Tour de France stage 14 [Col du Granier: 7/13]

I made the climb up in about an hour and 45min, getting to the summit in plenty of time to wander around the massive crowds and take in the spectacle of a true Tour climb. Fans everywhere, some dressed up in funny costumes, waving flags, milling around with picnics and wine while we all awaited the racers. Super good vibes up here at 1240meters, and the scenery wasn't bad either!

Col du Granier summit- the second Category 1 climb of today's stage

I made friends with a group of local French cyclists who invited me to share their in food & wine- one guy in particular spoke pretty good English and we had a nice time talking about cycling, the Alpes, and how pitiful my French pronunciation is.

A fellow Cadel Evans fan was more dedicated to the cause than myself:

Finally the racers tore up the hill like it was a false-flat with a tailwind... they were seriously moving! Here's the breakaway with my hometown team Garmin's David Millar in the mix- he would go on to win the stage today:

And my favorite Cadel Evans back towards the front of the main group. He's riding ok but not in contention for the Podium this year, certainly not a repeat of his victory last year...

Yep folks, perhaps the fans are more entertaining than the racers:

Being fairly far into the today's stage and being the second hard climb, the racers were pretty spread out by the time they passed us and it took a good 25 minutes for them all to go by. Much better bang for the buck up at the top of the Col!

After it all wound down, I made a screaming descent down the route that the racers had ascended and followed the rollers all the way into Grenoble. It's a neat city flanked on all sides by towering mountains and has a really good energy. No camping nearby, however, so I pedaled 15mi northeast of town for the night and the next day into Le Bourg de Oisans.... at the foot of the legendary Alpe d'Huez- ready to tackle the serious climbing to come.

Le Bourg de Oisans.... a French cycling mecca

Tour de France stage 12 [Macon]

I woke up early and snuck out of the campground before the office opened (I have to take free camping however I can get it- not much space to set up in the countryside in these parts for gypsies like me to sleep) eager to see just how much commotion would be created by the Tour start today.

all plants & flowers!!

It was a bit on the disappointing side, to be honest. There was the whole entourage of semi trucks, awards stage, team cars & buses, vendors, sponsors, media and so on, but not much real enthusiasm in the air. Lots of local families out to mill around, but lacking in the crazed-cycling-fanatics department. This guy had a good rig, however:

One of the highlights was being able to stand between two Mavic neutral support cars- each one outfitted with about $20,000 worth of wheels & bikes to give to any racer who needs a spare. I need a spare, I think?

Before every stage in the Tour, there is a parade of all the main team sponsors. Each sponsor company has some crazy creative vehicles (think Oscar Meyer Wiener-Mobile on steroids) and toss out handfuls of samples or other swag. The locals were ravenous and literally climbing over each other just to get a stupid sample bag of cookies, maybe a cheap hat. I got pushed out of the way by some stupid rude kids, and retreated to the other side of the old bridge to await the rollout.

After a long wait, the fury began as all the team cars, Police motos, officials, and press vehicles sped by ahead of the Peleton. Very cool to watch them snake across the ancient bridge:

Being the first mile of so the entire group was still intact through the city: Yellow, Green, White and Polka Dot all up front whizzing by:

And then that was that. After a 105mi ride yesterday, 6 hours of waiting around this morning, the entire Peloton sped by in about 25seconds. And the old folks all went home to make dinner or something. I walked around the city for a couple of hours, hoping to find a cafe that was showing the rest of the stage (there's an HC climb today- surely where all the 'real' fans are at) but sadly sound several showing.... horse racing. And the extra-stupid carriage toting horse racing at that. Macon isn't much of a cycling town, and it shows. The most important road bike race in the world just started from here today, and you're showing horses pulling cute little buggies around in circles. Weirdos.

4 day Mini Tour: Denver > Longs > Ned > Boulder > Denver

My last big push physically before my 3 month summer tour begins- and more importantly I think, a trial run with the 'new' bike and my gear setup. Set up the bike last weekend, packed up on Wed/Thurs and I took a 'vacation' day Friday and hit the road at 7am headed west.

My agenda for the long weekend: bike tour to Longs Peak, hike to the summit of Longs, ride to Nederland and then find my 'puter seat in the courier office on Monday morning.

I elected to climb via Golden Gate Canyon, the most direct route onto the Peak To Peak HW. It is a long, long climb... a few years ago when I was "training" for my first Utah Tour, I tried to climb this road, sans gear. I had to surrender to bowing my head over my bars near the top of the long ascent. Yet today I, smugly, crushed it. 50lbs of gear and I made a steady snail's pace up into the upper edge of the Foothills. Not to brag, but all my training has really paid off! I used to think that working as a courier counted as training. False. Very false. Since early January, you could say I've been sorta focused on training, 5-6 days/wk... running, swimming, weights, yoga, some spin classes, a few weights/spin/yoga (what the hell is that?) and of course many long rides in the mountains made possible by the unseasonably warm and dry winter we had.

So after 16mi of rolling flats and 18mi of of climbs, I finally gained the Peak To Peak HW

From here I headed north on the P2P for ~50mi, undulating between 8K and 9.4Kft  through Nederland, Ward, Allenspark. Shortly prior to the Longs trailhead/camp turnoff, I stopped by Olive Ridge campground and met Roland & Margaret, a retired Swiss couple halfway through their year long RV tour from Buenos Aires to Alaska to NYC! They shared a beer (american Budweiser) as we chatted about my euro tour and art museums near Basel, their hometown.

 
Despite threatening rain clouds all afternoon, I arrived dry at the Longs Peak campground, still closed for the winter, around dusk. Some overnight storms brought rain, lightening and sleet and I packed up camp still encased in ice at 5:30am Saturday morning. 82mi and 9900ft gained my first day out with full gear.

Hit the 7.5mi (each way) Longs trail at 7am on foot and climbed above a beautiful inversion

The weather was spotty; snow flurries w/o accumulation all day. A few times I considered turning back but each time I'd stop to regroup, the clouds would start to break before I was ready to turn tail. And so I kept pushing up and ahead. Until I got through the boulder field and saw a tent, I'd been the only person hiking up this high today.

the "trail" through the boulder field en route to The Keyhole

I pushed through 'The Keyhole' and things started to get far more intense in terms of climbing, altitude and weather. The signs had warned that this was "not a hike" rather a "climb" and I finally began to understand their advice. The backside of The Keyhole was no joke; one wrong slip would send you sliding down into dire consequences!

The Keyhole

The red/yellow bullseye paint marks the "easiest" route to scramble beyond The Keyhole.

Traversed the west ridge and caught up to two Tennessean brothers while ascending "The Trough." Now that I wasn't alone up here in the dicey conditions, all three of us pushed onward through "The Notch" and across "The Narrows." The snow was picking up and starting to accumulate, and the warmer rock faces were beginning to freeze over. Things were getting messy and dangerous. We made it to the very last steep pitch before the Summit Ridge when one of the brothers looked ahead and murmured, "This is stupid."

We all agreed. One slip, which was increasingly likely, would lead to instant death as you cascaded off the cliffs below. We turned back at 13,900ft, just 350ft below the summit. Wise decision... wiser yet would have had us heading down much sooner. There were no epic views, no grand ski lines, no majestic summit. We were just experiencing it for what it was, but that was perhaps better than running into a trail traffic jam on a bluebird day with people streaming onto the summit.

13,906ft

  The return back to the Keyhole was harder than the climb up because the continuing snow/wind was covering our tracks as well as the painted route markers. And shit was getting slick! We progressed very slowly and cautiously with only a few scares; when the Keyhole came into view all 3 of us let out a howl of relief. The risk had not abated entirely, but the worst was behind us. I made haste down the mountain towards my bike/gear so I could ride back down to the Natl Forest campground 6mi south. The sky was still dropping flakes when I returned to the trailhead at 9400ft, but the storm was breaking up and I let out for the other campground where I knew I'd have the next day for the 'dryer cycle' aka Colorado sunshine!

As I dried, organized and hashed out my gear, I had the realization that this stuff, give or take a few items, will be my only worldly possessions for the next three months halfway around the world. I think I'm comfortable with this prospect... certainly wish I didn't have an apartment full of crap to deal with.

In the afternoon I hit the road again and headed south on the P2P HW for 35mi to camp in the National Forest near where I often go mountain biking. Weather squalls missed me again; 2 out of 3 ain't bad. In the early morning I packed up and rolled into Nederland for a morning coffee before jamming down the canyon to work dispatch duties in the courier office.

After 9 hours in the office, it was back to the road to ride home to Denver through the 'burbs. A very successful 4 day trek! About 175mi on the bike and almost 15mi of high alpine hiking for the long weekend.

Denver > Squaw Pass > Bear Creek > Deer Creek; 102mi, 8000ft gained

I began my weekend with hopes up riding the paved road to the summit of Mt Evans at 14,264ft. However, a cold storm front was approaching and the forecast called for a 70% chance if thunderstorms in the afternoon. So I tried anyway despite not expecting to be able to safely (or comfortably) gaining the summit. Alas, I made it up to Squaw Pass at 9807ft while the clouds were swirling in and the temps were dropping. I could see my breath, and knew that it'd be in the upper 20's once up another 4500ft higher.

So I bailed on my Evans summit goal and instead rode to the end of the line up Squaw Mountain. It was 45 degrees here at 10,600ft. Not quite the amazing vista I'd hoped for, but I do appreciate having cell reception:

Some good views on the way back down to Squall Pass, however:

I cut over down Witter Gulch gravel road to Upper Bear Creek Canyon Rd, which eventually led into the town of Evergreen. From there I continued down to the little village of Kittridge and turned south on Meyers/Parmalee Gulch Rd to get to Deer Creek Canyon. I'd ridden these canyons a few months ago; it was fun to hit them backwards today.

I love this section of Deer Creek; you might think you were in the southern Utah desert:

Took a couple of detours on the bikepath ride home in order to surmount 100 miles... if you're gonna ride well over 90mi, may as well bag a Century, right? I'm disappointed not to have summitted a 14er today, but glad not to have gotten caught in a frozen thunderstorm above treeline. Hopefully the weather improves by next weekend and I'll go for it again.

my new friend

As my 3 month summer tour approaches, I lucked into a sweet deal on a Surly Long Haul Trucker touring bike via my coworker's girlfriend's brother. Today I finally got over to pick it up and bring it home. It's a 'beaut, my new friend the 'Iceland Machine.' This bike is designed and built especially for touring and I'm stoked to have the right tool for the job this summer. On my previous Utah tours I successfully utilized my old aluminum Bianchi cyclocross frame, but for a journey of this magnitude I wanted something more durable and purpose driven. Now I've got it, for a good price and pristine peace of mind. Thanks, Declan! [photos coming soon]

Denver > Lookout > Dinosaur Ridge > Bear Creek; 63mi, 3200ft gained

I had larger aspirations for today's ride, but wasn't feeling so hot and bagged my original route. Instead, I knocked off Lookout Mountain outside Golden, then headed south along Dinosaur Ridge and up and over. I eventually ended up near enough Bandimere Speedway dragstrip and listened to some muscle cars rip down the 1/4mi strip but couldn't see much. Despite not getting in my multiple major climbs like I'd intended, it was a good day on the road bike. I feel like I pansy for only pedaling 63mi w/ insignificant climbing, but some days are made for taking it easier.

classic switchbakcs on Lookout Mountain Road

Boulder > 4 Mile Canyon > Gold Hill > Sunshine Canyon: 23mi, 3100ft gained

I had to work in the Boulder office dispatching our bike couriers today so I took the opportunity to get in a quick road bike ride in the mountains after I got out from behind the computer. Started up Boulder Canyon for a few miles, then northwest up 4 Mile Canyon (another classic Boulder area climb.) This area had been devastated by the infamous 4 Mile Fire back in September 2010- burning over 130 homes and making it the most destructive (to man-made structures, anyway) forest fire in Colorado's history. I hadn't been here since the fire occurred and have been wanting to see the aftermath first hand. It's a fun, steep climb located conveniently close to town, gaining about 3000ft in 13mi from Boulder.

The road turns to packed dirt after about 6mi and gets into the thick of the burn area.

Continuing upwards, I reached the historic mining town of Gold Hill at 8100ft. The firefighters luckily saved this little mountain community and its 100+ year old structures from the fire. Just barely, as you'll notice how close the burn came to town. 

Topping out around 8300ft above Gold Hill, it was downhill back into Boulder via Sunshine Canyon. I was glad when the bumpy dirt road turned back into pavement so I could open it up safely for the long twisty descent into town.

backside of the Flatirons on the upper left

2 hours; 23 miles and 3100ft of climbing. Another day at the office.

Boulder > Lyons > Peak To Peak > Golden > Lookout > Denver: 114mi, 9950ft gained

Hopped on the 8am bus up to Boulder, grabbed a coffee and a couple delicious Santiago's breakfast burritos, then rolled alongside the foothills on HW 36 to Lyons. From town, I headed west up the South St. Vrain River canyon, aka HW 7.

Highway 7 west of Lyons

Eventually I met up with the Peak To Peak Highway after the tiny village of Raymond. This is the fourth time I've ridden the Peak To Peak this year, each time accessing it via a different climb from the Front Range. After today, I've ridden the entire 68mi of high elevation road, save for the very first few miles at the southern end of the highway. (One of these days I'm going to include this entire route in a single day ride... but there are still many more remote roads to explore first.)

looking north from the Peak To Peak Highway near Rollinsville

I turned onto sometimes dirt Gap Road to link into Golden Gate Canyon near the state park. I came across this foreboding signage- luckily (as I expected) this 19% grade was downhill in my direction of travel. Although aiming down a 19% grade on a road bike still feels pretty wild. Perhaps one day I'll come back to ride up it... it'd be a fun challenge to tackle that fairly short section. At this point I had 70mi on my legs for the day and didn't have time to session it today.

Gap Road north of Golden Gate Canyon

After descending to Golden Gate Canyon State Park, I diverted back north on Crawford Gulch Road to try see something new, since I've ridden the canyon several times. Crawford was a beautiful, quiet road that meandered around and connected to Golden Gate much closed to Golden.

Passing through Golden, it was a little after 6pm and I still had some daylight and energy left, so I knocked off Lookout Mountain since I was in the neighborhood. I passed "the pillars" at mile 89 for the day, and got up to the top as the sun was sinking low.

Lookout Mt

I turned around at Buffalo Bill's grave and blasted down the switchbacks I'd just ridden up. This road is usually dense with auto and bike traffic, but on a late Easter Sunday evening it was safe to open it up and really carve the descent. 32min up the climb, 9min back down.

Back through Golden and towards Denver as darkness set in (I bring my lights on all these long rides for just such reasons.) I stopped off at a grocery store to get some goodies for a solo Easter dinner: some cheap ham slices, asparagus and a big potato for baking. It was a delicious meal after 114mi and 9950ft of climbing for the day! I'm bummed to fall just shy of the elusive 10K climb day, but will get it soon. And then some.

Boulder > Brainard Lake > Blackhawk > Golden Gate > Denver: 102mi, 9850ft gained

Ticked off another classic Front Range ride today, but made it a lot more interesting than standard out-n-back. Started off taking the bus up to Boulder, then tackling the ever popular Lefthand Canyon climb up to the quirky little mountain village of Ward at 9450ft.

Ward

Once crossing the Peak To Peak Highway just above Ward, I continued further up to Brainard Lake at 10,300ft. This is a fee area (and quite crowded) during summer months, but in the snowy season it's free to cross the gate on feet or two wheels.

road conditions began to deteriorate around 10,000ft

Brainard Lake in the Roosevelt National Forest

After eating lunch on the shore of the lake, I met a couple of backcountry skiers who'd ridden mountain bikes w/ ski gear in tow and had a beer and good company in the parking area. Back to the task at hand, I began south on the Peak to Peak.

I eventually made it to the casino town of Blackhawk, refilled my water bottles inside a big casino while wearing full spandex kit and earning confused looks from heavyset retirees feeding the slots. Just east of Blackhawk, I took a very steep, dirt Smith Hill Rd up and over to Golden Gate Canyon Rd before climbing the final ridge as the sun sank low over the foothills to the west.

Once over the top, it was a magnificent descent of 2000ft in 7miles into the town of Golden. A straight shot on the rollers along 32nd Ave brought me to my buddy Ian's house for a beer and hanging out, a welcome reward after a long day of 102mi and 9,800 vertical feet of climbing. Finally accomplished my solo mountain century ride this year!

Iceland or bust!

For months I've been mulling over plans for an epic, solo, self supported bicycle tour in Europe this summer. I've wanted to do a trek like this for several years and as things have panned out over the winter, life finally lined up to make it happen. Time to move on from a long relationship, from 4.5 years living in Denver, from 8.5 years as a bike messenger for Denver/Boulder Couriers. Time to go on a long adventure!!

I finally pulled the trigger and bought my plane ticket, thus making this feel like much more of a reality. I fly from Denver to Iceland in June, spend a month there circumnavigating the island and checking out the fascinating geologic features: active volcanoes, fjords, glaciers, mountains, geysers, and perhaps most appealing- hot springs!

In early July, I'll fly to mainland Europe, catch some mountain stages of the Tour de France later in July and spend 2 months exploring the continent. No real agenda yet, but I expect it to include France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany... maybe more, maybe less depending on my muses. I'll be traveling on my bike, carrying all my gear and belongings in panniers, primarily camping at night. Having done two short tours in Utah in years past, I'm ready for something seriously epic. Can't wait!

Sedalia > South Platte River > High Grade Rd > Denver: 94mi, 6500ft gained

A major motivation of my road rides is exploring new places and roads that I haven't seen yet, and I keep being drawn further from home as I mark more trips off my "to do" list. This one was particularly interesting since it is fairly far southwest of Denver and doesn't get much weekend warrior roadie bike traffic. I made my way down to the little town of Sedalia on the edge of the foothills before heading up Jarre Canyon towards the high country.

I've come across a vast variety of creatively built mailboxes out in the mountain roads, but this one is my favorite to date- attached to the back half of a vintage tractor sinking into the hillside:

Further up the ridge, I came across some paramilitary wannabees preparing to play war games with their paint guns and full camo fatigues. They were actually quite nice folks- to each his own I suppose, although I'd prefer to spend my weekends pedaling my bike in the mountains than pretending I'm in battle. Either way, another novel sight along my rides. As I said, I'm getting more remote in my routes so maybe this is par for the course moving ahead. If so, I have no complaints in the curiosity department:

This ride had about 20mi of dirt roads, which I typically enjoy. (Although the fast 2000ft descent on gravel was a little nerve racking.) I love the relative solitude you get even with skinny tires though.

From there it was down to the South Platte River, and it was pure joy to see this river as it ought to be out in the mountains. I see it every day during work within the city of Denver, where it has been relegated to a sad, smelly industrial sewer. Before we have our way with it in the city, it flows like a gorgeous mountain waterway:

West Fork of the South Platte River

 Along the way I made new friends, Albert, Donna & Darlene, at the tiny village of Dome Rock, which used to be a railroad stop back in the old mining days. These nice folks were hosting the best yard sale I've ever seen... and I've been to a heck of a lot of yard sales. The structure that they now live in was once the jail, 100 years ago.

And this is the old train depot across the road, leftover from when it was a whistle stop along the mining/tourism rail line:

I then climbed up Foxton Rd out to Pleasant Park, which led to a fast (44+ mph) descent down the High Grade Rd that I'd climbed recently. Super fun and a little scary through the twisty steeps. 2000ft descent without pedaling once, and on the brakes for a lot of it. Going down, it was nice to think I'd labored up this stretch as well.

"R U Lazy?" Dunno, how'd you get here at 8400ft?