Anyone else doing it this year? Looks like I'm in. Should be a good route. Bicycle Tour of Colorado (would have done this if RTR feel through) has an interesting route including Independence Pass--the one major pass in CO I've never ridden on a bike.

Congratulations on getting in. I'm in too! First time I've made the lottery and really looking forward to it. I rode just the first day out of Boulder (where I live) last year and had a blast in spite of the rain. Have you done RTR before?

I think the route will be very interesting. First day should be awesome - I've not seen that area before. The crux of the ride will be day 2 on Grand Mesa with the 7000 ft of climbing. Grand Mesa is pretty special, and I've not done it on a bike. After day two, it should be just lots of good cruising assuming the weather doesn't turn bad.

Where are you from? What will you be riding?

Glad you posted this, as I was just thinking about starting a RTR thread.

Who else out there will be joining us?

... Craig

Congratulations on getting in. I'm in too! First time I've made the lottery and really looking forward to it. I rode just the first day out of Boulder (where I live) last year and had a blast in spite of the rain. Have you done RTR before?

I think the route will be very interesting. First day should be awesome - I've not seen that area before. The crux of the ride will be day 2 on Grand Mesa with the 7000 ft of climbing. Grand Mesa is pretty special, and I've not done it on a bike. After day two, it should be just lots of good cruising assuming the weather doesn't turn bad.

Where are you from? What will you be riding?

Glad you posted this, as I was just thinking about starting a RTR thread.

Who else out there will be joining us?

... Craig
I'm from Boulder. This will be my 6th RTR. There was only one year that I didn't get in the lottery. Good luck I guess. Have never done Grand Mesa, but have done other parts of the route. Should be a good one. I ride a 62cm Colnago MXL--AD4 (black/white). Might pick up one of those RoadbikeReview jersies to wear on the ride and see if anyone says anything.

Last year was strange weather. A buddy of mine and I sat out the worst of it at my house and dried our clothes after getting caught in the initial downpour. We then shortcutted a bit up Olde Stage road to Lefthand where my friend got 2 flats within about 10 minutes. By the time we hit Estes Park it was raining hard and COLD and then having to skip Trail Ridge sucked though. I did it the last time RTR went that way and it is a cool ride. Too bad the weather didn't allow it. If it hadn't cleared up after Granby I was seriously considering abandoning the ride.

Good deal Bocephus. You certainly have the RTR experience. I agree, last year's weather was dreadful and hopefully an anomoly. I'll look for you there. I'll be the old geezer riding the Serotta Concours CS - bare Ti with Yellow lettering.

I rode just the first day out of Boulder (where I live) last year and had a blast in spite of the rain. Have you done RTR before?

Where are you from? What will you be riding?

Who else out there will be joining us?

... Craig

My sister and I will attending again this year. Last year was our first time. That ride out of Boulder was something else. Actually the whole ride was something else. This year I am bringing a better (bigger) tent, better (smaller) stove, less cotton and more nylon. And a trunk rack.

I'll be on my green Kelly BoneStock with the MTB cassette & der.. It worked really well for me last year.

I too am doing "Ride The Rockies". It's my first time. In fact a lot of firsts. First time in Colorado and first time camping! I'm in good shape for March (race in a local club) and look to be in top shape with lots of hill repeats in Nearby, NJ. As a "Boy" (yeah right) from NYC, should I have any concerns about acclimation. What "Symptoms" should I expect or am I being over dramatic?

Second, I could really use everyone's input on camping equipment. I do have concerns as a non-camper that I won't get the necessary rest to leave me refreshed and ready for the next days rides.

Also,I plan on hitting the host town each night for Dinner. Is that that most riders do?

Best,

EFaber

Second, I could really use everyone's input on camping equipment. I do have concerns as a non-camper that I won't get the necessary rest to leave me refreshed and ready for the next days rides.

Also,I plan on hitting the host town each night for Dinner. Is that that most riders do?

Best,

EFaber

Camping Equipment:- what I'm bringing

Tent - last year had a lightweight 2-person backpacking tent. Problem was limited room with 2 people for a week. This year I have a 3-person tent with large vestibules for bags.

Sleeping Bag - Last year I used a 20-40deg bag. The ride last year was through a lot more high country than this year. I'll probably bring a 40deg bag and long underwear.

Some sort of pillow (balled up jacket, sweater, etc.)

Air pad - Thermarest inflatable or cheap knockoff. Weight doesn't matter as much since you aren't carrying it to the backcountry.

Last year I brought a small camping stove & coffee pot. I'd boil water in the morning for coffee and oatmeal. It got a little old, but I knew from experience that eggs and bacon are not what I want before 100 mile rides. I figure we saved about $100 on meals that way.

I used a large green army duffle. Make sure to put all the stuff in a large garbage bag, because they dump all the bags out early in the morning and they sit in the elements all day while you are riding. Not cool to open up your bag after 8 hours of riding to find everything you own soaked.

Other stuff - flashlight, alarm clock, earplugs, groundsheet for tent... that's all I can think of.

They really don't police indoor vs. outdoor, so you can sneak inside if you get tired of camping.

We ate every meal in a town. The community meals left something to be desired... except Granby.

My sister and I will attending again this year. Last year was our first time. That ride out of Boulder was something else. Actually the whole ride was something else. This year I am bringing a better (bigger) tent, better (smaller) stove, less cotton and more nylon. And a trunk rack.

I'll be on my green Kelly BoneStock with the MTB cassette & der.. It worked really well for me last year.
And you just know the weather will be perfect if you do that! :) Actually with the exception of last year the weather for my other RTRs has been pretty darn good.

I too am doing "Ride The Rockies". It's my first time. In fact a lot of firsts. First time in Colorado and first time camping! I'm in good shape for March (race in a local club) and look to be in top shape with lots of hill repeats in Nearby, NJ. As a "Boy" (yeah right) from NYC, should I have any concerns about acclimation. What "Symptoms" should I expect or am I being over dramatic?

Second, I could really use everyone's input on camping equipment. I do have concerns as a non-camper that I won't get the necessary rest to leave me refreshed and ready for the next days rides.

Also,I plan on hitting the host town each night for Dinner. Is that that most riders do?

Best,

EFaber
My 2c...tent is no big deal as long as it's fairly rainproof--don't go to Walmart and buy a cheapy. Get something LLBean quality or above. If all you need is a single person tent they can be had relatively cheap. No need for a really expensive tent though. Another plus is something that is easy to set up. You'll get tired of setting it up each night if it's difficult. Another thing I've learned. Get a big hockey style bag to haul your stuff in. Wheels a plus. You can store tons of stuff in it and easily access it when you need it. Garbage cans have also been used, but I personally prefer the hockey bag. Make sure you have a good pad to sleep on like a Thermarest and a decent sleeping bag. Earplugs if you are noise sensitive. I'm almost always asleep by 10. I like camping much better than the gym. Not much you can do about the altitude, but you should be fine. Just take it easy if you feel dizzy and have plenty of gearing to spin if you need to. I've always just used a 39x26 low end, but you might need more. Climbs can be LONG although not all that steep usually. Where to eat is another personal choice. I tend to frequent the local dives and restaurants depending on the size of the town we are in. I like that food better than the "community feed bag" although some towns put on a good feast and it's hard to pass up. If all they are offering is pasta I'd look elsewhere unless you like overcooked, bland pasta and a stale piece of garlic bread. Another thing about RTR is that Coors took over the beer tent so your beer choices are more limited now. New Belgium used to do it and I loved their beer. One final tip...ALWAYS seek out the outdoor portable shower truck. It always has lots of hot water while sometimes the indoor facilities run out. Nothing worse than a cold shower after a long day of riding.


one other thing re: clothing...be prepared for anything (snow rain, etc). I usually take arm and leg warmers as well as a waterproof vest and long fingered gloves--shoe covers are also a good idea although you probably don't need full neoprene booties. You usually need all your clothes in the morning, but by afternoon it is often hot and you'll want something small enough to be able to be stuffed into your back pockets and/or a saddle bag.

And you just know the weather will be perfect if you do that! :) Actually with the exception of last year the weather for my other RTRs has been pretty darn good.

Thats what I've heard. Some friends have done it the last 4 years, and they said they would get a little morning shower, and that was it.

Overprepare and nothing will happen. Underprepare and everything will happen... story of my life.

Welcome aboard, all.

Efaber, about your question re adjusting to the altitude. When do you arrive in Colorado? Ideally, you want to be here two nights at least before hitting the real high elevations. Grand Junction is pretty low, so sleeping there two nights will help a little bit. Sounds like you're young and athletic, so I'm guessing you won't have any problem with Sunday's ride. You'll feel the altitude going up Grand Mesa on Monday, but if you take it easy going up you should be fine by the time you come down the other side. After that, I think you will be well aclimitized by the time you get to the higher passes like Monarch.

The camping advice you've received is good. Go for a tent that is fast to put up. If you get a good sleeping pad, you won't need a really warm bag - 30 or 40 degrees should do it. Unless finances are really tight, I'd forgo the cooking thing and subsist on the local treats. Decent microbrewries in Salida, Leadville and Brekenridge - don't know about the other towns.

Welcome aboard, all.

Efaber, about your question re adjusting to the altitude. When do you arrive in Colorado? Ideally, you want to be here two nights at least before hitting the real high elevations. Grand Junction is pretty low, so sleeping there two nights will help a little bit. Sounds like you're young and athletic, so I'm guessing you won't have any problem with Sunday's ride. You'll feel the altitude going up Grand Mesa on Monday, but if you take it easy going up you should be fine by the time you come down the other side. After that, I think you will be well aclimitized by the time you get to the higher passes like Monarch.

The camping advice you've received is good. Go for a tent that is fast to put up. If you get a good sleeping pad, you won't need a really warm bag - 30 or 40 degrees should do it. Unless finances are really tight, I'd forgo the cooking thing and subsist on the local treats. Decent microbrewries in Salida, Leadville and Brekenridge - don't know about the other towns.

The plan was to arrive Saturday and get picked up by the 11:30am charter at Denver Int'l. I'm not young young (38) but I have my 6th race of the Spring coming up this week and feel I'm in pretty good shape in Late March and hope to only get beter and better, but I am concerned about what symptoms I might encounter. Sounds to me (Given your email handle) that you know Colorado pretty well. The first two days, do you think I'll be suffering a bit from climate sickness.

Camping Equipment:- what I'm bringing

Tent - last year had a lightweight 2-person backpacking tent. Problem was limited room with 2 people for a week. This year I have a 3-person tent with large vestibules for bags.

Sleeping Bag - Last year I used a 20-40deg bag. The ride last year was through a lot more high country than this year. I'll probably bring a 40deg bag and long underwear.

Some sort of pillow (balled up jacket, sweater, etc.)

Air pad - Thermarest inflatable or cheap knockoff. Weight doesn't matter as much since you aren't carrying it to the backcountry.

Last year I brought a small camping stove & coffee pot. I'd boil water in the morning for coffee and oatmeal. It got a little old, but I knew from experience that eggs and bacon are not what I want before 100 mile rides. I figure we saved about $100 on meals that way.

I used a large green army duffle. Make sure to put all the stuff in a large garbage bag, because they dump all the bags out early in the morning and they sit in the elements all day while you are riding. Not cool to open up your bag after 8 hours of riding to find everything you own soaked.

Other stuff - flashlight, alarm clock, earplugs, groundsheet for tent... that's all I can think of.

They really don't police indoor vs. outdoor, so you can sneak inside if you get tired of camping.

We ate every meal in a town. The community meals left something to be desired... except Granby.

Thanks so much for the info. I happen to have a huge canvas green army duffle, but didn't even think about garbage bags. I'll definitely be getting a therma rest. It's just me so I'll get a nice small single tent. Ground sheet. Didn't think of that either. Good!

Question. I can't even make it to the shower without my first cup o' joe. Is there coffee readily available at the campsite without making it yourself?

My 2c...tent is no big deal as long as it's fairly rainproof--don't go to Walmart and buy a cheapy. Get something LLBean quality or above. If all you need is a single person tent they can be had relatively cheap. No need for a really expensive tent though. Another plus is something that is easy to set up. You'll get tired of setting it up each night if it's difficult. Another thing I've learned. Get a big hockey style bag to haul your stuff in. Wheels a plus. You can store tons of stuff in it and easily access it when you need it. Garbage cans have also been used, but I personally prefer the hockey bag. Make sure you have a good pad to sleep on like a Thermarest and a decent sleeping bag. Earplugs if you are noise sensitive. I'm almost always asleep by 10. I like camping much better than the gym. Not much you can do about the altitude, but you should be fine. Just take it easy if you feel dizzy and have plenty of gearing to spin if you need to. I've always just used a 39x26 low end, but you might need more. Climbs can be LONG although not all that steep usually. Where to eat is another personal choice. I tend to frequent the local dives and restaurants depending on the size of the town we are in. I like that food better than the "community feed bag" although some towns put on a good feast and it's hard to pass up. If all they are offering is pasta I'd look elsewhere unless you like overcooked, bland pasta and a stale piece of garlic bread. Another thing about RTR is that Coors took over the beer tent so your beer choices are more limited now. New Belgium used to do it and I loved their beer. One final tip...ALWAYS seek out the outdoor portable shower truck. It always has lots of hot water while sometimes the indoor facilities run out. Nothing worse than a cold shower after a long day of riding.


one other thing re: clothing...be prepared for anything (snow rain, etc). I usually take arm and leg warmers as well as a waterproof vest and long fingered gloves--shoe covers are also a good idea although you probably don't need full neoprene booties. You usually need all your clothes in the morning, but by afternoon it is often hot and you'll want something small enough to be able to be stuffed into your back pockets and/or a saddle bag.

Thanks for the info. I do have a huge canvas army duffle. I will definitely get a therma rest. I'll be bringing my Giant Road bike with a triple so I am not too concerned about the gearing issues. As for clothes, I've amassed quite a bit during this cold, bitter winter and rainy bitter spring in NY. I plan on bringing a little of everything just in case. I am willing to spend the money on a good meal at Dinner. Nothing like a hard day on the road and going somewere nice and comfy to carbo-load with a grape or barley based adult beverage (or two) I just hope there is ample transport to take back and forth from the campsite.

Thanks so much for the info. I happen to have a huge canvas green army duffle, but didn't even think about garbage bags. I'll definitely be getting a therma rest. It's just me so I'll get a nice small single tent. Ground sheet. Didn't think of that either. Good!

Question. I can't even make it to the shower without my first cup o' joe. Is there coffee readily available at the campsite without making it yourself?

Glad to help. It sucked to figure out the garbage bag thing the hard way.

I didn't see any AM coffee except what was in the mass-feed area. It wasn't what I would consider the best coffee. Or really coffee at all... reminded me of my army days.

On a positive note, at all the support stops, there were food vendors and a little old man that made a mean cappucino. But that is usually at least 2hrs into the day.

Efaber, sorry not to post anything for awhile, but I've been away from the net.

Actually, I consider 38 to be young! And, if you're into racing, subtract another 10 years. I'm 62 and definitely slowing down!

My advice to you would be to curb your enthusiasm on Sunday and conserve energy. Use your lowest gears when climbing in Colorado National Monument. Take a break at all the rest stops. Same advice on the ascent on Monday up to Grand Mesa. I know you will be all "pumped up" with enthusiasm, but resist it if you can. If you get to the top of Grand Mesa without any major effects from altitude, you should be fine for the rest of the week.

The main altitude symptoms to watch out for are lack of appetite, headache, upset stomach and lethargy. You may feel some of these at the top of Grand Mesa, but rest assured that you will feel MUCH better after you get down to Delta. Make sure to eat and drink at the rest stops even if you don't feel hungry.

Look forward to seeing you in June!

Glad to help. It sucked to figure out the garbage bag thing the hard way.

I didn't see any AM coffee except what was in the mass-feed area. It wasn't what I would consider the best coffee. Or really coffee at all... reminded me of my army days.

On a positive note, at all the support stops, there were food vendors and a little old man that made a mean cappucino. But that is usually at least 2hrs into the day.
Really depends on the town. Unless we are running late we usually avoid the morning "community feed bag" and head into town for better vittles and decent coffee. Bigger towns will have more options especially in regard to coffee. I usually aim for the middle bus so by the time I'm up and packed the breakfast pickings can be slim to none. Another tip...make sure any lotions or breakable bottles with liquid in then get put into a ziploc or something waterproof or you will end up with lotion and such all over your bag and clothes. The handlers are not easy on the bags. Don't pack anything too valuable that is fragile. Be prepared to wait in line for everything. It's part of the experience and you'll only be frustrated if you get all bent out of shape about it. 99% of the time the best place to shower is the portable shower truck. They ALWAYS have hot water unlike some of the school showers.

Another tip--if you want to demo some cool bikes and gear sign up as soon as you get to the start of the ride and register. The slots fill up quick. Usually you can demo top-end Serottas and some cool wheelsets like Ksyriums and Cane Creek.

Everyone ready for the ride this weekend? Here's hoping for good weather and I hope to see a few of you out on the road. Feeling a bit sluggish, but looking forward to a week of riding. Coors is out this year as the beer sponsor to be replaced by the former sponsor New Belgium (YeA!) so we'll also have some mighty tasty brews to drink after the ride each day.

Maybe everyone has already seen this, but they posted the elevation profiles on the website:

http://ridetherockies.com/default.asp?page=route&profiles=yes

Day 2 looks like the only rather hard day. The rest--weather permitting--shouldn't be too bad. Think day 1 and 2 are the only routes I haven't done on this ride before.

Maybe everyone has already seen this, but they posted the elevation profiles on the website:

http://ridetherockies.com/default.asp?page=route&profiles=yes

Day 2 looks like the only rather hard day. The rest--weather permitting--shouldn't be too bad. Think day 1 and 2 are the only routes I haven't done on this ride before.


Pffft... what's 7000 feet of climbing among friends?

I'm not ready - but hopefully I will be by the weekend. It seemed like a long time away back in January, and now it's here. My legs are toast - I still haven't recovered from my wreck in the Iron Horse, and then I spent this weekend hauling shingles up onto the second story roof... but there is a nice club ride tonight so I should be able to work them out a little.

It should be fun - gonna be hot in GJ this weekend. Bring the sleeveless jerseys and short-shorts.

Hey Bocephus - I'm doing this gig with 3 other guys in a 40ft motor home - Big Mama. The best part - one of guys has his Dad driving for us. Sweet! We'll be in GJ about 4-5pm on Sat. I'll be riding my Parlee this year - all black - and my buddy will be on a blue/white Pinarello. Keep an eye out for us and Big Mama and and come on by and have a cold one!! -CARTER

Hey Bocephus - I'm doing this gig with 3 other guys in a 40ft motor home - Big Mama. The best part - one of guys has his Dad driving for us. Sweet! We'll be in GJ about 4-5pm on Sat. I'll be riding my Parlee this year - all black - and my buddy will be on a blue/white Pinarello. Keep an eye out for us and Big Mama and and come on by and have a cold one!! -CARTER
Sounds good. The guy I'm riding with has a friend with a condo in Breck so we're heading up Friday night and staying there and then catching the Breck/GJ bus Saturday morning. Probably get there around the same time. Having someone sherpa you in a motorhome is the way to go. Cold beer at the finish is always a plus. If you see me on the road yell. I'll be riding my black/white Colnago MXL again. It's Carter right? Not the best with remembering names soemtimes.

P.S. Does the mobile home say Big Mama on it? I know a few others from years past that do the motor home thing and usually head over to the mobile home area anyway to chat with them.

Sounds good. The guy I'm riding with has a friend with a condo in Breck so we're heading up Friday night and staying there and then catching the Breck/GJ bus Saturday morning. Probably get there around the same time. Having someone sherpa you in a motorhome is the way to go. Cold beer at the finish is always a plus. If you see me on the road yell. I'll be riding my black/white Colnago MXL again. It's Carter right? Not the best with remembering names soemtimes.

P.S. Does the mobile home say Big Mama on it? I know a few others from years past that do the motor home thing and usually head over to the mobile home area anyway to chat with them.

Yep, it Carter.

Mama. Bertha. Bessie. Not sure what the our final moniker will be. We're going to leave the live band behind, though everybody does need theme music.

See you out there, I'll keep an eye out for you.

You tried to beat me, oh yes. With your 21 miles of climbing and your 7500 foot elevation gain. You even tried to beat me down with 98 degree heat, limited water stops and hordes of mosquitos.

But when I got to the top, I stuck my aching knees in your snow

And you were my little beyotch all the way to Delta.

Suck it Grand Mesa

Suck it dry.

You tried to beat me, oh yes. With your 21 miles of climbing and your 7500 foot elevation gain. You even tried to beat me down with 98 degree heat, limited water stops and hordes of mosquitos.

But when I got to the top, I stuck my aching knees in your snow

And you were my little beyotch all the way to Delta.

Suck it Grand Mesa

Suck it dry.


Man was that climb tough or what? I was screaming for mercy at mile 10, but managed to make it all the way to the top. Had to pour the contents of a water bottle all over myself to cool down. My Polar S720 said it was 105 degrees when we hit Delta. All in all a great ride though. Until next year. Will post some pix when I get em developed.

Man was that climb tough or what? I was screaming for mercy at mile 10, but managed to make it all the way to the top. Had to pour the contents of a water bottle all over myself to cool down. My Polar S720 said it was 105 degrees when we hit Delta. All in all a great ride though. Until next year. Will post some pix when I get em developed.

Hopefully the contents was water. Having to sag 25% of the riders was off the charts. At mile 58 at the top, seemed like folks were just happy happy happy to survive. Man, the descent into Cedaredge is epic. Way fast and fun.

Monarch Pass is a blast, solid climb, how about that descent! And a tailwind to boot into Salida. May be the fastest 25 miles I"ve ever done from the top to stop.

Monarch Pass is a blast, solid climb, how about that descent! And a tailwind to boot into Salida. May be the fastest 25 miles I"ve ever done from the top to stop.
Yeah that is a epic descent. Only problem was the car and truck traffic. Had to brake a lot coming down. I think the last ten miles when it flattened out I was still going 25-30 MPH. Did you enjoy your RVing experience this year?

Hopefully the contents was water. Having to sag 25% of the riders was off the charts. At mile 58 at the top, seemed like folks were just happy happy happy to survive. Man, the descent into Cedaredge is epic. Way fast and fun.

Monarch Pass is a blast, solid climb, how about that descent! And a tailwind to boot into Salida. May be the fastest 25 miles I"ve ever done from the top to stop.

That was probably the best week of cycling I've had. I hooked up with a very fast lady from the CSU Triathalon team the first day, and we pretty much devoured every climb together. She stomped me pretty good on Grand Mesa, but otherwise we were toe to toe the entire week. We picked up a third on Wednesday, and had a great three way paceline group for half the week. A couple times I'd look back and we'd have 40 to 50 people drafting off our backs.

I didn't think my legs could hurt that bad for that long and still keep pedaling.

It was VERY hard to come back in to work today.

It was VERY hard to come back in to work today.
I hear that. And I know about the drafting thing. I'm 6'2" and about 200 pounds so I'm an attractive target to draft. Kind of bugged me that nobody ever asked if they could draft though. Lots of squirrely riders that I just let go a few times because they looked like a crash waiting to happen. Heading into Gunnison was a nightmare because of the rumble strips. At one point I was in a paceline of about 20 people just hoping that I would make it out OK. I soon thought better of the situation and allowed them to go on ahead. Too risky.

Yeah that is a epic descent. Only problem was the car and truck traffic. Had to brake a lot coming down. I think the last ten miles when it flattened out I was still going 25-30 MPH. Did you enjoy your RVing experience this year?

I got lucky on the descent and had clear sailing with just a few cars. the last ten I kinda humped it and really got on a roll.

the RV was great. ended up hanging out quite a bit at the rv after rides, recover, eat, watch a movie, wrench the group's bikes. a lot fun.

a nice rolling finish into breck capped it off pretty good after a beautiful morning over fremont. we didn't stay for the festivities, but it looked like plenty of smiles to go around.

a nice rolling finish into breck capped it off pretty good after a beautiful morning over fremont. we didn't stay for the festivities, but it looked like plenty of smiles to go around.
We thought briefly about doing the first day of Bike Tour of CO the next day which went over Independence pass, but decided we'd had enough climbing for a while. Never have done that pass before.