Saturday, November 29, 2008

Gog and Magog Hike - Manitou Springs, CO

Of course this hike exists in Manitou Springs, proverbial home of witches and Satan enthusiasts in Colorado. Google "Gog and Magog" and up pops website after website abound with satanic intonations. Wikipedia has a pretty comprehensive article about the history of the names and how they have been used in various religious cultures throughout the centuries. I have no idea who named the rock formation that gives the trail its name, but the bottom line is this: bring a goat and some gold to the top to add to the existing pile and you'll be fine.

The hike is in the same valley as the Incline, at the end of Ruxton Road. Similar to the Incline, this hike is steep. It gains about 1500 feet in 3 miles, using plenty of switchbacks and even some boulder scrambling. I would not rank this trail as difficult as the Ute Trail in Aspen, but it definitely gets the heart rate up and is a good alternative if the Incline is too crowded.

The problem with this trail is that it is difficult to follow in places. I get the feeling when climbing it that its creation was the result of people bushwacking through it rather than any conscious efforts at trail creation. It is definitely worn down from heavy use, and once you find it the navigating is not that difficult, but there are parts where the trail appears to split. My suggestion is this: when the trail looks like it is going in two different directions, always take the one that heads uphill and you should be fine.

You quickly leave the trailhead behind as the first section of the trail gains elevation quickly through a series of switchbacks. This section does not last long - the switchbacks become more spaced apart as the trail winds up the hills. For the most part, the trees shelter much of the view, until you reach the higher sections of the hike where numerous rock outcroppings provide some spectacular views of the Manitou Springs Valley and downtown Colorado Springs. The trail will eventually appear to dead end into a large formation of rocks. This is where your boulder scrambling skills kick in - just climb over them and the trail will resume on the other side. Continue following the trail up until you come to the first large rock formation that gives the trail its name, Gog. At this point the trail will actually dead end, and you must climb up a short section of rock if you want to continue to the next formation. Once atop Gog, you can see the other large rock formation on the other end of what is a generally flat and sandy summit. The second formation, Magog, farther to the south is the more impressive of the two, with more dramatic features and some great spots for bouldering or top-rope climbing.

Overall, the hike has some incredibly impressive views of Pikes Peak and its surrounding foothills. The view itself makes this hike worth it, but the rock formations are fun to explore as well. Take some climbing shoes and chalk with you if you want to get some low key bouldering in while you are there.

Distance: about 3 miles up

Time: 55 minutes

Directions: From downtown Manitou Springs, take Manitou Ave west and take a left on Ruxton Avenue. Continue on Ruxton to the Cog Railroad depot and park (try the Barr Trail lot for more parking). Once on foot, continue up Ruxton Ave until it turns into a dirt road. The creek will be on your left. Walk up the dirt about 100 yards and look to the left for a large log that crosses the creek. Cross this log and cross the Cog tracks. The trailhead should be right in front of you.


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Thursday, November 27, 2008

Lovejoy to Skyline Loop - Portland, OR

The essential key to great rides in the Portland metro area is knowing how to navigate the West Hills. They dominate the skyline west of the city; providing great views and a lot of great rides, if you know how to traverse through them.

My first experiences riding in Portland were incredibly frustrating. I could see the hills that I wanted desperately to climb, but for the life of me I could not figure out how to get into for any sort of meaningful ride. Stubbornly, I would set out from my house with map in hand, only to become frustrated at the changing road names, the narrow streets that dead ended suddenly and the increasingly irate drivers who seemed to recognize the overly large cyclist with his too-tight spandex (it IS actually possible to have spandex that is too tight). Eventually I broke down and asked one of the TAs at school, who was a cyclist, what he recommended. His first inclination was to send me up NW Lovejoy in order to orient me with Skyline Boulevard.

Lovejoy runs from East to West, in the Northwest section of Portland. After rolling through the trendy Northwest part of the city, the road heads into the Forest Park area of the Hills. Lovejoy provides one of the closest and widest routes into the West Hills. There are two tunnels along the route; with paved paths that detour around them so you don't have to share the tunnels with cars. As the road continues to climb I always take a right on NW 53rd Drive (its basically the first real road that you come across as you climb). 53rd Drive is a beast in and of itself. It starts steep and stays steep for a good mile before leveling out. I often use this road for hill sprints - it is one of the better and more quickly reached climbs in the West Hills. 53rd Drive will eventually fun into Thompson, which climbs up to Skyline Boulevard. From this point, you can head North (by taking a right) or South (a left). For this loop, I head left and take Skyline to where it intersections with Cornell and take a left for an incredibly fast descent. On the downhill I forgo the diversions around the tunnels. Just keep an eye out for potholes.

I love this ride for a couple of reasons. Mainly its close; it is really easy to access from downtown Portland and makes for a great after work/before dinner ride. It's also short enough to not get in the way of the rest of the day, but has enough climbing to provide for a great workout. It also has some great views of the Cascades, and rolls by some incredible houses. Lastly, this loop is a great basis for other rides in the area, and can serve as a great warmup to some more intense cycling.

Distance: 11 miles roundtrip

Time: 45 minutes on average

Directions: start at 10th and Lovejoy and head West on Lovejoy (it has a bike lane for some of it, but once that ends the road is wide enough to not be too much of a problem). The road with head through the Northwest neighborhood and climb briefly up to Cornell (which Lovejoy turns into). Bear right and head past some gigantic houses. The road will climb slightly before veering right and beginning a gradual climb that winds through the two tunnels. At NW 53rd Drive take a right, and follow that until it runs into Thompson. At the stop sign turn right where the road climbs up to Skyline. Take a left at the stop sign and follow Skyline back to Cornell. Left at the stop sign for a screaming descent back down.


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Eagle Creek - Portland, OR

The first time I ran in the Gorge I was invited to go running on the Eagle Creek Trail by a very athletic, slightly unhinged, friend of ours who insisted on showing me what she considered one of the best trail runs she had ever done. I was interested, but slightly weary. The drive up to the trailhead would allow for the most one-on-one time I had ever had with this girl, and I was hesitant to be confined to the car, without quickly available means of escape. Thankfully I got past the fear that she was going to stab me, and was able to try out the run in all of its glory (this is after we almost died on the off ramp, as she apparently manifests her crazy in the way she takes icy corners). Heart rate blasting - we headed up the trail for what has become my favorite run in Oregon. For me, Eagle Creek provides the quintessential Northwest running experience, a place where I can retreat when I am not sure if I can handle the gray skies or the seemingly endless rain. The run is green, muddy, steep and utterly gorgeous.

The trail runs along the walls of the canyon that has been carved by the Eagle Creek, which runs from the foothills of Mt. Hood into the Columbia River. Numerous other creeks pour into the canyon, creating countless waterfalls that you pass as you wind your way up the canyon. The waterfalls make the trail popular with hikers, hence the first 2 miles or so are fairly crowded with day-trippers (the crowd seems to thin out after Punch Bowl Falls). I could go on and on about the wateralls as they are truly amazing, but part of the fun of this run is discovering what is around the next turn.

For the most part, the trail is narrow and rocky, and runs along the canyon walls resulting in incredibly steep drop offs through many parts of the trail. The actual ground is fairly jagged in a number of areas, forcing you to pay attention to footing. Additionally, there are parts where water sprays off the rocks above creating numerous puddles, mudslicks and wet areas that have to be navigated carefully to avoid slipping into the canyon below (how cool of a story would that be - "I was running Eagle Creek and fell into the abyss!"). But do not let this deter you; the run, while perhaps vertigo inducing in some sections, climbs gradually enough to be fairly easy on the legs. You can generally make it as easy or intense as you want.

The map below ends at my usual turn around point - just above Twisting Falls, about 7 miles from the trailhead. It's a good spot to take a break, stretch and let the dog play in the water.

Topographic map and elevation profile here.

Distance: 12+ miles round trip (I generally stop at Twisting/Eagle Creek Falls, but the run can continue past for another 8 miles).

Time: 2.5 hours

Directions: Take I-84 East out of Portland and take exit 41 (the exit is immediately after a tunnel - take it slow, this is where my friend almost killed us on the ice). After exiting, take a right at the stop sign and continue along a narrow road until it ends, there is usually parking available.

Our Suggestions: Lock your valuables in the car as apparently they have been having problems with break ins. There is a $5.00 day use fee that I have never paid but never been ticketed for. Bring food for during and after - it's a long one and a picnic lunch is a perfect ending. Time your trip so you head back to Portland during the sunset. You'll fall in love with the Northwest all over again.


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Thursday, November 20, 2008

Ward - Boulder, CO

Random towns in Colorado intrigue me. I always wonder why a group of people decided to get together and establish a town where, all factors considered, there is not much of a reason to set up shop there. They all seem to have the same aesthetic, as if there was some sort of effort to create a uniformity within their random existence. Lots of dogs running around, bar, old trucks, convenience store, low speed limits, intriguing economic plans. You know, small town Colorado.

Ward is one such town, and what we call the ride to the town (as in "let's do Ward today"). It is probably one of the strangest towns you can access from Boulder. Picture kids in a souped up go-kart whipping through town with their possibly rabid dogs chasing them and their hippie parents watching from their porches and you have Ward. It also has a convenience store whose client base is almost completely composed of cyclists.

That said, Ward is a great longer distance ride that is easily reached from Boulder. Accessed from the same roads that make up the Jamestown ride, it winds up an adjacent canyon to Jamestown before ending at Ward. The ride is a gradual uphill climb until the last mile and a half, where it climbs steeply into town. From Ward you can head farther up to the Peak to Peak highway and some additional rides. If you decide to do it as an out and back, the descent is really fun. We usually hop on Lee Hill to loop back to Boulder.

Distance: 22 miles from downtown Boulder to Ward. 43.2 miles rountrip with Lee Hill Included.

Directions: From downtown Boulder, take the same route as the Jamestown ride, but at the intersection of Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive take a left and remain on Lefthand Canyon Drive. The road turns into Indiana Gulch Road at the beginning of the steep climb. Continue climbing until you hit the town of Ward (you will know because there will be a ton of bikes parked outside the convenience store. And probably some rabid dogs tearing around).


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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Jamestown - Boulder, CO

A lot of our ride names are simply based on whatever town they end in, as is this one which we call Jamestown because, as you may have guessed, it ends in a little town outside of Boulder called Jamestown. Jamestown is a great ride to become familiar with because a number of other rides branch off of the route, and its a good longer distance ride that does not take all day.

The ride overall is a fairly gradual uphill, with the steepest part being near the beginning; the climb up Old Stage Road. For some reason the Old Stage climb is where people are all about attacking. I do it, my friends have done it, other bikers do it. Because it is one of the steeper hills, Old Stage is a good gauge of cycling fitness. There is nothing like having a 60 year old grandmother destroying you up the hill to remind you that its time to put some serious time in on the bike. My fitness gauge is usually our friend Craig - if I am able to keep up with him I feel pretty good about my conditioning. Unfortunately Craig has taken to riding more than Max eats, so I am feeling a bit out of shape these days.

After the summit of Old Stage is one of the better descents in the Boulder area - steep and straight, with a few curves to navigate. My high speed down is about 56 mph. You have to watch out though; as with a lot of these rides there often deer hanging out by the side of the road. Nothing like plowing through a deer to get the day started.

After the descent you will come to a stop sign, at which you will take a left, up Lefthand Canyon Drive. This road is newly paved and has a really wide shoulder - great for riding. The road winds along a creek, gradually climbing along the way. There are a number of hairpin turns in the early sections (watch out for loose rock in the turns). Along this early section you will also pass a shooting range. You'll know it because there are usually gigantic trucks parked along the road. This is my favorite part; charging past the range and wondering if anyone in there is so drunk that the sight of brightly colored moving objects will draw fire.

A little under 3 miles up the canyon there will be a sign for Ward and a turnoff to the left, where Lefthand Canyon Drive continues. Avoid the turn and instead bear slightly right. The road at this point is now called James Canyon Drive and will bring you the rest of the way to Jamestown. Once you roll into the little town (population: unknown, but lots of dogs) there is usually Gatorade containers filled with water, and I believe a little convenience store where you can buy food if need be.

The descent back down the canyon is a ton of fun, very fast and curvy (like one of the bad girls from high school!). We usually take a right at the Ward turnoff (onto Lefthand Canyon Drive again), and then a left onto Lee Hill Drive, which winds back down to Old Stage and completes the loop.

Distance: 14 miles from downtown Boulder. 28 Miles roundtrip, including Lee Hill

Directions: You can take Broadway up from downtown Boulder like the map below shows. But for a more scenic route try this one: From downtown Boulder, Pearl Street to 4th Street and take a right, and then a left, and another right (its all 4th Street baby!). Continue north on 4th until it deadends at a driveway/bike path (driveway on the left, bike path on the right - the map below does not show it, but it is there). Continue on that until it ends and then cross the road onto Wonderland Hills Ave. Take a right on Poplar Avenue and then a left onto Broadway Street (you can also just take Broadway Street from downtown, but its heavily trafficked, not as scenic, and there is not a bike lane the whole way up it). After taking a left onto Broadway there is a wide bike lane. Broadway will interesect with Lee Hill Drive. Take a left and then continue up to Old Stage Road.

Note: the map below shows full ride, with the Lee Hill Route, but does not show the "back" way most riders usually take (described above).


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Thursday, November 13, 2008

Coffee is my recovery drink of choice

There is a great article in Velonews about the first study to evaluate caffeine's potential benefits in the recovery phase of a workout. The researchers theorized that because pre-workout caffeine intake increased availability of glucose (a sugar used by the body for energy), post workout intake may help an athlete more quickly replenish their muscle glycocen stores.

The results of the study were promising; the researches found that in a 4 hour recovery period, the amount of glycogen stored in the muscle when the athlete consumed both carbohydrates and caffeine was 60% higher than those athletes that consumed the carbohydrates alone. The conclusion; caffeine can help an athlete recover more quickly between sessions.

Excellent news for my caffeine addiction, but there was one initial drawback to the study; the caffeine does used to reach the increased recovery level was 560 milligrams, about the equivalent of 6 cups of coffee (or about 2 of those crazy new NOS energy drink bottle that makes your pee glow in the dark and allows you to vibrate between dimensions).


Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Four Mile Canyon - Boulder, CO

Four Mile is another one of those narrow Boulder canyons that hides within its walls some weird little neighborhoods and a good ride. Easily accessible from downtown Boulder, this ride is close to a number of other rides in the area, including Magnolia and Sugarloaf. Gently ascending, with a few short climbs, this ride is great by itself, as part of a larger loop, or as a warm up for the other rides in the area. Shaded in a lot of areas, this ride is also a great mid-day ride during the summer months.

For as easy and accessible as Four Mile can be, its name is a bit of a misnomer on two fronts. One, the actual ride is not four miles, it turns to dirt at the 8.3 mile mark in the ride. The ride actually ends on Gold Run Road, which branches off of Four Mile Canyon Drive at about the 7.6 mile mark in the ride. This is where the steepest section of climbing is (you will see the intersection at a cluster of buildings that looks almost like the beginning of a town - Gold Run Road is a sharp right at this point). And two; Four Mile is an access point for one of the most challenging rides in Boulder - the Four Mile/Sunshine Loop. We have started out on Four Mile with thoughts of an easy ride only to find ourselves following friends past the pavement all the way up to the top of the Sunshine Canyon ride. The loop is definitely not easy, and takes awhile, and is on dirt. And Tyler Hamilton trains on it. And we want our mom now.

If doing Four Mile as an out and back, we typically stop at the end of the pavement (8.75 miles in). The descent is one of the more fun ones in Boulder, but be wary of the locals. On one of our recent rides our friend Max was almost taken out by a guy who felt careening through the turns without staying in the lines was a safer approach to driving. Awesome.

Distance: 8.75 miles to summit (from start at 9th and Pearl Street). 17.50 miles roundtrip

Directions: From downtown Boulder (9th and Pearl Street) head south on 9th, cross Canyon Blvd and hop on to the Boulder Creek Path, heading West. The path will eventually turn to dirt as it winds up Canyon. The path will dead end at Boulder Canyon Road. From there, cross the street to Fourmile Canyon Drive.


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