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Weekly Night Rides?

1K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  petersbike 
#1 ·
I understand there is a Tuesday night ride from Redstone Cyclery in Lyons...that does mostly stuff local to Boulder. I understand there's one that does Green Mountain, which is open until 10pm and actually legal. Are there any others?

I actually live in Boulder, and often work in Denver. I used to organize a Wed night ride that did Chimney Gulch/Apex, Mt Falcon, and other rides near Denver...but the folks that used to go have moved or just don't night ride much.

If there isn't an organized night ride, would anybody be in favor of helping to organize one? Either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday nights...2-3 hours? The way we used to do it was email about 20 people on the list, with nominations/suggestions the day before for the ride that week.
 
#5 ·
Add me please

I ride Wed. and Fridays (Deer Creek or another trail in that area) at 4:45 AM with a friend but she is having foot surgery in November so I will be looking for new riding partners. Any early AM riders out there. We are done around 6:30 and then off to work.

I have another friend who occasionally rides Dakota/MW on Wed. around 5:30 PM so he might be interested.

Please put me on your list.
 
#9 ·
How about this Thursday 10/5 at 6pm?

For my 1st night ride of the year, I would like to do Chimney Gulch + Enchanted Forest and back down Chimney Gulch.

Any other suggestions for a venue?

-Up in Boulder, west of Boulder there is West Magnolia/Nederland which is 100% legal at night --USFS--
-Also Miller Rock/Ceran St. Vrain but that is even farther north)
-Mt Falcon - good although you can't park in the lot...just need to ride from Morrison
-Dakota Ridge/Matthew Winters -- not for my 1st night ride of the season, but eventually
-Green Mountain
-Deer Creek - I've never ridden there so would love a night tour

I've not done White Ranch or Hall Ranch (Lyons) as the parking lots are regularly patrolled.

To answer the question about legality... well, technically no except Green Mtn until 10pm I think. Yes there are mtn lions and other wildlife so you need to be in a group and have bells (or Chris King hubs ;) )
 
#10 ·
Night Riding 101 - Make Noise

gopherhockey said:
Don't mean to derail the talk about group rides, but does anyone know if all Jefferson County Open Space trails are legal for night riding? (i.e. are they all open to 10pm or other?)
Green Mountain is open til 10 PM. Other JCOS parks are open 1 hour before dawn and close 1 after dusk.

gopherhockey said:
Also, as a non-local that rides there often, are they *safe* to ride at dusk and at night? I hear rumors of mountain lions and such...
The rumors are TRUE. There are Mtn Lions and Bears in them hills and on the trails. It's best to make noise (bells, loud cassette hubs, or singing) when riding at night. There are recent reports of a bear sighting and multiple mtn lion sightings in Evergreen and else where along the front range.

While I have done my share of night riding....I have seen plenty of coyotes, foxes, bobcat, deer, elk, shunks, rabbits, owls and smallish birds that fly right at the helmet light. However, I am thankful that I have yet to spot a mtn lion or a bear on those adventures.

FYI - I ride with sleigh bells, but I think my BAD singing helps to keep the bigger beasts away :D
 
#11 ·
So who can make it, and where...Thursday night?

I am in this Thursday, can be at any trail in Jeffco by 6pm to start climbing while there's some light left...but if nobody can from the Denver area, my buddy and I will just head to Nederland. Regarding mtn lions, bears, wildebeests, etc I have yet to see one in 5 years here at night. My light has reflected plenty of deer eyes in fields, and those wierd small owl-like birds (are they ptarmigans?) who follow you up the trail. Just obey a few common sense rules:

1- don't ride alone at night
2- make noise
3- if you have a mechanical make sure someone is near you while you work on your bike. don't crouch down and fix by yourself.

Also I am not going in wilderness at night. The night rides I do are all near roads, houses, etc. even Nederland.

Please email me at overthehillpunk AT gmail DOT com so we can decide on a place.
 
#13 ·
Thursday at 6:30 at Chimney Gulch

OK, I will be there around 6:15 or so depending on traffic...ready to ride by 6:30. I'll be the guy on a Maverick with a MINI cooper. Sounds like there will be about 5 of us plus Mason who isn't on this thread. Looking forward to it!
 
#14 ·
Cannot do this Thursday but am interested in any night rides. Will try the Redstone rides on Tuesdays. Have done night ride this year about a week ago at Green mtn. Saw about 6 others out there.
BTW MINImtnbiker riding in NED is just like riding in the wilderness, probably worse given that bears like people's food/trash.
Walt
 
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