Fifty Plus (50+) - RtR Day 3

Only 750 miles remaining! That's a lot of calories!

Another down! Today was Buena Vista to Edwards which is near Beaver Creek. Another 76 miles that was really tough the first half of the ride which was to Leadville.

I appreciate Bike WNC tipping me off about the first half of today's segment. It was uphill just about the whole way to Leadville. Plus there was a really brisk headwind that made it pretty brutal.

I jumped into as many pacelines as I could. If I was solo I'd jump into a line that came screaming by-if you can call a line going 11 mph vs my 9 mph screaming.

Today was all about saving energy for the days ahead. I easily could have worn myself out so badly I might not have recovered. Probably the best way to describe most of the ride today was relentless! However we were treated to a really fast last 15 miles downhill-just what we needed to save the day.

I did stop and get some of Dan's pancakes. I have eaten lots of pancakes but his are the best you'll ever eat. He remembered my email and picture I sent him so he gave me an extra helping. I just wish he was with us next week!

I did not get the chance to see the countryside as much as usual as I was too busy hugging wheels.

What I did see was amazing as always-snow covered mountains in the distance, rivers running alongside us most of the way with rushing water plus lots of gorgeous valley floors.

I only hope the folks that passed me with a lot of speed today were locals who are very acclimated to the elevations! I'm sure it wasn't because of lack of effort on my part!

We're staying at a really nice new High School complex. It is huge. I set up my tent behind a soccer goal only to find the players come out to practice. I hope they are accurate!

Tomorrow is a leg over to Steamboat Springs where we'll be for 2 nights.

One thing I have found coming from the East Coast to ride in Colorado, there are no easy climbs. Every pass offers a challenge due to the elevation. But when you get home and recover a few days I expect you'll be setting some PRs.

IMPORTANT INFO FROM BTC

Hi from the BTC,

We are excited that you will be cycling with the
2011 BTC this summer!!

Regarding the Glenwood Bicycle Path.
heading into Glenwood Springs on
DAY 4.
We visited the area yesterday. Parts
of the concrete path have completely
eroded away and are down river.
The BTC will reroute DAY 4 to stay
on Highway 131 from Steamboat Springs
to Wolcott, then cycle on old Highway 6
to Gypsum - 91 miles.
Bicycles will be kept at Eagle Valley
High School in Gypsum and cyclists will
be bused into Glenwood Springs on
DAY 4 and back to Eagle Valley High
School in Gypsum on DAY 6.
This is an unforeseen expense and we
are asking cyclists to pay $20
for the two bus rides and use of the Eagle
Valley High School.
This will be collected at Tour Check-In.

On DAY 7, the BTC has been negotiating
with the decision making personnel for the groups
involved on DAY 7. The BTC has cycled through
the town of Georgetown and on I70 in 2003 and
2007 with no issues. The BTC cycled on I70 in
2009, the year before last, coming into Grand Junction..
For some unexplained reason, CDOT is refusing
to share the road with this cycling event
on I70. An official from Clear Creek County,
who has been employed with the
County since January of 2010,
is also refusing to allow bicycles to
share the bicycle path with the runners.
The path at times is the two-lane old Highway 6.

We offered to have the bicycle tour
move very early in the morning on DAY 7 from
Summit High School through Georgetown and have
the running event could begin 30-45 minutes later.
The Administrator would not consider this option because
he did not want to move the start time of the event..

We suggested holding the BTC at Summit High
School and starting out later than 8am so we would
arrive at the bicycle path after the event was over.
This option would not consider either.
He said there were concerts planned in
Georgetown for that weekend and
the town did not want the traffic issues of cyclists
passing through their town.

With refusal to share the bicycle path and refusal to
share I70, the BTC is left with the choice to shuttle
cyclists from Loveland Basin to Empire, a 16 mile
shuttle. BTC cyclists will still have the climb and descent
of Loveland Pass.

We apologize for the inconvenience this causes.
We hoped we could compromise with CDOT and/or
the Clear Creek County Administrator but as we sat down
at the negotiating table with those involved, we realized
we were working with two government entities/individuals that
refuse to share our public-owned roadways and bicycle path.
Even the attempts by the Colorado State Patrol representative who was
there to encourage compromise were ignored.
The BTC is held hostage between county permits, National
Forest permits, town permits, and
CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation).

We apologize we could not find a way to make these
government entities and individuals realize that the cyclists
cycling with the BTC have a right to use the
bicycle path and I70.

We are having a difficult time trying to understand why
the BTC cannot cycle on I70 when we have done so
in the very recent past and why the bicycle path cannot
be shared by each event.
We are hoping for some kind of a break through.
For now, it seems we will be shuttling.

We encourage cyclists to keep DAY 7 in perspective
and to fully enjoy each day's fantastic cycling adventure in
Colorado's magnificent Rocky Mountains as you cycle
this year's BTC.

Again, we apologize for the inconvenience.
the BTC

Only 750 miles remaining! That's a lot of calories!

Another down! Today was Buena Vista to Edwards which is near Beaver Creek.

That is some incredible topography! I had some remarkable adventures there in a short period some years ago.

A retail shop selling adult beverages sold (sells) hats with their name "Beaver Liquors" on it. Get one. Or not.

Bicycle Tour of Colorado can move to Oregon, we are VERY bike friendly.

I rec'd the email from BTC today. Bummer in several ways. We were planning on using our bikes to ride a little in Glenwood Springs. I would have thought the Georgetown issue would have been addressed and resolved weeks ago.

Love the updates. Don't always comment, but don't let that stop you from being verbose :)

I'm doing a week-long ride in Idaho in August. I think the highest we get is 7k+ in the Sawtooths. I've ridden that elevation in my previous trips back home and don't recall any bad effects from the elevation change. I imagine it gets much worse when you get up into the 10K range though!

The more I read these posts, the more I'm thinking..... I know what I want to do next year on vacation. Now if only the rest of the family can be brought around....

Keep the posts coming!

Love the updates. Don't always comment, but don't let that stop you from being verbose :)

I'm doing a week-long ride in Idaho in August. I think the highest we get is 7k+ in the Sawtooths. I've ridden that elevation in my previous trips back home and don't recall any bad effects from the elevation change. I imagine it gets much worse when you get up into the 10K range though!

In my exprience, There is a big difference in effort required between 6000' and 8000' elevation. I ride to 6K' all the time but when I go out to Co. and ride at 8K' I really feel it. The highest I can ride to here in WNC is 6700' and it doesn't seem any different than down in the valley at 2k'.

I think the atmosphere really starts to thin out around 8k' based on how I feel on the bike.

I have been over Trail Ridge road in Rocky Mountain National Park at over 12,000'. Even though I live in central FL, I don't have any particular trouble with altitude (at least at the elevations I have done). I have figured that riding hard in hot muggy central FL summers uses a bunch of blood to the skin to shunt off heat. When I ride at altitude, it is usually cool, so all the blood can go to the muscles. At least, that is my take on it.

9,000 feet to 10,000 feet is generally considered the beginning elevation when one needs to start thinking about altitide sickness, and look for symptoms for HAPE and HACE (both potentially fatal).

Folks are remarkably different in their response to altitude, and it does not necessarily relate to "fitness."

I just saw the featured entertainment In Steamboat for wed afternoon apre ride is ski jumping
http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2011/jun/13/steamboat-welcome-ride-rockies-cyclists-tuesday/

I just saw the featured entertainment In Steamboat for wed afternoon apre ride is ski jumping
http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2011/jun/13/steamboat-welcome-ride-rockies-cyclists-tuesday/

I'm riding an easier pace tomorrow just so I can show them how to do it 50+ style!

The more I read these posts, the more I'm thinking..... I know what I want to do next year on vacation. Now if only the rest of the family can be brought around....

Keep the posts coming!

Thanks! I did not know if folks found it of interest so that is helpful.

And you really, really should try the lottery next year. Regardless of your skill level you can do it-don't even give that a second thought. There are also many factors to RtR like the friendliness and comraderie. I'm here by myself but have not eaten a meal by myself. They do the best job of logistics that you can imagine. All you have to do is ride and eat!

I can't imagine BtC having all the amenities as RtR so have lowered the bar for next week-but the route should be pretty good-would have been better without the last minute changes.

There is also the smaller 300-400 colorado rocky mtn bike tour crmbt.com its in early august
its run by former racers so the sag stops are better, campsites are basically the same so
lots more room