Vail Pass is one of the rare passes in Colorado that can be reached on a bike without playing high speed vehicle roulette. A bike path, running between Vail and Breckendrige, allows easy access over the pass and provides a great ride through amazing scenery while providing a great workout.
Breckenridge has evolved from its roots as a mining town, slowly turning the scars of gold mining into a proper ski town that is usually more affordable, and more easily accessible, than Aspen, Telluride or Vail. With abundant restaurants, bars and coffee shops, Breck is a great place to start and end the climb to Vail Pass.
The ride starts in downtown Breckenridge winds west along the bike path, which is paved the entire way. Once the ride hits Frisco, the mostly flat terrain gradually begins to climb almost 1000 feet before topping out at the summit of Vail Pass, which sits at about 10,600 feet. Along the way, the path provides great views of the Breckenridge and Copper Mountain ski resorts and the surrounding peaks, as well as views of Dillon Lake. Be prepared for extremely variable weather; this is, after all, Colorado.
Distance: 21.65 miles one way / 43.30 miles round trip
Directions: Starting at N. Main Street and Lincoln Ave. in downtown Breckendridge, head West and take a left on Watson Road and then a right on to the bike path. Stay on the bike path for about 16 miles until it ends in a parking lot near a Shell gas station. From there hop on the road that crosses CO-Highway 91 into the Copper Mountain village (you should be on Copper Road).
Continue west, past the round-a-bout and on to Beeler Pl. You will see an entrance for the bike path on the right. Hop on that and take it an additional 4.10 miles to the parking lot at the summit of Vail Pass. Return via the same route.
View Larger Map
Showing posts with label rides. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rides. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Four Mile/Sunshine Loop - Boulder, CO
When we start out on long rides our group usually coalesces behind me, letting me lead out the first couple of miles or so. I always thought that this was because I set a decent pace, until I overheard Max one day;
"Riding behind him is like riding behind three people."
And Craig; "I feel like I'm in a vacuum."
And Kristian; "I don't even feel like I'm working. My legs are going to be so fresh for the climbs."
And me; (Silent tears. And craving for another Twinkie. And more tears).
For rides like the Four Mile/Sunshine Loop, saving energy in the early stages is key, as this ride is long, full of climbing with a lot of dirt riding thrown in to mix things up. Approachable from either the Four Mile ride or the Sunshine Canyon ride, the route forms a loop that essentially starts and ends in downtown Boulder; making it one of the most accessible long rides in town. However you start, the loop involves a lot of climbing, and some long descent stretches on dirt. Starting the loop by going up Sunshine is the most climbing intensive way, while the Four Mile start allows you to climb to the top of the loop more gradually. For the most part, the dirt is smooth and decent for riding.
However, there are sections that are pretty bumped out; so watch your speed and hold on to your bars as wrecking on dirt does some awesome damage to the spandex (and the Twinkie stash). The views on the higher sections of the ride are some of our favorite in the Boulder area; the Rockies to the West, and the Foothills and Front Range to the North and South. It makes the fact that you can no longer feel your legs less daunting.
This ride is also a good one for celebrating spotting. The last time we were up there we spotted Tyler Hamilton. He doesn't look like he enjoys Twinkies.
Distance: 23 miles roundtrip
Directions: You can ride the loop by either taking Four Mile or Sunshine. From Four Mile, continue past where the pavement ends and continue on Gold Run Road as it climbs up to the town of Gold Hill, where the road will become Boulder Street. Once in town, take a right on Horsfal Street which will turn into Sunshine Canyon Drive.
If heading up through Sunshine Canyon, continue past the end of the pavement and continue climbing until the road ends in the town of Gold Hill. Take a left on Boulder Street which turns into Gold Run Road.
View Larger Map
"Riding behind him is like riding behind three people."
And Craig; "I feel like I'm in a vacuum."
And Kristian; "I don't even feel like I'm working. My legs are going to be so fresh for the climbs."
And me; (Silent tears. And craving for another Twinkie. And more tears).
For rides like the Four Mile/Sunshine Loop, saving energy in the early stages is key, as this ride is long, full of climbing with a lot of dirt riding thrown in to mix things up. Approachable from either the Four Mile ride or the Sunshine Canyon ride, the route forms a loop that essentially starts and ends in downtown Boulder; making it one of the most accessible long rides in town. However you start, the loop involves a lot of climbing, and some long descent stretches on dirt. Starting the loop by going up Sunshine is the most climbing intensive way, while the Four Mile start allows you to climb to the top of the loop more gradually. For the most part, the dirt is smooth and decent for riding.
However, there are sections that are pretty bumped out; so watch your speed and hold on to your bars as wrecking on dirt does some awesome damage to the spandex (and the Twinkie stash). The views on the higher sections of the ride are some of our favorite in the Boulder area; the Rockies to the West, and the Foothills and Front Range to the North and South. It makes the fact that you can no longer feel your legs less daunting.
This ride is also a good one for celebrating spotting. The last time we were up there we spotted Tyler Hamilton. He doesn't look like he enjoys Twinkies.
Distance: 23 miles roundtrip
Directions: You can ride the loop by either taking Four Mile or Sunshine. From Four Mile, continue past where the pavement ends and continue on Gold Run Road as it climbs up to the town of Gold Hill, where the road will become Boulder Street. Once in town, take a right on Horsfal Street which will turn into Sunshine Canyon Drive.
If heading up through Sunshine Canyon, continue past the end of the pavement and continue climbing until the road ends in the town of Gold Hill. Take a left on Boulder Street which turns into Gold Run Road.
View Larger Map
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Downtown/University of Portland Loop - Portland, OR
Remember in college when you were surrounded by pretty people and it took everything in your power to keep your neck from snapping in half as you tried to take it all in? Imagine that, but add in high speed cycling, your ass encased in spandex, and traffic, and you have our favorite part of this ride: the University of Portland campus on hot spring day (note: the students get creeped out when you circle numerous times around the soccer fields, so just try and make one pass).
The Downtown/U of P loop is an abbreviation of the Skyline to Rock Creek Road Loop, dropping the long out and back and adding in one of the best descents in Portland. Starting in downtown Portland, the ride heads up the Lovejoy/Cornell corridor and on to Skyline, where it winds north through the West Hills before dropping down Germantown Road and crossing into North Portland and back into downtown. Along the way you get to see the venerable St. John's Bridge, the University of Portland campus and the Adidas U.S. headquarter's campus before crossing back into downtown via the Broadway Bridge.
A couple of things to watch out for: crossing the St. John's Bridge can be a bit scary, as the sidewalk on the bridge really isn't wide enough to ride on. We usually just stay on the road; which is two lanes in each direction so not too bad. Also, traffic merges onto Greeley on your right a little bit after the Adidas campus; they have a yield sign but pay attention. Finally, the transition from Greeley to Interstate Ave. is a bit dicey, requiring you to cross a lane of traffic, so keep your head up.
Apart from the undergrads, we love this ride because its a great way to see a lot of Portland and has some amazing views of the Cascades, especially coming over St. John's Bridge where, on a clear day, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood are all visible. The Germantown Road descent is one of the best, and fastest, in Portland; a great way to get used to cornering at higher speeds. The highlight of this ride for me is coming back into downtown Portland and riding down Broadway during the late afternoon, around sunset. Crossing the Broadway Bridge when the Willamette below is lit in reds and pinks is an amazing way to finish a workout. This is the ride that I do when I'm feeling unsure of Portland; it reaffirms my love of both the Northwest and this city.
Distance: 23 miles roundtrip
Directions: Starting at the Salmon Street Fountain at Tom McCall Waterfront Park; take the paved path north, making a slight left by the Steel Bridge and crossing the railroad tracks. Continue north on Naito Parkway to NW 9th Ave, and take a left. NW 9th will intersect with NW Lovejoy. From there, take the first part of the Lovejoy Loop (Lovejoy to Cornell, right on 53rd, right again on Thompson) to get up to Skyline, where you will take a right. Take Skyline for about 3.8 miles until it intersects with NW Germantown Road. Take a right on Germantown and descend to the bottom, where the road will intersect with NW Bridge Ave. Take a right and head to the intersection of NW Bridge Ave. and NW St. John's Bridge. Take a left at the intersection on to the St. John's Bridge.
After crossing the bridge, take a right on to N. Syracuse Street (it's the first right that you can make. Be careful; it's a sharp right on to a pot-holed road) which will dead end on to N Burlington Road. Take a right here and then your first left on to N Willamette Blvd. Stay on N Willamette for about 3 miles, past the U of P campus, where it will take a sharp right that bikes, but not cars, are allowed to turn at. Stay on the road until it intersects with N Greeley Ave, where you want to take a right. This road will take you past the Adidas campus and to N Interstate Ave. This is where the transition gets tricky: you have to move from the right lane over to the left, crossing the on ramp for I-5. Make sure NOT to go up the on ramp, but down towards Interstate, where you want to take a right on to the bike lane.
Once on Interstate, take a right (the light rail tracks should be on your left) and head south towards downtown, passing by the Widmer Brewery. After the intersection of Interstate and N Tillamook Street you want to bear right, on to N Larrabee Ave, which will bring you to the intersection of Larrabee and N Broadway St. Take a right on N Broadway and cross the Broadway Bridge into downtown. To ride down Broadway, and through Downtown, take a left on Broadway St., cross Burnside, and enjoy the people watching and downtown. To get back to Tom McCall Park, take a left on Salmon Street.
View Larger Map
The Downtown/U of P loop is an abbreviation of the Skyline to Rock Creek Road Loop, dropping the long out and back and adding in one of the best descents in Portland. Starting in downtown Portland, the ride heads up the Lovejoy/Cornell corridor and on to Skyline, where it winds north through the West Hills before dropping down Germantown Road and crossing into North Portland and back into downtown. Along the way you get to see the venerable St. John's Bridge, the University of Portland campus and the Adidas U.S. headquarter's campus before crossing back into downtown via the Broadway Bridge.
A couple of things to watch out for: crossing the St. John's Bridge can be a bit scary, as the sidewalk on the bridge really isn't wide enough to ride on. We usually just stay on the road; which is two lanes in each direction so not too bad. Also, traffic merges onto Greeley on your right a little bit after the Adidas campus; they have a yield sign but pay attention. Finally, the transition from Greeley to Interstate Ave. is a bit dicey, requiring you to cross a lane of traffic, so keep your head up.
Apart from the undergrads, we love this ride because its a great way to see a lot of Portland and has some amazing views of the Cascades, especially coming over St. John's Bridge where, on a clear day, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood are all visible. The Germantown Road descent is one of the best, and fastest, in Portland; a great way to get used to cornering at higher speeds. The highlight of this ride for me is coming back into downtown Portland and riding down Broadway during the late afternoon, around sunset. Crossing the Broadway Bridge when the Willamette below is lit in reds and pinks is an amazing way to finish a workout. This is the ride that I do when I'm feeling unsure of Portland; it reaffirms my love of both the Northwest and this city.
Distance: 23 miles roundtrip
Directions: Starting at the Salmon Street Fountain at Tom McCall Waterfront Park; take the paved path north, making a slight left by the Steel Bridge and crossing the railroad tracks. Continue north on Naito Parkway to NW 9th Ave, and take a left. NW 9th will intersect with NW Lovejoy. From there, take the first part of the Lovejoy Loop (Lovejoy to Cornell, right on 53rd, right again on Thompson) to get up to Skyline, where you will take a right. Take Skyline for about 3.8 miles until it intersects with NW Germantown Road. Take a right on Germantown and descend to the bottom, where the road will intersect with NW Bridge Ave. Take a right and head to the intersection of NW Bridge Ave. and NW St. John's Bridge. Take a left at the intersection on to the St. John's Bridge.
After crossing the bridge, take a right on to N. Syracuse Street (it's the first right that you can make. Be careful; it's a sharp right on to a pot-holed road) which will dead end on to N Burlington Road. Take a right here and then your first left on to N Willamette Blvd. Stay on N Willamette for about 3 miles, past the U of P campus, where it will take a sharp right that bikes, but not cars, are allowed to turn at. Stay on the road until it intersects with N Greeley Ave, where you want to take a right. This road will take you past the Adidas campus and to N Interstate Ave. This is where the transition gets tricky: you have to move from the right lane over to the left, crossing the on ramp for I-5. Make sure NOT to go up the on ramp, but down towards Interstate, where you want to take a right on to the bike lane.
Once on Interstate, take a right (the light rail tracks should be on your left) and head south towards downtown, passing by the Widmer Brewery. After the intersection of Interstate and N Tillamook Street you want to bear right, on to N Larrabee Ave, which will bring you to the intersection of Larrabee and N Broadway St. Take a right on N Broadway and cross the Broadway Bridge into downtown. To ride down Broadway, and through Downtown, take a left on Broadway St., cross Burnside, and enjoy the people watching and downtown. To get back to Tom McCall Park, take a left on Salmon Street.
View Larger Map
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Boulder Peak (Bike) Course - Boulder, CO
I have not yet attempted a triathlon; I fear that my overly heavy body would either drown or explode through my skin. Instead, I cruise sections of triathlon courses and tell myself "one day", and then eat another twinkie.
The Boulder Peak Triathlon is one of the major events of the summer season, full of elite level athletes, weekend warriors and beginners; all getting their spandex fix through the foothills and back roads of Boulder. We love the Boulder Peak Triathlon for one reason (besides the free stuff Craig hooks us up with sometimes); the bike course. Running through a great climb, even better descents and long, fast straightaways, the Boulder Peak Bike Course is a ton of fun, without the pesky annoyance of having to swim and run thrown in.
Deviating a bit from the actual course, we usually start this ride in downtown Boulder, winding our way up north before hopping onto the course at the intersection of North Broadway and Lee Hill Road. From there the course heads west to the Old Stage Climb (exploding body time), and its great descent into Lefthand Canyon (watch out on the descent though; people hit bears here. That's right motherfucker. BEARS). The Lefthand Canyon section is a slightly downhill, very fast section that passes some great scenery before dumping you out onto Highway 36, where you head north and onto Nelson. Nelson is another long and fast flat section with a moderate descent that will bring you to N. 63rd Street. 63rd is a rolling road that passes numerous farms and provides great views of the mountains. It will eventually bring you to the Diagonol Highway, and then to Jay Road where the real course heads into the Boulder Resevoir area. We head back to town from here, usually taking side streets through some cool neighborhoods.
We love this course simply because it is so varied; climbs, flats and everything in between. We have yet to slam into a bear at high speeds, but here's to a New Year! And twinkies.
Distance: 28.65 miles round trip
Directions: From downtown Boulder, take 9th Street north to Pine Street and take a right. Head east and take a left on 20th Street, which will wind up a hill to a stop sign and turn into 19th Street. Take 19th Street north for 2.25 miles until it dead-ends into Yartmouth Ave., and take a left on to Yartmouth which intersects with Broadway. Take a right on Broadway and then your first left on to Lee Hill Road. Lee Hill Road turns into Old Stage Road and the biggest climb of this ride. After descending Old Stage take a right at the stop sign on to Lefthand Drive. Take Lefthand out to Highway 36 and take a left, and then your first right on to Nelson Road. Spin down Nelson until it intersects with 63rd Street where you will take a right. This road intersections with the Diaganol Highway, where you will take another right, and then a right onto Jay Road. Head down Jay and take a left on 26th Street/Folsom and then a right on to Iris Ave, which will intersect with 19th to take you back to downtown.
View Larger Map
The Boulder Peak Triathlon is one of the major events of the summer season, full of elite level athletes, weekend warriors and beginners; all getting their spandex fix through the foothills and back roads of Boulder. We love the Boulder Peak Triathlon for one reason (besides the free stuff Craig hooks us up with sometimes); the bike course. Running through a great climb, even better descents and long, fast straightaways, the Boulder Peak Bike Course is a ton of fun, without the pesky annoyance of having to swim and run thrown in.
Deviating a bit from the actual course, we usually start this ride in downtown Boulder, winding our way up north before hopping onto the course at the intersection of North Broadway and Lee Hill Road. From there the course heads west to the Old Stage Climb (exploding body time), and its great descent into Lefthand Canyon (watch out on the descent though; people hit bears here. That's right motherfucker. BEARS). The Lefthand Canyon section is a slightly downhill, very fast section that passes some great scenery before dumping you out onto Highway 36, where you head north and onto Nelson. Nelson is another long and fast flat section with a moderate descent that will bring you to N. 63rd Street. 63rd is a rolling road that passes numerous farms and provides great views of the mountains. It will eventually bring you to the Diagonol Highway, and then to Jay Road where the real course heads into the Boulder Resevoir area. We head back to town from here, usually taking side streets through some cool neighborhoods.
We love this course simply because it is so varied; climbs, flats and everything in between. We have yet to slam into a bear at high speeds, but here's to a New Year! And twinkies.
Distance: 28.65 miles round trip
Directions: From downtown Boulder, take 9th Street north to Pine Street and take a right. Head east and take a left on 20th Street, which will wind up a hill to a stop sign and turn into 19th Street. Take 19th Street north for 2.25 miles until it dead-ends into Yartmouth Ave., and take a left on to Yartmouth which intersects with Broadway. Take a right on Broadway and then your first left on to Lee Hill Road. Lee Hill Road turns into Old Stage Road and the biggest climb of this ride. After descending Old Stage take a right at the stop sign on to Lefthand Drive. Take Lefthand out to Highway 36 and take a left, and then your first right on to Nelson Road. Spin down Nelson until it intersects with 63rd Street where you will take a right. This road intersections with the Diaganol Highway, where you will take another right, and then a right onto Jay Road. Head down Jay and take a left on 26th Street/Folsom and then a right on to Iris Ave, which will intersect with 19th to take you back to downtown.
View Larger Map
Friday, December 19, 2008
St. Vrain Canyon - Boulder, CO
One of the best parts of riding is the places that you would otherwise never see or experience but for your attachment to a two wheeled tour guide. The St. Vrain Canyon area, northwest of Boulder, CO, is one of those places I would never have thought to check out had it not been for my bike and a few insistent riding partners. There is seldom reason in Boulder, after a night binge drinking, to spend the next day spinning up a sun baked canyon with little in the way of food or water stops. Thank God for friends.
St. Vrain Canyon is located outside of the town of Lyons, CO and winds up to the Peak to Peak Highway that runs through the mountains south of Boulder to Rocky Mountain National Park. Appropriately, St. Vrain does a wonderful job of working your legs while climbing up to the highway, traversing some gorgeous terrain on its way. The canyon is long and narrow, with large rock outcroppings and sheer walls that gradually turn into large, tree filled meadows abutting the mountains of the Front Range. At the beginning of the canyon we usually take a couple of the side streets that parallel the main road; avoiding a bit of the traffic.
The St. Vrain ride is one in which you will find yourself gawking at the scenery, trying not to swerve off the road. While there is a lot of climbing involved, this ride is great as a longer, base building ride. The canyon's climb is gradual, similar in grade to Jamestown and Ward, but more difficult simply because of its overall length. Once on to the Peak to Peak Highway, the road becomes more rolling, with a lot of fun descents. From Ward on, the ride is downhill until the last climb over Lee Hill on the edge of Boulder.
You should alott a decent amount of your day for this ride, as it is long and you'll want to stop once or twice to eat and restock water bottles. There are numerous stopping points along the ride, including a little convenience store in Raymond, and the general store in Ward. Generally, there is a fair amount of traffic on Peak to Peak, but there are usually a lot of riders so people are aware of the spandex set.
Distance: 67 miles round trip.
Directions: From downtown Boulder, take 9th Street north to Pine Street and take a right. Head east and take a left on 20th Street, which will wind up a hill to a stop sign and turn into 19th Street. Take 19th Street north for 2.25 miles until it dead-ends into Yartmouth Ave., and take a left until Yartmouth intersects with Broadway. Take a right on Broadway which will bring you to Highway 36/N. Foothills Hwy, where you will bear left and take 36 North towards Lyons (busy road, but lots of shoulder room). 36 will intersect with 66/Ute Hwy, where you will take a left into the town of Lyons. Continue on 66 until it intersects with Hwy 7/S. St. Vrain Drive, where you will take a left. Hwy 7 is the road that runs through St. Vrain Canyon, which you can stay on for most of the ride. Typically, we take the side roads that parallel Hwy 7, the first of which is Old St. Vrain Road/Boulder County 84, which is accessed by taking a left, about a 1/4 of a mile after turning onto Hwy 7.
Old St. Vrain/Boulder County 84 will run back into Hwy 7. Take a left and churn for about 9.25 miles before taking a left onto Riverside Drive. This road will take you all the way into the town of Raymond, where you can refill water and buy food. Continuing past the convenience store, the road will eventually intersect with the Peak to Peak Highway, where you want to take a left (south). Continue on Peak to Peak all the way to the town of Ward (about mile 41.60. where you will take a left on to Nelson/Utica St./Indiana Gulch Road, which winds through Ward and on to Lefthand Canyon Drive, where you will bear left and head East, back towards Boulder.
At Lee Hill Drive take a right on to Lee Hill Drive (about mile 52.25), which you will take into Old Stage Road. Take a right on to Old Stage and which will bring you out to Broadway, where you take a right, and then your first left on to Yartmouth, returning back to downtown Boulder the way you came.
View Larger Map
St. Vrain Canyon is located outside of the town of Lyons, CO and winds up to the Peak to Peak Highway that runs through the mountains south of Boulder to Rocky Mountain National Park. Appropriately, St. Vrain does a wonderful job of working your legs while climbing up to the highway, traversing some gorgeous terrain on its way. The canyon is long and narrow, with large rock outcroppings and sheer walls that gradually turn into large, tree filled meadows abutting the mountains of the Front Range. At the beginning of the canyon we usually take a couple of the side streets that parallel the main road; avoiding a bit of the traffic.
The St. Vrain ride is one in which you will find yourself gawking at the scenery, trying not to swerve off the road. While there is a lot of climbing involved, this ride is great as a longer, base building ride. The canyon's climb is gradual, similar in grade to Jamestown and Ward, but more difficult simply because of its overall length. Once on to the Peak to Peak Highway, the road becomes more rolling, with a lot of fun descents. From Ward on, the ride is downhill until the last climb over Lee Hill on the edge of Boulder.
You should alott a decent amount of your day for this ride, as it is long and you'll want to stop once or twice to eat and restock water bottles. There are numerous stopping points along the ride, including a little convenience store in Raymond, and the general store in Ward. Generally, there is a fair amount of traffic on Peak to Peak, but there are usually a lot of riders so people are aware of the spandex set.
Distance: 67 miles round trip.
Directions: From downtown Boulder, take 9th Street north to Pine Street and take a right. Head east and take a left on 20th Street, which will wind up a hill to a stop sign and turn into 19th Street. Take 19th Street north for 2.25 miles until it dead-ends into Yartmouth Ave., and take a left until Yartmouth intersects with Broadway. Take a right on Broadway which will bring you to Highway 36/N. Foothills Hwy, where you will bear left and take 36 North towards Lyons (busy road, but lots of shoulder room). 36 will intersect with 66/Ute Hwy, where you will take a left into the town of Lyons. Continue on 66 until it intersects with Hwy 7/S. St. Vrain Drive, where you will take a left. Hwy 7 is the road that runs through St. Vrain Canyon, which you can stay on for most of the ride. Typically, we take the side roads that parallel Hwy 7, the first of which is Old St. Vrain Road/Boulder County 84, which is accessed by taking a left, about a 1/4 of a mile after turning onto Hwy 7.
Old St. Vrain/Boulder County 84 will run back into Hwy 7. Take a left and churn for about 9.25 miles before taking a left onto Riverside Drive. This road will take you all the way into the town of Raymond, where you can refill water and buy food. Continuing past the convenience store, the road will eventually intersect with the Peak to Peak Highway, where you want to take a left (south). Continue on Peak to Peak all the way to the town of Ward (about mile 41.60. where you will take a left on to Nelson/Utica St./Indiana Gulch Road, which winds through Ward and on to Lefthand Canyon Drive, where you will bear left and head East, back towards Boulder.
At Lee Hill Drive take a right on to Lee Hill Drive (about mile 52.25), which you will take into Old Stage Road. Take a right on to Old Stage and which will bring you out to Broadway, where you take a right, and then your first left on to Yartmouth, returning back to downtown Boulder the way you came.
View Larger Map
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
NCAR/El Dorado Canyon Loop - Boulder, CO
These "Whopper Virgin" commercials are driving me nuts. The premise is that taste testers travel around the world to find burger "virgins", give them a Big Mac and a Whopper, and see which one they like the most - the "ultimate taste test." My problem with this commercial is that in order to find true "virgins" the produces must have found isolated populations, away from city centers where Burger King and McDonald's can be found. These isolated populations are probably growing and raising their own food. Which means that their diet is high on proteins, vegetables and fiber, and completely lacking in processed foods. The Whopper comes in an 1800 calorie package of processed beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and bacon (at your option). The Big Mac is a 540 calorie bomb with many of the same ingredients, but covered in a french dressing-like sauce. The "virgins" wolf down these burgers, give a thumbs up to the Whopper, and then the commercial fades out with some ominous voice-over about how the "virgins" have spoken. I have an idea; lets show these people about 2 hours after they eat the burgers - running around, holding their stomachs, vomiting and trying not to shit all over the town square. Maybe the producers could do a test of which burger resulted in less explosive diarrhea. The Whopper virgins have spoken!!
Thankfully we have bikes to work off any Whopper/Big Mac damage we've managed to do to ourselves, and thankfully mountain towns have an abundance of great rides. The NCAR/El Dorado Canyon Loop is a great flatter ride that runs through the South Boulder area. Featuring a few moderate climbs, great views of the southern Flatirons and a cool, isolated canyon, this ride great for putting in some base building miles.
Starting from downtown Boulder, the ride takes you up the bike path that runs parallel to Broadway and runs through the CU campus. This bike path will take you all the way into South Boulder and to the first climb of this ride, the NCAR campus, which sits on top of a hill underneath the Flatirons. This climb is long and fairly gradual, providing some great views of the plains and foothills and functioned more as a warmup for the rest of the ride. The descent, however, is a ton of fun - very fast, great sight lines, and fairly smooth road. Back to the bottom of NCAR, the ride climbs up through a Boulder neighborhood that provides some more great views of the meadows ath abut the Flatirons, before diving back down towards Table Mesa Road.
From Table Mesa the ride heads further south and eventually heads back to the El Dorado Canyon area. This part of the ride is my favorite - a long, slightly uphill road that heads West directly into the Canyon area, which is apparently a great spot for hiking and rock climbing. The road eventually comes into a small little town before it turns to dirt. This is our turnaround point. After winding back out of the canyon, the ride heads up Cherryvale Road - another long, rolling road that heads northeast. You'll roll past meadows, farmland and a reservoir. Not the mountains, but a beautiful part of Boulder nonetheless. From Cherryvale road its easy to hop onto the Boulder Creek Path, which will take you back into downtown.
The best part of this ride is the long, fairly even straightaways that are great for intervals or sprinting. The moderate climbing is nice if your legs or sore, or if you are trying to work off a hangover, when a climb up Flagstaff might result in you running around like the Whopper virgins.
Distance: 26.5 miles
Directions: Starting at 9th and Pearl Street, take 9th South to Canyon Ave and take the Boulder Creek Path east. Hop on to the bike path in Central Park, at Arapahoe Ave and Broadway St. Take the path as it climbs up Broadway towards south Boulder. The path will parallel the CU campus. About a quarter mile after Regent Drive you can either go under Broadway or straight towards the law school. Take the tunnel under Broadway, and then turn left, as you continue to head south (you'll be able to see CU's law school across the street). You will cross Baseline, where the path will briefly put you onto the road. The path will continue to parallel Broadway all the way up to Table Mesa Drive (sometimes putting you onto a road). Take a right on Table Mesa (towards the Flatirons). Stay on Table Mesa, as it climbs all the way up to the NCAR campus. Turn around once you reach the top and bomb back down Table Mesa.
Toward the bottom of where Table Mesa begins to climb to NCAR you want to take a right on Lehigh St. There isn't a stop sign here, so make sure to keep a look out for the road. Lehigh will climb and eventually crest above a large meadow before descending down all the way to Broadway (Lehigh will eventually turn into Greenbriar Road before intersecting with Broadway). At Broadway you will come to a light. Cross Broadway and you will be able to pick up a bike path, which you will take a right on (towards the south). This path will eventually put you on to Marshall Road. Take Marshall Road until it intersects with Eldorado Springs Drive, where you want to take a right. This road will take you up to a light. Go through the light, crossing Foothills Parkway, and then bear left at the convenience store. Eldorado will take you all the way back towards the canyon. Once the road turns to dirt, turnaround and head back, again crossing Foothills Parkway at the light. However, instead of heading back on Marshall Road, take a right onto Marshall Drive (your first right after you cross Foothills Parkway), and then a left onto S. Cherryvale Road, which is the first left you can take.
Cherryvale winds through the plains east of Boulder, passing farms and a resevoir before bringing you to a stop sign at the intersection of Baseline and Cherryvale. At this intersection, go straight and then take your first left on to Dimmit Drive. This road will eventually dead end at an entrance to another paved bike path. Take the path until it ends at Centennial Trail. Take a left and then your first right on to Merritt Drive. Take Merritt Drive until it intersects with Eisenhower Drive, where you will take a right and head toward the intersection of Eisenhower and Arapahoe Ave. Cross Arapahoe and then take a left on the the sidewalk/bike path that parralels Arapahoe and eventually intersect with the Boulder Creek Path to take you all the back to downtown Boulder.
View Larger Map
Thankfully we have bikes to work off any Whopper/Big Mac damage we've managed to do to ourselves, and thankfully mountain towns have an abundance of great rides. The NCAR/El Dorado Canyon Loop is a great flatter ride that runs through the South Boulder area. Featuring a few moderate climbs, great views of the southern Flatirons and a cool, isolated canyon, this ride great for putting in some base building miles.
Starting from downtown Boulder, the ride takes you up the bike path that runs parallel to Broadway and runs through the CU campus. This bike path will take you all the way into South Boulder and to the first climb of this ride, the NCAR campus, which sits on top of a hill underneath the Flatirons. This climb is long and fairly gradual, providing some great views of the plains and foothills and functioned more as a warmup for the rest of the ride. The descent, however, is a ton of fun - very fast, great sight lines, and fairly smooth road. Back to the bottom of NCAR, the ride climbs up through a Boulder neighborhood that provides some more great views of the meadows ath abut the Flatirons, before diving back down towards Table Mesa Road.
From Table Mesa the ride heads further south and eventually heads back to the El Dorado Canyon area. This part of the ride is my favorite - a long, slightly uphill road that heads West directly into the Canyon area, which is apparently a great spot for hiking and rock climbing. The road eventually comes into a small little town before it turns to dirt. This is our turnaround point. After winding back out of the canyon, the ride heads up Cherryvale Road - another long, rolling road that heads northeast. You'll roll past meadows, farmland and a reservoir. Not the mountains, but a beautiful part of Boulder nonetheless. From Cherryvale road its easy to hop onto the Boulder Creek Path, which will take you back into downtown.
The best part of this ride is the long, fairly even straightaways that are great for intervals or sprinting. The moderate climbing is nice if your legs or sore, or if you are trying to work off a hangover, when a climb up Flagstaff might result in you running around like the Whopper virgins.
Distance: 26.5 miles
Directions: Starting at 9th and Pearl Street, take 9th South to Canyon Ave and take the Boulder Creek Path east. Hop on to the bike path in Central Park, at Arapahoe Ave and Broadway St. Take the path as it climbs up Broadway towards south Boulder. The path will parallel the CU campus. About a quarter mile after Regent Drive you can either go under Broadway or straight towards the law school. Take the tunnel under Broadway, and then turn left, as you continue to head south (you'll be able to see CU's law school across the street). You will cross Baseline, where the path will briefly put you onto the road. The path will continue to parallel Broadway all the way up to Table Mesa Drive (sometimes putting you onto a road). Take a right on Table Mesa (towards the Flatirons). Stay on Table Mesa, as it climbs all the way up to the NCAR campus. Turn around once you reach the top and bomb back down Table Mesa.
Toward the bottom of where Table Mesa begins to climb to NCAR you want to take a right on Lehigh St. There isn't a stop sign here, so make sure to keep a look out for the road. Lehigh will climb and eventually crest above a large meadow before descending down all the way to Broadway (Lehigh will eventually turn into Greenbriar Road before intersecting with Broadway). At Broadway you will come to a light. Cross Broadway and you will be able to pick up a bike path, which you will take a right on (towards the south). This path will eventually put you on to Marshall Road. Take Marshall Road until it intersects with Eldorado Springs Drive, where you want to take a right. This road will take you up to a light. Go through the light, crossing Foothills Parkway, and then bear left at the convenience store. Eldorado will take you all the way back towards the canyon. Once the road turns to dirt, turnaround and head back, again crossing Foothills Parkway at the light. However, instead of heading back on Marshall Road, take a right onto Marshall Drive (your first right after you cross Foothills Parkway), and then a left onto S. Cherryvale Road, which is the first left you can take.
Cherryvale winds through the plains east of Boulder, passing farms and a resevoir before bringing you to a stop sign at the intersection of Baseline and Cherryvale. At this intersection, go straight and then take your first left on to Dimmit Drive. This road will eventually dead end at an entrance to another paved bike path. Take the path until it ends at Centennial Trail. Take a left and then your first right on to Merritt Drive. Take Merritt Drive until it intersects with Eisenhower Drive, where you will take a right and head toward the intersection of Eisenhower and Arapahoe Ave. Cross Arapahoe and then take a left on the the sidewalk/bike path that parralels Arapahoe and eventually intersect with the Boulder Creek Path to take you all the back to downtown Boulder.
View Larger Map
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Garden of the Gods/Cheyenne Canyon Loop - Manitou Springs, CO
Beyond the endless sprawl that typifies Colorado's Front Range are a number of more isolated pockets, where the plains from the East run into the foothills of the mountains, that provide the Front Range with some startling geographic formations that make exploring these pockets on bike incredibly fun and almost makes you forget the endless rows of houses behind you. Such is both the frustration and joy of Colorado's Front Range.
One of the better loops I've found in the Manitou Springs/Colorado Springs area winds through a number of these formations while providing some decent climbs and great views of Pikes Peak and downtown Colorado Springs (I'm all about the views). The centerpieces of the ride are Garden of the Gods Park and Cheyenne Canyon, two very distinct geological areas that we loop together through some of Colorado Springs cooler neighborhoods (don't roll your eyes, they do exist).
The ride starts in Manitou Springs, a cool little pocket in and of itself, winds through town before beginning a short climb into the Garden of the Gods (you can also start in downtown Colorado Springs, but navigating to the Garden of the Gods from there is a bit more traffic intense). The Garden is a series of red sandstone formations that have been pushed vertical by some crazy geological mojo. The formations break up the view of the Pikes Peak foothills, and thanks to the area's tourist town focus, sports a nice, wide road that runs through the entire park. The Garden sits on a series of hills, so this section of the ride is more rolling than anything else. At its high points, this part of the ride has amazing views of Pikes Peak and the mountains to the South. On a clear day you can see Red Rocks Canyon, the natural extension of the Garden that runs to the South. Because the Garden is a major tourist attraction, the traffic through it can be somewhat heavy, but thankfully the road is wide enough to easily accommodate everybody.
After the ride leaves the Garden of the Gods you will wind your way down toward Colorado Ave., and then head East, through Old Colorado City. Old Colorado City is a mix of shops, restaurants and bars, similar in vibe to Manitou, but with more of a focus on clothing boutiques. I like this area because it feels like a separate town from Colorado Springs, lacking in the whole Army/James Dobson vibe that Colorado Springs has at times (not that there is anything wrong with that. Sort of). The traffic through here moves slowly through two lanes, so riding with the traffic is not much of a problem.
After passing through Old Colorado City, the ride begins a long climb up to the Cheyenne Canyon Area. This part of town is where the huge, new money houses are. So along with every architecturally appealing home is one that looked it was designed by someone who was having a seizure while tripping. A lovely effect. After riding through the Cheyenne Mountain area, the ride takes a turn toward the West, and into the canyon that forms the other half of this ride.
Cheyenne Canyon is a deep gouge in the southern foothills of Colorado Springs, with high rock walls and narrow roads. Riding through the canyon is at once visually stunning, and a bit , treacherous, as there are a number of almost blind corners that cars often come through too fast (this is where our driving teacher took us in high school. I have memories of one of my classmates almost running us into the rock walls on every narrow turn. This is what I think about when I hear cars coming). BUT, don't let this deter you, as most cars move pretty slow, and the road is wide enough for them to pass you easily. If you head up there at the right time, like the early morning or late afternoon, its rare that you will see a car back there. This part of the ride is the steepest, climbing up a road that runs parallel to a creek. As you come close the crest of the climb, the road passes by Helen Hunt Falls, a worthwhile place to take a break on the way down. Past the falls, the road takes a series of switchbacks before turning to turn at Gold Camp Road. This is where I turn around. The descent back down the canyon is super fast and lots of fun, just be weary of the slow-ass tourists that apparently have never seen rocks before.
After coming out of the canyon, the ride takes you into the Broadmoor neighborhood, but before doing so make sure to ride by Starr Kempf's house. Starr was a local artist known for his huge steel sculptures that still reside on his front lawn. After this minor detour, the ride heads up past the Broadmoor hotel and crests at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. This is a short, somewhat intense climb that wraps up the side of Cheyenne Mountain. This part of the ride is worthwhile simply for the views of Colorado Springs and the mountains to the West. I usually loop through the parking lot before heading back down. The descent from the zoo is a ton of fun and will take you past one of the more aesthetically attractive buildings in this part of town, the Broadmoor, a luxury hotel with some amazing landscaping. A great place to bring a date for a drink. There are a number of cool neighborhoods around the Broadmoor/Zoo area that are worth exploring. After the Broadmoor area, the ride will return back through the Cheyenne Mountain neighborhoods, and back through Old Colorado city.
Distance: 31.50 miles roundtrip
Directions: From Downtown Manitou Springs, head East on Manitou Ave and take a left at Buena Vista Place, which is just past the Manitou Pool. At the stop sign take a right, and then your first left onto Garden Drive, which will take you through the Garden (the road goes through a number of name changes, but there is ony one route through). You will eventually come to an intersection where you can go right or left onto Juniper Way. Take the left and head down the hill to the stop sign, where you will take a right on Gateway Rd. Look for a dirt road/path on the ride that parallels 30th St. This path is dirt, but lets you avoid the heavily trafficked 30th St. Take this path until it dead-ends onto 31st St. Head south on this and it will take you to Colorado Ave.
At Colorado Ave, take a left and head through Old Colorado City. At 26th St take a right, cross Cimarron/Hwy 24 and climb up to Lower Gold Camp Road. Once you hit Lower Gold Camp take a left and head downhill until you hit S 21st St. Take a right here. 21st will turn into Cresta, and will take you through the Cheyenne Mountain neighborhoods and past the Cheyenne Mountain High School. Soon after the High School you will come to Cheyenne Blvd. Take a left here and head West. Cheyenne Blvd will eventually turn into N Cheyenne Canyon Road. This road will take you all the way to the top of the Cheyenne Canyon section of the loop.
After descending back down the canyon, take a right onto Evans Ave, riding past Starr Kempf's house, and take a left onto Mesa Ave, and then bear right onto Penrose Blvd. Penrose will take you all the way up to the zoo. Loop through the parking lot and head back down Penrose where you will come to a stop sign (you've already been through this intersection), and take a right onto El Pomar Road. This road takes you past the Broadmoor and to a traffic circle. Take the second exit and then take a left at the first opportunity which will put you onto Cresta Rd.
Take Cresta all the way back, but instead of turning back onto Lower Gold Camp, keep heading straight, over the hill, and down until the road (now 21st) intersects with Cimmarron/Hwy 24. Cross the highway, and take a left at Colorado Ave, which will take you back through Old Colorado City. At 31st, take a right and then your first left. This puts you onto W. Pikes Peak Ave, a road that parallels Colorado but has very little traffic. Eventually this road will dead-end. Take a right and then your first left, this puts you onto El Paso Blvd which will take you all the way back to Manitou.
View Larger Map
One of the better loops I've found in the Manitou Springs/Colorado Springs area winds through a number of these formations while providing some decent climbs and great views of Pikes Peak and downtown Colorado Springs (I'm all about the views). The centerpieces of the ride are Garden of the Gods Park and Cheyenne Canyon, two very distinct geological areas that we loop together through some of Colorado Springs cooler neighborhoods (don't roll your eyes, they do exist).
The ride starts in Manitou Springs, a cool little pocket in and of itself, winds through town before beginning a short climb into the Garden of the Gods (you can also start in downtown Colorado Springs, but navigating to the Garden of the Gods from there is a bit more traffic intense). The Garden is a series of red sandstone formations that have been pushed vertical by some crazy geological mojo. The formations break up the view of the Pikes Peak foothills, and thanks to the area's tourist town focus, sports a nice, wide road that runs through the entire park. The Garden sits on a series of hills, so this section of the ride is more rolling than anything else. At its high points, this part of the ride has amazing views of Pikes Peak and the mountains to the South. On a clear day you can see Red Rocks Canyon, the natural extension of the Garden that runs to the South. Because the Garden is a major tourist attraction, the traffic through it can be somewhat heavy, but thankfully the road is wide enough to easily accommodate everybody.
After the ride leaves the Garden of the Gods you will wind your way down toward Colorado Ave., and then head East, through Old Colorado City. Old Colorado City is a mix of shops, restaurants and bars, similar in vibe to Manitou, but with more of a focus on clothing boutiques. I like this area because it feels like a separate town from Colorado Springs, lacking in the whole Army/James Dobson vibe that Colorado Springs has at times (not that there is anything wrong with that. Sort of). The traffic through here moves slowly through two lanes, so riding with the traffic is not much of a problem.
After passing through Old Colorado City, the ride begins a long climb up to the Cheyenne Canyon Area. This part of town is where the huge, new money houses are. So along with every architecturally appealing home is one that looked it was designed by someone who was having a seizure while tripping. A lovely effect. After riding through the Cheyenne Mountain area, the ride takes a turn toward the West, and into the canyon that forms the other half of this ride.
Cheyenne Canyon is a deep gouge in the southern foothills of Colorado Springs, with high rock walls and narrow roads. Riding through the canyon is at once visually stunning, and a bit , treacherous, as there are a number of almost blind corners that cars often come through too fast (this is where our driving teacher took us in high school. I have memories of one of my classmates almost running us into the rock walls on every narrow turn. This is what I think about when I hear cars coming). BUT, don't let this deter you, as most cars move pretty slow, and the road is wide enough for them to pass you easily. If you head up there at the right time, like the early morning or late afternoon, its rare that you will see a car back there. This part of the ride is the steepest, climbing up a road that runs parallel to a creek. As you come close the crest of the climb, the road passes by Helen Hunt Falls, a worthwhile place to take a break on the way down. Past the falls, the road takes a series of switchbacks before turning to turn at Gold Camp Road. This is where I turn around. The descent back down the canyon is super fast and lots of fun, just be weary of the slow-ass tourists that apparently have never seen rocks before.
After coming out of the canyon, the ride takes you into the Broadmoor neighborhood, but before doing so make sure to ride by Starr Kempf's house. Starr was a local artist known for his huge steel sculptures that still reside on his front lawn. After this minor detour, the ride heads up past the Broadmoor hotel and crests at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. This is a short, somewhat intense climb that wraps up the side of Cheyenne Mountain. This part of the ride is worthwhile simply for the views of Colorado Springs and the mountains to the West. I usually loop through the parking lot before heading back down. The descent from the zoo is a ton of fun and will take you past one of the more aesthetically attractive buildings in this part of town, the Broadmoor, a luxury hotel with some amazing landscaping. A great place to bring a date for a drink. There are a number of cool neighborhoods around the Broadmoor/Zoo area that are worth exploring. After the Broadmoor area, the ride will return back through the Cheyenne Mountain neighborhoods, and back through Old Colorado city.
Distance: 31.50 miles roundtrip
Directions: From Downtown Manitou Springs, head East on Manitou Ave and take a left at Buena Vista Place, which is just past the Manitou Pool. At the stop sign take a right, and then your first left onto Garden Drive, which will take you through the Garden (the road goes through a number of name changes, but there is ony one route through). You will eventually come to an intersection where you can go right or left onto Juniper Way. Take the left and head down the hill to the stop sign, where you will take a right on Gateway Rd. Look for a dirt road/path on the ride that parallels 30th St. This path is dirt, but lets you avoid the heavily trafficked 30th St. Take this path until it dead-ends onto 31st St. Head south on this and it will take you to Colorado Ave.
At Colorado Ave, take a left and head through Old Colorado City. At 26th St take a right, cross Cimarron/Hwy 24 and climb up to Lower Gold Camp Road. Once you hit Lower Gold Camp take a left and head downhill until you hit S 21st St. Take a right here. 21st will turn into Cresta, and will take you through the Cheyenne Mountain neighborhoods and past the Cheyenne Mountain High School. Soon after the High School you will come to Cheyenne Blvd. Take a left here and head West. Cheyenne Blvd will eventually turn into N Cheyenne Canyon Road. This road will take you all the way to the top of the Cheyenne Canyon section of the loop.
After descending back down the canyon, take a right onto Evans Ave, riding past Starr Kempf's house, and take a left onto Mesa Ave, and then bear right onto Penrose Blvd. Penrose will take you all the way up to the zoo. Loop through the parking lot and head back down Penrose where you will come to a stop sign (you've already been through this intersection), and take a right onto El Pomar Road. This road takes you past the Broadmoor and to a traffic circle. Take the second exit and then take a left at the first opportunity which will put you onto Cresta Rd.
Take Cresta all the way back, but instead of turning back onto Lower Gold Camp, keep heading straight, over the hill, and down until the road (now 21st) intersects with Cimmarron/Hwy 24. Cross the highway, and take a left at Colorado Ave, which will take you back through Old Colorado City. At 31st, take a right and then your first left. This puts you onto W. Pikes Peak Ave, a road that parallels Colorado but has very little traffic. Eventually this road will dead-end. Take a right and then your first left, this puts you onto El Paso Blvd which will take you all the way back to Manitou.
View Larger Map
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Lovejoy to Greenleaf Loop - Portland, OR
This loop is a pretty simple variation of the Lovejoy Loop and is another quick and easily accessible ride that can provide a nice climbing workout before happy hour. The big difference with Lovejoy is that the Greenleaf Loop provides another few miles of climbing.
This loop takes the same route as the Lovejoy Loop, except instead of turning back down Cornell once you reach the intersection of Skyline and Cornell you are going to want to take the road slightly to the left of Skyline. This is Greenleaf Road, and it provides a nice little climb back up to Skyline were you can take a right, head back to the intersection of Skyline and Cornell and then head to the bars.
We usually get in a great workout by looping Greenleaf a couple of times before heading back to town or onto a longer ride. There are some dicey corners in there, so watch out for cars barreling down at you or from behind you, but there are rarely cars on this road. I discovered Greenleaf pretty late in my biking exploration in Portland but it quickly became one of my favorites.
Distance: 12.5 miles round trip
Directions: From the intersection of NW Broadway and NW Lovejoy take Lovejoy west until it turns into NW Cornell Rd. Head up Cornell, around the two tunnels, and take a right on NW 53rd Dr. Take this until it connects with NW Thompson Rd and take a right. When Thompson intersects with Skyline take a left and head to the intersection of Cornell and Skyline. At the intersection you can see NW Greenleaf Rd on the other side of the road, slightly left of where Skyline continues after the intersection. Take NW Greenleaf Rd until it winds back up to Skyline. Taking a right will bring you back to the intersection where you can either loop it or head back down Cornell to complete the loop.
View Larger Map
This loop takes the same route as the Lovejoy Loop, except instead of turning back down Cornell once you reach the intersection of Skyline and Cornell you are going to want to take the road slightly to the left of Skyline. This is Greenleaf Road, and it provides a nice little climb back up to Skyline were you can take a right, head back to the intersection of Skyline and Cornell and then head to the bars.
We usually get in a great workout by looping Greenleaf a couple of times before heading back to town or onto a longer ride. There are some dicey corners in there, so watch out for cars barreling down at you or from behind you, but there are rarely cars on this road. I discovered Greenleaf pretty late in my biking exploration in Portland but it quickly became one of my favorites.
Distance: 12.5 miles round trip
Directions: From the intersection of NW Broadway and NW Lovejoy take Lovejoy west until it turns into NW Cornell Rd. Head up Cornell, around the two tunnels, and take a right on NW 53rd Dr. Take this until it connects with NW Thompson Rd and take a right. When Thompson intersects with Skyline take a left and head to the intersection of Cornell and Skyline. At the intersection you can see NW Greenleaf Rd on the other side of the road, slightly left of where Skyline continues after the intersection. Take NW Greenleaf Rd until it winds back up to Skyline. Taking a right will bring you back to the intersection where you can either loop it or head back down Cornell to complete the loop.
View Larger Map
Monday, December 8, 2008
Larch Mountain - Portland, OR
I think its odd that Dunkin' Donuts is such a huge purveyor of coffee on the East Coast. I was in Boston for a wedding last winter, and was intent on finding a good source to feed my bean addiction. I usually default to Starbucks in such situations, but a lot of people in town kept pointing me towards Dunkin' Donuts and I felt obliged to check it out. I generally associate Dunkin' Donuts with giant pieces of sugared carbs (donuts) and giant customers eager to eat anything that looks shiny (America). However, the joint actually has some decent coffee. Nothing near the level of the Portland coffee scene but it definitely hit the spot. Note - for some reason the Dunkin' staff inists on putting in the cream and sugar for you, so if you are picky about how you dress up the bean make sure to ask for it black so you can do it yourself. I was thinking about coffee when I first rode Larch Mountain because in the fog and rain that was my companion for most of the ride, coffee sounded like a great way to stay motivated. As with many days in Portland, sun and blue skies in the city does not translate to good weather in the Gorge.
I found Larch Mountain through a brochure in a local bike shop advertising the Larch Mountain Hill Climb and decided to check out the course. I have been looking for great climbs since moving to Portland, and Larch Mountain has quickly become one of my favorites. The road ascends through thick Pine forests, slowly gaining altitude over its 16+ miles until the last few miles where the road begins a series of switchbacks. I usually start at Corbett High School and ride along SE Crown Point Highway, from there I bear right onto Larch Mountain and churn for the next 14 miles. The road will eventually dead end in a parking lot. If you dismount and walk on the concrete path that veers into the forest it will bring you to an amazing view of the Cascades. The descent is a blast; it's fast and easily navigable. The best views are on the way down; wide open vistas of the Columbia River and the Gorge. Larch Mountain is one of those "only in the Northwest" type of rides - a great reminder of why Portland is such a great place to be.
Distance: 16.40 miles from Corbett High School to the Summit
Directions: from Portland take I-84 East to exit 22. Take a right onto NE Corbett Hill Road
View Larger Map
I found Larch Mountain through a brochure in a local bike shop advertising the Larch Mountain Hill Climb and decided to check out the course. I have been looking for great climbs since moving to Portland, and Larch Mountain has quickly become one of my favorites. The road ascends through thick Pine forests, slowly gaining altitude over its 16+ miles until the last few miles where the road begins a series of switchbacks. I usually start at Corbett High School and ride along SE Crown Point Highway, from there I bear right onto Larch Mountain and churn for the next 14 miles. The road will eventually dead end in a parking lot. If you dismount and walk on the concrete path that veers into the forest it will bring you to an amazing view of the Cascades. The descent is a blast; it's fast and easily navigable. The best views are on the way down; wide open vistas of the Columbia River and the Gorge. Larch Mountain is one of those "only in the Northwest" type of rides - a great reminder of why Portland is such a great place to be.
Directions: from Portland take I-84 East to exit 22. Take a right onto NE Corbett Hill Road
From Portland: I-84 to exit 22 and take a right onto NE Corbett Hill Rd. Follow this road to the road up the hill and you will come to an intersection with E. Historic Columbia River Highway. Take another right on this road and Corbett High School will be on your left. Park here, gear up and then head West on E. Historic Columbia River Highway for about 2.25 miles before bearing right onto E. Larch Mountain Road. Stay on E. Larch Mountain until you reach the summit, 14.15 miles later.
Note: The beginning of NE Corbett Hill Road is incredibly steep, and I've heard of a lot of cyclists using it as a training ride. My only aversion is that there are a lot of blind corners, and a lot of cars, so be careful with this one.
View Larger Map
Monday, December 1, 2008
Skyline to Rock Creek Road Loop - Portland, OR
My Portland riding routes are generally based around Skyline Boulevard, the road that runs along the upper ridges of the West Hills. This road serves as my launching point for a number of rides, and itself serves as one of the better rides in the Portland Metro area. Finding the Rock Creek Road Loop was the result of a bad hangover and the corresponding need to sweat out whatever I drank the night before. For some reason I feel like some of my better ride explorations in Portland are the result of long nights. Oh well. This ride is great because it mixes some decent climbs with some longer low key portions that are great for sprints or base building.
I usually start this ride by heading up the beginning of the Lovejoy loop, but at the top of Thompson I turn right onto Skyline (instead of left). From that point, the ride winds along Skyline, exposing you to some amazing views of the Coast Range to the east. I know this view well because it manages to make me consistently veer off the road into the bushes because I'm too busy enjoying the views. This is cause for concern as I ride through urban areas a lot. Nothing says good morning like a run in with a dump truck. Riding along Skyline is always fun because its fairly fast, with lots of rolling terrain, and the change in scenery from urban metropolis to farms and livestock is striking. I always enjoy the rural scenery, reached so quickly via this road.
Eventually Skyline will meander down to a stop sign at NW Cornelius Pass Road. Cross the road here (careful - its a fast one, and there is a semi-blind corner for cars coming from west to east). After crossing, Skyline will continue to the right, and NW Old Cornelius Pass Road will be on the left. Take a left onto Old Cornelius Pass road and then look right for NW Rock Creek Road. Once on Rock Creek, watch out near the train tracks as the road is incredibly torn apart. After the track the road heads back into a small valley, filled with some random houses and an even more random sculpture garden. The road starts a long gradual climb back up to Skyline once you pass the sculptures. This part of the ride is in a shallow valley, and from what I can tell very little traffic heads back there. I really enjoy this part of the ride, it is usually really quiet and there is generally little traffic. The only potential problem is its weird isolation. Only 20 miles from downtown and I swear I can hear banjo music.
Once back up on Skyline, the road will loop back to the fork, completing the Rock Creek Loop portion of the ride. I usually cross NW Cornelius Pass Road again and do this one as a big out and back. Gets more booze out that way.
Distance: 35 miles roundtrip
Time: around 3 hours
Directions: Take the Lovejoy Loop (Lovejoy to Cornell, right on 53rd, right again on Thompson) but instead of heading left on Skyline take a right (you will be heading north). Stay on Skyline until you cross NW Cornelius Pass Road. Take a left onto Old Cornelius Pass Road and then a quick right onto Rock Creek Road. Take this road until it intersects with Skyline Road and then take a right (towards the south).
View Larger Map
I usually start this ride by heading up the beginning of the Lovejoy loop, but at the top of Thompson I turn right onto Skyline (instead of left). From that point, the ride winds along Skyline, exposing you to some amazing views of the Coast Range to the east. I know this view well because it manages to make me consistently veer off the road into the bushes because I'm too busy enjoying the views. This is cause for concern as I ride through urban areas a lot. Nothing says good morning like a run in with a dump truck. Riding along Skyline is always fun because its fairly fast, with lots of rolling terrain, and the change in scenery from urban metropolis to farms and livestock is striking. I always enjoy the rural scenery, reached so quickly via this road.
Eventually Skyline will meander down to a stop sign at NW Cornelius Pass Road. Cross the road here (careful - its a fast one, and there is a semi-blind corner for cars coming from west to east). After crossing, Skyline will continue to the right, and NW Old Cornelius Pass Road will be on the left. Take a left onto Old Cornelius Pass road and then look right for NW Rock Creek Road. Once on Rock Creek, watch out near the train tracks as the road is incredibly torn apart. After the track the road heads back into a small valley, filled with some random houses and an even more random sculpture garden. The road starts a long gradual climb back up to Skyline once you pass the sculptures. This part of the ride is in a shallow valley, and from what I can tell very little traffic heads back there. I really enjoy this part of the ride, it is usually really quiet and there is generally little traffic. The only potential problem is its weird isolation. Only 20 miles from downtown and I swear I can hear banjo music.
Once back up on Skyline, the road will loop back to the fork, completing the Rock Creek Loop portion of the ride. I usually cross NW Cornelius Pass Road again and do this one as a big out and back. Gets more booze out that way.
Distance: 35 miles roundtrip
Time: around 3 hours
Directions: Take the Lovejoy Loop (Lovejoy to Cornell, right on 53rd, right again on Thompson) but instead of heading left on Skyline take a right (you will be heading north). Stay on Skyline until you cross NW Cornelius Pass Road. Take a left onto Old Cornelius Pass Road and then a quick right onto Rock Creek Road. Take this road until it intersects with Skyline Road and then take a right (towards the south).
View Larger Map
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.
View Larger Map
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.
View Larger Map
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).
View Larger Map
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).
View Larger Map
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).
View Larger Map
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).
View Larger Map
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.
View Larger Map
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.
View Larger Map
Friday, September 12, 2008
Mt. Tabor - Portland, OR
The area around southeast Portland is surrounded by isolated low lying hills, remnants of old cinder cone volcanoes. One of these, Mt. Tabor, is located in the Hawthorne neighborhood, in Southeast Portland. A neighbor of ours mentioned how great Tabor is as a venue for a quick run, advice I quickly disregarded as I thought of her as somewhat crazy. Lo and behold, Crazyface was right, Tabor is a great place for a quick run, ride, stair workout or interval training. Every time I am up there I am surprised by how big the park is: it holds a reservoir for the city, multiple bike and running paths, an ampitheatre, picnic areas and playgrounds. Simply put, there is a lot to Mt. Tabor, so I will focus on the features that I use the most.
For riding, Tabor is a quick climb, that can be lapped on the roads that run through the park. I get the sense that a lot of area bikers use Tabor as I do, a quick workout before or after work. Cars move through the park pretty slowly, so riding in there is pretty laid back. Starting in May and running through most of the summer, the park hosts bike races, the Mt. Tabor Series, which run every Wednesday afternoon.
Tabor is a perfect venue for running. There are a couple of trails that wind around the park, along with a main road that runs all the way to the top of the park, where it forms a loop about 1/3 of a mile long - great for interval training. The views from the top are fantastic; both downtown Portland and Mt. Hood are prominent scenes. I have spent a lot of late afternoons running up there, and there is always a big gathering of people from the neighborhood to watch the sunset. Very romantic. Even only Seneca would watch it with me instead of dive bombing the bushes in search of birds and sticks.
Finally, my favorite feature of the park is the stairs that run from the base of the northeast end of the park to the summit. They are longer than the Med School Stairs, and make for a great side workout.From Downtown Portland: take Madison east to the Hawthorne Bridge, and continue on Hawthorne until it dead ends at SE 60th Ave. Take a left and then your first right into the park.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Hoosier Pass - Breckenridge, CO
To the south of Breckenridge lies Co-9, a two lane road that winds its way to the top of the valley that frames the southern view from town. The summit of the pass sits at 11,541 ft., and provides a great viewpoint of some of the peaks and valleys that surround the summit county area.
As a ride, Hoosier Pass is somewhat short, only 10.3 miles from downtown Breck to the summit of the pass, but in that 10 miles you climb almost 2,200 feet (Breckenridge sits at 9,603ft), which makes the Pass a great workout that will not take all day. From downtown Breck, head south (the ski mountain will be on your right), on Main Street which will eventually turn into CO-9. You will know you are headed in the right direction when you pass the Breckenridge Brewery on your left.
Sidenote: The Breck Brewery is one of my favorite places in town. It has the typical brewery food ( their black bean burger is one of the best I have ever had), but what really sets it apart is the beer. They produce some of the most distinctive beers that I have come across. The Vanilla Porter is my favorite. The brewery is definitely worth checking out while in town.Following Co-9 out of town, you will pass the town/neighborhood of Blue River on your left. The road remains pretty gradual until it starts hitting the switchbacks. From what I can remember, the road is in decent condition, but there is not much of a shoulder. However, most of the drivers seem cognizant of bikers on the road. We did have an encounter with a driver who honked and screamed at us, apparently angry that he had to move a foot or two to the left of his lane. Or maybe he didn't like all of the spandex.
View Larger Map
Friday, August 8, 2008
Aspen, CO
We just got back from visiting a friend in Aspen, the epitome of Colorado ski towns. It is literally everything I picture when I think of a ski town; a great mountain that is within walking distance of almost any place in town, incredible snow, great apres-ski opportunities, and of course, insanely expensive pricing on everything. My usual gauge for determining the expense level of a town is the cost of a double-shot Americano. In Portland, or even Boulder, the average price for a 160z Americano runs about $2.20. In Aspen, I usually pay closer to $3.00. So, I generally assume everything in town will run about 36% more than I'm used to paying.
Like other ski towns, many of the people that live there are divided into the locals, the migrant worker force and the seasonal residents. The migrant worker force consists mostly of incredibly wealthy European kids that have come
to Aspen to run a lift line and drink as much as they can. The seasonal residents are people like Kevin Costner and Goldie Hawn. On our visit we walked past Lance Armstrong, who was in town training for the Leadville 100. His training group included the friend we were visiting, leading to a few somewhat surreal "how was Lance feeling today" type of conversations. This is why Aspen is my paradigm of a proper ski town.Apart from the glamour aspect, the town is a great location for some of the most scenic riding and running that I've done, and Aspen Mountain has a couple of great trails that are good for hiking or running. Although not as expansive as Boulder, the riding is incredibly scenic and just as easily accessible. The Hub is a great shop in town that can provide some knowledge about some great local rides.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Mt. Evans Hillclimb - Idaho Springs, CO
Building a road to the top of a 14,000 plus foot mountain is, to me, a quintessential American endeavor. Where else would someone expend hundreds of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of labor to build a road up a mountain, so that we can drive, instead of hike, to the top of a mountain?
The Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hillclimb takes advantage of the road that winds to the top of Mt. Evans. Beginning in Idaho Springs, CO, the road, classified as a scenic byway, winds 27.5 miles to the top, gaining 6580 ft. in elevation from the beginning of the race to the finish line. The race is divided into categories, and features a group start that sticks together for about 6 miles until the elevation gain starts to separate everyone. I've found that the key to the race is to stick with the pack for as long as possible, and then hook into a pace line for the remainder. The beginning of the race, all the way up to Echo Lak
e is fairly gradual. Once you get above treeline the wind kicks in, making a pace line essential. The steepest part of the course is about the last three miles, where a series of switchbacks kick in.Mt. Evans is one of my favorite races, although I am conflicted about it. On one hand we are racing up a road that has cut a huge scar through some of the best scenery in Colorado. The race fees don't go toward any sort of forest management or conservation programs. On the other, the road is there, so why not take advantage of it?
Monday, July 21, 2008
Sugarloaf Road - Boulder, CO
For some reason, Sugarloaf Road is the red headed stepchild of our cycling routes. When deciding on a ride we rarely through it out as an option, and when someone does the response is usually a mix of groans and eye rolling. Sugarloaf is the pain in the ass ride that we all know exists, rarely want to deal with and prefer to avoid for more promising options (we apologize if you actually are a red headed stepchild. We think you are amazing. We love you. More than your parents do).
However, as the red headed stepchild is often the swan of the children, Sugarloaf has a combination of elements that make it one of the better out and backs in Boulder. The ride is scenic, has very little traffic, a lot of great climbing and the descent can be incredibly fast. So why don't we usually consider it as a viable option? It is a pain in the ass to get to; requiring a somewhat lengthy ride up Boulder Canyon Drive/CO-119, where peace loving Boulderites turn into Subaru encased missiles. The narrow shoulders and rough pavement make heading up Canyon Drive more daunting than getting to rides like Sunshine or Flagstaff, but once on Sugarloaf Road, the near miss of the 18-Wheeler quickly fades from memory (unless you pooped your pants, then it sort of stays with you until the end).
Sugarloaf starts steep, quickly gaining altitude as it climbs up to a cool little valley that provides decent shade during the summer months. The road levels out in the valley before turning into a long gradual climb that eventually works it way into a long sustained climb that lasts for about 1 mile. This section of the road is also where some of us have reached our fastest descending speeds (Fat guy, spandex, missile like exhaust. Awesome). We typically turn around at the intersection of Sugarloaf and Boulder View Road, about 9.14 miles from the start. However, the road remains paved for a couple more miles before turning to dirt, and will eventually link up to the Peak to Peak Highway/CO-72.
Distance: 9.14 miles from start (9th and Pearl Street). 18.28 miles roundtrip
Directions: Sugarloaf is the next road after Magnolia. From 9th and Pearl head South on 9th and hop on the Boulder Creek Path. Take the path West until it dead ends at Boulder Canyon Drive (there is some dirt riding involved). Head left up Boulder Canyon Drive for 2.3 miles. Sugarloaf Road will be on your right.
View Larger Map
However, as the red headed stepchild is often the swan of the children, Sugarloaf has a combination of elements that make it one of the better out and backs in Boulder. The ride is scenic, has very little traffic, a lot of great climbing and the descent can be incredibly fast. So why don't we usually consider it as a viable option? It is a pain in the ass to get to; requiring a somewhat lengthy ride up Boulder Canyon Drive/CO-119, where peace loving Boulderites turn into Subaru encased missiles. The narrow shoulders and rough pavement make heading up Canyon Drive more daunting than getting to rides like Sunshine or Flagstaff, but once on Sugarloaf Road, the near miss of the 18-Wheeler quickly fades from memory (unless you pooped your pants, then it sort of stays with you until the end).
Sugarloaf starts steep, quickly gaining altitude as it climbs up to a cool little valley that provides decent shade during the summer months. The road levels out in the valley before turning into a long gradual climb that eventually works it way into a long sustained climb that lasts for about 1 mile. This section of the road is also where some of us have reached our fastest descending speeds (Fat guy, spandex, missile like exhaust. Awesome). We typically turn around at the intersection of Sugarloaf and Boulder View Road, about 9.14 miles from the start. However, the road remains paved for a couple more miles before turning to dirt, and will eventually link up to the Peak to Peak Highway/CO-72.
Distance: 9.14 miles from start (9th and Pearl Street). 18.28 miles roundtrip
Directions: Sugarloaf is the next road after Magnolia. From 9th and Pearl head South on 9th and hop on the Boulder Creek Path. Take the path West until it dead ends at Boulder Canyon Drive (there is some dirt riding involved). Head left up Boulder Canyon Drive for 2.3 miles. Sugarloaf Road will be on your right.
View Larger Map
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sunshine Canyon - Boulder, CO
Boulder gets ridiculously hot during the summer. Like, melt your face hot. Combined with the unrelenting sun, the weather makes outside activities more arduous than usual and increases the likelihood of a painful death by rapid dehydration. No one likes to pee salt, so we suggest working out in the mornings.
Our favorite morning ride these days is Sunshine Canyon, located almost right next to downtown Boulder. The canyon is great for a morning ride because it houses a commuter community, therefore all of the traffic is going the opposite way, and its sheltered from most of the sun's death rays. The ride starts as a gradual climb, before quickly gaining altitude through a series of elongated switchbacks. Once through the steep sections, the ride turns back into a more gradual ascent, with short hills and descents. This ride contains one of the steepest sections we have found in town. You'll know it when you see it. We typically end the ride where the asphalt turns into dirt, but continuing on the dirt part will allow you to connect to Four Mile Canyon through the Four Mile/Sunshine Loop.
We like this ride because it's one of the most easily accessible from downtown Boulder, and provides a great workout in itself (steep!), or a good warm up for a longer ride. Riding back into town before most people are up and about is a great feeling, and lets you score the best spots in the coffee shops. We often see deer along the rode here, so make sure when you are descending to watch out, as to avoid painful death by deer collision.
Distance: 6.50 miles from start (9th and Pearl Street), 13 miles round trip
Directions: From 9th and Pearl, head West on Pearl and take a right on 4th Street which will end at Spruce Street. Take a left on Spruce and then your first right back on to 4th. Head north and take your first left at Mapleton Ave., which turns into Sunshine Canyon Drive.
View Larger Map
Our favorite morning ride these days is Sunshine Canyon, located almost right next to downtown Boulder. The canyon is great for a morning ride because it houses a commuter community, therefore all of the traffic is going the opposite way, and its sheltered from most of the sun's death rays. The ride starts as a gradual climb, before quickly gaining altitude through a series of elongated switchbacks. Once through the steep sections, the ride turns back into a more gradual ascent, with short hills and descents. This ride contains one of the steepest sections we have found in town. You'll know it when you see it. We typically end the ride where the asphalt turns into dirt, but continuing on the dirt part will allow you to connect to Four Mile Canyon through the Four Mile/Sunshine Loop.
We like this ride because it's one of the most easily accessible from downtown Boulder, and provides a great workout in itself (steep!), or a good warm up for a longer ride. Riding back into town before most people are up and about is a great feeling, and lets you score the best spots in the coffee shops. We often see deer along the rode here, so make sure when you are descending to watch out, as to avoid painful death by deer collision.
Distance: 6.50 miles from start (9th and Pearl Street), 13 miles round trip
Directions: From 9th and Pearl, head West on Pearl and take a right on 4th Street which will end at Spruce Street. Take a left on Spruce and then your first right back on to 4th. Head north and take your first left at Mapleton Ave., which turns into Sunshine Canyon Drive.
View Larger Map
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
