Great Lakes - Ride The Rockies?

Ahem and CyLowe ... you guys still looking at this? I'm maybe interested.

:rolleyes:

you should also consider the bicycle tour of Colorado http://www.bicycletourcolorado.com/ I was considering this for my 40th present to myself next year. It is very similar but the mileage is a little longer each day.

Now I need to convince the wife.

Colorado is awesome. Just don't try to race at 9,000 ft. :innocent:

Only if its all downhill :D

Ahem and CyLowe ... you guys still looking at this? I'm maybe interested.

i dont know about this Ahem guy, but me, aham23 is doing it. :D

it is something Cy and i have been tossing around for a while. there is a lot to it, meaning logistics and all, but i have the most important part already covered............clearence from the tower.

later.

Those both (Fred's and ColorChange's) sound like incredible trips. One question, I know Fred has access to some hills up in northern Michigan, how do you Chicago guys plan to prepare for that amount of climbing and the altitude with the terrain you have south of the cheddar curtain?

Jose ... you're raining on my parade man ... we don't plan for anything, we just show up and suffer.

So, Aham, can anyone crash the party? Are you interested in making at a BF party spectatular?

I am not so big on camping out and think I would prefer the gym option.

Looking at CRMBT, myself.

Hey guys, would anyone be interested in doing Lake Tahoe instead? My brother lives there and we could crash there. Wouldn't be so organized or supported but would cost less and be a lot more comfortable and I think ... even more fun. I think we could match terrain fairly well.

I think aham has pretty much had his heart set on RTR for a while now. Kind of his White Whale.

...actually I think I saw him whittling a mountain out of a cliff bar the other day.....scarry stuff.

Those both (Fred's and ColorChange's) sound like incredible trips. One question, I know Fred has access to some hills up in northern Michigan, how do you Chicago guys plan to prepare for that amount of climbing and the altitude with the terrain you have south of the cheddar curtain?


I wouldn't worry about training as long as you are in good shape. The hills/mountains are much longer but not near as steep as Michigan or Wisconsin. I remember seeing colorchange's polar data from one of the Wisconsin challenge rides and he might just launch himself over the peaks.

There was a group of 3 couples that I ride with and they did both rides a couple of years ago. They were in there 40's and 50's they are strong A group riders for up here which means weak A's or strong B's in a metro area. they all had no problem with the hills or elevation. they did say that you could tell the air was thinner on some of the higher passes bot it was not a concern. They all did like the bicycle tour of Colorado better as there was more mileage and saddle time.

I would love to do a great lakes BF group trip like this but we are in the process of opening another store and I don't know if I will still be broke or have the funds and time available until the last minute:(.

Jose ... you're raining on my parade man ... we don't plan for anything, we just show up and suffer.

So, Aham, can anyone crash the party? Are you interested in making at a BF party spectatular?

I am not so big on camping out and think I would prefer the gym option.

you certainly can "crash" (figuratively speaking of course) the party. besides knowing i want and will do it i have not done much research yet. if i did the camping thing at RTR i would go with the full blow Sherpa service where they provide the equipment and setup/teardown. i would prefer to get lodging at each stop, but until the route is posted i cant check into that.

i would be open to something else simillar. any links on what you mentioned?



I think aham has pretty much had his heart set on RTR for a while now. Kind of his White Whale.

...actually I think I saw him whittling a mountain out of a cliff bar the other day.....scarry stuff.

i ended up eating that one, but it did look pretty cool. later.

you certainly can "crash" (figuratively speaking of course) the party. besides knowing i want and will do it i have not done much research yet. if i did the camping thing at RTR i would go with the full blow Sherpa service where they provide the equipment and setup/teardown. i would prefer to get lodging at each stop, but until the route is posted i cant check into that.

You might even want to check in to the hotel option. my friends did both and they all agree that the hotels were worth the extra cash. they said some days when you were done it was very hot (tents don't have AC) and some night were close to freezing (tents don't have heat).

All in all they both ways were very fun from what I have heard.

Count me in for a great lakes bike forum group going out there next summer

RTR is on the radar.

Many background dependencies still to fall into place, though.

How about the Leadville 100 mountain bike race. A friend and I are thinking about it (no tower clearance yet).

So many options. So little time.

Hi folks,

I just moved to Illinois from Colorado. I've done RTR 4 times. Shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

Be careful.....you love mountains like I do....Colorado is one dangerous place to visit. :love:

I spent a month there this summer.....we're heading back there for Thanksgiving.

Once the mountain is in you....you know what I mean???? Course I'd say if you're carving cliff bars into mountains, you're already gone anyway! :cry:

I think I'll ride it this summer if it corresponds with our planned vacation time out there.

Hi folks,

I just moved to Illinois from Colorado. I've done RTR 4 times. Shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

I am curious why you chose RTR instead of BTC? My friends thought that BTC was much better and yet you lived in CO and chose RTR. I am going to do one of these two rides in either 2009 or 2010 and would like your insight on their differences.

All of these proposed trips sound epic and I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious. If you guys would be willing to allow a cheddar head poseur to tag along I'm thinking this would be a hell of a time. The wife is cool with me taking off to do something like this, so its would simply be a matter of which trip would be the most fun/bang for the buck.

its RTR or bust for this BFNIC'er :)

later.

I say we put together a road trip to Colorado. The question is which ride, I think aham23 is set on RTR. I was originally thinking BTC due to longer rides. RTR last year was 435 miles in 6 days, 72.5 mile average. BTC is scheduled for 513 miles in six days, 85.5 mile average. I would do either if we could get a group to travel with.


If we do the RTR it is a lottery and we would want to register together so if one gets picked we all get in (correct me if I am wrong).


So who would want to do this and who could drive.


I have a Chrysler minivan that can carry 3 with 3 bikes INSIDE or 4 with a trailer hitch mount for three bikes and my bike inside:D.


I have checked with the tower and have a yellow light. If we get a group I will make sure the light goes green.

I will already be there and meet you in the mountains. Cue the mu ha ha ha ...evil mountain momma laughter.

Thanks to Colorchange I have the fever again.

I have started to do some more research on the two rides and found this on a different forum. I thought it had a good comparison so here it is.....




We've done the last three Ride the Rockies (RTR), and because of the route, we're very seriously considering Bicycle Tour (BTC) this year.
All three times, we debated which tour to do, and have done as much research as possible. As best we can tell, differences are:
1. Daily rides are generally a bit tougher on BTC, but BTC has a rest day. RTR is a bit easier (less aggressive climbs and slightly shorter mileages) but you ride every day. Of course, the rides are both in Colorado, and tough days are inevitable on both rides. I would say that BTC attracts a slightly more hard-core group.
2. RTR has better vendors supplying food along the route. BTC supplies better food at the rest stops. BTC has fruit options, PBJ's, cookies/crackers. RTR has bananas or oranges. BTC has one lunch option. RTR has a group of vendors that set up at all the rest stops, so you can get burritos or burger or smoothies at the rest stops.
3. Both have full motorcycle police escorts, same camping situations, but different hotel options. RTR has a vendor that will do luggage transfers to all the hotels, and you book the hotels yourself. BTC has a vendor that books all the hotels for you and transfers your luggage -- if you book them yourself, you're on your own for getting your luggage back and forth from the ride headquarters in each town.
4. Both seem to be incredible - I've heard nothing bad about either, and I can't wait to pick which one to do this year too. I'm even considering doing both, back to back!

Anybody else interested in doing one of these. I would love to carpool to save some gas and be able to talk to someone other than myself.

Thanks to Colorchange I have the fever again.

I have started to do some more research on the two rides and found this on a different forum. I thought it had a good comparison so here it is.....



1. Daily rides are generally a bit tougher on BTC, but BTC has a rest day. RTR is a bit easier (less aggressive climbs and slightly shorter mileages) but you ride every day. Of course, the rides are both in Colorado, and tough days are inevitable on both rides. I would say that BTC attracts a slightly more hard-core group.


Anybody else interested in doing one of these. I would love to carpool to save some gas and be able to talk to someone other than myself.

minor correction on #1 RTR historically doesnt have an off day but this year there was a new director
this year and there was an off day so we dont yet know if that is a trend or not
other items
5. BTC tends to be a loop ride RTR is generally point to point (1 exception) meaning you need to shuttle
if someone doesnt drop you off.
6 RTR has a cap at 2000 BTC doesnt cap so some yrs BTC is 1700 other yrs BTC is 2200
7. there is a 3rd tour in colorado this will be 3rd yr size is in hundreds instead of thousands
Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike TourAugust 2nd-8th 2009 http://www.crmbt.com/

I am curious why you chose RTR instead of BTC? My friends thought that BTC was much better and yet you lived in CO and chose RTR. I am going to do one of these two rides in either 2009 or 2010 and would like your insight on their differences.

RTR is much better publicized than BTC. It's sponsored by a newspaper and a TV channel. I had never heard of BTC until maybe 2 years after my first RTR. There's a bit of cachet involved with winning the lottery as well.

That said, BTC routes are generally slightly harder and their being in a loop is very convenient. I have friends who did the BTC and had nothing bad to say about it.

fwiw, the age profile in RTR is old and getting older. Average age seems to be 50+. Dunno if BTC is any different.

I would go with whatever is more convenient or has the more interesting route for that year.