Ride the Rockies Update: Ready to Rock!

Well, June 9 has arrived. Notice I didn't say "finally." In fact I'm shocked its already here. When I registered for Ride the Rockies back in January it was on the distant horizon. Even by March when I found out I made it in the lottery, summer seemed far off and there were many miles to ride before this day would come.

On March 3rd I set a goal to ride 1,500 miles before June 9. At the time it seemed like a reasonable goal, just a little over 100 miles per week over 14 weeks. But a slow start in March and April left me playing catch up in May. Fortunately good weather and a two-week break in my travel schedule allowed me to rack up 637 miles in May.

After this past Sunday's Elephant Rock century ride I stood at 1,394 miles going into the final week before the big ride. So did I reach my goal?

**drumroll**

No. Between business travel and crazy Colorado weather I was only able to get in one 10-mile ride on my indoor trainer this week. So my training total since March 3 is 1,404 miles in 51 rides totaling 86.3 hours in the saddle and burning 100,244 calories!

Team BEEF rocked the Elephant Rock Century!

The important thing is I feel like I am ready. I felt great during Elephant Rock, averaging 17 miles per hour with the help of fellow Team BEEF members Troy and Dale. My legs felt great, even after a four-hour flight on Monday. Setting the goal served its purpose, motivating me to push my training to the next level, especially over the past month. I am now ready to rock.

So now it's time to finish packing and head to Colorado Springs, where I will meet up with Woody, a fellow team Bar2Bar member, to drive down to Gunnison for the start of the ride tomorrow. I look forward to meeting up with some old friends, making some new ones and enjoying the beqautiful scenery of the Colorado Rockies!

Stay tuned to BEEFMAN for updates and pictures throughout the week...

Ride on!

Daren

Memorial Day Ride at the Air Force Academy

The dramatic spires of the Cadet Chapel are an iconic symbol of the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs.

I remember visiting the U.S. Air Force Academy many times as a kid. My grandparents lived in Colorado Springs and we made many trips out here to visit and often drove through the Academy. But in recent years I've only driven past it on I-25 thinking it had been closed to the public post-911. Then, several weeks ago my daughter's rugby team (yes, you read that right) played in a tournament on the grounds of the Academy and I learned that visitors, including cyclists, are welcome to enter via the North Gate (with proper photo ID) with access to several scenic overlooks, the Cadet Chapel, Falcon Stadium, and the Visitor Center.

Me and Woody at Air Force Falcon Stadium.

So this past weekend I made plans to meet up with fellow Ride the Rockies Team Bar2Bar member Woody for a ride on Memorial Day. It just seemed fitting to pay tribute to those who had given their lives for our freedom on the hallowed grounds of the Academy. I downloaded this Air Force Cycling Team road race map on the internet and met up with Woody on Monday morning at 0700 at the North Gate. We entered through security with no problem (they will ask to check your trunk, which can be tricky with a loaded bike rack!) and parked in the lot near the start/finish line on this map (you can also park in a dirt lot outside the North Gate and ride in).

The B52 Bomber is an imposing site as you enter near the North Gate of the
U.S. Air Force Academy .

Following the arrows on the map we set off on the 12.5-mile road race loop. Turning on Stadium Drive (look for the imposing B52 bomber) we rode past Falcon Stadium and soon ran into a security checkpoint where we were informed by a stern female cadet that only military personnel are allowed past this point. Not ones to challenge authority (she was carrying a gun) we doubled back to Academy Drive and headed West up the serious climb to Pine Drive. Meeting back up with the course we hung a right past the visitor's center and completed the shortened loop (about 9 miles) back to our cars.

We did this loop three times, with several variations. All of the roads within this area, including Interior Drive and Parade Loop, are open to cyclists and offer some nasty hills (if you like short but steep climbs the Cross Drive cutoff between Interior Drive and Parade Loop hits 12% grade!). In total we rode 31 miles (with 2,500 ft. of elevation gain).

Cheyenne Mountain, in the distance over my left shoulder, is the home to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

The roads are very nice, with little traffic and great views of the Front Range from the Academy to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) facility on Cheyenne Mountain. Of course we also stopped for pictures at the Chapel, Stadium and B52.

If you are ever in the Colorado Springs/Denver area I highly recommend going for a spin at the Air Force Academy. It was well worth the extra effort to load up my bike and drive the 30 minutes from Castle Rock for a change of scenery from my normal routes. And it was great to catch up with Woody, a friend I met on my first Ride the Rockies in 2005 and look forward to seeing again in two weeks on RTR 2012!

Ride on!

Daren

An Ode to Wind

Spring is windy season in the Rocky Mountains. Strong, gusting, ever-shifting winds can present quite a challenge riding along the Front Range this time of year. Though they typically blow from the south. And this Memorial Day weekend they came in gusts up to 60 mph carrying smoke from wildfires in Arizona, New Mexico and Southern Colorado.

Yesterday's high winds blew smoke from fires in New Mexico

My normal riding routes take me south along the Front Range on Hwy 105 towards Palmer Lake, Colorado. Hwy 105 climbs steadily from around 6,000 ft to 7,300 ft. as you head south toward the Palmer Divide. I prefer to start my rides heading into the wind, or uphill, or both as is often the case riding south on 105.

The long, slow grind up to Palmer Lake into a stiff headwind offers plenty of time to let your mind wander and mine often turns to thoughts about how much I hate the wind! Actually, I have a love/hate relationship with wind.

When riding into the wind I feel like a weak, struggling, middle-aged man trying to stave off old age by dressing up in spandex and pretending to be Lance Armstrong. But when I reach the southernmost part of the ride, turn around, and start back downhill with a tailwind I am Lance Armstrong riding in the Tour de France cruising along at 30-40 mph without breaking a sweat.

While riding into the wind this morning I came up with an Ode to the Wind:

Wind, wind, miserable wind.
Like the breath of the devil you repel me.
I spit in your face and you blow it back in mine.
I despise you.

Wind, wind glorious wind.
Like wings of angels you lift me up.
I sing of your grace and your gentle push from behind.
I love you.

Wind, wind, fickle wind.
Like the mind of a woman you change without warning.
Once at my back now back in my face.
You torment me.

And there you have it. My Ode to the Wind.

May the wind be always at your back!

Ride on,

Daren