tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72632216562491885432024-03-05T22:23:28.278-06:00roadjeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.comBlogger365125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-36443112187555756502017-04-16T20:10:00.000-05:002017-04-17T07:31:07.655-05:00ride plusWell, I've had a few chances to ride the <a href="https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/city-bikes/dual-sport-bikes/ds-series/dual-sport/p/2320600-2017/" target="_blank">Trek Dual Sport +</a>. I rode with some friends last weekend, quite a bit younger than me, and the Shimano STEPS motor helped level the field a little bit. On Monday of last week I commuted to work. I'm still working on finding the best, safest route so I can continue to commute. And I enjoyed rides by myself on a couple of occasions lately when it wasn't raining.<br />
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One of those rides was this morning. It was a little cool, but not cold, when I headed out on a route that takes me to the western edge of town. On a weekend morning there's not much traffic, and it's pretty flat, save for a couple of steep climbs. I wanted to see how the "+" would feel on those climbs I'm so familiar with. Also, I took a minor detour to go down, and back up again, one of the hills I like to ride to train for climbing in Colorado. The sign at the top states that it's 8% grade, and I have measured it at a half mile long.<br />
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Overall, I got a brisk 26 miles in. The assist was nice to keep my speed up on the flat sections without knocking myself out. It also really helps to get off the line fast. If I got myself into the right gear before I stopped at a stop light, it only took a couple of pedal strokes to get up to speed again. And on the climbs, the right gear, the right cadence let me maintain a speed anywhere from 15-18 mph. It was even possible to increase my speed as I climbed!<br />
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As I rode I couldn't help but think about cadence. Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett used to talk about the difference between the cadence of Jan Ullrich and that of Lance Armstrong. Ullrich used his massive thighs to turn the cranks in a high gear. Lance would spin the pedals in a much lower gear. Time after time Lance was able to pull away from Ullrich at a critical junction in various stages of the Tour de France. Okay, maybe blood doping had something to do with it, but Lance was exerting himself aerobically, which was easier to recover from than the buildup of lactic acid that must have accompanied Ullrich's efforts.<br />
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While I've never been even a poor facsimile of a professional racer, I have tried to be aware of cadence and have tried to spin the pedals rather than muscle through the big gears. As I'm getting used to riding the DS+, it's becoming clear that to get the most out of this bike, you've got to pedal more like Lance, and less like Jan.jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-56264117366891928272017-03-26T14:02:00.000-05:002017-03-26T14:02:09.592-05:00new rideIt's been a while since I posted here. There's been little to report about resurrecting the Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour. I have registered to ride <a href="http://ragbrai.com/" target="_blank">RAGBRAI</a> in July, but there's been precious little riding since last fall. That is going to change.<br />
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My bike shop at Scheels in Overland Park, KS has started carrying a selection of Ride+ bikes. We have men's Dual Sport and women's Neko dual purpose or hybrid bikes. We have a men's and women's Lift, and a men's and women's Electra Cruiser. The Electras come with a Bosch battery/ motor system, and the Treks come with Shimano STEPS (Shimano Total Electric Pedal System).<br />
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The idea behind "Plus" bikes is that you can get a little help when you ride your bike. You can ride without the system turned on, or you can choose from 3 or 4 different levels of help. You still have to pedal, but the motor can help you maintain your speed going up a hill, or keeping a brisk pace without working too hard on the flats.<br />
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To get us up to speed on these bikes we've had training sessions and chances to take them out and ride around the store. In addition, one person from each store was picked to ride one of these bikes as much as possible over the next 4 months. I was picked/ volunteered to fill that role for our store. Last week I brought home a Trek Dual Sport Plus, in my size, with the intention of riding it as much as I can, and commuting as much as possible.<br />
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I took the bike for an inaugural ride today. It was cold and cloudy, but I bundled up and headed out to see what I could learn. The main thing is that this is a bike. A 1x10 drivetrain gives you plenty of gears to choose from for most terrain, but you can't just put in in the biggest gear and expect the motor to help you go fast. You have to be in a gear that you can spin the pedals, and allow the motor to help maximize your effort. If you do it properly you can maintain your speed, or even increase it as you climb a hill. I found one stretch of maybe 1/8 of a mile at about 7% grade, and from a stop was able to get up to 17 mph by using the right gear on the bike, and the highest level of help from STEPS.<br />
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I'm really looking forward to riding this in some different places, as well as tackling my 8 mile commute. I added a rear rack, and a Bontrager Ion R/Flare City Light Set, and am thinking about a rear trunk bag. If you're interested, I'll be reporting on the bike and my status as a new commuter. And hopefully there will be more stories about RAGBRAI and future Colorado rides.<br />
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jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-12287232680279621872016-11-08T09:25:00.000-06:002016-11-08T09:25:04.582-06:00what's nextThis was supposed to be a farewell letter to <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/" target="_blank">CRMBT</a>. After 10 years 2016 was going to be the final version of the Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour. I was writing about how we first came to entertain the idea of riding a bike tour in the mountains of Colorado. About driving to Gunnison in 2008 and spending the week being hot, cold, stiff, sore, scared and exhilarated! About all the places this tour had allowed me to ride including Trail Ridge Road and Independence Pass, Mount Evans and Pikes Peak. All the mountain towns and ski areas I would have never visited if not for this tour.<br />
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I wanted to thank everyone who had anything to do with this tour for making it so special. I've gotten to know, consider friends, the organizers and volunteers, the boys of SherpaVille, Scott the mechanic, and the members of Rocky Mountain Sports Massage. And riders from Colorado, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas, as well as Berkshire, England, and many more places.<br />
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But, you know what? We're not ready to let go. Glenn got a few of us together to discuss what we could do to get this tour going again. It's early, but we're trying to help grow the numbers enough to make this a viable thing. I'll keep you updated, but if you've ever wanted to do a bike tour in Colorado, I think you should do this one. Stay tuned.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-30266314335910161192016-09-13T07:45:00.000-05:002016-09-14T10:54:24.857-05:00evergreen to idaho springsA large group of us headed out by about 7:00am on this Saturday morning, the last day of this apparent last Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour. Almost across the street from where we camped we were on Squaw Pass Road and climbing. It was a cool but sunny, very pleasant start to the day. The road was good, the shoulder wide, and the views pleasant, though once in the forest, you couldn't see very far. I didn't even take my camera or phone out for pictures. These are some shots from a few years ago:<br />
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By the time I reached the top of Squaw Pass, descended for a bit, and climbed again to the high point on CO 103, Juniper Pass, the weather had changed. Clouds had moved in, winds had increased, and the temperature had dropped quite a bit. The forecast had stated rain and thunderstorms were on tap for Mount Evans, and when I reached the aid station in the campground parking lot across from Echo Lake Lodge, you couldn't see the mountain for the clouds.<br />
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Having done the climb up Evans in 2010, I wasn't as motivated to suffer the weather as I would have been. I could have climbed as far as I wanted to, and turned back at any time to coast back down. But my heart wasn't in it. I really wanted to warm up, so I walked over to the lodge and joined Thom for coffee and pancakes. We had a nice visit, leisurely breakfast, and when we were sufficiently warm, we layered up and headed down toward Idaho Springs.<br />
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Was it prudent judgement of the weather and my abilities? Or had the week beat me down into a tired old man? Probably a little of both. Other than passing on Evans I rode all the miles of the tour. And it was hard! It was apparent that as I get older, doing these kinds of rides will require even more training to get myself into shape. But it was also fun! Great people, great tour, and great scenery to be seen all over Colorado!<br />
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My next ride in CO might be a one day affair, like the Copper Triangle or Triple Bypass. I still need to do RAGBRAI. I would like to do BAK again, or ride across Nebraska. But eventually I'll have to get back to Colorado. It's been a great ride!<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-56518284245148950562016-09-09T15:30:00.001-05:002016-09-09T15:30:50.025-05:00estes park to evergreenWe woke to a cool, cloudy morning in Estes Park. Then we climbed. Right out of town we climbed. Then we went down, then we went up. The highway south out of Estes Park is called the<a href="http://estes-park.com/peak-peak-scenic-byway" target="_blank"> Peak-to-Peak Highway</a>. And we spent the day riding from peak to peak.<br />
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Lily Lake is right off the road.<br />
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The clouds remained all day but never led to precipitation, so we were able to enjoy all of the sections of the road that had been resurfaced. There were a few rough sections, but they weren't too bad, or too long.<br />
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And there are many spots like this, that just look like the highway falls away from you like a ride at Worlds of Fun. This is my kind of roller-coaster.<br />
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A group of us had decided to find a place for lunch along the way. Black Hawk and Central City seemed like the right location. They are small casino towns just north of I-70. I had read about Black Hawk several years ago when they banned bicycles from their streets. In Colorado! Several groups sued, and the law was thrown out, but it was obvious that there was no love for cyclists in that area. The city had routed the tour around town as much as possible, adding a couple miles and a short, brutal climb, just because they could.<br />
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But we stopped and ate in the casino restaurant anyway, because it was there. Then we fought debris in the shoulder on the Central City Parkway. We battled gravity on the bike path and frontage road that got us to US6, and wrestled with too much traffic on US6 until some nicer, quieter roads got us to Bergen Park and Evergreen. It was a cool evening that passed too quickly, then it was off to the tent for a last night in the cool mountain air, on the last night of <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/" target="_blank">CRMBT</a> 2016.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-28989216884621724042016-08-31T08:05:00.000-05:002016-08-31T08:05:13.889-05:00rest dayAfter getting cleaned up, finding some lunch, and relaxing after the ride through the park, a few of us rode the shuttle down to the river-walk and found a Nepalese restaurant for dinner. The next morning I walked back down there to check out Kind Coffee and see if they had anything I would want for breakfast. As I neared the coffee shop I ran into Kathy from the tour. She had purchased a book about RMNP for all of us to sign and give to Norm to wish him well in his recovery, and let him know we missed him.<br />
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Kathy also told me two things. One, there's a great breakfast place called Notch Top, not too far from where we were. When I checked on Yelp, it turns out they have some vegan options. I walked there and enjoyed a terrific breakfast burrito with tofu in place of eggs. But first I checked out the second thing Kathy told me about. There were two elk bedded down in the grass just down from the footbridge I had just walked over. I didn't even notice them there. She told me that they had been in the middle of the road munching on flower beds before the police came and shooed them away.<br />
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The rest of the day was spent relaxing, napping during a light rain shower, and getting ready for the next day's ride. We did make it to Mama Rose's for some Italian for dinner that night.jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-85866789714232327462016-08-29T08:46:00.000-05:002016-08-29T08:46:01.964-05:00granby to estes parkWe were asked to be through the gates of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm" target="_blank">RMNP</a> by 7:00am to ensure we would be off the highest points before afternoon rains moved in. Arrangements had been made for our group, but anyone can roll up to the gates at any time, pay a $10 entrance fee, and ride their bike into the park. There was some talk about sleeping in a little after our century day, but riding past Lake Granby in the early morning light was beautiful.<br />
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It was also cold. I had underestimated how cold it would be for most of the morning. Temps in Granby were cold to start the day. And as the morning went on we were climbing to cooler zones, so I wasn't really warm all morning. I went back and forth between taking my jacket off from working on the climb, and putting it back on when the temps got to me. I was sorry I hadn't planned a little better, but the views that the ride afforded more than made up for any discomfort.<br />
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On <a href="https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/trail_ridge_road.htm" target="_blank">Trail Ridge Road</a> the climb takes you through lots of twists and turns, switchback after switchback until you break out of the trees<br />
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At this aid station I liked the visual of lots of bikes, and people, lined up on the wall.<br />
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And in case you forgot that you were in the middle of a climb, this handy sign reminded you.<br />
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Once you're above treeline you still have some climbing to do. You can look up and see where the road is cut into the side of the mountain.<br />
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Although the road itself fascinated me, there were still spectacular views to be had in every direction.<br />
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The last aid station was near the high point for the day. It was almost all downhill from there. I asked Scotty to take my picture, put on my jacket and headed down. Before too long I caught up to a pickup and RV and didn't see a safe place to pass. So, for about 20 miles I pumped my brakes and rolled toward Estes park at 25-30 mph.<br />
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It was good to get into Estes Park, get to the middle school, clean up and find something to eat. The following day was a rest day, and Estes Park was a great place to spend it.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-58869843500955179302016-08-22T09:48:00.000-05:002016-08-22T09:48:29.467-05:00edwards to granbyI left early with lights blazing on this century day, (103 miles to be exact). Shortly after I left US 6 for CO 131 I saw these guys in the early light. They sure seemed comfortable on the rocky terrain.<br />
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In the first 35 miles I faced a couple of tough climbs, but was rewarded with some nice descents, and really nice views. Today's route would offer glimpses of the Colorado River, and lots of wide open spaces until we got to the only real pass of the day.<br />
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The climb up Gore Pass isn't too long, or too hard. A lot of it is through the forest so it doesn't offer great views, but it's very pleasant, and you're in Colorado! We had an aid station at the summit across from the elevation sign.<br />
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There was a rumor of a cafe in Kremmling, about 75 miles into the ride. When I rolled into town I saw no sign of it, but I did see several bikes outside the Subway shop, so that was lunch. Afterward I hung on to a pace line for 5-10 miles before they slowly pulled away and I was left to finish on my own. I enjoyed a tailwind for most of that time, except for when I passed through the canyon that's named "Windy Gap". I felt a few raindrops, but it never amounted to anything, and I rolled into Granby in good shape. There are a couple of short hills to get from the main drag to the high school that almost made me cry, but I managed to get there with 102.5 miles on my odometer. I don't know where I took the half-mile shortcut.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-29716868085029516402016-08-16T07:59:00.001-05:002016-08-16T07:59:48.181-05:00breckenridge to edwardsThe on and off rain from the night before was gone, and we left Breckenridge on wet roads, bike path to be precise, under mostly sunny skies. We jumped onto the bike path right behind the Rec Center and headed towards Frisco. We worked our way around some repair crews outside of Frisco and stayed on the bike path towards Copper Mountain. We would learn later that somewhere in that stretch the oldest and longest-tenured rider on the tour would have an accident. Glenn was on the tail end of a pace-line rolling along at a moderate speed when he realized that Norm, 78 years old and a 10-time CRMBT rider, was just ahead. He thought he would slow down and ride with Norm for a while, have a little visit. Glenn saw a dog wander onto the path and stop in front of Norm. When Norm tried to avoid the dog, he went down hard. He cracked his helmet and hit his shoulder hard.<br />
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As unfortunate as this accident was, there was a silver lining. The dog's owner was a woman who lived close to the bike path. She had an ATV to get Norm up to her house, where she and Glenn got him loaded into her pickup to go to the hospital in Frisco, just a few miles away. And, she was on her way to work, as a surgeon at that hospital! Glenn rode to the hospital until someone from the tour could meet him there, and Norm's daughter from Denver was there as well before too long. Norm's injury turned out not to be a head injury, or a shoulder injury. Getting Norm from the ground to the ATV to the truck, it became obvious that his hip was what was really hurting. We found out later that he had broken his femur, and it was decided to do a total hip replacement as that would heal faster than trying to reset the leg. Norm seems to be doing fine and I'm sure he'll be back on the bike by next spring.<br />
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Before most of us knew anything about this, we had gotten to the point of the bike path where we would exit. Near Copper Mountain there was an aid station before we began our climb up Fremont Pass.<br />
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The climb up Fremont has never struck me as an overly difficult climb. I was still glad to reach the top. We had another aid station to refill bottles and grab a snack. The descent down the south side is basically one big sweeping switchback, followed by a gradual descent for 10 or 12 miles. You can still go pretty fast if you put it in a big gear and pedal hard. You don't lose a lot of altitude between the summit at 11,318 feet and Leadville, 10,152 feet. As you turn back towards the northwest outside of Leadville you still go down a little.<br />
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Then, after a few miles, you climb a little more to get to the top of Tennessee Pass. Your reward for the short climb is a nice, long descent.<br />
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Then you face a nasty little climb up Battle Hill Summit. Two things help to ease the pain of this climb: the scenery is incredible, and you know you have another, even longer descent awaiting you on the other side.<br />
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After the descent several of us stopped in Minturn for lunch at Sticky Fingers Cafe & Bakery. I ordered the "Minturn Hippie" without cheese or mayo. My waitress said that made me a real hippie. I've been called worse. Then we worked together to make it the last 12 miles down the road to the Battle Mountain High School. It would be a pretty quiet, early night. We had a big day ahead of us.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-77910868638324908502016-08-10T13:48:00.000-05:002016-08-10T13:48:34.816-05:00idaho springs to breckenridgeSunday, 31 July, 2016<br />
Many of us began the day by gathering for a kickoff from Peter. As the tour director he informs us of things to look out for on the road, weather challenges ahead, and implores us to be safe, and "take care of each other".<br />
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Then we were off. We took frontage roads, bike paths, and local roads that roughly paralleled I-70. The first 25 miles were a gradual climb. Once we got onto US-6 we had another 4+ miles through some switchbacks to the top of Loveland Pass.<br />
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The morning was bright and pleasant. The traffic on US-6 was a little busy, but not too bad. From the Loveland Ski Area it's not a bad climb to the top. By the time we stopped for pictures at the elevation marker clouds and elevation had lowered the temperature, but it still was a great morning.<br />
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And with our climbing for the better part of 30 miles, we had earned ourselves a nice descent.<br />
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We still had a short climb up Swan Mountain once we were past Keystone. It's not long or steep, but towards the end of a ride it lived up to it's nickname, "the horrible hump". It did offer a nice view the Dillon Reservoir and Frisco beyond.<br />
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After a short descent, it was back on the bike path for a slightly uphill ride into Breckenridge. It's a pleasant enough ride that I was enjoying until the rain began.<br />
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The last 2 miles were in a cold rain that had me soaked to the bone. Luckily SherpaVille had my tent up and my bags dry. When the rain stopped I was able to find some lunch and some newspaper to stuff in my shoes and dry them out for the next day.<br />
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Lunch was at a pizza place with a guy from Colorado, one from the Pacific Northwest, and two each from England and Australia. It was a good day overall, and the next day looked good weather-wise, over some roads that I knew well, offering some classic Colorado scenery.jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-76762957614544407772016-08-01T17:58:00.001-05:002016-08-01T17:58:34.527-05:00happenings<p dir="ltr">It's been a good two days, plenty of challenges, but nothing impossible. I've been slow because I am, and because I stop for lots of pictures. This year I've posted tons of pics to Facebook for friends and family and still some for editing later for this blog</p>
<p dir="ltr">Some slightly bad news; my friend Saj had to pull out after he hurt his knee hiking on Saturday. And worse news, the elder statesman of this tour, Norm, collided with a dog on the bike path this morning. He apparently broke his femur. The bright side is that the dog's owner lived close by, got an atv to get him to her truck, and took him to the hospital in Frisco, where she is a surgeon.</p>
<p dir="ltr">More about Norm later. For now keep him in your thoughts and prayers</p>
jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-23550794736979213622016-07-30T19:51:00.001-05:002016-07-30T19:51:05.453-05:00here we go again<p dir="ltr">We're sitting on the football field in Idaho Springs catching up, talking bikes, and meeting new friends. We'll hear from the tour director at 7 in the morning, then head out for a climb up Loveland Pass. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I've got my phone, camera, and gopro all charged and ready to go. I'll put some pics on FB as I go, and try to do a short post or two during the week. Then I'll share pics and stories on this blog when we are done.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Here goes nothing.</p>
jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-41540673916309294272016-06-26T07:56:00.000-05:002016-06-26T07:56:48.999-05:00let's go to coloradoIf you like to ride your bike amidst beautiful scenery you should consider the <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/" target="_blank">Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour</a>. This tour is celebrating its 10th anniversary, July 31 to August 6, 2106 with an epic loop ride from Idaho Springs. Climbs include Loveland and Fremont Passes, Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park, and on the last day, the chance to ride up and down Mount Evans.<br />
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This tour is capped at 500 riders but is still growing, so the number has never been more than half of that. This tour is small enough that you get to know the organizers, the volunteers, the other riders. Some opt for hotels, but we still see each other on the road from time to time. A lot of folks set up a tent, or rent one from Theo the <a href="http://sherpapacker.com/" target="_blank">SherpaPacker</a>, or choose "indoor camping" in the gym of the school where we're staying.<br />
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We are a small enough group that we are never the reason for long lines at restaurants in the towns we visit. We're a big enough group that there are a lot of people to pass you as you ride up a mountain pass. And a few to be passed.<br />
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This is a great tour made possible by some great people, and I don't want to see it go away. If you like to ride a bike, a multi-day tour is a wonderful thing. All you have to worry about each day is where to ride, and what to eat. Minimal stress.<br />
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And if you don't think you're capable of riding in the mountains, trust me, you are. If you ride rolling hills you already know how to climb. Just put a bunch of those short climbs together, followed by a celebration at the summit, and you've saved up all those little downhills for your descent.<br />
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Come on, you know you want to. Let's go to Colorado.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-28989391425523114782016-04-24T07:04:00.000-05:002016-04-24T07:04:07.210-05:00mt evans againOn the last day of the tour we'll wake up and roll out of the Evergreen Middle School. In less than a mile we'll be on Squaw Pass Road. This is where the suburbs of Denver bump up against the mountains.<br />
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Another 18 miles and about 3,000 feet of climbing will get us to Echo Lake and the entrance to Mt Evans Road. If the week has beaten me down into a tired old man, well, it's all downhill from here to Idaho Springs. But, if there's any fight left in me, I'll make the turn and add another 14 miles and 3,500 feet of climbing to the last day of <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/home.html" target="_blank">CRMBT</a> 2016.<br />
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Mt Evans Road has a lot of switchbacks, the first of them through lush forest for a few miles shortly after you start the climb. Eventually it opens up a little and you can look down on Echo Lake and see where you've been.<br />
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Shortly after that you are above tree-line for the rest of the climb. The road lends itself to some pretty amazing views. By this point you are more likely to see the road cut out of the mountain far ahead of you than to see much of it behind you.<br />
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And if you keep pedaling you will eventually reach the real switchbacks which mean you are oh so close to the top. Relatively close. There are still 15 switchbacks, five miles and 1300 feet of elevation gain to get to the top.<br />
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Then, you've made it! The remnants of a restaurant that was destroyed when lightening hit its propane tank, a sign with elevation on it, and some spectacular views await.<br />
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As you head down, the switchbacks unfold in front of you. Funny how they go by so much more quickly on the way down. But you will need to control your speed. Lots of tight turns and cracked pavement are your reward at this elevation.<br />
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Between Echo Lake and Idaho Springs you'll be able to let loose a little more, brake a little less. This is where you get to enjoy the descent that you earned over the previous several hours. You should still have a little speed as you roll into Idaho Springs at the end of another fantastic bike tour.jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-56381168203589069462016-04-03T08:58:00.000-05:002016-04-03T08:58:27.905-05:00peak to peakAfter our rest day in Estes Park this year's <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/home.html" target="_blank">CRMBT</a> will take us south on the aptly named Peak to Peak Highway. This National Scenic Byway is a 55 mile stretch from Estes Park at the northern end to Blackhawk/Central City to the south. It passes through Allenspark, Ward, and Nederland. Great views are abundant of small lakes, canyons and Longs Peak along the way.<br />
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The starting and ending elevations only differ by a few hundred feet. And our maximum elevation this day will only reach 9,391 feet, the second lowest max elevation on any day of this tour. But by the time we make it up and down all the peaks on in this route we will have climbed almost 10,000 feet on this penultimate day of the tour.<br />
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We'll have one more night to sleep in the cool mountain air. We will have earned that sleep on this day, and need that sleep the following day. Everyone will want to be well rested as we again have the chance to ride our bikes higher on a paved road than anywhere else in the world!<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-147459539885156862016-03-16T18:58:00.000-05:002016-03-16T18:58:21.050-05:00can I get to estes park?On the fifth day......we get to rest. <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/" target="_blank">CRMBT</a> has stopped in Estes Park a couple times. Once in 2010 when we did this route in the other direction, starting in Edwards, we also had a rest day here. And in 2013, when we started in Loveland, we spent the first night here. Both years I was challenged on the way to Estes Park.<br />
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In 2010 we rode up the Peak-to-Peak Highway from Golden, challenged by some steep rollers, but enjoying a beautiful Colorado morning. The challenges were enough to make me want to stop in Nederland for an early lunch 30 miles into the 74 mile ride. While lunch at <a href="http://www.nepalidining.com/" target="_blank">Katmandu Restaurant</a> was delicious, I would regret the time I lost later. The beautiful morning turned into a wonderful afternoon. Temperatures were cool but comfortable.<br />
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Then a few clouds moved in, but the day was still pleasant. Over the next couple hours the clouds grew darker, the temps cooler, and it became more and more obvious that the light jacket I had in my pocket was not enough to keep me warm or dry. What started as a light rain became a downpour, and when the temperatures tumbled into the 30's, being on the road, on a bike, became miserable. It couldn't get any worse. Then it did. It began to hail. I would say that "golf ball" sized hail would not be an exaggeration, "quarter sized" is a certainty. I spotted a group of cyclists that had pulled off the road to take shelter under the canopy on a porch of a closed business. The hail was hard enough that cars were pulling off the road as we huddled together for warmth. My ride ended 16 miles outside of Estes Park that day.<br />
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The SAG van and some volunteers with bike racks shuttled back and forth from town to get us all in to Estes Park where a warm shower and dry sleeping bag awaited me. The rest of the evening and all the next day were gorgeous, and by the time we left I had been able to explore quite a bit of this place.<br />
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In 2013 we rode from Loveland to Estes Park and it was a short, hot day that still managed to kick me in the butt just a little. As we neared the high point for the day the heat, altitude, and maybe a little dehydration combined to make me dizzy and nauseous. One of the mechanics stopped to check on me as I stood on the side of the road. He gave me some powdered Gatorade and had me sit in the shade for a few minutes. That was enough to get me back on the bike for a push through the last few switchbacks and descent into town.<br />
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So I know it will be a challenge to get to Estes Park. But I will get there, and I'll have a rest day to look forward to in a great Colorado mountain town.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-45763234121976561772016-03-12T08:22:00.000-06:002016-03-12T08:22:13.691-06:00trail ridge roadTrail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in America. It spans Rocky Mountain National Park from Grand Lake in the west, to Estes Park in the east, a 48 mile journey through the park. It's highest point is 12,183 feet, but even more amazing is that it remains above treeline (near 11,550') for 11 miles!<br />
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We'll be heading north form Grand Lake on our way to a rest day in Estes Park. I will want to leave early to be able to stop for lots of pictures.<br />
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If you've never been to <a href="http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm" target="_blank">RMNP</a>, you should go if you get the chance. A drive on Trail Ridge Road would be a memorable experience. And if you get to experience it on a bike, it will be a day you'll never forget!<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-17955719029036974982016-03-06T11:57:00.001-06:002016-03-06T11:57:57.153-06:00gore passOn the third day of this year's CRMBT the only pass to climb is Gore Pass, 9524'. The climb from the west side is only about 5 miles long, gaining about 700 feet. But to get to that point we'll need to get over a couple summits, climbing for about 10 miles each, not too steep, gaining about 1300' and 1800', respectively. The good news on this century day is that those climbs are early in the day. We did this route in reverse in 2010 and hitting those climbs from the other side 75 or 80 miles into the ride was brutal.<br />
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This year, once we've gone over Gore Pass at mile 57, the climbing is over, save for a little bump in the road at mile 85. We'll pass through Kremmling 3/4 of the way to Granby; might be a good place to stop for lunch.<br />
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Our home for the night will be Granby. In the morning we'll ride about 15 miles to Grand Lake, and the western entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Organizers call this the first of two "Queen Stages". A good night's sleep at 8,000 feet will be just what we need to be ready for what tomorrow brings.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-86431997283513556772016-02-25T09:07:00.000-06:002016-02-25T09:08:00.293-06:00fremont, tennessee, battle mountainDay 2 of the 2016 <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/" target="_blank">CRMBT</a> takes a wonderful bike path from Breckenridge to Frisco, and Frisco to Copper Mountain. Then it follow two-thirds of a quintessential Colorado ride called the Copper Triangle. This <a href="http://coppertriangle.com/" target="_blank">ride</a> takes place the first Saturday of August to raise funds for the Davis Phinney Foundation For Parkinson's. The route leaves Copper Village and head up Fremont Pass, 11,318 feet. From Copper it's about 11 miles of climbing, half in the 2-3% range, half with some spikes over 7%. I've climbed this pass a few times and though it deserves the Cat 1 rating that <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/" target="_blank">Peter</a> gives it, I never thought it was that hard. It's relatively straight forward, some traffic, but not too much. And clean, wide shoulders that leave you to worry about nothing but keeping the crank turning.<br />
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One drawback is the lack of an awesome descent. It's kind of like the mountain just dumps you off of itself. There's one big sweeping switchback, and before too long you're still going slightly downhill, but you're pedaling to keep up your speed. You really don't lose all that much altitude because the next leg of the triangle is from Leadville to Minturn, and Leadville, at 10,152 feet is the highest incorporated city in the US.<br />
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The next part is among my favorite to ride in Colorado. Yes, it's beautiful, but there are dozens?, hundreds? of beautiful places to ride there. I love this section because for a little climbing you get a lot of descending. You're still trending downward the first few miles out of Leadville. Then you've got a little 5 mile climb up Tennessee Pass, 10,424 feet, gaining about 500 feet, with grades in the mid 2% range. You are then rewarded with a descent about 12 miles long, giving back about 1700 feet of elevation.<br />
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Now you face another short climb, this time up Battle Mountain Summit with grades in the mid 4% range, gaining another 500 feet in under 2 miles. Your reward after this climb is another great descent, this one lasting about 15 miles, and taking you almost all the way to Minturn and past to I-70. All that will be left this day is a few miles on the frontage road up to Edwards. I'll turn in early on this night because the next day is a century day with no really high passes, but lots of varied terrain, and enough challenges on the way to make it a big day.<br />
<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-36507672532239821082016-02-21T08:19:00.002-06:002016-04-27T08:15:00.626-05:00loveland pass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first day of the 2016 edition of the <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/home.html" target="_blank">Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour</a> will have riders heading west from Idaho Springs toward Loveland Pass. On his website, <a href="http://www.mybicycleroutes.com/" target="_blank">mybicycleroutes</a>, Mark Andrysiak rates the east side ascent of Loveland as moderately difficult based upon altitude and some sections of 9% grade. He also claims it's the "easiest" moderate climb in Colorado. However, he bases that on starting from the Loveland Ski Area parking lot, leaving only 4 miles and about 1000' of elevation gain to the summit. CRMBT's tour director, Peter Duffy, rates the climb from Idaho Springs as a Category 1, based on 4200' of climbing over 28 miles. Only an HC (for the French term: beyond categorization) would be more difficult. What does all of this mean? It means that I'll be climbing all morning, but the first 24 miles will be a more gradual elevation gain, with the real push to the top coming in the last 4 miles. I can do that.<br />
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Assuming I make it to the top, my reward will be a nice long descent down the west side of Loveland Pass; 8 miles of twists and turns, and then slightly downhill for the next 15 miles. The only thing left between me and Breckenridge, our home for the night, will be Swan Mountain. It's only 500' over 3 miles, but near the end of the ride I'm sure it will live up to its nickname, the "horrible hump". The top affords some nice views of Frisco and the Dillon Reservoir before a short descent and a few miles left to Breckenridge.<br />
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Some serious altitude, but only 50 miles or so makes this opening day seem do-able. It's kind of like going from base camp to camp 2 to acclimatize, and back down to base camp. I'm looking forward to climbing Loveland Pass from the east side so I'll know what to expect when I eventually return for the <a href="http://teamevergreen.org/events/triple-bypass/" target="_blank">Triple Bypass</a>. Overall I think this is an excellent first day's route on the best bike tour in Colorado. Day 2 will be a little longer, a little less altitude, but containing some of my favorite descents. I have some serious training to do.jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-84866696808788158022016-02-14T17:25:00.001-06:002016-02-14T17:35:25.600-06:00changesI haven't done a lot of posting on this bike blog lately, because I haven't done a lot of biking. Two weeks ago I went on a group ride to enjoy a pleasant Saturday in January, and the no-drop ride turned into a fast group, a slow group, and me. (They call themselves a slow group) Actually Greg, the ride organizer hung back with me and we had a nice visit. But, I hadn't been on my bike in over four months, and it showed.<br />
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Well, that's going to change! I've been looking at the route for the 10th annual, 2016 <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/">CRMBT</a>. Quite frankly I felt a little intimidated. I mean, there's some serious climbing to be done on this tour. But then I read a comment on their forum that this route is the reverse of their 2010 route. Hey, I did that! So as a motivator to train, and get myself back in shape, I signed up. Now if <a href="http://sherpapacker.com/">Theo</a> will save a space for me in SherpaVille, I'll be all set.<br />
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I'll post more about the route in the near future, but the highlights are Loveland Pass (from the east side, like on the <a href="http://teamevergreen.org/events/triple-bypass/">Triple Bypass</a>), two-thirds of the<a href="http://coppertriangle.com/"> Copper Triangle</a>, Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park, Peak-to-Peak Highway, and a final day that calls for 60+ miles including Squaw Peak and an up-and-back to <a href="http://www.mountevans.com/">Mt Evans</a>. I'll take my camera and my GoPro to document the awesomeness, and hopefully have some good stories to tell from a great Colorado bike tour.<br />
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-85327558566803667742015-11-11T14:53:00.000-06:002015-11-11T14:55:07.811-06:00desert roadI was on the road again last month, but not on a bike. My family accompanied my Dad to Mesa, AZ where we all boarded a chartered bus on a beautiful Saturday morning for a drive out into the desert. Our destination was Bouse, a small town with a big appreciation of history and the veterans who trained under General Patton during WWII. My father is one of those veterans. He was part of the 748th battalion which trained for dessert warfare in Africa, but ended up on the beach at Normandy on D-Day instead. We had been with my Dad to Bouse several times for a ceremony they hold each spring. They have erected several monuments to different battalions which trained there. And there was one monument that only listed the others who had served, without much added information. Thanks to my brother found out what it would take to get a monument for the 748th, and several tireless volunteers, a new monument now stands on Monument Row. The "Rhinos" are represented!<br />
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Click on this link for the story:<br />
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<blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/jeff.leintz/posts/10205159030751917">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jeff.leintz/posts/10205159030751917">Wednesday, November 11, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<br />jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-32509455915579143662015-07-26T08:39:00.000-05:002015-07-26T08:39:07.801-05:00emotionsIn 2007 I joined my brother-in-law for the 2nd annual <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=tour+de+kota&rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS560US586&espv=2&biw=1344&bih=734&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CDYQsARqFQoTCPiIzKDj-MYCFYqPgAodFnkOVA&dpr=1.25">Tour de Kota</a>, which is no more. But on the first day that year, standing on Main Street in some small town in southeastern SD, my brother-in-law, Bruce walks up to a guy wearing a <a href="http://ridetherockies.com/">Ride The Rockies</a> jersey to ask him about that ride. He gets the idea that we should go to Colorado and ride a tour in the mountains! At the time it sounded really hard. By week's end when I dragged myself into Mitchell after 400+ miles of SD rollers, the idea of a week long tour in CO was preposterous.<br />
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The next year we showed up in Gunnison on a Saturday in early August to ride the <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/">Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour</a>. On the 3rd day I set a personal record for how slow I could ride without falling over, 3.7 mph on the last stretch of the climb up the western side of Independence Pass. (This record would be shattered in 2014 on Pikes Peak). By week's end I had been hot/cold, wet/dry, fast/slow and overall exhilarated that I had made it up and over all the climbs on CRMBT 2008.<br />
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We had so much fun we were back with a few friends in 2009 to ride a different loop. Again I was forced to push myself past what I thought I was capable of. I took time to rest and take lots of pictures, realizing that a bicycle was the perfect vehicle for exploring remote corners of this beautiful state. I couldn't help but notice that in addition to seeing the tour organizers again, many of the volunteers at the aid stations were back. And many of the riders too.<br />
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In 2009 none of my previous riding partners were able to make it to Colorado that summer. The route that year went over some familiar passes, plus offered a chance to do Loveland Pass, Mt Evans, Peak-to-Peak Highway, and Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park. It sounded too good to miss. So I went by myself. And the year after that, and the year after that.<br />
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I've become friends with other riders, volunteers, and organizers from all over. Going back to CRMBT each August became a given. How could I miss it? Thanks to this tour I had slept in cool mountain air in Gunnison, Frisco, Crede, Leadville, Glenwood Springs, and many more. I've ridden my bike over Independence and Cottonwood Passes, Slumgullion and Monarch, over Trail Ridge Road, and up and back Mt Evans and Pikes Peak. Good times!<br />
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I knew I wouldn't be able to do the tour in 2015. We were putting in long hours all Spring getting the beautiful new Scheels Overland Park ready to open. When I was slated to be the manager of the bike shop I didn't want to be gone so soon after opening the end of June. And as a member of the leadership team it still seemed too soon to be gone for a week. Not to mention that I've been on my bike, like six times in the last few months. If I tried to go to Colorado to ride now most of my views would be from the inside of a SAG van.<br />
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So I'm going to miss my first CRMBT since 2008. I'll miss Colorado. I'll miss the people. I'll miss the challenges and the satisfaction of completing them. The only thing that makes it a little easier to take is that this year's tour won't be climbing any passes that I haven't already done. Thanks to them I've climbed all but a few of the highest paved passes in Colorado, including everything over 11,000 feet.<br />
But I still wish I could be there. I'm hoping that they will share lots of pictures and stories of the ride. And I'll plan on joining them for CRMBT 2016. Peter, make it a good one!jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-4547810067447123292015-06-14T08:02:00.000-05:002015-06-14T08:02:06.011-05:00scheelsI'm disappointed that I'm going to miss my first <a href="http://www.crmbt.com/">Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour </a> in 7 years. But in all honesty I haven't had much time on the bike this year. My passion for biking helped me land a job with <a href="http://www.scheels.com/shop/en/scheels-catalog">Scheels</a>, a sporting goods store, and so much more. Scheels is based in Fargo, ND, where I grew up. I've been a fan and a customer of theirs my whole life. When I heard they were coming to Kansas I wanted to be part of it. I was hired to be the Specialty Shop Manager for Bikes, but have since accepted a position as an Assistant Store Leader. It's been fantastic working with so many talented, fun people. It's also been time-consuming. In the last 2 months the only time I've been on a bike was as part of product training rides for some of the folks who will be selling bikes for us. So I'll set my sights on next years CRMBT and find something a little flatter and closer to home for now.<br />
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We're less than 2 weeks away from our grand opening, and local media were invited to tour the store last week. I think they were impressed:<br />
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<script height="433px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=5rc3lsdTqKwdwao5uUS12AVgK7evMCOP&pbid=99b31ca60977447aac65383d61b8503b" width="770px"></script><br />
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For all of my Colorado friends, don't worry, we're headed your way soon:<br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit;">SCHEELS Announces New Retail Destination in Johnstown, Colora<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">d</span>o</strong></span></h2>
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Johnstown, CO – On Wednesday, June 3, 2015 SCHEELS announced their new location in Johnstown, Colorado. Unlike a typical sporting goods store or department store, the new Johnstown SCHEELS will be a collection of entertainment venues, specialty shops and boutiques staffed with Experts who focus on their passions. The 250,000 square foot SCHEELS Retail Shopping Adventure will showcase Colorado’s largest selection of sports, fashion and footwear under one roof!</div>
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“SCHEELS is thrilled to announce our newest location in Northern Colorado. After more than 15 years of studying the Colorado market and searching for the best possible location for a flagship SCHEELS, we are proud to be bringing our newest store to Johnstown, Colorado”, states Steve D. Scheel, the company’s Chairman of the Board. “We are excited to be bringing 250,000 square feet of sports, fashion, and footwear to the intersection of I-25 and Hwy 34 in Johnstown. The store will be 30,000 square feet larger than our most recent openings in Overland Park, KS and Billings, MT. And whether it is women’s sportswear and fashion footwear, biking, running, golfing, or camping, hunting and fishing, this location is the best possible location for SCHEELS to serve more than 750,000 people in Northern Colorado, as well as customers to the north and east in Wyoming and Nebraska. We will break ground early in 2016 and open in September 2017 to join the great mix of retailers at or near this intersection.”</div>
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“After searching multiple Colorado locations for our new shopping center, we are confident we have found the perfect location and town for our project to call home. We are excited to bring a new tenant mix to the area, and the addition of SCHEELS to our development is great news for Johnstown, the surrounding communities and the shopping center” says developer, Allen Schlup.</div>
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“I am excited and proud to welcome SCHEELS to the Town of Johnstown and the beautiful Front Range of Colorado. SCHEELS has a great reputation for quality operations and commitment to the communities in the locations they serve.</div>
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We look forward to collaborating with SCHEELS in developing an outstanding sporting goods retail destination,” Mayor Mark Romanowski.</div>
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Modeled after SCHEELS stores in Springfield, IL; Sandy, UT; Billings, MT; and Overland Park, KS the SCHEELS in Johnstown will feature specialty shops ranging from technical running gear and the latest fashion, to spectacular hunting and fishing shops. The sport shoe, hiking boot, and casual footwear selection will be the largest in the region with everything for toddlers to all athletes, from serious hikers to beach goers, and from hunters to the fashion conscious. There will be a World Class golf shop, bike shop, ski shop, canoe and kayak shop, and fishing shop. The gun and hunting shops will have the largest selection of guns in Colorado, ranging from everyday shooters to modern sporting rifles and collectible firearms.</div>
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Special attractions will include a huge 16,000-gallon aquarium; a 65-foot, 16-car, operating Ferris Wheel; photo opportunities; a wildlife mountain; shooting galleries; and laser shot shooting simulators. Customers will be able to test their golf, soccer, hockey, baseball, football and basketball skills on the sport simulators. No shopping experience would be complete without tasty treats; SCHEELS’ deli and fudge shop, named Ginna’s Cafe, will serve gourmet soups and sandwiches, Starbucks® coffee and specialty drinks, 24 flavors of homemade fudge, and 18 flavors of gelato, which will make the shopping adventure something unlike the Johnstown retail customer has ever experienced.</div>
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Johnstown SCHEELS will employ around 400 associates. SCHEELS provides the best training in retail for its career associates. The people at SCHEELS make it special and SCHEELS associates are among the highest paid in retail, with outstanding benefits. SCHEELS is an employee-owned, privately held business that owes its consistent success to its empowered associates, leaders and partners who think and make decisions for their individual store and the entire company.</div>
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World-Class Shopping and Customer Service</h3>
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Providing SCHEELS’ customers with first-class customer service and the World’s largest selection of sports, sportswear and footwear are the priorities throughout the organization. Although each SCHEELS location is unique in design and sometimes varies in product selection, every customer is greeted and welcomed by friendly and knowledgeable associates. The SCHEELS guarantee is:</div>
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Everything you buy at SCHEELS, on sale or otherwise, is guaranteed satisfactory or your money back. You don’t take chances at SCHEELS, ever!</h5>
jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263221656249188543.post-59926640699474743282015-05-17T08:55:00.000-05:002015-05-17T08:55:38.675-05:00hello? hello?Just checking to see if there's still anybody reading, since I've kind of neglected this blog lately. I have a good excuse. I'm working hard to open one of the coolest stores you can imagine. The new Scheels in Overland Park will have everything you need for hunting and fishing (if you're into that kind of thing). You can find stuff for golf, soccer, hockey, and every other kind of competitive and recreational game you can think of. Plus a shooting range, golf simulator, mini bowling, photo ops and much, much more. And that's just the second floor!<br />
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As you enter the store you'll pass under a salt water aquarium and see the huge Ferris Wheel with Ginna's Restaurant behind that. Turn left and you'll find some beautiful women's shops for shoes, fashion, and athletic clothing. Turn right and you'll find a tremendous selection of the best sunglasses you can buy. Plus men's athletic and casual shoes, men's fashion and outerwear, and licensed merchandise to wear, tailgate with, or show your support for your favorite team.<br />
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In the back corner is a huge bike shop, the crown jewel of the store. ;) Lots of bikes for all ages, plus accessories, clothing, and a first class service shop to take care of you. I do have some good news, bad news. The bad news is that I'm not going to be the Shop Manager for the bike shop. The good news is I've accepted the position of Assistant Store Leader. I feel blessed to be part of a great leadership team that has impressed me from the first time we met. And more good news, one of my responsibilities is to oversee the bike shop, and help the new Shop Manager run the best shop in town.<br />
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The store is going to be amazing. If you're anywhere near Kansas City on June 27th or later, you've got to check it out. And even better are the people. I'm astounded at how many good people our team has been able to hire to run this place. And how many supremely talented people have transferred her from other Scheels locations. Every shop is staffed with experts who know their stuff, have a passion for their sport, and want to help you get the most out of your gear. Are you in?jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607447339333426583noreply@blogger.com0