Well I just got back from a 1 week long vacation time in sunny Colorado, and I must say I had a blast!
I certainly rode a lot, almost every day and it was great. I stayed with a friend of mine (and fellow cyclist) in Boulder, CO.
We rode on the 1st day at the Apex Trail in Golden, CO. After the brutal 1st climb up the mountain (well brutal for me, living at 600ft above sea level doesn't help) the Enchanted forest trail was a lot of fun. The course was somewhat technical and my Karate Monkey felt like it was about ready to buck me more than a few times. I also found for being out in CO, having a grandma gear would have been nice, a 1x9 was just not good enough for some of the climbs out there. I was not ready for how much steeper, tougher and longer the climbs in Colorado were than what I was used to in Michigan. I consider myself pretty in shape, but I felt like a weak old man out west. It really is a whole different ball game. I was in pain after almost every climb.
360 degree view from the top of APEX:
The next day we drove out to Nederland Colorado. The elevation here was over 9000ft. at some points, and I was having a bit of trouble again on the climbs, but the views and trail were quite a hoot to ride, and actually kinda similar terrain up there to what we have in MI, albeit a bit rockier.
Ned:
Notice the large 4 legged animal in the background? This was quite a thing to come across on the trail, and my buddy Dave being a goof ball!!
The 3rd day we rode my favorite trail, the Lair or the Bear. This trail was super flowy, fast, had a lot of places you could get sick air and some really fun/challenging technical rocky bits. The trail was super crowded when we went though, that kinda sucked, I would have pushed harder, but I didn't want to crash into anyone. But that trail was such a hoot!!!
On our last day we ventured up to Winter park and my friends competed in a little XC race, while I gave my hand at trying some DH/Freeride stuff for the 1st time. I had a lot of fun, and of course crashed and hurt myself, (nothing bad, but I'm missing some skin, lol) I ended up borrowing a real nice 2011 Treck Remedy 9.8 Carbon. I was in love with that bike, it was a total blast to plow down the real technical stuff with.
And how I liked to finish my days:
mmmmmmmmmm
I ended up flying my bike out for a super cheap price $40 for round trip, on Frontier airlines. Worth the price, I can't tell you how nice it was not to be on shitty loaners/rentals and have your own bike out there.
I'm in love, and I wish I could have spent more time out there riding. Hopefully if the cards fall in my favor I'll be moving out that way so I can enjoy some of that fantastic riding all of the time. It was a nice change of pace from midwestern trails and every ride seemed to feel epic in its own way. I certainly felt the terrain was a lot more challenging and less forgiving. It put me in my place, as did a lot of the riders out that way.
Overall a great time, and I can't wait to go back!! I'm sure others have had similar great experiences out that way, but I had a good time, and I'd figured I'd share.
I certainly rode a lot, almost every day and it was great. I stayed with a friend of mine (and fellow cyclist) in Boulder, CO.
We rode on the 1st day at the Apex Trail in Golden, CO. After the brutal 1st climb up the mountain (well brutal for me, living at 600ft above sea level doesn't help) the Enchanted forest trail was a lot of fun. The course was somewhat technical and my Karate Monkey felt like it was about ready to buck me more than a few times. I also found for being out in CO, having a grandma gear would have been nice, a 1x9 was just not good enough for some of the climbs out there. I was not ready for how much steeper, tougher and longer the climbs in Colorado were than what I was used to in Michigan. I consider myself pretty in shape, but I felt like a weak old man out west. It really is a whole different ball game. I was in pain after almost every climb.
360 degree view from the top of APEX:
The next day we drove out to Nederland Colorado. The elevation here was over 9000ft. at some points, and I was having a bit of trouble again on the climbs, but the views and trail were quite a hoot to ride, and actually kinda similar terrain up there to what we have in MI, albeit a bit rockier.
Ned:
Notice the large 4 legged animal in the background? This was quite a thing to come across on the trail, and my buddy Dave being a goof ball!!
The 3rd day we rode my favorite trail, the Lair or the Bear. This trail was super flowy, fast, had a lot of places you could get sick air and some really fun/challenging technical rocky bits. The trail was super crowded when we went though, that kinda sucked, I would have pushed harder, but I didn't want to crash into anyone. But that trail was such a hoot!!!
On our last day we ventured up to Winter park and my friends competed in a little XC race, while I gave my hand at trying some DH/Freeride stuff for the 1st time. I had a lot of fun, and of course crashed and hurt myself, (nothing bad, but I'm missing some skin, lol) I ended up borrowing a real nice 2011 Treck Remedy 9.8 Carbon. I was in love with that bike, it was a total blast to plow down the real technical stuff with.
And how I liked to finish my days:
mmmmmmmmmm
I ended up flying my bike out for a super cheap price $40 for round trip, on Frontier airlines. Worth the price, I can't tell you how nice it was not to be on shitty loaners/rentals and have your own bike out there.
I'm in love, and I wish I could have spent more time out there riding. Hopefully if the cards fall in my favor I'll be moving out that way so I can enjoy some of that fantastic riding all of the time. It was a nice change of pace from midwestern trails and every ride seemed to feel epic in its own way. I certainly felt the terrain was a lot more challenging and less forgiving. It put me in my place, as did a lot of the riders out that way.
Overall a great time, and I can't wait to go back!! I'm sure others have had similar great experiences out that way, but I had a good time, and I'd figured I'd share.