I'm salivating just reading this thread! I wish I could hit up some cycling in Colorado this year, but I think it would be a race between my legs or my lungs exploding (STL =~ 570' v. Colorado = 8,000-14,000' ). I may have to save this thread for next year though!

+1 for BV/Salida. Beautiful area. I've stayed in BV and in Leadville and go back there pretty much every time I'm back in the state...