Ride the Rockies

Let the ride begin! Six days of riding, 442 miles, nearly 25,000 vertical feet, a few mountain passes, and even a wildfire. Ride the Rockies, ahhhhh!  Bicycle Guy is doing the ride, along with 2000 others, 5 of whom we know. 

Karl, Taldi, Jeff, Sarah, Houston and Steve, all friends from back east.

 Plenty of vendors, police on motor patrol, food, music and fun.

 Saw this poster in a shop...yep, I brought my hoop.

 This is the 'bike corral', where the bikes are stored every night.

Most of the riders camp, some stay at motels, but the motels can be 45 minutes away.

 We're glad we chose to camp as that is where the action is. We camp at schools, on football fields and wherever there is a patch of grass.

 But the action stops at around 8:30. We're all in bed by then. Up at 5:30 to start another day.

The precision like aisles are 'rented' tents that the crew sets up for riders who decided to camp but didn't want to bring their gear. We move to a new location every day, of course.

How do they get all that sweat off after a hard day of riding, you ask? There are mobile showers the size of a semi truck (in fact they are semi truck beds, pulled by semi trucks) with about 12 showers in each. A crew sets them up early in the day, and packs them up at 8:30 p.m. to head to the next location.

The sink area is pretty awesome. Hey, I didn't expect this so I was gleeful when I saw it. Running water! Whoo hoo!

 The organization of this entire event is superb. There are dozens of these little recycling tents around accepting cardboard, plastic, paper and aluminum. 

For those people who don't have a car but lots of gear, there are trucks that haul the stuff. They're labeled 'early truck', 'middle truck', 'late truck'. At each location, there are football players to haul the bags to the tent site. We have a car, so I can sometimes drive to the site or haul a bit. All in all, it's been a great time. More scenery to come later.

Crazy Anti-Government Castle Guy

We left Colorado Springs to drive to Gunnison where Biking Guy will start his 460 mile ride, 

Ride the Rockies. But first, a stop at Bishop's Castle.

I've blogged about this before, but it so fantastical a place, that it deserves a second post. Mr. Bishop began his one-man quest to build a whimsical castle all with his very own hands, over 40 years ago. 

A dragon breaths fire from way up high. 

Mr. Bishop has done all the stone and wire and metal work himself. You go up at your own risk. 

This is the builder himself, ready to spew forth anti government rhetoric to all.

He had quite an audience this day as a huge group of motorcyclists were visiting.

He has painted signs throughout the entire building, blasting the government for all its wrongdoing. 

 

What he lacks in sanity, he makes up for in craftsmanship. The scrollwork hangs onto the rock walls, although it's a bit scary looking down.

Decorative cement crosses adorn the roofline.

Windows are placed helper skelter about.

He's even made a replica out of metal, that my mom is standing next to.

After the castle and a bland roadside lunch, we said goodbye to my brother, Dan, his girlfriend Pam and my dear mom, Darlene.

I hadn't seen my brother in 5 years (my bad!) and I don't get to see mom that often, so it was extra special that we got to spend these 5 days together. We are all going our separate ways again, and promised not to make it so long this time.

Pikes Peak or Bust

It was a beautiful, most perfect of perfect days to drive up Pikes Peak. It amazes me that there is a road up to the tippy top. Climbing 7000 over 19 miles, it's twisty turny with minimum guard rails. 

We stopped for a picnic on the way to the top. As I got out of the car, I was hit with that wonderful smell of Ponderosa pine. It always reminds me of my time living in Colorado.

As we drove higher and higher, I got more and more of a headache. I've learned that I don't do well in high altitudes. I mean, really...I was sitting in a car, exerting no energy unless you count crossing and uncrossing my legs as exercise. So when I got out of the car at 14,114 feet, it felt like I had climbed that damn mountain! My head was pounding. I did walk over to the look out and saw the sprawl of Colorado Springs, then made a bee line for the visitor center. In the photo above I'm sporting a faux smile with my buddy Pikes Pete. But imagine my surprise when I saw that this visitor center offers 'world famous' fresh donuts. I felt so sorry for myself that I immediately ate two donuts and had a strong cup of coffee and that took the edge off the vice grip on my head.

Another way folks get up the mountain is the cog railway. 

Driving back down is hard on the brakes, even in the lowest gear. There's a mandatory stop where a ranger checks your brakes with a temperature meter. 

Ours were 170 degrees (good to go), with 300 being the cut off where he puts you in the penalty box,

has you open the hood and sit there for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes, depending on the heat of the brakes. Fortunately, there's a gift shop/cafe there so you can go spend money. 

 A gorgeous day, and a great time spent with family. But hours later....

(photos were taken from the web) these clouds were an indication of what havoc was to come.

 Three inches of rain fell in an hour 

and knee deep hail. Luckily my brother's house was just east of the hail but we did get lots of rain and a good light show. 

Colorado Here We Come

Yay! On vacation in Colorado. Houston and I arrived at my brother Dan's house late Monday night. 

Tuesday we drove through Garden of the Gods (awesome!) to Manitou Springs.

On the drive through, we saw big horn sheep eating just feet from the road. As usual, we got sheep butt photos.

 Dan and Houston climbed the 'Incline' while my mom (who is visiting from Arizona) and I walked around historic Manitou Springs. The Incline is an old cog railway line that has been turned into a trail going steeply up the mountain. My knee was in no shape to climb or descend this 40% trail. 

 Mom and I stayed on fairly flat ground, enjoying the creek that runs through town.

Doin' a little window shopping.

We know we're out west.Inclin

 Really liked their mosaic sign. 

and the mix of this ornate glass chandelier juxtaposed against the industrial black ducts on the ceiling. 

There's an arcade right in the middle of town

 selling salt water taffy. I always associate salt water taffy with an oceanside town, not a land locked state.

That line going nearly straight up the mountain is the Incline.

 My mom and I got to catch up, since the last time I saw her was over 8 months ago. We were able to 'Buy Local' and support the local economy a bit. Fun stuff.