deanp

This weekend I took the family to Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Park for some stereotypical vacation tourism. No bike. Just car sight seeing and some casual walking around to scenic areas. On the way to the summit of RMNP, which is just over 12000 feet, there is a turn out for a scenic overlook into a canyon forrest below. In the parking lot I noticed an SUV with a bike on the rack on top. After walking around a few minutes we head back to the car. The guy with bike has unloaded it from the SUV, gets his gear on and heads to the top. I chuckled to myself, he has hauled his Litespeed almost all the way to top and is now going to finish the climb. His wife heads back down in the SUV. Anyone who didn't see him unload the bike will think he has climbed all the way from bottom. Now, to climb the remainder is no small feat. He has about two miles and about 1000-2000 more elevation to gain, no small task at 12k. I probably couldn't do it. But if you are going to just do the descent there are two other parking areas at the summit. I think he wanted people to see him climbing and to think he had did the whole thing.

For the record we did SEE three guys climbing the whole thing. I am in awe.

Oh and yes I'm jealous of his bike too.

Biggziff

sounds like something I might do.

Did I just say that out loud?

deanp

It would be the only way I could do it. I would love to try the descent. Almost 30 miles from the summit to Granby, that would be a nice ride.

bikeybikebike

tee hee.

deanp

Opps, fixed. It was not an alternative lifestyles weekend thing.

55/Rad

Uhhh....yeah.

Why would anybody who can do this go through the trouble just to have the world think he did the whole thing? Why do you assume that that is what he was doing? Did you talk to him - did you follow him up the hill and watch him prance about at the summit? Did you shoot any photos?

There are so many explanations for this it's silly. Yet this is the impression you and many others have of the OCP.

You'd never see a real OCP person doing that - we hide it better.

55/Rad

deanp

No I didn't talk to him or stalk him to see what he was doing. But maybe he was an OCP noob or wanna be. He was still working on his technique.

ViperZ

Maybe he just wanted the thrill of the ride down? MTB downhillers do it using chair lifts as do Downhill skiers.

deanp

That was the part that struck me as odd. If he just wanted to do the descent, and I am sure many people do, he could have started at two other parking lots and avoided the last part of the climb. I'll give him the benefit of doubt, maybe he is starting his training and each time he starts climbing a little farther down the mountain.

BillyD

Whatever!! My kinda guy.

eyefloater

Maybe he was just warming up and getting his head straight before the huge descent. I certainly wouldn't want to do that cold.

Patriot

Maybe he knew he wasn't quite up to the whole climb, but still wanted to do at least part of it. For those wondering, the last part of that climb at 12k is extremely difficult. The air gets purty darn thin up there. I know, I've been up there. Just the little walk to the summit takes quite a few good breaths of you decide to jog it. If one was to use this climb as a means of getting a good workout, the acclimation to higher elevations would be optimum.

superdex

Was that on Saturday? --might have been us https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/225625-rocky-mountain-national-park-ride-epic.html

mister

Kinda reminds me of the rich kids in junior high that would get spiffy new BMX bikes and have their parents drop them and their bikes off at school so they could show off.

kleng

You'd probably also take photos to record the event, and a video of the descent.

rapidcarbon

don't get it, why should we care about this?

operator

I'd like to see a fixed gear do that.

POTFH

You are quite the judge of this rider. Maybe his cancer treatments have taken away his strength to do the whole climb. Maybe this is where he was hit by a car and is now completing his ride after 3 years of physical therapy when the dr. said he'd never ride again. Who knows and what business is it of yours? Let your anger and insecurities go.

velorapide

+1

-VELOCITY-

Well at least the guy got more riding done than I was able to this weekend.

euroford

being on a vacation with the family, maybe he just wanted to stretch his legs for an hour, not ditch them for the whole day.

but whatever, i ditch the family for two weeks when i go to RMNP.

Biggziff

goes without saying!

deanp

We were up there Sunday. The three guys I saw were in racer gear. One was riding alone and the others were a pair. Cannondale regalia I think.

Phantoj

Last weekend I saw a male/female tandem team climbing in Mount Ranier Park... ~5000 ft altitude at Paradise. I was in a car; passed em at the bottom and, after checking out Paradise, passed 'em on my way back. They were still climbing, but they were almost there! Pretty good for a tandem team!

jtree

or maybe he was getting ready to do some high intesity intervals at altitude.