RTR 2010 - Day 7 - The final day

Finally the last day of Ride the Rockies 2010. My legs are tired, my butt hurts, and I'm just feeling exhausted overall.





The ride today was 84 miles from Alamosa to the finish at Salida. Dave and I rode out of camp at 5:20 a.m. and into a chilly morning.



The roads around Amalosa are mostly flat which was good, but once we hit the road out of town, we were staring at an impossibly long and straight stretch of road with nothing but fields and the occasional cow on either side.



Dave and I rode in a two-person paceline until we got the Poncha Pass where Dave rode ahead, knowing that I'd probably catch him on the descent.





I stopped for a minute at the top of Poncha Pass to shoot a photo before starting the ride down into Salida.



The ride into town was all downhill and fast (55 MPH again on the descent).

I didn't catch sight of Dave until about 1/4 mile before the finish and crossed the line a few seconds behind him. For the next hour, we kept bumping fists and congratulating each other on an awesome 7 days riding.

After a quick shower, I packed up the car, grabbed a well-earned beer and meatball sub before heading home to see my family, who I was missing like crazy.



Here are the stats for the day:

Total pedal time: 4 hours 35 minutes
Total distance: 85 miles
Average Speed: 18.5 MPH
Max speed: 55.0 MPH

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RTR 2010 - Day 6

Pagosa Springs to Alamosa over Wolf Creek Pass

Today was a killer day. I got an early start again - mostly because my legs were fried and I am a slow climber. By slow, I mean 4 to 5 miles an hour on climbs over mountain passes.

A bunch of people passed me on the climb today, and there were times when I wanted to stop. But that means starting up again which is never easy.

Climbs are mentally the toughest part of the ride for me. Not only do I have to not worry about ll the people passing me (which is startling if they don't announce themselves), but it's also the fact that there's not much I can do to make myself more comfortable on the climb.

On other parts of the ride, I can sit up straight, go into the drops, stand up out of the saddle and bounce on the pedals for a while. With climbing, there's really nothing that makes the climb more comfortable - especially when you're working your way up 8 miles of 6% - 7% grade.

Here's a photo of me at the first rest stop - 16 miles into the ride (a steady climb of 2% - 3% grade) and before tackling the 8 steepest miles to the summit - that's why I'm still smiling.




To get through tough climbs, I usually get a song in my head that matches my cadence and just grind through it.

There was a guy from Switzerland - Fred - who had an uncanny knack for catching me near the top of a climb and chatting with me over the last 1/2 mile or so. His encouragement and enthusiasm gave me extra energy to get to the summit. Cheers Fred!!!

The ride down the other side of Wolf Creek Pass was a fast one. I hit a new record for my fastest speed descending - 55.2 MPH.

The last 45 miles of the day were flat straight roads leading to Alamosa. Those of us who left early in the day were stuck with a wicked headwind (gusts up to 35 mph) that turned into a wicked crosswind as we approached Alamosa. The final 2 miles, we turned directly into the wind and I could only manage 11 MPH on the flat road into camp.

The first thing I did when I arrived at the camp site was to book a one-hour massage to get the kinks out of my back, neck, shoulders and legs.

Here are my stats for the day:

Total pedal time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Total elapsed time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Total Distance: 93 miles
Average Speed: 14.8 mph
Max speed: 55.2 mph

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RTR 2010 - Day 5 Lessons Learned

1) Trucks are your friend
Here's what I've been doing when trucks pass me on the road (in addition to hugging the right side of the shoulder).

If the truck is going in the same direction, shift to a higher gear and pedal faster. When the rush of wind from the truck hits you, it will slingshot you forward.

If the truck is going in the opposite direction, keep your pedaling cadence consistent and get in an aero position (lean forward, hands in the drops and keep your head low). The rush of wind from the truck shoul pass right over you. Be patient - it takes a few seconds after the truck passes you for the wind to hit you.

2) Carry your cell phone charger with you at all times. You never know where you'll find an outlet (yesterday, I charged my phone at the Mongolian BBQ while eating lunch after the ride).

3) Thank the volunteers every time you get the chance!! They're giving up a lot of their own time to support the ride and aren't having nearly as much fun as you are.

4) Go back to visit Ouray - it rocks!!!

5) Scope out the camp site each day for the following:
- power outlets
- indoor bathrooms and showers
- a camping spot near a building (the temp near the buildings is about 10 degrees warmer which I nice at night and in the morning)

6) Be generous with sunscreen

7) Be generous with encouragement along the route - there's nothing better than hearing someone tell you that you're doing an awesome job while grinding up a mountain pass at a snails pace.

8) Recommended order of doing things when rolling into the campsite:

1 - ride around and find a good camping spot (somewhere near the baggage trucks so you don't have to haul your bag too far)
2 - mark your spot with your bike and grab your bag from the truck. If they're not finished unloading - give them a hand.

3 - set up your tent and mix/drink your recovery drink.

4 - head to the shower trucks an grab a shower - the sooner, the better. You'll feel like a million bucks after a shower.

5 - re-apply sunscreen

6 - wash out your bottles for the day

7 - grab your cell phone charger and follow your nose to the nearest grill for lunch.

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RTR 2010 - Day 5

Durango to Pagosa Springs

After yesterday's ride, today felt like a recovery day. I was up early again and rolled out of Durango at 5:15 a.m.




Getting out on the road early makes for a more enjoyable day. It was the perfect thing to do today because the shoulder on the road was non-existent for most of the ride, and I can't imagine how difficult it would have been trying to ride some of those roads with 50-100 other people.





The ride out of Durango was both chilly and calm. There weren't too many other riders or cars on the road which made for a relaxing start to the day.




Most of the day was spent spinning through the backroads surrounding Durango. We didn't have much wind the entire day which helped a lot.




Most of the roads were in good condition except for an 18 mile stretch through the Navajo National Park that was quite bumpy. I stood up out of the saddle for most of that because my butt (sit bones) are really sore.




Short climbs and short descents were the order of the day, and I rolled into Pagosa Springs after 87 miles in the saddle.




I feel a huge sense of accomplishment after today's ride. I thought I'd have a much harder time at this, but so far, I've been able to make it through each day in decent times and feeling pretty good after the ride.

Here are stats from today's ride:

Total ride time: 5 hours 13 minutes
Total elapsed time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Total miles: 87
Average Speed: 16.4 mph
Max speed: 49.4 mph



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RTR 2010 - Day 4

Ouray to Durango

A grueling 3-pass day, but I was able to get an early start (on the road by 5:30 a.m.).



The climb out of Ouray was a brutal 13 miles with a sharp cliff drop off to our right.



It kept me on my toes early in the morning.


The first pass - Red Mountain Pass (11,019 ft) was was cold and windy, so I didn't stay long. The descent into Silverton was smooth and very chilly.
I could barely feel my fingers when I got to the bottom.



The next pass was Molas Pass (approx 10,800 ft) was much nicer. I stayed long enough to munch a fistfull of grapes and fill my bottles with Gatorade, and then I was off again.



Coal Bank Pass (10,500 ft) was the last pass of the day, and I treated myself to a spinach, feta and chicken crepe. Tasty indeed.



The final 36 miles of the day combined rollers with fast descents on our way into Durango.

Everyone we spoke to this afternoon is in the same boat - our butts are sore and our legs are sore, but we're having a hell of a time and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Lessons from Day 4:

1) Waking up and leaving early means you don't have to wait in a line of 35 people to use the bathroom in the morning.

2) it also means you get the freshest grapes, bananas and oranges at the rest stops.

Here are the stats for the day:

Total miles: 75
Average speed: 12.6 mph
Total pedal time: 5 hrs 51 minutes
Total climbing: approx. 5,700 ft



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RTR 2010 - Day 3 Stats

Total ride time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Total miles: 67
Average speed: 15.5 mph
Max speed: 43.7 mph

Here are some pics from Ouray.













The view from outside my tent.



Lessons from Day 3

1) Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate - I've been drinking a ton of water on all my rides during the tour (approx 1 gallon of fluid while riding) and haven't had any cramps.

2) Don't set up your tent near the kids playground - they'll be screaming till it gets dark.

3) 8 hours of sleep minimum is a good amount each night. Well rested = good riding the next day.

4) Set out everything the night before - vitamins, morning protein drink, sunscreen, clothes for the day, shoes, gloves, etc... Anything you think you might need, make sure it's out and easily accessible.

5) Hang your bike light from overhead in your tent so you can find everything in the morning. It's going to be dark when you wake up.


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RTR 2010 - Day 3

I never thought that a 67 mile day and 3,500 feet climbing would qualify as an easy day, but somehow it has.



We rolled out of Delta at around 6:15 a.m. this morning. The weather was cool all morning which made the ride very comfortable. There were some rough roads that had me wishing I was on a carbon fiber bike, but from what I hear, everyone got rattled around on that stretch of road.

The ride today was relatively mellow with a few good rollers, gradual climbs and wide open scenery.



Once we started crossing the river, we knew that Ouray was close.

The coolest part about today was seeing the mountains getting bigger and bigger with each passing mile.



We arrived in Ouray shortly after noon and promptly set up camp and headed to the shower truck. It felt good to clean up and relax.



Ouray is one of the most beautiful towns I have ever visited. It's surrounded by dramatic mountains and cliffs and has a lively downtown. If you're in town, stop by Cafe Ouray - they have good sandwiches and wraps as well as ice cream and gelato.

RTR 2010 - Random pics from Delta

Delta is an odd little town with very welcoming people. I still don't know if they have a downtown area.

Here are some photos:









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RTR 2010 - Day 2

Grand Mesa kicked my ass today, but I didn't SAG. My slowest speed for the day was 3.4 mph on the climb and my fastest speed on the descent was 45 mph.



I woke up at 4:30 a.m. this morning, packed up my tent and rolled out of town by 5:30 a.m. The first 20 miles were awesome. We rode through orchards and vineyards surrounding Grand Junction before reaching the base of the climb at Grand Mesa.


All of the RTR volunteers have done an amazing job at the aid stations and are a welcome sight during long climbs. Thank you wonderful people!!!



The lower section of Grand Mesa was deceptively easy and once the climb started, it didn't let up until the summit - 20 miles of climbing in total that took me around 5 hours to complete. The ride up was pretty miserable with periods of rain and cold temps.




Once I reached the summit however, conditions worsened and we were treated to temps around 42 degrees and rain, sleet and snow.







Fortunately the descent into Delta was a quick one followed by 12 miles of relatively flat terrain that led us to Delta Middle School - our camping location for the evening.


Stats for the day are:
Total elapsed time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Total Miles: 94
Average Speed: 13.4 mph
Approx Pedal time: 7 hours 15 minutes

Lessons from Day 2:
1) Bring cold weather gear and rain gear because you're going to need it.

2) Ride at your own pace - there will always be people faster than you. Go your own speed and enjoy the ride.

3) People on the side of the road ringing cowbells and cheering you on really do make you go faster. Thanks to all the locals who came out to support the tour.

4) It is totally worth waking up early to get out on the road ahead of the main group of riders - makes for a much more enjoyable start to the day.

5) Pushing yourself past your limits feels really good.

Day 3 - 67 miles to Ouray on a gradual uphill (3,500 feet vertical of climbing).
Onward and upward!! (literally)



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RTR 2010 - Day 1 - Lessons Learned

Another awesome day...here are some good things to remember.

1) Going your own pace works really well. I got dropped on the climb, and rode a comfortable pace and feel good at the end of the day. It also gave me more opportunities to take photos.

2) Early departure I the way to go. We took off at 6:45 a.m. this morning and rode on uncrowded streets. We also didn't have to wait in line for th showers when we got back to camp.

3) There is great food off campus - well worth the shuttle bus into town.

4) When you think about stopping to take a photo- go ahead and do it, because it's not like you do this every day.

5) When Dave offers you earplugs, gladly accept them because the reggae/SoCal band (as awesome as they are) will be Welcoming you to JamRock well past your bedtime.

94 Miles tomorrow - bring it!!!


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Ride the Rockies - Day 1

Incredible day riding through Colorado National Monument today.

We left at around 7:00 a.m. this morning and rode from Mesa State College through some of the surrounding neighborhoods and then into Colorado National Monument.




The ride through the monument was breathtaking with the sun breaking through the clouds and the steep walls of the canyon rising up to greet us.



For the first 15 miles we climbed up switchbacks, through a tunnel, up some more switchbacks and finally to the top where the views were incredible.



At the top, I shot a quick self-portrait...



...ate some grapes...



...and paid hommage to my bike -thanks for getting me to the top Cervelo!



The downhills were amazing with tight switchbacks and a couple of tunnels thrown in for good measure.

Here are the stats from today's ride:
Total ride time - 2 hours 45 mins
Total miles - 45 miles
Avg speed - 16.5 mph
Max speed - 37.8 mph

Ride the Rockies - Day 0 - Part Two

After a pretty heavy lunch, Dave (another tech guy from Boulder) and I decided to head out to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner. We weren't disappointed.



It's now a little after 10:00 p.m. and the jazz band has finished their final set and everyone is getting ready to crash - me included.




But first, a few lessons from the day:

1) When blogging save more often than you think you need to.

2) The early bird catches the worm (and the best spot to camp).

3) A packing list and much preparation really pay off.

More to come tomorrow - the first day of riding through Colorado National Monument.


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Ride the Rockies - Day 0 - Part One

After months of preparation, the day has finally arrived - the beginning of Ride the Rockies.

Before I get too far into the daily blog, I want to thank everyone for their support and encouragement over the past few months. It's been great having so many people behind me.

I woke up early this morning to drive from Colorado Springs (depart 5:45 a.m.) to Salida (arrived 8:15 a.m) which is the finishing town of the tour to drop off my car and catch a bus to Grand Junction.

A cold and cloudy day followed me from Colorado Springs to Salida (where it started raining) and then on to Grand Junction. There were occasional patches of sunshine on the way to Salida, but in the end, the clouds ruled the day.


The bus ride from Salida to Grand Junction was a long 5 hours, but I was lucky enough to sit next to a lady named Jane who has completed several endurance rides. The longest was a ride from Canada to Mexico over 17 days averaging 120 miles a day. Something to shoot for.

Rain greeted us in Grand Junction, so a few of us decided to pitch our tents under the shelter of one of the campus buildings.




This was a decision we felt progressively better about as rain continued to fall throughout the day and late arrivals were forced to pitch their tents on what was fast becoming a cold and soggy field.



Registration was incredibly smooth (hats off to the RTR organizers) and it wasn't long before the bikes arrived on a semi from Salida and we could start putting them back together.








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