Fifty Plus (50+) - Anyone looking at doing either Ride the Rockies or Bicycle Tour of Colorado?

Ride the Rockies is June 11-17 and is 412 miles over 6 days. It starts in Crested Butte and ends in Gerogetown.

http://ridetherockies.com/

And then there is the Bicycle Tour of Colorado which is June 19-25 over 7 days (6 days of riding). It is a loop that takes in the Rocky Mountain National Park, Glenwood Springs, Frisco, etc.

http://www.bicycletourcolorado.com/index.php?func=display&module=htmlpages&pid=41

I hope I can get over my joint issues and in good enough shape to one or the other. I like both routes and ideally would love to do both. There would not be a problem getting off work---just not sure my joints are going to let me do one and especially both......

Anyone else considering doing one or the other??

For folks that have ridden these passes would you have a preference on one ride versus the other this year?


(I was watching TV last night and they showed Truckers managing their way from Durango to Ouray on the Million Dollar Highway. We did that stretch on our bikes last year and it was neat to see the roads again. I recognized a number of the scenes, passes and switchbacks. I didn't realiize the road was so hazardous--glad I didn't know it then!!!)

Joe,
A couple of us are committed to Cycle Montana (http://www.adventurecycling.org/tours/tourdetail.cfm?id=238&t=EV11&p=1) about that time. It's probably not as hard as the Colorado rides, but it is spectacular scenery and food. Keep it in mind as an alternative if Colorado doesn't work out. Limit is 120 riders.

Didn't you do Colorado last year? :) I'll be doing Ride Idaho (http://rideidaho.org) with my brother this year. Probably not as much climbing as the Colorado rides, but maybe you can use it as a "recovery week"?

(I was watching TV last night and they showed Truckers managing their way from Durango to Ouray on the Million Dollar Highway. We did that stretch on our bikes last year and it was neat to see the roads again. I recognized a number of the scenes, passes and switchbacks. I didn't realiize the road was so hazardous--glad I didn't know it then!!!)

You bicycled that road and didn't realize it was hazardous???????????

Heck, they lose a snowplow or two over the side every few years along with cars that may not be recovered until June or July when the snow melts and they can see them. As you may have noticed, they have no guard rails - so they have a place to push the snow.

esp if you are worried about training time/recovery you might consider
5 yr old crmbt.com colorao rocky mtn bicycle tour in early aug
max riders is 500 i find I prefer rides in the 300-500 range vs 2000 range
i've done rtr and crmbt twice each i found crmbt superior
starting with lots more campground space and less traffic due to very few personal sags on crmbt

I'm sure they are both great rides as you know Joe. I'm saving my hall pass this year for a TransAlp mtb tour in August. Germany to Italy in 7 days with my brother and cousin (who lives in Germany).