| Spending a week in Colorado |
| | BRKIII  |
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| Lifetime: 17,854 mi
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| Member No. 23405 |
| Member since: Aug 2007 |
| Home: Dimmitt, TX  |
| Cervelo R3
Road bike |
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| Club Hypoxia  |
| posted
6/26/2011
at 7:08:24 PM |
| viewed 1741 times |
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I will be spending a week in Colorado July 4-10. I will in Leadville every day except for Saturday in which I will be doing the Triple By-Pass. I plan on riding everyday. On Tuesday I will stick with the Mineral Belt. Wednesday I will be doing Independence and Fremont Pass with Howard and CircaRigal. Thursday I don't know yet it would be nice to bag another pass or two. And Friday I will do an easy spin somewhere. It would be great to do a meet and greet sometime. Possibly in Denver on Thursday? A nice high carb dinner on Friday? Who's game? I think me and Circa will do some of these rides together and all are welcome. I would love to meet as many of you as possible before I have to go back to blandsville, tx. If you need a place to crash, I have a hotel in Leadville. Bring a sleeping bag!
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thread edited on 6/26/2011 at 6:57:27 PM
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| | CircaRigel  |
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| Lifetime: 3,658 mi
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| Member No. 42538 |
| Member since: Dec 2010 |
| Home: Denver, CO |
| Moots Vamoots CR
Road bike |
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| Club Hypoxia |
| posted
6/26/2011
at 9:39:07 PM |
| post #1 viewed 611 times |
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Change of plans? Tuesday, Mount Evans ride to see the Mountain Goats and to try his pedals to the top of the highest paved road in N. America! Just the 1/2 tour, though, Echo to the top. 
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post edited on 6/26/2011 at 9:27:50 PM
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| | GlacierChaser |
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| Lifetime: 47,182 mi
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| Member No. 31845 |
| Member since: Sep 2008 |
| Home: Garland, TX |
| Raleigh Sojourn
Touring Road bike |
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| Lone Star Randonneurs |
| posted
6/26/2011
at 10:25:10 PM |
| post #2 viewed 604 times |
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I lived in Colorado for 5 years, and did lots of hiking, and got pretty good at it, too. Then I moved back to Blandsville, Texas. One thing I discovered is that it's nearly impossible to stay in proper hiking shape for mountains when you live in the flatlands. You're not used to the thin air, and there's just not a good workout substitute for having 4,000 feet of "up" in front of you.
With that in mind, I would recommend being very very flexible on your plans so you can adjust as needed depending on how you feel that day and how you did the previous day. Mt. Evans is a good example. I can tell you from experience that if you drive to the top and get out of your car, you'll be doing good to walk around without getting out of breath. That is not the mountain ride I would be eager to jump on right off the bat. People that live and ride there regularly will have a whole lot easier time of it. And you may go ride a good pass one day, and make it over, then be majorly sore for a day or two after. Be flexible, take some rest time if needed.
I would consider starting with Hwy 34 out of Loveland or Hwy 14 out of Fort Collins-both follow rivers upstream, and you have gentle uniform climbs, and if you get tired, you just turn around and coast back down- there's very few uphills on the way back in.
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What GC said. Or you could practice riding with a clear bag from your local cleaners over your head for the next week to get use to the lack of oxygen. 
Have a great trip. I did TBP in 2004 and went from 500ft on Friday to riding the the route the next day. Did just fine but was quite a bit slower that back at home.
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| | CircaRigel |
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| Lifetime: 3,658 mi
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| Member No. 42538 |
| Member since: Dec 2010 |
| Home: Denver, CO |
| Moots Vamoots CR
Road bike |
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| Club Hypoxia |
| posted
6/27/2011
at 9:22:34 AM |
| post #4 viewed 577 times |
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We're planning on taking Mount Evans quite slow and with lots of stops. The Mountain goats are up there now, and the weather has been fantastic! It doesn't get much better for Evans. If it becomes too problematic, we'll just head back down & ride the 301 out of Idaho Springs, or the bikeways.
To make it easier, we'll be leaving from Echo lake, rather than doing the full 28 miles from Idaho Springs.
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post edited on 6/27/2011 at 9:11:59 AM
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| | ColoradoGuy  |
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| Lifetime: 0 mi
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| Member No. 44598 |
| Member since: May 2011 |
| Home: Buena Vista, CO |
| Trek 1.2
Road bike |
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| posted
6/27/2011
at 10:36:26 AM |
| post #5 viewed 567 times |
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If you do Cottonwood Pass from Buena Vista, you'll bike past my house.
I think you should do that one. 
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post edited on 6/27/2011 at 10:34:14 AM
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| | BRKIII |
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| Lifetime: 17,854 mi
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| Member No. 23405 |
| Member since: Aug 2007 |
| Home: Dimmitt, TX |
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Road bike |
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| Club Hypoxia |
| posted
6/27/2011
at 3:58:42 PM |
| post #6 viewed 533 times |
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Colorado guy, why dont you come and ride up independence pass with us. It is not very far. Cottonwood pass is 38 miles from Buena Vista.
Circa that sounds awesome and i can cross off a big bucket list item!
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| | BRKIII |
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| Lifetime: 17,854 mi
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| Member No. 23405 |
| Member since: Aug 2007 |
| Home: Dimmitt, TX |
| Cervelo R3
Road bike |
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| Club Hypoxia |
| posted
6/28/2011
at 7:54:51 AM |
| post #7 viewed 505 times |
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Gonna be less than a week. I am getting excited. Pretty soon I will be cycling in beautiful Colorado!
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| | Sagebum |
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| Alta Alpina Cycling Club |
| posted
6/28/2011
at 10:01:03 AM |
| post #8 viewed 492 times |
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101 in Grand Junction today.....not so beutiful...stay up high for sure. Colo Guy....Cottonwood is on my short list and one of the few I haven't ridden....been over it many times by car and it is a great pass. Love looking down into Taylor Park.
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| | Howard |
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| Scattante CFR Elite
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| Club Hypoxia |
| posted
6/28/2011
at 6:33:10 PM |
| post #9 viewed 468 times |
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Me too! (what Sagebum said) I've not yet done Cottonwood and it's been #1 on my Colorado Passes bucket list for a year now.
BRKIII, if you're looking for a ride on Thursday, July 7th, I'll be bringing a route map for the downhill century when I see you next Wednesday. Doing that ride will require you to have a ride back to Leadville afterward. But "bagging" Cottonwood Pass from Buena Vista to the summit and back would put you in elite company among BikeJournalists and Club Hypoxians. Just sayin'...
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| | BRKIII |
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| Lifetime: 17,854 mi
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| Member No. 23405 |
| Member since: Aug 2007 |
| Home: Dimmitt, TX |
| Cervelo R3
Road bike |
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| Club Hypoxia |
| posted
6/28/2011
at 8:49:38 PM |
| post #10 viewed 452 times |
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I gotta do it then. I think I will do it on Thursday. Colorado Guy, let me know when you will be home, and i will drop by and we can do it together. After you can show me where the good eats are!
Also, on Friday, Circa and I will do the Leadville Train Ride, why dont you join us?
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post edited on 6/28/2011 at 8:39:20 PM
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