merckx and Van Looys, who had eight each. He is truly the all-time greatest cobblestone
racer to date.
Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper l 9
Bike Safety
Courtesy Gap Equals Deathtrap
By John Duggan, Attorney-at-Law
A
s I have written about many times before, negligent left turning motor vehicle drivers are responsible for more than half of the bike versus car incidents that I investigate. In most of these
situations, the cyclist is not on the driver’s radar screen and the motorist simply looks right through
or past the rider without actually registering the bicyclist’s presence. The ever-growing miles of
dedicated bike lanes and sharrow lanes have added a new wrinkle to the “left hook” incident. I call
this dangerous situation the “courtesy gap deathtrap.”
As you probably know, in most jurisdictions cars and bikes are subject to the same traffic laws
and are supposed to share the road. Dedicated bike lanes, however, are exclusively for cyclists and
cars cannot drive or park in them. Motorists can turn across them, but only after yielding the rightof-way to cyclists. The courtesy gap deathtrap scenario arises most often when riding during peak
commute times when motor vehicle traffic is stop and go.
Assume that you are pedaling northbound in a dedicated bike lane on a busy arterial street.
While motor vehicle traffic is crawling, your lane is wide open and you are able to cruise along at 15
to 20 mph while chuckling at the motorists going nowhere — this is one of the benefits of cycling.
See Diagram A. Unbeknownst to you because your view is obstructed by the stopped or slowly moving
automobiles to your left, a car approaching from the opposite direction (southbound) is stopped and
is waiting for traffic to clear so that it can turn left. A short distance ahead of you, a northbound car
stops to create a small opening — a courtesy gap — and then waves to the driver waiting to turn,
signaling that it is OK to do so. Although the left turning car has a duty to yield to all oncoming
vehicles, including bicycles, before executing a left turn, the driver in this example assumes it is all
right to proceed because the nice motorist who opened up the courtesy gap just waved him/her
through. Unbeknownst to everyone, including you, the driver who opened the gap, thinking he was
doing a good deed, really created the perfect storm. As the left turning driver travels through the
opening with potentially no visibility of the bike lane, he/she T-bones you. Although just moments
before you were relishing how great it was to be smoothly rolling along despite the heavy traffic,
you are now bouncing on the pavement. This situation rarely ends well for the cyclist.
A corollary situation to the above example is the “right hook,” which occurs when you are
traveling along in a dedicated bike lane and one of the motor vehicles that is stopped or slowly
moving to your left becomes impatient and abruptly (usually without signaling) attempts to make a
right turn directly across your path. See Diagram B.
When riding in a bike lane while traffic to the left is either stopped or slowly moving, cyclists
need to be hyper-vigilant. This is another one of those situations where just because the law says you
can go “X” miles per hour, it does not mean that you should. As in most situations where bicycles
Diagram A
Diagram B
and cars are sharing the roadway, ride defensively
and assume that an automobile could abruptly
attempt to turn across your path. If you see a
gap open in the traffic or if there are driveways
or cross streets along your path, proceed with
extreme caution. The greater the motor vehicle
congestion, the slower you need to go so you can
take evasive action when necessary. Remember,
an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
and may save your body and your bike.
Ride safely!
John Duggan is an avid cyclist and Seattle attorney who represents injured cyclists. He is a member of the
Cascade Bicycle Club, Bicycle Alliance of Washington and Washington State Association for Justice. He
sponsors multiple local cycling teams and cycling related causes. He can be reached at 206-343-1888,
206-714-1085 or john@dugganbikelaw.com.
Product Reviews
Motorex Dry Lube
Craft PB Featherlight Jacket
By Darren Dencklau
By Darren Dencklau
I
n my opinion, one of the most detestable
sounds known to man is the squeaking of
a dry chain. As a cyclist, it often dismays me
when I approach another rider from a distance
and I can hear their drivetrain screaming in
agony like a frightened and dying raptor in the
jaws of a bloodthirsty Tyrannosaurus
Rex. And if I can hardly stand
it for only a brief moment, how
can the navigator of said bike
simply ignore it?
Motorex has long been
respected for their lubricants,
particularly for motorcycles,
and the Swiss company now
makes a line of both wet
and dry lubes for bicycles.
They claim the products are
“biologically degradable” and
come in 100ml drip bottles
— they also make a spray on.
I generally opt for dry
lubes, as I’ve found that wet Photo by Darren
Dencklau.
lubes tend to leave my drivetrain
extremely messy. Motorex’s dry lube is a wax/
oil combination and the directions state to shake
well and apply to a clean and dry chain. Following
these directions and making sure I hit every pin,
I then lifted my rear wheel off the ground and
pedaled through several full rotations before wip-
10 l Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper
ing the excess off with a rag. This process usually
does the trick and leaves the outside plates clean
while the pins and rollers are amply lubricated.
After my first spin I noticed that there was
quite a bit of build-up and I needed to re-wipe
everything again. After the next ride,
same thing — a dark residue was left
on my cassette, pulleys and chainring.
This combined with winter road
grime makes for an unattractive
sight. The chain did stay well
lubricated, so much so that if I
ignored the filth, I could pedal
many miles before needing
to reapply.
Overall, I would recommend Motorex Dry Lube for
those that need the protection
during big efforts such as long
distance racers and when riding
in deplorable conditions — it
really does keeps things rolling
smooth. However, for the commuter and the OCD types who
like their things really clean, I
would recommend using something that doesn’t
collect so much grime.
MSRP for 100ml drip bottle is $9. For 300ml
spray, $15. Visit motorexbicycle.com/mb for
more information.
C
raft’s Performance Bike line “embraces
riders who live their sport.” The company’s Performance Bike Featherlight jacket is
designed for the positioning and movements of
cyclists and has longer arms and a longer tail
for better coverage while hunkered down in the
saddle. Other features include a small back
pocket, elastic cuffs, a fleece neckband,
reflective panels on all sides, ventilation
panels, and it is lightweight and easily
pack-able. The material is made of
polyamide and polyester.
It does a good job of keeping the
body temperature regulated and the
side vents allow for air to flow freely.
The back pocket is a nice feature for
carrying either small food items like
an energy bar and/or gel, or it can
also be used to carry some cash and
ID; the bungee drawstring keeps
contents secure and it draws in
the back panel of the jacket to
reduce any unnecessary flapping
while riding — one of my favorite
features of the Featherlight.
Although it works sufficiently
during a light mist, it quickly
becomes saturated when the
rain really starts to fall. I would
venture to say this garment is water
resistant, by no means waterproof. As for the wind,
it does a great job and it fits snug, making it a
great choice on road rides and for the commute.
MSRP for the PB Featherlight jacket is $90.
Find out more at
craftsports.us
Photo courtesy of Craft USA.
May / June 2013
Calendar
Welcome to the Region’s Most
Comprehensive Bicycle Calendar
All events are listed chronologically within their respective sections: Events (clinics, expositions, lectures, etc.), Camps,
Multisport (events that include cycling as part of the competition), Series (competitions where cumulative point standings
are awarded), Cyclocross, Mountain Bike Racing (competition featuring singletrack and other off-road riding), Mountain
Bike Touring (rides featuring singletrack and off-road riding), Road Racing (bicycle competition), Road Touring (road rides of
various distances and for any type of bicycle), Track (velodrome-type events). To conserve space, we’ve chosen to run websites
only on events where both website and email are available. If you are an organizer and your event is not listed, or if the information listed changes, contact us and we will gladly update the calendar. Please send your event information in the same
style and format seen here.
All aspects of this event calendar are copyright 2013 Bicycle Paper. This calendar may not be transmitted or reproduced
by any means, electronically or printed, without written consent of the publisher.
Events
June
Jun 28–30: Park City Festival
Park City, UT. Presented at Park City Mountain Resort. Fully supported 30-62-mile road rides for all
level of abilities - from training wheels to pros. Fun
rides, expo, pumptracks, mtb guided trail rides,
demos, live entertainment and more. kpwc.org
Jun 29–30: Keystone Mountain Bike
Festival
Keystone, CO. Weekend of racing in the
RME Snake River Race, guided group rides,
individually self-guided ride, coaching clinics,
kids activities, music, yoga, food, beer garden,
movie, and more. Thane Wright, 970-401-1422,
warriorscycling.com
Camps
May
May 3–5: BetterRide MTB Skills Camp
Golden, CO. Learn the mental and physical sides
of downhill MTB racing. In this 3-day camp you
will learn the skills to ride faster, more efficient,
balanced, in control and of course how to have
more fun. For other dates and locations see
website. Gene Hamilton, BetterRide,
970-335-8226, betterride.net
June
Jun 14–16: BetterRide
MTB Skills Camp
Salida, CO. Learn the mental and physical sides
of downhill MTB racing. In this 3-day camp you
will learn the skills to ride faster, more efficient,
balanced, in control and of course how to have
more fun! For other dates and locations see
website. Gene Hamilton, BetterRide,
970-335-8226, betterride.net
Jun 15–18: High School MTB Camp
Laramie, WY. 4-day camp at Curt Gowdy State
Park for students 13-18. All skill levels welcome.
Ride, learn about trail and bike maintenance,
nutrition, fitness and more. Food provided.
Richard Vincent, Laramie Enduro, 307-760-1917,
laramieenduro.org
Jun 15–16: Zoefitness Altitute Camp
Albuquerque, NM. Zoe Nance, 817-266-4557,
zoefitness.com
Multisport
May
May 4: HRCA Cinco de Mayo
Highlands Ranch, CO. 5km and 15km run.
Valerie Kuhns, Highlands Ranch Run Series,
303-471-7039, highlandsranchraceseries.com
May 4: Ironman St. George 70.3
St. George, UT. 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike,
13.1-mile run. Official IRONMAN 70.3 U.S.
Pro Championship. Helen, 905-415-8484,
ironmanstgeorge.com
May 11: Spring Sprint Triathlon
Salt Lake City, UT. Fantastic bike course and a
run that finishes in the Olympic Oval making this
course the most spectator-friendly venue in the
state. Cody Ford, US Trisports Race Management,
LLC, 801-558-2503, ustrisports.com
May 12: Jay Benson Triathlon
Albuquerque, NM. Sold out. nmsportsystems.com
May 17–18: Red River High Mountain
Half Marathon
Red River, NM. Half-marathon and 5km at high
altitude. Goes from historic mining town of Red
River through Upper Valley. Out and back course.
Runner reception follows. Rebecca Sanchez, Red
River Chamber of Commerce, 575-754-2366,
redrivermountainbikerace.com
May 18: NMARC #1
Albuquerque, NM. Beginner to advanced racers
who want to practice adventure skills. 3-4 hour
event. Category: 4 person, 2 person coed, men
and women. Hike, bike, paddling legs. Jeff
Hunker, New Mexico Adventure Racing Series,
meetup.com/New-Mexico-Adventure-Racing-ClubMeetup-Group
May / June 2013 June
Jun 1: Adventure Xstream Buena Vista
Buena Vista, CO. Sprint (3-6hrs), Sport (6-12hrs)
courses. Kayak, trek, rappel, mountain bike. Solo,
2-person teams, unsupported or supported.
Will Newcomer, Gravity Play Sports Marketing,
970-403-5320, gravityplay.com
Jun 1: Salem Spring Triathlon
Salem. 10th annual. Sprint distance triathlon.
Aaron Shamy, Racetri Event Series,
801-518-4541, racetri.com
Jun 1: Xterra Four Corners
Farmington, NM. 1-mile swim on west side of
Farmington Lake, 17-mile MTB course and new
scenic 5-mile running loop. Ingrid Gilbert,
505-326-7602,
xterrafourcorners.farmingtonnm.org
Jun 1: Xterra Lory
Fort Collins, CO. Perfect for beginners or experts.
Course is designed so that anyone can have fun
and be challenged. 1/2-mile swim in Horsetooth
Reservoir, 12.2-mile singletrack rolling bike leg,
4.8-mile trail run. Limit 325. Lance Panigutti,
Without Limits Productions, 303-408-1195,
withoutlimitsracing.co
Jun 8: Billy the Kid Tombstone
Triathlon
Fort Sumner, NM. Sprint and Olympic distances,
individual and team entries. Fundraiser for Fox
and Vixen Athletic program. Packet pick up at
Fort Sumner Admin Building. Patricia Miller,
Fort Sumner Municipal Schools, 575-799-7752,
patriciam@gmail.com
Jun 8–9: GoPro Mountain Games Ultimate Mtn Challenge
Vail, CO. Compete in 10km spring run-off, XC,
Road TT, and either Class II Down River Sprint or
SUP Surf Sprint, fastest combined time wins. Scott
Bluhm, 970-777-2015, tevamountaingames.com
Jun 8: NMARC #2
Cochiti Lake, NM. Beginner to advanced racers
who want to practice adventure skills. 8-hour
event. Staged at Tetilla Peak Boat Ramp. Mountain biking, paddling, trekking, rappelling. Steve,
New Mexico Adventure Racing Series,
meetup.com/New-Mexico-Adventure-Racing-ClubMeetup-Group
Jun 8: Ruidoso Sprint Triathlon
Ruidoso, NM. High altitude event starts with 3.5mile lakeside trail run, 10-mile hilly bike ride and
ends with 400-yard indoor swim. Benefits Ruidoso
Trails Coalition. Limit 200. Pre-reg. only. Bicycle
Ruidoso CC, 503-863-4228, bicycleruidoso.com
Jun 8: The Point Adventure Race
South Jordan, UT. Graffiti Racing presents a multisport endurance event featuring mountain biking,
running/trekking, paddling, a climbing challenge,
and navigation using a map and a compass to
attain check points. A multi-city race using urban
paved trails and wilderness trails to travel a
course covering approximately 30-60 miles in a
6-hour period. Scott Browning, Graffiti Racing LLC,
Graffiti Racing LLC, Graffiti Racing LLC, Graffiti
Racing LLC, 801-867-5039, graffitiracing.com
Jun 8: Tune Up Triathlon
Highlands Ranch, CO. Great way to start the
season or for those new to the sport. 500-yard
pool swim, 12-mile bike leg, 5km run on challenging paved course. Staged at Recreation Center at
Westridge. Kids’ version available. Valerie Kuhns,
Highlands Ranch Run Series, 303-471-7039,
highlandsranchraceseries.com
Jun 8: XTERRA Moab
Triathlon Festival
Moab, UT. XTERRA sport and full open water offroad triathlons, Moab sprint and Olympic open
water, trail run, and kids’ triathlon. Dan Aamodt,
801-635-8966, triutah.com
Jun 12–16: FIBArk Festival
Salida, CO. MTB bike races, water sport, hill
climb run and more. fibark.net
Jun 15–16: Tough Mudder
Avon, CO. 25 obstacles spread over a 10- to 12mile course designed by British Special Forces to
test your all around strength, stamina and mental
grit. Solo or team entry. Takes place at Beaver
Creek Resort. Party to follow. Tough Mudder,
toughmudder.com
Jun 23: Storrie Lake Triathlon
Storrie Lake, NM. 1.5km swim, 40km ride, 10km
run. Also Sprint distance. Multiple divisions.
Chasing 3 Race Production, chasing3.com
Jun 23: TriBoulder
Boulder, CO. Challenge yourself at mile high
elevation. Sprint and Olympic distances.
Cedric Keppler, 318-518-7303, bbsctri.com
Jun 23: Xterra Curt Gowdy
Cheynne, WY. Uses Curt Gowdy State Park trail
system. 1200m swim in the Granite Reservoir, 14
miles of singletrack riding through aspen groves
and open meadows, 5.4-mile trail run finishing at
Aspen Grove Trailhead. Lance Panigutti,
Without Limits Productions, 303-408-1195,
withoutlimitsracing.co
Cyclocross
July
Jul 25: Raleigh Midsummer Nights
Cyclocross Race
Dear Valley, UT. Highest and richest non-series
‘cross event. Races for Elite men and women,
category 3,4, and a “Wheelers and Dealers”
category. Part of Dealer Camp, an industry trade
show. Country’s highest ‘cross race at 7700’.
Brandon Bingham, 801-726-4411,
Bikedealercamp.com
mountain
Weekly
Tuesday
Laramie MTB Series
June 18–August 13
Laramie, WY. Series of 6 events. Start at 6pm at
Tie City parking lot. No license required. Beginner, sport and expert classes. Courses change
every week and length varies upon category.
Overall calculated on points, total of all 6 races
count, wheelie contest tiebreaker. No race 7/2,
7/16 and 7/30. Evan O’Toole,
laramiemtbseries.com
Wednesday
Ascent Cycling Series
June 5–July 31
Colorado Springs, CO. Series of 5 races with
categories for all ages. Weekend races are worth
10 points, starts at 9am. Weekday races at 6pm
count for 5 points. Venues: Bear Creek Terrace or
more technical Palmer Park. Singletrack, double
trails and gravel road for 2.3-mile lap. Race #4
at Cheyenne Mountain State Park on Saturday.
Lapped riders will be pulled. Must start last
race to count for overall series standings. Andy
Bohlmann, Sand Creek Sports, 719-591-4671,
sandcreeksports.com
GBS Short Track Series
May 22–July 17
Golden, CO. Series of 8 events presented at
Lookout Mtn Youth Services Center. Registration
opens at 4:30pm. 4 starts, Juniors start 5pm, men
C and women B at 5:25pm. Men B and women
A at 6:05pm and men A at 6:35pm. Juniors race
free. Lee Waldman, 720-313-5312,
goldenbikeshop.com/shorttrack
Sundance / Soldier Hollow Weekly
May 1–August 14
Sundance, UT. Wednesday nights, May - August
at 6:30pm. On July 4 race is at 9am. Venue
alternates between Soldier Hollow and Sundance.
Pros/experts 1hr race time, sport 45min, beginner
30min. Kids race at 5:30pm. Must participate
in 10 events to be eligible for season overall
points. Weekly points allocated to top 15 in each
category. Double points on 8/7. Registration
for Sundance events at Sundance Bike Shop,
Soldier Hollow Charter School for Soldier Hollow.
Weekly prizes, raffle and overalls. Mark Nelson,
435-654-1392, weeklyraceseries.com
Town Challenge Race Series
May 29–August 21
Steamboat Springs, CO. 7-race series that
includes hill climb and cross-country events. Top
15 get points each race, overall calculated on
best 6 out of 7. Multiple categories and age
groups. David Stevenson, 970-879-4300 x 355,
townchallenge.com
Zia/Devo STXC Series
April 17–July 10
Durango, CO. Weekly series for Juniors. Course
changes every week. B’s at 6pm, A’s at 6:30pm.
Zia Eliminator on 5/22, Super Duper Fun race
5/29. Sarah Tescher, 970-779-8480,
durangodevo.com
Series
Big Mountain Enduro
Jun 15–18, 29–30; Jul 6–7; Aug 31–Sep 1;
Sep 28–29
Various. Epic trail rides in incredible destinations
with timed race sections on the descents. Moderate to advanced. Multi-day, multi-stage format.
Brandon Ontiveros, Big Mountain Enduro, LLC.,
bigmountainenduro.com
Enduro Cup
May 4; Jul 19–20
Park City, UT. Three races, crowns a series winner
based on points. Third race date and location
TBD. Daniel Roper, 801-560-6479,
endurocupmtb.com
Intermountain Cup Series - ICup
May 11, 27; Jun 1, 29; Jul 6, 27; Aug 3
Various, UT, WY. 10-race series offers individual
and team competitions. Overall calculated on
points, all races count. Cash and merchandise.
Racers should carry their own health insurance.
No mechanical assistance. Individual, team and
high school competition. Marek Shon,
801-209-2479, intermountaincup.com
New Mexico Endurance Series - NMES
Jun 1, 22; Jul 13; Aug 10; Sep 14, 28; Oct 19
Various, NM. 8 self-sufficient endurance hardcore
grassroots endurance MTB races. Not suited for
younger or inexperienced riders. Participants
keep track of their own time and distance. Race
for bragging rights. Lenny Goodell,
nmes.wordpress.com
New Mexico Off-Road Series - NMORS
May 4, 11; Jun 8–9; Jul 21, 27–28; Aug 31;
Sep 7, 15, 28; Oct 5
Various, NM. Series of 13 events run throughout the season. Open to all categories and
singlespeed. Overall calculated on points - top 8
results count, min of 5 races. Only XC races count.
Jersey for category champions. Each XC is qualifier for Nationals. Final overall series standings
determine the State Champion. David Halliburton,
575-312-5991, nmors.org
Rocky Mountain Endurance Series
Apr 20; May 4, 18; Jun 1, 29–30; Jul 14
Various, CO. Series of 6 marathon, half marathon, XC, and half XC races. Categories: Men,
women, open. Multiple age divisions. Overall
calculated on points. Event points to top 20.
Series pass available. 10% of all profits goes to
various charities. Thane Wright, Rocky Mountain
Endurance, 970-401-1422,
rockymountainendurance.com
Trestle Gravity Series
Jun 22–23; Jul 6–7; Aug 10–11; Sep 1–2
Winter Park, CO. 4-weekend race series at Winter
Park Resort. Traditional DH one day, Air DH the
next. Registration closes at 4pm the day before
the race. Winter Park Competition Center,
970-726-1590, epicsingletrack.com
UT Gravity Series
May 25–27; Jun 8–9; Aug 10–11
Various. Some of America’s best gravity racing.
Ron Lindley, 801-375-3231, go-ride.com
Utah State Championships Series
Apr 20; Jun 8, 22; Sep 21
Various, UT. 4 events including a circuit race, XC
and two 50-mile races. $10,000 Pro purse pays
fastest men and women of the day, regardless of
category, and more. Season pass or single race
entry. Category U9 to Pros. Distance and course
varies according to category and level. Top 10
gets points toward series overall - team and individuals. Individual competition now combined with
Intermountain Cup. Bob Saffell, MTB Race Productions, LLC, 801-588-9020, raceuscs.com/points
Winter Park Epic Singletrack Series
Jun 15, 29; Jul 13, 27; Aug 10, 24
Winter Park, CO. 6-race series at Winter Park
Resort. Formats vary, but always include male and
female divisions. U15 to Masters 60+. Starts in
waves so race with your group. Medals awarded
to top 3 in each age class and sub-categories:
Beginner, sport, expert, and Pro. Start at 10am.
Winter Park Competition Center, 970-726-1590,
epicsingletrack.com
Zia Rides Race Series
May 18; Jun 15–16; Oct 19
Various, NM. 4-event series. Must ride at least
3 to win. Men’s solo and singlespeed, women’s
solo, duo and teams of 4. Recognizes top 3 men
and women. If you ride in as a team, points still
accrue as individual. Points to the top 10 in each
category at each event. Lindsay Mapes,
Zia Rides, ziarides.com
Racing
May
May 3–4: 18 Hours of Fruita
Fruita, CO. Kick off the season with Colorado’s
only 18-hr team MTB race. Midnight start at Highline Lake State Park. 7-mile loop. Solo or teams
of 2, 4, 6-8. Must register by April 29. Limit 100
teams. Event Marketing Group LLC,
fruitamountainbike.com
May 4: Battle the Bear - REM #2
Lakewood, CO. No license required. Bear Creek
Lake Park, 10-mile fast loop with 5 short pushing
climbs and singletrack. Marathon 60 miles, halfmarathon 30 miles, XC sport 20 miles, beginner
10. Runs clockwise (aka Front Range 60).
Part of Rocky Mountain Endurance Series.
Rocky Mountain Endurance, warriorscycling.com
May 4: La Tierra Torture - NMORS #3
Santa Fe, NM. XC only. Start 9am. Pro/Cat 1/
SS (3 laps) and Cat 2 (2 laps) with 9.5 miles and
1075’ of climbing. Cat 3 (2 laps) 4 miles and
325’ of climbing each loop. Free jerseys for the
first 100 to register. Part of New Mexico Off-Road
Series - NMORS. Jan Baer, LLT Organizing
Committee, latierratorture.com
May 4: Mag 7 Enduro
Park City, UT. Fun, flowy enduro racing in
the Gemini Bridges area. Part of Enduro Cup.
Ali Goulet, 801-560-6479, endurocupmtb.com
May 5: Alien Run MTB
Aztec, NM. XC event in Hart Canyon goes
past the UFO crash site. One of the best trails
in the Four Corners area. Fundraiser. Distance
varies depending on categories. 10-26 miles.
Beginner, sport and expert courses. Ed Strauss,
505-334-22057, alienrun.com
May 11: 12 Hours of Mesa Verde
Cortez, CO. Grassroots race on network of
singletrack in the shadow of Mesa Verde. 16 miles
on Phil’s World trails. Solo, duo and 3-, 4-person
teams. Theme for this year - superheros! Proceeds
benefit local non-profit Montezuma County partners. Kids race. 12hoursofmesaverde.com
May 11: Call to Sundance - ICS #4
Sundance Resort, UT. XC, 2 loops: 7.1 miles
topping out at 7100’, and the small 0.5-mile on
lowest part of Archie’s Loop. First race starts at
8am for U9, 8:30am for U12, others 9:30am. Part
of Intermountain Cup Series - ICup. Marek Shon,
801-209-2479, intermountaincup.com
May 11: Desert RATS Classic
Fruita, CO. 100km endurance race on western
slope of Colorado. Challenging out and back
on Kokopelli Trail. 5 rest stations. Not for casual
rider. Sport to Pro, also tandem and singlespeed
categories. Cutoff - 10 hours. Reid Delman,
Gemini Adventures, 303-249-1112,
geminiadventures.com
May 11–12: Firebird 40 & La Femme
Eagle, CO. Distances 8-40 miles depending on
category. Open M/W, citizen, singlespeed, duo
M/W. Firebird Hotlap for Junior and citizens.
Ripping singletrack, $7500 cash purse, also
includes Firebird la Femme (Sunday) and Strava
Eagle Enduro, RM Bicycle and Outdoor expo and
more. Part of Eagle Festival. Mike McCormack,
970-485-5847, eagleoutsidefestival.com
May 11: Gunny Enduro
Grand Junction, CO. Mike Driver, LTR Sports,
970-257-7678, ltrsports.com
May 11: Oak Flats - NMORS #4
Tijeras, NM. Presented at Oakflats Campground.
All categories from first time racers to Pros.
Distance varies based on category. Separated
course for first timers and kids. Cash prize. Part of
New Mexico Off-Road Series - NMORS.
Antonia DeHorney, D.A.S.H., 505-604-2177,
dashforlife.org
May 12: Unravel the Scratch Gravel
Helena, MT. At Scratchgravel Hills. All categories.
5.8-mile loop, 70% double track, 30% singletack.
Start/finish at Echo Drive Trailhead. Juniors
(11-14) race short course for 3 miles. Kids race
available. Chad Dexter, Big Sky Cyclery Race
Team, 406-442-4644, bigskybikes.com
May 18: Dawn ‘til Dusk
Gallup, NM. Fun, laid-back, grassroots 12-hour.
Sweetest singletrack course in the Southwest.
13-mile loops with 1600’ of climbing. Authentic
Native American art as prizes. Solo, singlespeed,
duo, teams of 4 and fun categories. Kids race.
Start 7am. Part of Zia Rides Race Series.
Lindsay Mapes, Zia Rides, 505-863-4228,
dawntilduskrace.com
May 18: Dirty Double Fondo
Salida, CO. Salida to Harstel, Guffey, Salida on
mostly dirt/gravel roads, little pavement. Bring
lights. 200km at high altitude in the middle of
nowhere race. Improved course. MTB or ‘cross
bike. Unsupported event limited to 74. Colorado
Endurance Series, coloradoes.wordpress.com
Family Friendly Ride
Supports Bicycle Colorado
Commercial
Rocky Mountain Road Cup Point Scale
Bronze,
Silver,
Gold
Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper l 11
Calendar
May 18: Indian Creek - REM #3
Sedalia, CO. 11, 20, 40 or 60 miles. Junior and
kids race. 20-mile loop through scenic singletrack
and double track of juniper, ponderosa, aspen,
and rolling hills. 3-minute intervals between
categories. Free camping. Awards ceremony.
Part of Rocky Mountain Endurance Series. Rocky
Mountain Endurance, warriorscycling.com
May 25–27: Sundance Showdown
Sundance Resort, UT. Super-D Saturday, DH
Monday. Part of UT Gravity Series. Ron Lindley,
Sundance Resort, 801-375-3231, go-ride.com
May 25–26: The Original Growler
Gunnison, CO. Half Growler is 32 miles - sold
out but you can enter the Full Growler and be
scored in the Late Bus 32 on Sunday. Sunday:
Full Growler (64 miles) limited to 350 riders,
noon cut-off. Singletrack. Benefits Gunnison Trails.
gunnisontrails.com
May 26: Iron Horse Classic MBS MTB Race
Durango, CO. A multi-lap course originating from
downtown Durango that will challenge all abilities. Lap length approximately 7 miles with flowing singletrack, steep climbs, and fast downhills.
Multiple categories. IHBC Director, 970-259-4621,
ironhorsebicycleclassic.com
May 27: Stan Crane Memorial XC
Race - ICS #5
Draper, UT. ICS #5, 7th annual. Monday race,
great XC course start/finish at the equestrian
center. About 80% singletrack on a 9.8-mile loop.
Total elevation 1100’/lap, first start at 8:15am for
U12, others at 9am. Part of Intermountain Cup Series - ICup. 801-233-1400, intermountaincup.com
May 30–Jun 1: 24 Hours of Erock
Castle Rock, CO. 8th annual. 24-hour race at
Greenland Open Space, just south of Castle Rock.
Start 6:30pm Friday. Stunning views, 8.25-mile
loop. Staging at 6098’, highest point 7450’. Solo
and team event. Chip timing. Part of Elephant
Rock Cycling Festival. Scot Harris, 303-282-9020,
24hoursoferock.com
June
Jun 1: Deer Valley Pedalfest - ICup #6
Deer Valley, UT. Multi-lap course with climbs and
twisty singletrack downhill. Part of Intermountain
Cup Series - ICup. intermountaincup.com
Jun 1: Pajarito Burnout - NMES #2
Los Alamos, NM. New event. Start at Pajarito
Brewpub. 70ish miles with 10,500’ of climbing.
Option for 32 and 43 miles as well. See race
series for details. Dylan Harp, NM Endurance
Series, nmes.wordpress.com
Jun 1: PV Cycle Derby - REM #4
Elbert, CO. Valley Scout Ranch. Roll through prairie grassland and plains of eastern Colorado. 22mile loop winds through low hills of black forest
and ponderosa pine. 14, 22, 44, 66 miles. Kids
race. Part of Rocky Mountain Endurance Series.
Rocky Mountain Endurance, warriorscycling.com
Jun 2: Beti Bike Bash
Lakewood, CO. Colorado’s XC Women Championships. Women’s only MTB race and festival.
All levels welcome. 4-mile loop, 300’ climbing
per lap, non-technical, mostly singletrack. Expo,
prizes, kids race and great swag bag. Bring the
whole family. betibikebash.com
Jun 7–9: Chile Challenge - MSC #2
Angel Fire, NM. Saturday DH practice, DS, XC
race at Angel Fire Resort. Sunday Super D and
DH races. XC long loop is 9 miles with 60%
singletrack, short loop 5.5 miles. Kids race. Part
of GRT Tour. Bigfoot Productions, 720-407-6142,
racemsc.com
Jun 7: GoPro Mountain Games Slopestyle
Vail, CO. Presented at Golden Peak.
Scott Bluhm, Vail Valley Foundation,
970-777-2015, tevamountaingames.com
Jun 8: GoPro Mountain Games MTB Race
Vail, CO. XC for all categories including Juniors
at Golden Peak. Kids race, freeride dual. Scott
Bluhm, Vail Valley Foundation, 970-777-2015,
tevamountaingames.com
Jun 8–9: Oso HS MTB Race NMORS #5
Angel Fire, NM. For all riders from beginners
to Pros. Special category for first time racers.
Distance between 6-25 miles which includes the
“luge” berms section. Short track and XC events.
Proceeds benefits ALS research. Part of New
Mexico Off-Road Series - NMORS.
Hogan Koesis, 505-255-4222,
osohigh.com/Oso_High_MTB_Race.html
Jun 8: Palisade Classic and
Grand Mesa Grind
Palisade, CO. Full Grind, Sport and Beginner
Half Grind races. BBQ, music and more. Rondo
Buecheler, 970-464-9266, palisadecoc.com
Jun 8: Salida Big Friggin Loop
Salida, CO. Singletrack, high elevation.
Ride the base (88 miles) or long (106 miles
with 13,000’ of climbing) loop. Start at Cafe
Dawn 6:30am. Unsupported event limited to 74.
Tom Purvis, Colorado Endurance Series,
coloradoes.wordpress.com
Jun 8–9: The Captain
Colorado Springs, CO. Saturday: Enduro #1 in
N. Cheyenne Canyon (Pipeline to 7 Bridges).
Enduro #2 in Palmer Park. Sunday: Enduro #3
12 l Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper
using St. Mary’s Trail. Total 14+ skill testing miles.
After race party. Tim Scott, Palmer HS Cycling
Team, 719-651-6037,
facebook.com/thecaptainrace?sk=wall
Jun 8: Wasatch Back 50 - USCS #2
Wasatch County, UT. Exciting new race course
starts east of US 40, finishes at Homestead Resort.
Limit 350. Part of Utah State Championships
Series. Bob Saffell, MTB Race Productions, LLC,
801-588-9020, raceuscs.com
Jun 8–9: Wolf Mountain Mayhem
Wolf Mountain Resort, UT. Saturday: Super D
(afternoon start). Sunday: Downhill (morning
start). Part of UT Gravity Series. Ron Lindley,
801-375-3231, go-ride.com
Jun 15–16: 24 Hours in the
Enchanted Forest / USAC 24-Hour
MTB Nationals
Gallup, NM. New staging area at McGaffey
campground. 18 miles of singletrack on pristine
and premier trails outside Gallup in the high Zuni
Mountains. Solo, duo, teams of 4-5 or corporate.
Race start at 11am. Kids races, yoga, live band
and more. Also 6- and 12-hour races. Part of Zia
Rides Race Series. Zia Rides, 24hitef.com
Jun 15: Bailey Hundo Epic Race
Bailey, CO. Invitational event. 100-mile endurance
race with over 45 miles of singletrack. Benefits
youth biking initiatives in Colorado. See website
for invitation requirement. Brenda Hobgood,
bailey100.com
Jun 15–18: Big Mountain Enduro #1
Angel Fire, NM. Opener. Elevation changes
that will challenge even the most accomplished
riders. Day of lift-accessed terrain and a day of
backcountry singletrack. Angel Fire Resort. See
race series for details. Big Mountain Enduro, LLC.,
bigmountainenduro.com
Jun 15: Winter Park Epic Singletrack
Series #1 - HC
Jun 29: 40 in the Fort
Fort Collins, CO. At Lory State Park. Two tough
laps for 40 miles with 9000’ of climbing. Some
course changes. Beginners, “Just for Fun,” where
2 riders do one lap each simultaneously. Benefits
Overland MTB Club. Overland MTB Club,
970-430-5336, overlandmtb.org
Jun 29–30: Big Mountain Enduro #2
Crested Butte, CO. Some of the longest descents
in the area. Some of the most challenging and
scenic courses on the North American tour, blending high altitude backcountry and lift-accessed
stages. See race series for details. Big Mountain
Enduro, LLC., bigmountainenduro.com
Jun 29: Durango Dirty Century
Durango, CO. Self-supported epic limited to 74.
Singletrack, some paved roads, dirt roads and
more trails with 13.5 miles of climbing. 97 miles.
Short loop 82 miles. Start 6am at San Juan
Cycles, finish at Durango Brewing Co. Colorado
Endurance Series, coloradoes.wordpress.com
Jun 29: Sherwood Hills - ICS #7
Logan, UT. Sherwood Hills Resort, multiple laps,
winding singletrack through trees. 9am. Part of
Intermountain Cup Series - ICup. Kayleen Ames,
435-757-4310, intermountaincup.com
Jun 29–30: Snake River - REM #5
Keystone, CO. Start/finish at River Run Village at
Keystone Resort and Keystone Mountain Bike Festival. Part of Rocky Mountain Endurance Series.
Rocky Mountain Endurance, warriorscycling.com
Jun 29: Winter Park Epic Singletrack
Series #2 - XC Super Loop
Winter Park, CO. Hit the singletrack with our
super loop course that has some new twists (more
singletrack!). Racing for all ages and abilities.
Check-in starts at 8am. The race begins promptly
at 10am. See race series for details. Winter Park
Competition Center, 970-726-1590,
epicsingletrack.com
Winter Park, CO. A 5.3-mile non-technical hill
climb with 2160’ elevation gain. Start 10am at
base of Winter Park Resort climbing to top of
Mary Jane Ski Area. See race series for details.
Winter Park Competition Center, 970-726-1590,
epicsingletrack.com
Jun 30: Goldrush 100k Marathon
Salida, CO. XC race for all levels. Three different
courses using the Arkansas Hills trail system or
Salida Mountain trail system, based on your
ability. Distances vary based on category. Expert,
singlespeed, sport and kids races. fibark.net
July
Jun 16: FIBArk MTB Race
Jun 16: KMC Classic
Colorado Springs, CO. Council Grounds at
Palmer Park. Colorado State XC Championships
for Junior, Senior and Master men categories.
AMBC race for men. Alison Dunlop Series event
for Juniors. Andy Bohlmann, Sand Creek Sports,
719-591-4671, sandcreeksports.com
Jun 22: Dixie 200
Parowan, UT. Self-supported, 200 miles of trail
and remote terrain between Bryce Canyon and
Brian Head in southern UT. Virgin River Rim,
Thunder Mountain, Grandview and several
other trails. Start 7am at intersection of 2nd Left
Hand Canyon and Hwy 143. Dave Harris,
2-epic.com/events/dixie200.html
Jun 22: Round Valley XC - USCS #3
Park City, UT. 10-12-mile laps, mostly singletrack.
Rolling hills, swoopy turns. Kids race U12 at
3:30pm. Adult races start at 5pm. Part of Utah
State Championships Series. Bob Saffell, MTB
Race Productions, LLC, 801-588-9020,
raceuscs.com
Jun 22: Santa Fe Big Friggin’ Loop NMES #3
Santa Fe, NM. Slight changes to 2012 route. 72
miles, 13k of climbing or option of medium loop
56 miles / 9.6k of climbing. Unsupported, not for
beginners. Start 6:30am from 2nd St. Brewery.
Limit 74 riders. See race series for details. Scott
Broome, NM Endurance Series,
nmes.wordpress.com
Jun 22–23: Trestle Gravity Series #1
Winter Park, CO. See race series for details.
Winter Park Competition Center, 970-726-1590,
epicsingletrack.com
Jun 23–30: Crested Butte Fat Tire
Bike Week
Crested Butte, CO. 30th annual week-long
MTB celebration including the infamous Chainless
World Championships (June 28), Fat Tire 40
(June 29), Bridges of the Butte (June 30) and
the Butte 24-Hour Townie Tour (June 22-23).
970-349-6438, cbchamber.com
Jun 28–Jul 4: San Juan Huts 200
Durango, CO. Choose either the solo epic selfsupported adventure at 214 miles, 22,600’ of
climbing with a 48-hr limit or the 7-day supported
stage race from Durango to Moab, UT. Uses the
San Juan Huts southern route. Epic race runs July
2-4. Kathy Hudson, Terra Firma Racing,
972-966-1300, terrafirmaracing.com
Jun 28: Sundance Single
Speed Challenge
Sundance, UT. The only true singlespeed
race in Utah, this proves to be an incredible
event. Singlespeeders get a unique chance
to race head to head. Czar Johnson,
Sundance Resort, 801-223-4121,
sundanceresort.com/explore/sum_biking_races.html
Colorado Springs, CO. Race from the edge of the
great plains up more than 5000’ to tree line and
crests on the shoulders of Pikes Peak. Mix of wide
trails, double track and forest service roads. Perfect for new and experienced riders. Jery Furman,
Palmer HS Cycling Team, goldrush100.com
Jul 4: Firecracker 50
Breckenridge, CO. All categories. Sparkler race
for Juniors. Beginners ride 14 miles. Field limit
750. Ride solo or with a teammate for one 25mile lap each. Climbing per lap: 5400’. Rippin’
descents and plenty of singletrack. Pro Ultra Endurance Tour (UET) event. Jeff Westcott, Maverick
Sports Promotions, 970-390-4760, mavsports.com
Jul 6–7: Big Mountain Enduro #3
Keystone, CO. Some of the most raw and rugged
lift-accessed mountain biking in the US. Rock
gardens, drops, and high-speed features. Seven
rowdy stages, non-stop festival and entertainment.
See race series for details. Big Mountain Enduro,
LLC., bigmountainenduro.com
Jul 6: Fire Road Cycling - Dirt Fondo
Cedar City, UT. 25k, 60k, 100k distances. Starts
at Main Street Park 8am. 7000’ total elevation
gain for 100km, 4000’ for 60km. Equal prize
$ for overall men and women in the 100km.
25-qualifying slots for the Leadville 100 up for
grabs for 100km. Paul Huddle, 858-518-0042,
fireroadcycling.com
Jul 6: Test of Endurance 50/100 OXCS #10
Blodgett, OR. 100k, 14,000’ of climbing on monster course. 50 miles, 6400’, goes to Coast Range
and back. Amazing support. Limit 100. Only the
50 is part of series. Part of Oregon XC Classic
Series - OXCS. Mike Ripley, Mudslinger Events,
541-225-7946, mudslingerevents.com
Jul 6–7: Trestle Gravity Series #2
Winter Park, CO. See race series for details.
Winter Park Competition Center, 970-726-1590,
epicsingletrack.com
Jul 7: OuterLocal Summer Games
Jackson, WY. MTB event as part of the festival.
Start 10am at Phil Baux Park at the base of
Snow King. Other events include trail running,
bouldering and paragliding, capped off with free
concerts. Jeremy Dodge
Jul 12–14: Snowmass Enduro
Snowmass, CO. 3-day, 4-stage event all on the
same bike. Epic Super D, XC, jump trail, DH. Over
8000’ of descending. 85% downhill, 15% uphill.
snowmassvillage.com
Jul 13: Chama Redneck Epic NMES #4
Chama, NM. Top of Cumbres Pass. 4 distances
- new Moonshine 100 Proof Epic of 100 miles,
Shake n Bake Epic 70 miles, Bobby Epic 50 miles
or Geezuz Epic 26 miles. Climbing varies between
3 to 10+km. See race series for details. David Burdette, NM Endurance Series, nmes.wordpress.com
Jul 13: Leadville Silver Rush 50
Leadville, CO. 50-mile out-and-back at high altitude in Leadville’s historic east side mining district.
Route is extreme. 8-hour time limit. 50-mile run the
next day with 14-hr limit to claim Silver King and
Queen titles. Qualifier for Leadville 100. Josh Colley, Lifetime - Leadville Race Series, 719-219-9351,
leadvilleraceseries.com
Jul 13: Winter Park Epic Singletrack
Series #3 - Valley Point to Point
Winter Park, CO. Start in Winter Park and finish
in Fraser following some of the valley’s best
singletrack. Beginner course 18.8 miles, full
course 23.5 miles. Start 10am, open to riders of
all abilities 8 years and older. See race series
for details. Winter Park Resort, 970-726-1590,
epicsingletrack.com
the event sponsors. All events are in & around
the Uintah Basin, there is no charge or entry
fee. Troy Lupcho, Altitude Cycle, 435-781-2595,
altitudecycle.com
June
Jun 1: National Trails Day
Various. Events of all sort, including trail building
and rides, presented by various organizations in
all part of the country. imba.com
Jul 14: Breckenridge 100
(B-68 & B-32) - REM #6
Jun 2: Subaru Elephant Rock
Jul 21: Colorado Trail Race
Jun 15: Tour de Cure - Southern
Colorado
Breckenridge, CO. 100-mile solo or 3-person
team. Nestled between 3 ski resorts, cloverleaf
course with 13,719’ of climbing. Shorter B-68,
B-32 available. Camping. Start at Carter Park.
B-100 or B-68 counts towards NUE RME. NUE
event. Part of Rocky Mountain Endurance Series.
Rocky Mountain Endurance, warriorscycling.com
Durango, CO. Starts in Denver, finishes in
Durango. 470 miles, 65,000’ of elevation gain.
Start 4am, end date varies. Unsupported event.
Expert riders only. Colorado Endurance Series,
coloradoes.wordpress.com
Jul 21: Signal Peak Challenge NMORS #6
Silver City, NM. Distance varies between 8-30
miles. Two courses with 4- and 8-mile laps.
Part of New Mexico Off-Road Series - NMORS.
Nathan Shay, nmcycling.org
Jul 25–28: Colorado Freeride Festival
Winter Park, CO. Some of the best MTB riders
compete for over $45,000 in slopestyle, Enduro
World Series, air DH, XC, trials and pond crossing
events. Jerady Zunno, Winter Park Resort,
970-726-1590, coloradofreeridefestival.com
Jul 27: Laramie Enduro
Laramie, WY. Challenging 72.5-mile course
climbing over 8600’. All above 7500’. Singletrack, dirt roads, experienced riders only. At
Happy Jack Recreation Area. Benefits regional
non-profits. Lottery reg opens Feb 1. Richard
Vincent, 307-760-1917, laramieenduro.org
Jul 27–28: Sandia Peak Challenge NMORS #7
Albuquerque, NM. Part of New Mexico Off-Road
Series - NMORS. Joanna Eckstein, Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation - NM, nmors.org
Jul 27: Winter Park Epic Singletrack
Series #4 - Epic XC
Winter Park, CO. See race series for details.
Winter Park Resort, 970-726-1590,
epicsingletrack.com
Touring
May
May 2–5: Kokopelli Trail
Fruita, CO. 4 days, 142 miles of singletrack, jeep
trails and retired railroad. Rest stops and lunches.
Camping, gear transportation. Limit 90 riders.
Bikerpelli Sports, 303-875-9000, bikerpelli.com
May 3–5: P.A.S.S. Bookcliffs Trailfest
Price, UT. Trail rides (new trails debuted), free
camping (bring your acoustic instruments for the
campfire jam), food, live music, chaos & mayhem,
Friday afternoon warm-up ride will be pretty
mellow with a party atmosphere, Saturday &
Sunday we ride for REAL - Rides range from short
& mellow to ridiculous. Fuzzy Nance,
435-637-2453, PASStrails.com
May 9–12: Kokopelli Trail
Fruita, CO. 4 days, 142 miles of singletrack, jeep
trails and retired railroad. Rest stops and lunches.
Camping, gear transportation. Limit 90 riders.
Bikerpelli Sports, 303-875-9000, bikerpelli.com
May 11: Mission to Ride
Montrose, CO. Intermediate and advanced
COPMOBA guided MTB rides in Gunnison Gorge
Nat’l Conservation Area. Start 8:30am. Bike
rodeo, wine and food fest the next day. Benefits
Montrose Medical Mission. missiontoride.com
May 17–19: MECCA Spring
MTB Festival
Green River, UT. Registration begins Friday at
1pm followed by a “warm up ride.” Evening meal
is provided as is a prize drawing. Saturday begins
with breakfast and then all-day, guided rides,
ranging from beginner to advanced. Finish up on
Sunday morning with a provided breakfast and a
guided (or on-your-own) scenic ride. Family-friendly. Kim Player, 435-653-2440, biketheswell.org
May 18: Amazing Earthfest
Fredonia, AZ. Joy Jordan Woodhill Trail Ride.
10- and 20-mile non-technical loop on hardpack
natural surface with expansive views of the Kaibab Plateau and colorful cliffs of Grand Staircase.
Meet at the Fredonia Welcome Center 8am. Rich
Csenge, 435-644-3735, amazingearthfest.com
May 23: Indian Creek MTB Ride
Golden, CO. Difficult 30 miles with 3000' of
climbing. 24-mile loop, up to Colorado Trail
through Roxborough trail and Indian Creek. Bring
lots of water and energy snacks. Meet 8:45am at
parking lot south of Indian Creek. Rob Layman,
303-638-0457, teamevergreen.org
May 25–26: Numb Fest
Vernal, UT. 2 fun and action packed days of
organized riding and festivities. There will be
organized trail rides each day based on ability
level with gatherings in the evening involving
food, beverage, revelry, and prizes provided by
Castle Rock, CO. 26th annual. 27-mile off-road
with rolling hills, high plains and canyons. Dirt
roads, paved roads and bike paths. 7-mile family
ride. Starts/ends at Douglas County Fairgrounds.
Scott Olmsted, 303-282-9020,
elephantrockride.com
Woodland Park, CO. Meadow Wood Sports
Complex. 14-mile MTB route. Also 14-, 50- and
86-mile road routes available. Lunch and
festivities. Kelly Jackson, 800-diabetes ext. 7020,
tourdecurecolorado.com
Jun 16–22: Desert RATS MTB Tour
Fruita, CO. Supported tour of 148 miles with
overnight camping site. Tent and food provided,
gear transport. Mileage between 18-40 per day
from Loma to Rabbit Valley, Fish Ford, Slickrock,
Porcupine Rim trail and more. Reid Delman,
Gemini Adventures, 303-249-1112,
geminiadventures.com
Jun 23–28: Grand Staircase Escalante
Mountain Singletrack
Panguitch, UT. 6-days. The Grand Staircase Lower
Canyons provide exploring, camping, and back
country MTB opportunities. Available 7/14-19,
8/18-23, 9/15-20. Barb Goff, Escape Adventures,
800-596-2953,
escapeadventures.com
Jun 28–30: KPCW Cycling Festival
Park City, UT. Showcasing Park City’s award
winning trail system! Guided rides (Mid Mountain,
Round Valley, Prospector & more). Live bands,
vendors, expos, food & beverage, fun for the
whole family. Held at The Yard, 8am-8pm. Cindy
Bywater, 435-649-9004, kpcw.org
Jun 28–Jul 4: San Juan Huts 200 Tour
Durango, CO. 7-day supported stage race/tour
from Durango to Moab, UT. Uses the San Juan
Huts southern route. Take your time and see all
the sights. We carry your gear to keep you light
and our professional chef will make you want to
stay another week. Kathy Hudson, Terra Firma
Racing, 972-966-1300, terrafirmaracing.com
Jun 29: Bear Lake Monster Cross
Montpelier, UT. Dirt fondo along the back roads
of the Bear Lake Valley. 100- or 62-mile options
with KOM and other challenges for those with
competitive streaks. Cyclocross or MTB are your
best options. Jared Ebom,
801-599-9268, BearLakeMonsterRide.com
Jun 29–30: Bridges of the Butte
24-hour Townie Tour
Crested Butte, CO. A 24-hour-long cruiser bike
tour benefiting the Adaptive Sports Center Argentina Program. Teams and individuals welcome.
Costumes encouraged. Tours the town, crossing
as many bridges as possible from 3pm to 3pm.
Adaptive Sports Center, 970-349-5075 x 104,
adaptivesports.org
July
Jul 6: Fire Road Cycling - Dirt Fondo
Cedar City, UT. 25, 60, 100km distances, starts
at Main Street Park, 8am, 7000’ total elevation
gained for 100km; 4000' total for 60km. 25
qualifying slots for the Leadville 100 up for grabs
for 100km event. Paul Huddle, 858-518-0042,
fireroadcycling.com
Road
Weekly
Tuesday
CSP Table Mountain Race Series
June 4–August 27
Golden, CO. Criterium held at CSP training facility on South Table Mtn. 6pm start for Senior men
and women. Medals for best overall sprinter and
finisher based on points. First series runs May to
end of June, second series July to end of August.
Jonathan Heidemann, 303-798-5925,
peaktopeaktraining.com
Wednesday
Karen Hornbostel Memorial TT Series
April 10–May 22
Denver, CO. Series of 7 TT at Cherry Creek. Series sold as a 7- or 4- race package, no individual
event entries. Must be ACA member. All categories from Junior 10-12 to Master 65+, retro, tandem and hand cycles. Start at 4:30pm, 20-second
intervals, ACA transponders mandatory. Course is
9.6 miles long featuring fast turns, rolling terrain
and uphill finish. Overall best 6 of 7. Fundraiser
for ACA and the Cancer Fitness Institute. Alain
Boisvert, 720-536-5934, limabeanscycling.com
May / June 2013
Calendar
Wednesday Night Criterium Series
May 8–June 26
Albuquerque, NM. Series of 7 events. 1.1-mile
course at Balloon Fiesta Park. Great racing for
adults and kids. Handicap race format. Junior
gear restriction in effect. Rain or shine. Starts at
5:30pm with D, followed by C, B and A. Race
20-50 minutes. Mike G, 505-280-1399,
nmcycling.org
Thursday
Nationwide Whole Foods NewMark
Merrill Crit Series
April 18–July 25
Longmont, CO. Criterium series. Barry Lee, Sanitas Sports, 720-244-8228, coloradocycling.org
series
DCWF Criterium Skills Series
May 12; Jun 1, 8
Albuquerque, NM. Primarily designed for Cat 5
men and Cat 4 women. Instruction followed by
30-40-minute mock criterium. Higher category
riders welcome to assist with riders’ skill development. Upgrade points. Juniors race for free.
Presented at Wilson Stadium. Jennifer Buntz,
Duke City Wheelmen Foundation, 505-306-1443,
dukecitywheelmen.org
New Mexico Road Series - NMRS
Jun 2, 9; Aug 4, 18
Various, NM. A series of 8 races, possibly 9
(TBC). Overall calculated on points, must do a
minimum of 3 to qualify. Out of district riders eligible for series prizes. All races scored separately,
not on omnium. Final race counts for double
points. Men and women Cat 1/2/3, both Cat 4,
men Cat 5, Masters 50+ men and Juniors. Points
awarded based on number of participants. Event
identify at NMRS. Jennifer Buntz, nmcycling.org
Rocky Mountain Road Cup (RMRC)
May 4, 5, 11, 17–19, 25–26, 25, 26–27; Jun 1, 2,
9, 15, 16, 22–23, 29; Jul 6, 7, 14, 20, 21, 26–28;
Aug 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 31–Sep 2
Various, CO. Season long points competition for
individual and club members. Gold level events
awards points to the top 30, silver events top 20
and bronze top 15. Overall calculated on top
16 results for individual, top 20 for team. BRAC,
coloradocycling.org
UCA Premier Points Series
May 11, 17–19, 31–Jun 2; Jun 8, 8, 15, 29; Jul
6, 27; Aug 3, 17–18, 24
Various, UT. Season-long points series administered by the Utah Cycling Association. Consists of
weekend races. Points calculated for all licensed
category riders and abilities. Mike Hansen,
utahcycling.com
Volcan TT Series
Jul 21; Aug 4, 11
Albuquerque, NM. 20km rolling out and back
with moderate descent and climb out to the Rio
Puerco Valley. Random start every 30 seconds.
Categories for 10+. Jeff Huser, 505-228-9150,
nmcycling.org
Racing
May
May 1–5: SRAM Tour of the Gila
Silver City, NM. Offering 8 categories. A 5-day
stage race for UCI Men; women Pro1/2; men
1/2; men 3 and Masters men A consisting of 3
RR, ITT and a crit. 4-day stage race open to men
4, Masters men B and women 3/4 and consists
of 2 RR, TT and crit. Also 2 citizen races. Jack
Brennan, Tour of the Gila Inc., 575-590-2612,
tourofthegila.com
May 4: Antelope Island Classic
Antelope Island, UT. Utah State Road Race
Championships for Masters and Juniors. Starts at
west end of causeway, then across the causeway
towards the ranch and ends on the island.
Mileage from 32 to 60. $2000 cash plus prizes.
James Ferguson, Bountiful Mazda Cycling Team,
801-476-9476, bmbbc.com
May 4: Cafe Velo Tri-Lakes TT
Palmer Lake, CO. 14.2-mile challenging TT on
Douglas County roads. USAC and citizen divisions. Chip timing. Part of Rocky Mountain Road
Cup (RMRC). Brad Mosier, CP Racing,
719-331-4361, cpracingteam.com
May 4: Gran Fondo Moab
Moab, UT. Ride the spectacular Manti-La Sals on
Loop Road. Start/finish in Moab. Climb +5500’
in 60 miles. Mass start. Steep climbs, rolling hills,
flat sections, gorgeous scenery. Scott Guzman
Newton, Poison Spider Bicycles, 435-654-8650,
granfondomoab.com
May 5: Koppenberg Road Race
Superior, CO. 5.5-mile circuit course with 300’
elevation gain, including 2-mile dirt road with
short 17% hill climb. Distances vary according to
category: 1 to 8 laps. Kids race. Part of Rocky
Mountain Road Cup (RMRC). Lance Panigutti,
Without Limits Productions, 303-882-8304,
withoutlimits.com
May 9: RAAM Texas Challenge
Austin, TX. Enduro unsupported 200 and 400
miles, terrain varies based on distance. Expo and
May / June 2013 post-event party. The 400 miles is a qualifier for
RAAM. Rick Boethling, Race Across America,
720-381-6053, raamchallenge.com
May 11–12: Albuquerque 50+ Games
Stanley, NM. Tentative date. Open to Albuquerque/Bernalillo county residents aged 50 by
December 31. Age divisions. Top 3 move on to
NM Senior Olympics. Events include 1 mile, and
5, 10, 20, and 40K time trials. Bob Pyeatt, City of
Albuquerque, 505-823-6467, cabq.gov/seniors
May 11: Derek Leyde
Downtown Criterium
Salt Lake City, UT. Downtown criterium. Great
single day event in the true 4-corner criterium
style. RaceDay Event Management,
racedayeventmanagement.com
May 11: SLC Downtown Criterium
Salt Lake City, UT. Fun and fast 4-corner crit
around Pioneer Park, 300 W and 300 S. Part of
UCA Premier Points Series. Marek Shon, Crit Racing LLC, 801-209-2479, utahcritseries.com
May 11: Wheels of Thunder
Littleton, CO. Criterium, 1.6-mile closed loop
with undulating terrain and uphill finish. Good
pavement. Kids of Thunder Race. Part of Rocky
Mountain Road Cup (RMRC). Richard Beutner,
Int’l Christian Cycling club, 303-818-4420,
christiancycling.com
May 12: DCWF Criterium Skills Series
Albuquerque, NM. See race series for details.
Jennifer Buntz, Duke City Wheelmen Foundation,
505-306-1443, dukecitywheelmen.org
May 17–19: Bear Lake Classic State TTT Championships
Garden City, UT. Blue Water Resort. Friday:
3.4-mile climb ITT. Saturday: 51-mile flat loop RR
around Bear Lake. Sunday: 5-man TTT 51 miles
around Bear Lake (3rd wheel counts). TTT doesn’t
count for UCA points. Part of UCA Premier Points
Series. Kevin Rohwer, Races 2 Race,
435-770-9852, race2raceevents.com
May 17–19: Superior Morgul Classic
Superior, CO. Friday: TT - Morgul Bismark course
(bronze). 6.3-mile TT. Saturday: Criterium: Summit “L” shaped course runs through downtown
(silver). Sunday: Infamous RR is back from a
20-year absence. 13.3-mile loop has 750’ vertical
elevation gain with significant grades. Finish at the
top of the Wall (gold). Part of Rocky Mountain
Road Cup (RMRC). Tony Panigutti, Without Limits
Productions, 303-882-8304, withoutlimits.com
May 18–19: L’Eroica Historic Race
Grand Junction, CO. 102 miles, recreating the
1899-1915 (90 paved, 12 dirt) race between
Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs. Epoque
attire recommended for extra points. Chris Brown,
Brown Cycles, 970-245-7939,
browncycles.com/leroica.htm
May 18: Ride for the Pass
Aspen, CO. 10-mile race on Independence Pass
the weekend before road opens to car traffic.
2600’ elevation gain from 8550’ start. Benefits
Independence Pass Foundation. Mark Fuller,
Independence Pass Foundation, 970-963-4959,
independencepass.org
May 19: Aspen Cycling Criterium
Aspen, CO. Technical, fast-paced crit through the
twisty streets of downtown Aspen. 0.8-mile, 10-corner course. All categories. Start 9am, Pros race at
12:30pm. Kids race 12pm. Run in conjunction with
Ride for the Pass. Sandra Doebler, City of Aspen,
970-429-2093, aspencyclingfestival.com
May 25: Boulder Orthopedics TT / TTT
Boulder, CO. 31km in North Boulder. USAC
license required. TTT men’s team of up to 5 riders,
women’s 4. Mixed aged and categories allowed.
Part of Rocky Mountain Road Cup (RMRC). Bill
Brant, Boulder Orthopedics, 303-588-2697,
bouldermasterscycling.com
May 25–26: Colorado Mini Classic
Silt, CO. Saturday: TT out-and-back along Colorado River. Crit with 8 corners on 0.8-mile course
around Veteran’s Park. Sunday: 14-mile circuit
race with challenging climbs and a trip down
“Roller Coaster” on each lap. Awards party.
Open to Juniors and U23. Omnium format. Part of
Rocky Mountain Road Cup (RMRC). Bill Sommers,
BRAC, 970-309-1514, coloradocycling.org
May 25–27: Iron Horse Classic Omnium
Durango, CO. Road race: 47 miles, 5700’ of
climbing, fast descents. Criterium in downtown
Durango. TT: rolling, with short climb. Omnium
format or single event. Kids events, citizen tour
and concert. Gaige Sippy, IHBC Director,
970-259-4621, ironhorsebicycleclassic.com
May 25: Sugarhouse Criterium
Salt Lake City, UT. Bring the entire family and
enjoy some of Utah’s best crit racing in Salt Lake’s
Sugarhouse Park. Marek Shon, Crit Racing LLC,
801-209-2479, utahcritseries.com
May 25: Sun Crest Hill Climb
Challenge
Draper, UT. Benefits Water For People Foundation. Start 8am Draper Equestrian Center - 1600
E. Highland Drive (13500 South). RR 15 miles
with two hill climbs. Ends at top of Sun Crest.
Brad Gilson, 801-684-7770, DraperTrails.com
May 26–27: Nationwide WFM
Glenwood Springs Road Race p/b
ACME
Glenwood Springs, CO. Saturday: Red Canyons
RR. Sunday: Cottonwood Pass RR. Both events
bronze level. Part of Rocky Mountain Road Cup
(RMRC). Barry Lee, Sanitas Sports, 720-244-8228,
coloradocycling.org
May 26–27: Utah State TTT and TT
Championships
Salt Lake City, UT. State Team Time Trial Championship Saturday, individual Sunday. Dirk Cowly,
801-699-5126, utahcritseries.com
May 31–Jun 2: Salt Lake Valley Bike
for Kids Stage Race
Daybreak, UT. Criterium, RR and TT. USAC license
required - one-day licenses available. Proceeds
benefit Bikes for Kids Utah. Part of UCA Premier
Points Series. Alex Kim, 801-503-9064,
bikesforkidsutah.com/bikes-for-kids-stage-race
June
Jun 1: Coal Miner’s Classic / SKM
Louisville, CO. Scott Kornfield Memorial.
Criterium on 1.4-mile course with uphill finish. All
categories. Part of Rocky Mountain Road Cup
(RMRC). Andrew Bagnato, Louisville Velo Club,
303-641-9589, americancycling.org
Jun 1: DCWF Criterium Skills Series
Albuquerque, NM. See race series for details.
Jennifer Buntz, Duke City Wheelmen Foundation,
505-306-1443, dukecitywheelmen.org
Jun 1: High Stakes Criterium
Las Vegas, NV. Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Registration 6am - closes 15 minutes before each
start. Course is 1.2 miles, flat with 6 corners and
2 chicanes. Amazing pavement with no curbs.
USAC sanctioned. David McDonough, Broken
Spoke Bikes, 702-823-1680,
brokenspokebikeslv.com
Jun 2: City Park Criterium
Denver, CO. Tight, fast course through many
roundabouts. All categories. Kids race. Cash
prizes. Part of Rocky Mountain Road Cup
(RMRC). Lee Herndon, 970-333-1572,
rockymountainroadclub.com
Jun 2: Crest Race - NMRS
Albuquerque, NM. Part of New Mexico Road
Series - NMRS. Randy Corcoran, nmcycling.org
Jun 7–8: Rockwell Relay
Moab, UT. Four-person relay, three legs per
rider, covering 528 miles. Start 8am at Sweeney
Park in Moab. Goes non-stop to St. George.
Courtney Stewart, Rockwell Relay, 801-643-4673,
rockwellrelay.com
Jun 8: Cache Valley Classic
Clarkston, UT. This 100-, 50- or 25-mile race is
fun, challenging, with only one major climb (1
mile, 7-10% grade between Trenton and Clarkston
- Little Mountain) and one minor climb (1 mile,
4% grade 1 mile south of Clarkston. All new race
course; only climb Little Mountain one time (50
and 25 miles); twice for 100 miles. Part of UCA
Premier Points Series. Kevin Rohwer, Races 2
Race, 435-770-9852, race2raceevents.com
Jun 15: High Uintas 10,000 RR
Kamas, UT. One-day, 80-mile, point-to-point road
race from Kamas, UT, to Evanston, WY, over Bald
Mountain Pass. Part of UCA Premier Points Series.
Dirk Cowley, RaceDay Event Management,
801-209-2479, racedayeventmanagement.com
Jun 15: Wilson Stadium Criterium
Albuquerque, NM. Regional District
Championships. Jennifer Buntz, nmcycling.org
Jun 16: Mike Horgan HC p/b Veloshine
Boulder, CO. The Classic Boulder Hill Climb Race.
Hard-earned 22 miles with over 4100’ in elevation
gain will take you up Canyon, Magnolia Rd, Peak
to Peak Highway, and the Shelf Rd to the finish
at Lake Peterson. All categories. Part of Rocky
Mountain Road Cup (RMRC). Tony Panigutti,
Without Limits Productions, 303-882-8304,
withoutlimits.com
Jun 20–23: Utah Summer Games Cycling
Cedar City, UT. Time Trial, Hill Climb, Criterium,
Road Race with overall Omnium. Casey McClellan, Utah Summer Games, 435-865-8421,
utahsummergames.org
Jun 21: Pedal Paddle Battle
Canon City, CO. 20-mile race starts at AAE Beach
in Parkdale and heads up south side of Royal
Gorge (1100’) then across the famous bridge and
park and down Hwy 50 for 8 miles. In conjunction
with the Pro raft race. Start 6:30pm. Gordon
Eckstrom, Fremont Adventure Recreation, 719285-8169, royalgorgewhitewaterfestival.com
Jun 22–23: Dead Dog Classic
Stage Race
Laramie, WY. Saturday: RR - 20 to 80 miles with
two climbs depending on category, elevation to
10,200’. Sunday: flat high altitude TT and historic
downtown Laramie criterium. Small field size for
safety reasons. $8000 in purse. Part of Rocky
Mountain Road Cup (RMRC). Michael Harokopis,
Laramie Bicycling Network, 307-760-4797,
deaddogclassic.com
Jun 22: Idaho State TT Championships
Nampa, ID. Rudy Estrada, 208-713-3705,
idahobikeracing.org
Jun 22: Lap the Lake 50 Race
Leadville, CO. Challenging race consists of one
lap (22 miles) or three laps (50 miles) around
scenic Turquoise Lake. Paved road, demanding
ascents, challenging descents. Elevations from
9650’ to 10,800’. Start 9am. Amber McGee,
Lake County Recreation Dept., 719-486-7484,
lakecountyco.com
Jun 22: Sanpete Classic RR
Spring City, UT. RR for Juniors to Master 55+.
46, 72 or 98 miles depending on categories. No
large elevation changes, but rolling hills and false
flats. Start 10am. Eric Thompson, 801-541-3840,
skiutahcycling.com
Jun 8: DCWF Criterium Skills Series
Jun 22: Sedillo Hill Road Race
Jun 8: Little Mountain RR
Jun 23: Balloon Fiesta Park Criterium
Albuquerque, NM. See race series for details.
Jennifer Buntz, Duke City Wheelmen Foundation,
505-306-1443, dukecitywheelmen.org
Clarkston, UT. Challenging, yet fun. 16-mile circuit
race with one major climb (1 mile, 7-10% grade)
and 1 minor climb (1 mile, 4% grade). Total
elevation gain: 600’ per lap. Staged at Clarkston
City Park. First start 8am. Part of UCA Premier
Points Series. Kevin Rowher, Races2Race,
435-770-9852, race2raceevents.com
Jun 8–9: Rocky Mountain Senior
Games
Keenseburg, CO. Qualifying event for Summer
National Senior Games. TT: 5km and 20km, RR:
20 and 40km on flat course. Registration deadline
5/21. Minimum age requirement 50.
Alan Boisvert, Lima Beans Cycling Promotions,
720-536-5934, limabeanscycling.com
Jun 8: Sunshine Hill Climb
Boulder, CO. 9.14-mile climb with 3200’ elevation
gain. Last 3.5 miles on dirt. Jorge Espinosa,
GS Ciao, 303-521-4096, coloradocycling.org
Jun 9: GoPro Mountain Games - TT
Vail, CO. Open to all. Class for all categories.
Scott Bluhm, Vail Valley Foundation,
970-777-2015, tevamountaingames.com
Jun 9: North Boulder Park Classic
Boulder, CO. North Boulder Park, 0.7-mile circuit.
Fields limited to 100. Cash prize. Part of Rocky
Mountain Road Cup (RMRC). Keith Harper,
720-240-3108, coloradocycling.org
Jun 9: Tour de Los Alamos - NMRS
Los Alamos, NM. Oldest race in the SW. Circuit
race, 28-84 miles long. Licensed and citizens’
categories. Rolling to hilly loop. Neutral/parade
start from downtown. 27-mile race for public/
citizens around National Laboratory. Sunday,
tentative criterium. Part of New Mexico Road
Series - NMRS. Roadrunners Cycling Club,
tourdelosalamos.org
Jun 12–16: NM Senior Olympics
Roswell, NM. Qualifier for Nationals. 50+ racers.
888-623-6676, nmseniorolympics.org
Jun 15: Colorado TT Championships
Denver, CO. John Stenner Memorial. 20km and
40km distances. Part of Rocky Mountain Road
Cup (RMRC). Yvonne van Gent, Schwab Cycles
Racing Team, 303-997-8550, coloradocycling.org
Albuquerque, NM. Regional road race
championships. Woody Woodruff, Olve Rapido,
nmcycling.org
Albuquerque, NM. Woody Woodruff,
nmcycling.org
Jun 23: Black Forest Classic
Gran Fondo
Elizabeth, CO. 100km and 88 miles of the Bijou
Basin. Start at Evans Park at 8am. Don Leyn,
Colorado River Club, blackforestclassic.com
Jun 29: Hell and Back RR
Salt Lake City, UT. Out and back road course
north of the Great Salt Lake. Part of UCA Premier
Points Series. Marek Shon, 801-209-2479,
utahcritseries.com
Jun 29: The Sonic Boom Master Championships
Louisville, CO. Colorado State Master Criterium
Championships plus selected categories. Part
of Rocky Mountain Road Cup (RMRC). Andy
Johnson, Sonic Boom Racing, 303-527-0092,
sonicboomracing.com
Jun 29: Wright Stuff Challenge Oak Hill
Norwood, CO. Hill climb. Also 5 and 10 km run.
Wright Stuff Community, 970-327-4021,
wrightstufffoundation.org
Jun 30: Guanella Pass HC
Georgetown, CO. Category 1 climb, 12 miles,
3150’ with section of 8-9%. $2000 in cash and
merchandise. Mass start per category with neutral
start. All categories from Juniors 13-14 to Masters
65+. Scott Bilyeu, CTB Racing, 303-914-4265,
guanellapasshillclimb.com
Jun 30–Jul 4: Utah City Criteriums
Wasatch Front, UT. Five-day criterium festival. July
1: 4-corner fast course in old downtown Midvale.
July 2: Lehi Roller Mills course. July 3: Flat and
fast Bountiful circuit. July 4 goes up and down
on Holladay Blvd and Laney Ave. Dick Cowley,
RaceDay Event Management, 801-699-5126,
racedayeventmanagement.com
Jun 30: Women Riding Well TT
Albuquerque, NM. nmcycling.org
July
Jul 5–7: Single Track Bike
Shop Omnium
hill climb, Sunday Williams/Perkinsville RR. Juniors
to Masters 60+. Joe Shannon, Flagstaff Cycling,
928-523-1740, Flagstaffcycling.Squarespace.com
Jul 6: Gran Fondo de Taos
Taos, NM. New course. 105 or 84 miles. Longer
routes follow beautiful rural terrain of the Taos,
Mora, Angel Fire, Taos loop. Start/Finish at
Taos Youth and Family center. Rest stops, timed.
Benefits the Taos Sports Alliance. Jennifer Buntz,
Duke City Wheelmen Foundation, 505-306-1443,
taossports.com
Jul 6: Porcupine Hill Climb
Salt Lake City, UT. 12th Annual. Start: Porcupine
Pub & Grille, finishing at Brighton Ski Resort, Big
Cottonwood Canyon. Part of UCA Premier Points
Series. Mike Meldrum, Porcupine Cycling Club,
801-424-9216, porcupinehillclimb.com
Jul 6: Rock the River RR
Glenwood Springs, CO. Part of Rocky Mountain
Road Cup (RMRC). Mitchell Hyra, Dotsero,
970-688-0102, coloradocycling.org
Jul 7: Nationwide Niwot
Downtown Criterium
Niwot, CO. Fast, fun, exciting and technical
downtown criterium in historical Niwot (2nd Ave).
1-mile course. 7 corners, 2 sharper than 90 degrees. Open to all categories. BAR yellow group
only. Part of Rocky Mountain Road Cup (RMRC).
Sanitas Sports, coloradocycling.org
Jul 13: Firestone 88 Criterium Classic
Firestone, CO. Brand new to the Colorado cycling
scene. Get ready for .88 miles of wide-open and
freshly paved roads! Course offers fun corners
that can be taken at full speed and wide-open
fresh paved roads. Tony Panigutti, Without Limits
Productions, 303-882-8304, withoutlimits.com
Jul 14: Longmont Criterium Classic
Longmont, CO. Senior criterium championships
plus select categories. Longest running race in
the state. 0.7-mile mostly flat L-shaped course
winds through historic neighborhoods. Wide
smooth streets. Part of Rocky Mountain Road Cup
(RMRC). Nadine Pyter, Twin Peak Cycling,
303-233-7125, coloradocycling.org
Jul 17–21: Cache County Stage Race
Cache Valley, UT. Tentative date. S/F on Holladay
Blvd. Course incorporates a hill climb on 4500
South, a descent down 2300 East and a wicked
turn on to Laney Ave back onto Holladay Blvd.
Something for every racer. Dirk Cowly,
801-699-5126, racedayeventmanagement.com
touring series
Challenge Series Short Course
May 5, 25; Sep 7
Various, CO. 3-event series. 80-100 miles with
challenging climbs. Overall season standing
calculated on time. rmccrides.com
Triple Crown Series
Jun 15, 29; Jul 27; Aug 10
Various, CO. 4-event series featuring the toughest
of the RMCC Challenge Series. Timed one-day
double centuries designed to push cyclists to the
limit of endurance. Complete Joe, Death Ride and
Grand Loop in a single calendar year and get the
coveted Colorado Triple Crown finisher title. Overall season standing calculated on time. Events also
part of Ultracycling Cup. rmccrides.com
touring
May
May 3: Colorado Front Range Fleche
Various, CO. Teams to set departure and routes.
Must be at least 360km+, 24-hour limit. Recommended start between 7-8am on Saturday. Lights
required. ACP sanctioned. John Lee Ellis, Rocky
Mountain CC, 303-604-1163, rmccrides.com
May 4: Law Enforcement Memorial
Ride Memorial Ride
Albuquerque, NM. 1st annual memorial bike ride
honoring New Mexico’s fallen officers. 30km and
100km options. Start 7:30am in Albuquerque,
end in Sante Fe. 100k riders get a ride back
on the Rail Runner. Kids bike rodeo. Benefits
Albuquerque PD Chaplain Unit Fun CUF. Maggie
Schold, facebook.com/pages/NMLE-MemorialRide/182918215165697
May 4: Tour de Brewtah
Salt Lake City, UT. 4th annual. Themed “May the
Fourth be with You.” Tour as many local microbreweries in the valley to support the Homeless
Youth Resource Center, The Sharing Place, and
Wasatch Community Gardens. Tim Stempel,
602-463-1547, tourdebrewtah.org
May 4: Biker’s Edge Cinco de Mayo
Century
Kaysville, UT. Fully-supported 100- and 50-mile
ride starting in Kaysville at 7am. Made for every
level of rider with a gradual 1800’. Community
fun ride with great food. Free. Taylor Arnold,
801-544-5300, bebikes.com
May 5: Boco Loco Bike Bash
Boulder, CO. 8-mile family ride, 34-, 60-, 102-mile
courses. S/F at Gerald Stazio Softball Fields.
Expo, finish line entertainment and more. Benefits
Justin Parker Neurological Institute and Boulder
Community Hospital Foundation. Boulder
Community Hospital, bocoloco.org
Flagstaff, AZ. Omnium format, must complete all
3 stages. Friday 20km TT, Saturday: Snowbowl
Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper l 13
Calendar
May 5: Boulder Fearsome Five
Boulder, CO. 100 miles. 1500+’ of climbing.
Climb Flagstaff Mountain, Magnolia Rd, Sugarloaf Rd, Fourmile Canyon/Sunshine Canyon, and
Super Jamestown in one day. How many can
you climb in 11 hours? Part of Challenge Series
Short Course. Mark Lowe, Rocky Mountain CC,
rmccrides.com
May 5: Rose Hill Rally
Grand Junction, CO. Family-oriented, fully-supported ride through scenic farm country around
Grand Junction and Fruita. 31-, 62-mile routes.
Meals, T-shirt, rest stops, massage, scavenger
hunt, kid’s activities, prizes, demo bikes. Canyon
View Park at 7am. Benefits Rose Hill Hospitality
House. Ed Lipton, St. Mary’s Hospital & Regional
Medical Center, 970-242-5940, stmarygj.org
May 9: RAAM Texas Challenge
Austin, TX. Fully supported recreational 30 and
60 miles, 120 gran fondo, competitive unsupported 200 and 400 endurance miles. Terrain
varies based on distance. Expo and post-event
party. Rick Boethling, Race Across America,
720-381-6053, raamchallenge.com
May 11: Back Roads of the Great
Basin 300km Brevet - SLR
Saratoga Springs, UT. 300km self-supported brevet. Saratoga Springs to Vernon, Eureka, Nephi,
returns along the west side of Lake Utah. Modified
route from 2012. Richard Stum, Salt Lake Randonneurs, 435-462-2275, SaltLakeRandos.org
May 11: Black Forest
Littleton, CO. 300km. A rollerfest straddling the
spine of the Palmer Divide. ACP brevet. Lights
required. Start 5am at Mineral and Santa Fe Park
and Ride. John Lee Ellis, Rocky Mountain CC,
303-604-1163, rmccrides.com
May 11–12: Gila Inner
Loop Super Tour
Silver City, NM. 2-day ride. Day 1: 40 miles on
the Gila Inner Loop Scenic Byway with moderate
to steep climbs and descents through Gila National Forest. Day 2: Mimbres River Valley back
to Silver City. 34 miles. Daily options for longer
rides. Fully supported. New Mexico Touring
Society, nmts.org
May 11: Mission to Ride
Montrose, CO. 30-, 40-, 60-, 100-mile routes.
Century is challenging with arduous climbs, spectacular views. The 40 is difficult, 60 mellow and
the 30 a locals’ favorite. Starts between 5:30-9am
at Columbine Middle School. Bike rodeo, wine
and food festival the next day. Benefits Montrose
Medical Mission. Kevin Davis, 970-596-4108,
missiontoride.com
May 11: Spokes for Hope
St. George, UT. Women’s only century ride. 30-,
50-, 70-, and 94-mile options for all abilities.
Fully supported. Start 8am from Town Square.
Proceeds go to Help Abused Women and
Children. Margaret, SpinGeeks, 435-229-6251,
spingeeks.com
May 11: Springville to Nephi - BCC SS
at State Fair Park. Courses open 7:30am-5pm.
Fully supported. Part of Salt Lake City Week.
Jon Smith, Cycle Salt Lake Century Inc.,
801-596-8430, cyclesaltlakecentury.com
May 18: First Ascent Metric
Century Ride
May 25: Foothill Climbfest
Herriman, UT. Fully-supported women’s only ride.
20-, 40-, 60-, 80- and 100-mile routes. Mix of
urban and rural roads through southwest part of
Salt Lake Valley. Starts at Butterfield Park 7am.
Includes T-shirt, swag, lunch, and finish line party.
Limit 1300. Dani Lassiter, Infinite Cycles and
Healthy Herriman, 801-635-9422,
goldilocksride.com
May 25–27: Luna Lake Tour
May 18: Goldilocks Women’s Ride
May 18: Little Red Pre-Red - BCC SS
Mendon, UT. Self-supported. Ride 100 miles clockwise around the loop. Shorter options available.
Convenience stores abound on the route. Don
Williams, Bonneville Cycling Club, 801-474-2282,
bccutah.org
May 18: Moonshadows in Moab
Moab, UT. Watch the full moon rise briskly
above the mountains, take in the sweet sage of
the desert as you make your way to the Earth’s
edge overlooking the Colorado River 2000’
below. Fully supported, 44- or 62-mile options,
6pm-midnight. Beth Logan, Skinny Tire Events,
435-260-889, skinnytireevents.com
May 18: Ride for the Pass
Aspen, CO. 10-mile ride on Independence Pass
the weekend before road opens to car traffic.
2600’ elevation gain from 8550’ start. Benefits
Independence Pass Foundation. Mark Fuller,
Independence Pass Foundation, 970-963-4959,
independencepass.org
May 18–19: Tour of the Swan River
Valley (TOSRV)
Missoula, MT. 43rd annual. 2-day challenging
and fun 226-mile tour through western Montana.
Ride to Seeley Lake, Bigfork, and back along
Flathead Lake. Food stops and baggage shuttle.
Limit 200. Tim Marchant, Missoulians On Bicycles,
406-250-7228, missoulabike.org
May 18: Valles Caldera Double Cross
White Rock, NM. 200km brevet. New route,
simple out and back from White Rock Overlook
Park to Jamez Springs with a detour to Bandalier
NM Visitor’s Center. Start 6am. John Mazzola,
NM Brevet Series, 505-263-7090, nmbrevets.com
May 19–22: Bicycle Brainstorming Tour
Richfield, UT. Experience and learn the history
and culture in Utah’s designated National Heritage Area along Heritage Highway 89. Unique
supported bike ride. Susan Crock, 435-773-7920,
utahheritagefoundation.org
May 19–24: Bryce-Zion
Libby, MT. 2-day loop tour in scenic western
Montana. Homemade food, no traffic, fantastic
community support. Benefits Kootenai Valley
Partners Habitat for Humanity. Limit 400. Lottery
reg. Susie Rice, 406-293-2441, stokr.org
May 19–25: Color Country to
Canyonlands
May 12: Amazing Earthfest GSENM Road Ride
Kanab, UT. 37 miles out and back through
Johnson Canyon into Grand Staircase Escalante
National Monument (all paved). Meet at Knuckle
Head’s Bike Shop in Kanab. Option: 60 miles or
MTB ride. Rich Csenge, 435-644-3735,
amazingearthfest.com
May 15: Ride of Silence
Various. Cyclists worldwide take to the roads in
silent procession to honor cyclists killed or injured
while riding on public roadways. Many locations
in each state. See website for location near you.
Start 7pm. rideofsilence.org
May 16: Greystone Ranch Loop
Evergreen, CO. 18 miles, 1700’ of climbing.
Moderate level. Joel Marks, Team Evergreen
Bicycle Club, 303-670-3491, teamevergreen.org
May 17: Bike to Work Day
Various. Ride your bike to work. Stop at any of
the commuter booths along the way. Check with
your local clubs and bike shops. bikeleague.org
May 18–19: Bike MS: Ride the Vortex
Cottonwood, AZ. Sedona Verde Valley. Two-day
ride offering 50, 75 and 100 miles on day 1
and 30 or 50 on day 2. Staged at Verde Valley
Fairgrounds, fully supported. It’s not just the miles
that matter - it’s the unforgettable experience.
Blaine King, 480-968-2488, bikemsarizona.org
May 18: Cripple Creek
Colorado Springs, CO. 300km ACP brevet. Lights
required. Start 4am. Visit Colorado backroads.
John Lee Ellis, Rocky Mountain CC,
303-604-1163, rmccrides.com
May 18: Cycle Salt Lake Century
Salt Lake City, UT. 36-, 67-, 100-mile mostly flat rural routes with views of the Great Salt Lake. Start
14 l Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper
Albuquerque, NM. 1372 miles to Champaign,
IL. Fully supported. Relaxed pace, spectacular
scenery. Rest day in Santa Fe. 800-971-2453,
crossroadscycling.com
Golden, CO. Start with easy ride through Golden
to 18-mile climb up Golden Gate Canyon followed
by Peak to Peak Scenic Highway on beautiful
forested, mostly flat road. Optional Coal Creek
Canyon climb and back to Golden. Benefits
Livestrong. Start at Golden HS. Colorado Cycling
Team, 303-522-0649, coloradocyclingteam.org
Springville, UT. 100 miles. Meet at Cracker Barrel in Springville. Self-supported, non-members
welcome. From Springville thru Lincoln Beach,
Goshen to Nephi, return thru Santaquin. Mild
hills. Start 9am. Also options for 55 and 75 miles.
Don Williams, Bonneville Cycling Club,
801-641-4020, bccutah.org
May 11–12: STOKR
cling Escapes, 714-267-4591, CyclingEscapes.com
May 23–Jun 12: Middle America Tour
St George, UT. Phenomenally gorgeous Bryce
and Zion National Parks are the perfect place for
a tour on car-free roads. Sunday-Friday. Average
35 miles per day. All levels. Most meals included.
Also 5/26, 6/2, 6/16, 9/1, 9/15, and 9/29.
Bicycle Adventures, 800-443-6060,
bicycleadventures.com
Springdale, UT. 7days, 442 miles, 29,000’ elevation gain. Mileage varies from 23-112 miles per
day. Very scenic. Also 9/15. Cycling Escapes,
714-267-4591, CyclingEscapes.com
May 19: Community Classic Bike Tour
Loveland, CO. Celebrating 25 years, the CCBT
features 62-, 37-, 30- and 10-mile routes through
the beautiful foothills of Larimer County. All rides
begin and end at McKee Medical Center. Dawn
Paepke, McKee Medical Center Foundation,
970-203-2519, McKeeFoundation.com
May 19–25: Epic Bike 5 National
Parks
Zion Nat’l Park, UT. 5 National parks and scenic
byways in 6 days. Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, Grand Staircase Escalante National
Monument, Capitol Reef National Park and Lake
Powell. Richard Merrick, Cycling Escapes,
714-267-4591, CyclingEscapes.com
May 19: Gran Fondo Santa Fe
Santa Fe, NM. Michael McCalla, Bike n Sport
Racing, 406-381-2690, nmbikensport.com
May 19–24: Santa Fe - Taos Tour
Santa Fe, NM. Ride New Mexico’s high desert, including Bandelier Nat’l Monument and Enchanted
Circle. Feast on epic cuisine, explore ancient cliff
dwellings, world famous art and culture. Also
available Sept 15-20. Bicycle Adventures,
800-443-6060, bicycleadventures.com
May 19: Santa Fe Century
Santa Fe, NM. 28th annual. 25-, 50-, and 100mile routes. Flat, rolling, moderately hilly terrain.
Includes water bottle, numbers, maps, route marking, rest stops, SAG. See 100 miles of history pass
under your wheels. Willard Chilcott,
505-982-1282, santafecentury.com
May 21–26: Tour of Arches &
Canyonlands
Moab, UT. 5 days, 350 miles, 18,000’ elevation
gain. Also 5/12 and 10/6. Richard Merrick, Cy-
Littleton, CO. 80 miles, 8000’ of climbing. Start
8am from Ken Caryl Park and Ride. Deer Creek
Canyon, Black Mountain/Brook Forest, Parmalee
Gulch Road, High Drive, and Brook Forest/Black
Mountain in reverse. Part of Challenge Series
Short Course. Charlie Henderson, Rocky Mountain CC, 720-480-9714, rmccrides.com
Springerville, AZ. 166 miles of rural quiet roads
thru quiet towns - Quemado, Reserve and Luna,
NM. Runs through Gila and Apache National
Forests. Starts in Springerville, AZ. bikegaba.org
May 25: Pony Express Century
Eagle Mountain, UT. Century start at Epic Biking
and roughly follows the Pony Express route
past Faust, to Rush Valley, and back. Start 8am.
Includes food, drink, T-shirt. Metric Century and
30-mile options. Dan Burton, Epic Biking,
801-653-2039, epicbiking.com
May 25: Quarter Horse Ride
Durango, CO. 25-mile ride from Durango to Purgatory. 2300’ of climbing. Food and celebration
at the finish. Benefits Mercy Health Foundation
and community organizations. Part of Iron Horse
Classic. IHBC Director, 970-259-4621,
ironhorsebicycleclassic.com
May 26–Jun 1: Land of Enchantment
Classic Plus
Albuquerque, NM. Intermediate to advanced,
average 60 miles per day. Follow the Turquoise
Trail through historic mining towns beneath the
Sandia Mountains, High Road to Taos beside
Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and the legendary
Enchanted Circle. All meals included. Start/finish
in Albuquerque. Bicycle Adventures,
800-443-6060, bicycleadventures.com
May 27: Antelope Island 100 - BCC SS
Antelope Island, UT. Memorial Day. Meet at
Westpoint Park. Start 9am. Open to all, mild hills
to Antelope Island and back. Bring cash to access
the causeway and extra bottles to have water on
the island. Don Williams, Bonneville Cycling Club,
801-641-4020, bccutah.org
May 29–Jun 1: Road Respect
Southern Utah
Cedar City, UT. Sponsored by UDOT, DPS,
UHP and Bike Utah. Kanab (5/30), Washington
County/St. George (5/31), “Ride the Gap” (6/1).
Keri Gibson, 801-273-7571, roadrespectutah.org
June
Jun 1: Buena Vista Bike Fest (BVBF)
Buena Vista, CO. Beautiful century loops to Leadville along the scenic rolling hills of Turquoise Lake
Rd, around the Mineral Belt Trail through historic
Leadville Mining District and back to Buena Vista.
Post-ride meal and party. Also 35, 50 and metric
century. Start at MePhelemy Park. Limit 800.
Ann Smith, Buena Vista Bike Fest Committee,
719-528-6834, bvbf.org
Jun 1: Double Loop Four 400km
Brevet - SLR
Nephi, UT. Self-supported 400km ride travels
south to Koosharem, Junction & Richfield. Modified from 2012 so as to travel on US-50 in the less
busy early morning hours. Richard Stum, Salt Lake
Randonneurs, 435-462-2275, SaltLakeRandos.org
Jun 1: Fairplay - Cañon City
Colorado Springs, CO. 400km ACP brevet.
Visit South Park and Fairplay and Cañon City in
the Arkansas Valley. Start 4am. Lights required.
John Lee Ellis, Rocky Mountain CC,
303-604-1163, rmccrides.com
Jun 1: Little Red Riding Hood
Lewiston, UT. Fully supported, non-competitive,
women only cycling event. 18, 36, 50, 80 and
100 miles through Cache Valley in Northern Utah.
No big climbs. Limit 3000. Penny Perkins, Bonneville Cycling Club, 801-474-2282, bccutah.org
Jun 1: Ride the Gap
Parowan, UT. Ride through the Parowan Gap
where beauty couples with cosmic phenomena.
Travel through time and see what ancient people
have left behind. Fully supported, perfect weather. 30-, 55- and 100-mile options. Start 8am. Limit
1500. Ryan Gurr, SpinGeeks,
435-674-3185, spingeeks.com
Jun 1: Tour de Cure Albuquerque Century
Bernalillo, NM. Fabulous urban scenic city views
and the beautiful Sandia Mountains on a 100-mile
perimeter loop. 25-, 50-, 65-mile routes available.
Also, 10-mile fun family ride on flat roads and
bike paths. Start at Balloon Fiesta Park. Ron Guerrero, Heart Hospital of NM, tour.diabetes.org
Jun 2–7: Bryce and Zion Tour
St George, UT. Phenomenally gorgeous Bryce
and Zion National Parks are the perfect place
for a tour. Sunday-Friday. Average 35 miles per
day. All levels. All meals included. Also available
6/16, 9/1, 9/15, and 9/29. Bicycle Adventures,
800-443-6060, bicycleadventures.com
Jun 2–8: Northern New Mexico Alpiner
Albuquerque, NM. 386 miles, 7 days. Ride
to the mysterious Jemez Mountains by way of
Turquoise Trail, the Truchas Climb, Taos Canyon,
and Bandelier Nat’l Monument. 800-417-2453,
timbertours.com
Jun 2: Subaru Elephant Rock
Castle Rock, CO. 26th annual. 27-, 32-, 62-,
and 100-mile options. Dirt roads, paved roads
and bike paths. 8-mile family ride. Starts/ends at
Douglas County Fairgrounds. Scott Olmsted,
303-282-9020, elephantrockride.com
Jun 6–10: Hills and Canyons Tour
Boulder, CO. Experience the Front Range by riding flat roads, moderate hills, and paved canyon
roads. Challenging but well-suited for intermediate
or advanced riders. Finish Line Cycling,
720-295-0758, finishlinecycling.com
Jun 7–8: RTR Prologue Ride
Gunnison, CO. Exclusive event to kick off Ride the
Rockies. 50 participants have the opportunity to
ride with celebrities while treated with premier accommodations, private breakfast, massage, bike
fit, 5-star dining, swag and entry in RTR. $2500
donation goes to Denver Post Community Foundation. Denver Newspaper Agency, 303-954-6700,
ridetherockies.com
Jun 8–9: Bike Touring 101
Salt Lake City, UT. 7th annual overnight selfsupported bike tour for new and experienced bike
travelers to Wasatch St. Park. Start in SLC area
and Park City. Louis Melini, Utah Bicycle Touring
Society, lvmelini@comcast.net
Jun 8: Cache Valley Classic
Clarkston, UT. Don’t text-n-drive and ruin-theride, 62.5-mile metric century. Fun, challenging,
with only one major climb (1 mile, 7-10% grade
between Trenton and Clarkston - Little Mountain)
and one minor climb (1 mile, 4% grade 1 mile
south of Clarkston). Kevin Rohwer, 435-770-9852,
race2raceevents.com
Jun 8–14: Cycle Utah
St George, UT. Stellar tour through unique canyons and cliffs. Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand
Staircase Nat’l Park. Fully supported. Adventure
Cycling Association, 800-744-2453,
adventurecycling.org
Jun 8–10: Death Ride Tour V Ride for Life
Silverton, CO. A 3-day, 232-mile ride over 5
mountain passes with 16,500’ of climbing. Nightly
stops in Telluride and Durango. Fully supported.
Limit 275. Benefits Colorado Children’s Hospital
and ALS Association. Barry Sopinsky, Death Ride
Tour Inc., 720-320-3375, deathridetour.com
Jun 8–15: Denver Post Ride the
Rockies (RTR)
Telluride, CO. 28th annual. 3 scenic mountain
passes, a trek over the highest suspension bridge
in the US and 20,400’ over 7 days and 513 miles.
Ascend Lizard Head, Wolf Creek and Poncha
Pass, visit the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park before
finishing at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in CO
Springs. Renee Wheelock, Denver Post,
303-954-6704, ridetherockies.com
Jun 8: Fremont Area Road Tour (FART)
Lander, WY. 25 miles, 100km and 100 miles.
Includes breakfast, BBQ, T-shirt and bottle. In
conjunction with BrewFest. Start at Dillon Park.
Mark Lilygren, Lander Cycling Club,
307-840-3131, landercycling.org
Jun 8: Lefthand Canyon
Louisville, CO. 400km. ACP brevet. Starts 4am
at RTD Park-and-Ride lot NW of US-36 and
McCaslin. Lights required. John Lee Ellis, Rocky
Mountain CC, 303-604-1163, rmccrides.com
Jun 8: Pedaling 4 Parkinson’s
Denver, CO. 55-mile bike ride (road and mountain bikes welcome). A warm-up for serious cyclists
and good challenge for modest riders. Free lunch,
prizes, and family friendly activities afterwards.
Rest stops every 10 miles. Benefits Michael J.
Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research. Lauren
Williams, 3 4 Fighting Parkinson’s, 888-548-3002,
34fighting.org
Jun 8: Tour de Cure - Utah
Brigham City, UT. Designed to inspire beginning
cyclists and challenge avid riders. 100-mile
century, 60-mile metric century (80-mile option
without hill), 25-mile quarter century and family
fun ride. Stage at Rees Pioneer Park. Min $150
fundraising. Dustin Stark, American Diabetes Association - Utah Chapter, 801-363-3024 x 7071,
main.diabetes.org/utahtourdecure
Jun 8: Tour de Habitat Lakes to Peak
Orem, UT. The official ride of Orem SummerFest.
Easy 20-mile lake ride. Challenging 60 miles with
4000’ of climbing Peaks route up Squaw Peak,
South Fork and Alpine Loop Summit. Well supported. Start at Lakeside Park 9am. Family ride.
Benefits Habitat for Humanity of Utah County.
Eric Bennett, 801-796-9888, TourDeHabitat.com
Jun 8: Wine Wench Winery Cruise
Palisade, CO. Fruit and wine tour for the nonracer, 3 routes for road bikes to beach cruisers.
Ride through the Orchards and Vineyards of
Palisade. Rondo Buecheler, 970-464-9266,
palisadecoc.com
Jun 9–12: Bicycle Brainstorming Tour
Richfield, UT. Experience and learn the history
and culture in Utah’s designated National Heritage Area along Heritage Highway 89 on this
uniquely supported ride. Susan Crock,
435-773-7920, utahheritagefoundation.org
Jun 9: Palisade Bike and Wine Fest
Palisade, CO. Ride along the Palisade Fruit and
Wine Byway. 5, 7 and 25 miles for the entire fam-
ily and all levels. Lunch, music, BBQ and more.
Kids activities. palisadecoc.com
Jun 9–14: Whiterock Canyons Tour
Grand Junction, CO. Challenging tour with less
mileage but more climbing, perfect for intermediate to advanced riders. Ride through Capitol Reef
National Park, Bryce National Park, and Grand
Staircase National Monument. 215 to 350 miles.
Late dates available. John Humphries,
Lizard Head Cycling Guides, 970-728-5891,
lizardheadcyclingguides.com
Jun 13–15: Road Respect Wasatch
Front Tour
Provo, UT. Sponsored by UDOT, DPS, UHP and
Bike Utah. SLC and SLCo (6/14), Ogden and
Weber Co. (6/14). Keri Gibson, 801-273-7571,
roadrespectutah.org
Jun 13–21: Rocky Mountain Tour
Salt Lake City, UT. Tackle the Wasatch Mountains,
Soldier Summit, past Book Cliffs and north of
Arches Nat’l Park. Challenging at times, rolling
to finish in Pueblo, CO. 601 miles. Bill Lannon,
America By Bicycle, 888-797-7057, abbike.com
Jun 15–16: Anaconda Bicycle Festival
Anaconda, MT. anacondabikefest.org
Jun 15: Canyons of Cache - BCC SS
Wellsville, UT. Self-supported 100 miles. Start
8am at Wellsville Bowery Park. Climb Blacksmith
Fork Canyon, Sardine Canyon, down into Brigham
City, then along west side of Wellsville Mountains
and back to the Cache Valley. Jen Green, Bonneville Cycling Club, 801-641-4020, bccutah.org
Jun 15: Chugwater Tour de Chili
Chugwater, WY. 10, 24 or 45 km followed by
Chili Cook-off event. Camping available. Benefits
the Chugwater Schools Bosster Club. Brandon
Ray, 405-202-4310, bit.ly/tourdechili
Jun 15: Denver Century Ride - Rocky
Mountain Bicycle Festival
Denver, CO. 4th annual Father’s Day ride with 4
courses: 25-, 65-, 82-, and 100-mile options. Kids
Bike Parade. Start 6:15am. Start/finish at shops
at Northfield Stapleton. Fully supported. Post-ride
celebration. Supports Bike Denver. Lauren Ripko,
denvercenturyride.com
Jun 15: G’Knight Ride
Longmont, CO. Celebration of cycling. Kid’s
festival, 1, 3 and 10 miles. Expo, kids skills
course, food, music and beer garden. Scott,
Bicycle Longmont, gknightride.org
Jun 15: High Uintas Great
Challenge Tour
Kamas, UT. 1-day, 80-mile, point to point from
Kamas, UT, to Evanston, WY, over Bald Mountain
Pass. Gran Fondo for citizen riders and touring
riders. Limit 500. Dirk Cowley, RaceDay Event
Management, 801-699-5126,
racedayeventmanagement.com
Jun 15: Huntsman 140
Delta, UT. Delta to Salt Lake City and back.
Choose to ride 25, 75, or 140 miles. Benefits
Huntsman Cancer Institute. Jen Murano-Tucker,
Huntsman Cancer Foundation, 801-584-5815,
huntsman140.com
Jun 15: Joe Lookingbill
Denver-Aspen Classic
Littleton, CO. Epic 180 miles, 13,000’ of climbing,
17-hour limit. Lights required. Start 4am in Littleton
and travel to Aspen traversing some of Colorado’s
most diverse mountain scenery, including Kenosha
Pass, the South Park Valley, and Independence
Pass. Amazing views. Part of Triple Crown Series.
Mark Lowe, Rocky Mountain CC, rmccrides.com
Jun 15: Starlight Spectacular
Colorado Springs, CO. Start 10:30pm. 14- and
22-mile rides. Ride through the Garden and city.
Great for all ages. Benefits Trails and Open Space
Coalition. Trails and Open Space Coalition,
719-633-6884, trailsandopenspaces.org
Jun 15: Tour de Cure - Southern
Colorado
Woodland Park, CO. Meadow Wood Sports
Complex. Family ride, 50- and 86-mile routes.
14-mile MTB route available. Lunch and festivities.
Kelly Jackson, 720-855-1102 ext. 7020,
tourdecurecolorado.com
Jun 22: Holly Frontier Tour de Prairie
Cheyenne, WY. 20th annual. Courses ranging
from 10 to 100 miles, well supported for riders
of all skills and ages. Starts at Lions Park. Goes
through Medicine Bow Nat’l Forest to Lincoln
Memorial. Goody bag, T-shirt, breakfast, and
lunch included. Scott Philipps, Cheyenne Parks &
Recreation Department, 307-637-6423,
cheyennecity.org
Jun 22: Lap the Lake 50 Ride
Leadville, CO. At 10,200’ elevation, the highest
50-mile in Colorado and around Turquoise
Lake in the majestic Sawatch Mountains. Also
22-miler. Start 9am. Enjoy the majestic Sawatch
Mountain Range scenery with the two highest
peaks in Colorado as backdrop. Amber McGee,
Lake County Recreation Dept., 719-486-7484,
lakecountyco.com
Family Friendly Ride
Supports Bicycle Colorado
Commercial
Rocky Mountain Road Cup Point Scale
Bronze,
Silver,
Gold
May / June 2013
Opinion
DropYou dot com
By Maynard Hershon
I
think of cycling as
a social sport. I love
riding with friends, chatting away the miles. I
don’t believe I’d have
stuck with cycling if I
hadn’t, early on, found
groups of congenial riders. I learned from them
how group rides should
be orchestrated — not as individual workouts
with a common starting point — but as actual
group rides.
I’ve struggled in recent years finding good
rides and good folks with whom to ride. I feel
sure that many old roadies share my frustration.
I’ve joined clubs and ridden with groups out of
shops — but never found the ride I was seeking.
Alas. No grail.
The last couple of years, more and more local rides are posted online via meetup dot com.
I’ve done quite a few of these meetup rides, and
I did one yesterday, a Sunday.
I believe this one is an every-other week ride,
and pretty long, I’d say, for late March, early in
our Colorado riding season. The leader does not
call his ride a no-drop affair, but he also does not
warn away new riders or those who are just getting back on the bike after a long winter break.
We had maybe 20 people at the start. There
is no club, you’ll remember, that means anything:
no racing team, no meetings or club jerseys, no
feeling of belonging to anything.
You typically see no one you recognize, or
no one you’ve ridden with more than once or
twice. You are not going to meet anyone or form
riding friendships. The leader did not suggest
we introduce ourselves, one at a time, to our assembled friends. Folks looked at one another and
spoke rarely if at all. There was no club — and
no clubbiness — in evidence.
It was 20 strangers gathered together to allow
a few of them to make 12 or 14 others feel like
slugs, like couch potatoes.
I should mention here that no one learned
anything on that ride. People who knew how
to draft, drafted. No one waited for riders who
could almost hang and offered to help them. No
one asked anyone please to ride a straight line or
to point out holes or to refrain from passing on
the narrow bike path when a guy was walking
his dog just ahead.
Unlike group rides of fond memory, there
was no presumption that everyone would ride
together, that the pace would be, uh, sustainable,
that everyone will have a social good time.
You start with the group and then you’re on
your own. You’re encouraged to download a map
of the ride route to your phone so you can stay on
course — with no one to follow. You’re encouraged
to leave the ride or route whenever you feel the
urge. Finish solo or turn around and ride home.
It’s all good.
It was my intention to ride half the distance, stop for an iced tea and pedal home. I would like to tell
you that I succeeded in doing just that but it’d be a falsehood, right here in Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper.
I could not hang. The guys at the front left the starting place in their big chainrings, much as
they might’ve had it been a road race. They never looked back. At my turnaround point 25 miles
into the ride, the “group” was six silent young men. If they felt like winners, having dropped twothirds of the riders, they surely did not exult.
Because the pace was fast and because I did not see a wheel I felt I could trust to follow, I rode
by myself and watched the front guys slowly grow smaller in the distance.
There I was, on a ride the nature of which I deplored, riding with people I did not know, had
evidently nothing in common with, and felt I could not trust as riders. I watched as the group came
apart in the first half mile, to come back together briefly at a bike path junction 10 miles in.
At which point the ride leader told us that it was every one for him/herself, that the front group
was going to this place or that, and we could do what we wanted. Not much later he passed me on
the inside in a blind bend, on the oncoming side of the bike path, on his tri-bars.
I felt bad about many aspects of that ride, but my inability to hang with the front guys bothered
me most. I’m many years older than they are; I shouldn’t expect to be able to keep up, I suppose,
but I don’t feel much slower than a few years ago.
I feel like the same bike rider. I don’t like admitting I’m not.
I feel I should be able to sustain the pace at a ride that was not listed as a training ride for racing
cyclists or even people preparing for gran fondos or centuries or whatever. Sunday’s ride was just
that, a ride, come one come all. Not.
As the years pass, as I grow incrementally slower and the nature of so many group rides changes,
my good feelings about weekend cycling as social occasions take a beating. I enjoy my weekday
rides, almost entirely solo, sometimes amble and sometimes brisk-paced loops on empty bike paths
and quiet roads.
If I hadn’t come into our sport in what now seems to have been a golden age of cycling as a
way of life, I might be delighted with today’s so-called group rides. If I were 28 again, maybe I’d
be the hammer, entirely uncaring about folks I dropped. Maybe I’d be more into electronic shifting
and carbon fiber than ride etiquette and simple consideration.
Maybe not.
Calendar
Jun 22: Mountain Top Experience
Ride
Woodland Park, CO. Short: 19 miles, Intermediate: 75 miles, and the Century route: 106 miles.
Beautiful ride through Colorado history. Fully
supported. Great SAG support, BBQ lunch,
massages, T-shirt. Deborah Maresca, Mountain
Top Cycling Club, 719-687-2489,
mountaintopcyclingclub.com
Jun 22: Provo A Go-go - BCC SS
Draper, UT. Self-supported ride south from Draper
Park thru Orem and Provo with the short option turning at University Parkway in Provo. Meet at Draper
Park. 30, 60, 100 miles. Don Williams, Bonneville
Cycling Club, 801-474-2282, bccutah.org
Jun 22: Sanpete Classic Fun Ride
Spring City, UT. Courses that go around the rural
Sanpete Valley roads. Start 9am. BBQ lunch,
awards, and raffle after. Eric Thompson,
801-541-3840, skiutahcycling.com
Jun 22–23: St. Vrain Canyon
Louisville, CO. 400, 600 and 1000km. Lights
required. Start 3am. Register by 6/12. Lights
required. John Lee Ellis, Rocky Mountain CC,
303-604-1163, rmccrides.com
Jun 22: The Ghost Ride
Toele, UT. 100- or 62-mile tour of Tooele Valley.
Honoring the cyclists who are no longer with us.
Short ride of silence following ride through small
towns, scenic vistas and rolling hills in Utah’s
west desert terrain. Jared Eborn, 801-599-9268,
theghostride.com
Jun 22: Three Kings
North Salt Lake, UT. Winding through North Salt
Lake, Three Kings offers some of the steepest
climbs of the season. Choose to tackle one, two,
or all Three Kings. Whoever tackles them fastest
will take home the prizes. Matt Jensen,
801-550-0778, threekings.nslcity.org
Jun 23–29: Bicycle Tour of Colorado
Canon City, CO. 7-day fully supported tour in the
Colorado Rocky Mountains. Camping services,
baggage transportation, route maps, road markings, aid stations every 15-30 miles, bicycle repair
services, medical support. Limit 1500 riders. Kent
Powell, 303-985-1180, bicycletourcolorado.com
Jun 23: Black Forest Classic Gran Fondo
Elizabeth, CO. 100km and 85 miles of the Bijou
Basin. Start Evans Park 8am. Don Leyn, Colorado
River Club, blackforestclassic.com
Jun 23: Golden Gran Fondo
Golden, CO. 20, 60 and 90 miles. Follow the
historic circuit to Lookout Mountain and Peak to
Peak Hwy. Lung busting ascent, alpine vistas and
spectacular views. Registration deadline 6/16.
May / June 2013 GFNCS, 765-247-2453,
granfondonationalchampionshipseries.com
Jun 23: Tour of the Carson Valley
Genoa, NV. Mormon Station State Park. Fully supported 11-mile family ride, 20-, 44-, and 60-mile
options. SAG. Post-ride BBQ, live entertainment.
Bike The West, 800-565-2704, bikethewest.com
Jun 24: RANATAD
Sundance, UT. Start at Sundance, ride the Nebo
Loop to Nephi, to mouth of American Fork Canyon, over Alpine Loop and back. 165 miles with
over 11,000’ of climbing. Shorter 100-mile option:
Nebo Loop and back to Payson. Czar Johnson,
801-223-4121, sundanceresort.com
Jun 28–30: Park City Festival
Park City, UT. Presented at Park City Moutain Resort. Fully supported 30-62 miles road rides for all
level of abilities - from training wheels to pros. Fun
rides, expo, pumptracks, mtb guides trails rides,
demos, live entertainment and more. kpwc.org
Jun 29: Bike MS Colorado - 1 day
Fort Collins, CO. Choose the 25- or 40-mile options. Start/finish on CSU campus, join the 2-day
riders for end of day celebration. Course open
9am. Benefits Colorado-Wyoming MS chapter.
Alexis Johnson, National MS Society, CO/WY
Chapter, 303-698-5403, bikemscolorado.org
Jun 29–30: Bike MS: Harmons Best
Dam Bike Ride
Logan, UT. 40-, 75- and 100-mile routes available
on Saturday, 40 and 75 miles on Sunday. Flat
and friendly routes with option to climb Blacksmith
Fork Canyon. Start 7am at Cache County Fairgrounds. Fully supported. Min fundraising $250.
Becky Lyttle, National MS Society - Utah Chapter,
801-424-0112, bikeutu.nationalmssociety.org
Jun 29: Colorado Death Ride
Durango, CO. 225 miles, 16,000’ of climbing,
19-hour limit. Lights required. Start 2am. Scenic
ride across San Juan Skyway. This epic route
crosses some of Colorado’s most spectacular
mountain passes, including Coal Bank/Molas
Pass, Red Mountain Pass, Dallas Divide, and
Lizard Head Pass on the same day. Counterclockwise. Part of Triple Crown Series. Mark Lowe,
Rocky Mountain CC, rmccrides.com
Jun 29–30: Newmont Bike MS
Colorado p/b Point B
Westminster, CO. 2-day ride with 1-day option
on Saturday. New routes. Day 1: choose 68, 73
or century route. Sunday: 66 or 75 miles. Enjoy
majestic scenery while riding to Ft Collins for the
night and return via different route. All levels,
age 12+. Limit 3000. 1-day option (25 and 40)
staged in Fort Collins. Alexis Johnson, National
MS Society, CO/WY Chapter, 303-698-5430,
bikemscolorado.org
Jun 29: RATPOD
Dillon, MT. 1 day, 130 miles with 5500’ of climbing to benefit Camp Make-A-Dream, a cost-free
medically supervised camp program for children,
teens, young adults and families affected by
cancer. Limit 650. Visit scenic Big Hole Valley.
Jennifer Benton, Camp Make-A-Dream,
406-549-5987, ratpod.org
Jun 29–30: Rough Riders 200
Angel Fire, NM. New event. Day 1: 104 challenging miles with 6000’ elevation gain going through
Taos, Sipapu and Mora. Day 2: famous 100-mile
Enchanted Circle loop with a twist (Palo Flechado
and Bobcat Passes). Ride one or both. Diane
Martinez, Hound Dog Events, 575-224-1595,
roughriders200.com
Jun 29–Jul 5: San Juan Loop
Gunnison, CO. 6 days, 358 miles, 24,000’
elevation gain, 5 mountain passes. A challenging
cycling vacation. Cycling Escapes, 714-267-4591,
CyclingEscapes.com
Jun 29: Timpanogos Gran Fondo
Orem, UT. Start at Timpanogos High School
at 6:30am. 4500’ of elevation over 41.6 miles
alpine loop. The climb is challenging, descent is
exhilarating, and the views are unforgettable.
Timed climb. Josh Rohatinsky, 801-830-2420,
timpgranfondo.com
Jun 29: Wright Stuff Challenge
Oak Hill Challenge
Norwood, CO. Hill climb. Also 5 and 10km run.
Wright Stuff Community, 970-327-4021,
wrightstufffoundation.org
Jun 30–Jul 5: Colorado Cols
Silver City, NM. Stunning route through Southwest
Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Other dates
available. Lizard Head Cycling Guides,
970-728-5891, lizardheadcyclingguides.com
Jun 30: Silver Road Half Century
Georgetown, CO. Half century ride over
Guanella Pass (11,700’) twice. Held in conjunction
with Guanella Pass Hill Climb. Supported.
Après party. Benefits CO Lungs4Life and Davis
Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s. Scott Bilyeu,
CTB Racing, 303.914.4265,
thesilverroad.weebly.com/index.html
July
Jul 6: Gran Fondo de Taos
Taos, NM. New course. 105 or 84 miles. Longer
routes follows beautiful rural terrain of the Taos,
Mora, Angel Fire, Taos loop. S/F at Taos Youth
and Family center. Rest stops, timed. Benefits Taos
Sports Alliance. Jennifer Buntz, Duke City Wheelmen Foundation, 505-306-1443, taossports.com
Jul 6: Honor Ride - Denver
Aurora, CO. Start at Bicycle Village. Register as
solo or team. Fundraising event to help improve
the health and wellness of healing heroes. 15,
27, 61 miles. Christopher Swan, Fitness Challenge
Foundation, 818-888-7091, ride2recovery.com
Track
weekly
Tuesday
CVA Tuesday Night Racing
Jul 7–13: Climb Time - Elevation Gain
May 21–August 27
Colorado Springs, CO. Tentative dates. Schedule
of events varies each week. All participants must
be licensed members. A, B, and C self-category
racing. A must for those hoping to upgrade. No
points. Racing starts at 7pm. Claire Sanderson,
csvelodrome.org
Jul 13: Golden Gate Gadabout
Thursday
Salida, CO. Many rides will start above 6000’
and climb up to 12,000’. Climb mountain passes,
descent long, curvy routes while experiencing
spectacular views of the Continental Divide and
Rocky Mountains. Finish Line Cycling,
720-295-0758, finishlinecycling.com
Louisville, CO. 200km, start 7am from RTD Parkand-Ride lot NW of US-36 and McCaslin. Lots
of great climbing up Golden Gate Canyon and
on Peak to Peak Highway. John Lee Ellis, Rocky
Mountain CC, 303-604-1163, rmccrides.com
Jul 13: Tour de Ladies
Parker, CO. Women’s only ride, fully supported
event through the rolling hills of Douglas County.
30 and 62 miles. No trailer or tagalong allowed.
Swag and finish line post-ride Lunch and Lounge.
Supports Douglas County Women’s Crisis &
Family Outreach Center. Pre-reg only. Kathie
Shandro, Colorado Riders Club, 303-850-1812,
tourdeladies.com
Jul 13–14: Triple Bypass
Evergreen, CO. Day 1 - East: Evergreen to Avon.
120 miles and more than 10,000’ elevation gain
over 3 mountain passes (Jupiter, Loveland, Vail).
Limit 3,500. Day 2 - West: Avon to Evergreen
inaugural ride. Limit 2500. Double Triple Bypass:
Ride both days. Team Evergreen Bicycle Club,
303-800-7613, teamevergreen.org/triple
Jul 14–21: Fuller Center Bicycle
Adventure - Leg 6
Craig, CO. Start with a building day before
riding 35 to 88 miles per day to reach Salt Lake
City, UT. Part of the larger cross-country bike ride.
Can also join in for a day. Allen Slabaugh,
Fuller Center for Housing, 229-924-2900,
fullercenter.org/bikeadventure
Jul 14–19: Tour de Wyoming
Cody, WY. 17th annual Top of the World Tour.
6 days, 330 miles over Beartooth Highway and
Dead Indian Pass. Benefits Cycle Wyoming.
Amber Travky, Cycle Wyoming, 307-742-5840,
CycleWyoming.org
CVA Thursday Night Racing
May 23–September 12
Colorado Springs, CO. Tentative date. Weekly
night race series open to Senior men 1-2, Senior
women, Senior men 3 and Junior riders. Points
are allocated to the A and women’s group to
determine both Rider of the Year winners. Event
schedule varies. Racing starts at 7pm. Canceled if
raining. csvelodrome.org
Track
May
May 17–19: Matrix Track Cup
Frisco, TX. ATRA NCS event. Age-based races,
elite and amateur men and women. Elimination,
Scratch, Points and more. superdrome.com
June
Jun 28–29: Hellyer Velodrome
Challenge
San Jose, CA. ATRA NCS event. See website for
schedule. Mark Altamarino, ridethetrack.com
July
Jul 20–21: Boulder Orthopedics
Colorado Track Championships
Erie, CO. First championships on the new track.
Rob Kelly, 303-875-5523,
bouldervalleyvelodrome.com
Family Friendly Ride
Supports Bicycle Colorado
Commercial
Rocky Mountain Road Cup Point Scale
Bronze,
Silver,
Gold
Rocky Mountain Bicycle Paper l 15
The Amgen People’s
Coast Classic
September 8-13
2-, 4- and 6-day ride
Ride the Oregon
coast!
Sun Valley Dirt Rally
Sun Valley, Idaho
June 29-30
2 days - 50 miles of scenic
forest roads each day
Come ride the dirt to
stop the hurt!