tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46217529138774700352024-03-14T05:51:36.122-04:00BOBbies Ride the RockiesKerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-83230231002652213532007-06-27T13:42:00.001-04:002008-12-09T17:55:12.828-05:00Ride the Rockies Desktop PicturesThe following images have been cropped for use as desktop pictures (I guess PC users call it "wallpaper"). You can download them from my website in cinema format (1920 x 1200, optimized for Apple Cinema 23) or standard 17" (1280 x 960). These are free for personal use. Enjoy.Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-23548557807016338462007-06-24T15:57:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:13.353-05:00Ratings and FavoritesRide the Rockies Report Card:Route & planning:First of all, RTR gets an A+ for safety. The route markings were excellent and included signs and road paint indicating road hazards from RR crossings to manhole covers over the whole 422 miles. This is so above and beyond the call. It must have taken them a lot of time and manpower to do this and we really appreciated it. In addition, they had a Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-44561878044777174412007-06-24T15:29:00.000-04:002007-06-24T17:07:51.154-04:00The saga continues...The ride medics were concerned about Lisa's oxygen saturation after giving her a nebulizer treatment. So they sent us off to the ER.One of the medics drove us around to the ER entrance at St. Vincent Hospital. The admitting nurses didn't seem quite as impressed by Lisa's condition. They checked her saturation and thought it was acceptable. "You have a cold and you're at 10,000 feet, come back if Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-31292427316115496842007-06-23T21:56:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:15.788-05:00Day 6: Independence day - the sagaDistance: 58.5 milesFeet of Climbing: 5,400Weather Conditions: Sunny and warm, changing to blustery and rainyWe had a wonderful afternoon in Aspen. We posted our day 5 blog over lunch and Fat Tire draft, explored the town and then had what both of us agreed was the best Italian meal outside of Italy at Gusto Ristorante. We caught the shuttle back to the high school as the sun was setting and the Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-12800790275368010182007-06-22T20:09:00.000-04:002007-06-22T20:36:17.976-04:00Independence DayWe accomplished what we came here for - we climbed Independence Pass.We crossed the continental divide today and wound up in 1972. I'm posting with the treo - which means I'm typing with my thumbs - so this is going to be short.We had a great climb. Independence pass was stunningly beautiful - I took so many photos I filled the card by the time we reached the top. We'll upload those tomorrow Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-3569371167923440932007-06-21T16:42:00.001-04:002008-12-09T17:55:19.205-05:00Day 5: Now that's what I'm talkin' about!Distance: 42 milesFeet of Climbing: 2,800Weather Conditions: Sunny and warm, light breezeWe're at Bentley's Yorkshire Brewery in downtown Aspen, having lunch and Fat Tires and using wireless connection (not sure where it came from, but it'll work).So, what do you get when you combine blue skies, low humidity, breathtaking views of snowcapped mountains, 15 miles of newly-paved bike trails with no Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-49916937312474541412007-06-20T18:05:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:22.080-05:00Day 4: From one extreme to the otherDistance: 35 milesFeet of Climbing: 2,200Weather Conditions: Sunny and hot, wind gusts of 25mphToday started later than normal - 8 am. We were encouraged to sleep in today because the route was short and it was best to avoid rush hour traffic on Interstate 70 going into Glenwood Springs. Yes, I said Interstate 70.When we emerged from the tent this morning the sun was warm. This is the first Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-32141614099921236192007-06-19T20:45:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:22.693-05:00Day 3: Things die out hereDistance: 90 milesFeet of climbing: 4,400Weather conditions: Sunny and hot, winds out of the WNW at 25 mph, high of 97 degreesKeri and I are at the Rifle Public Library for two things: air conditioning and a wireless connection (Bluetooth internet connection is wonderful in a pinch, but it’s reaaaallly slow).It’s 6:20 p.m. and it’s still 97 degrees. We’re camping at the Rifle Middle School up Lisa Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14310610755285680756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-40403848742787017632007-06-19T19:38:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:23.484-05:00Day 2: Short and sweetDistance: 44 milesFeet of climbing: 700Weather conditions: Sunny, chilly and – you guessed it – windyWe woke up to frost this morning but, knowing it would warm up quickly, we left the arm warmers, jacket, vest and long-finger gloves behind. Since it was a short ride – and the Sherpa told us he wouldn't have our tent set up until 11 a.m. -- we opted to enjoy a leisurely breakfast in Steamboat Lisa Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14310610755285680756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-54257536906406097012007-06-19T00:24:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:23.892-05:00Day 2: 44 Easy MilesI wasn't sure how I would feel this morning after abusing myself so hard yesterday. We were pressed for time last night - arriving late, visiting the medic, showering and finding dinner in town. We were dead exhausted by the time we crashed into bed. I slept hard for at least 4 hours before I had to get up and - you know. The sky was full of stars. It was too cold to hang out and take them all inKerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-12825271890764754772007-06-19T00:18:00.002-04:002008-12-09T17:55:24.549-05:00Day 1: 99.5 miles, 4,700 ft of climbing, half a lungWhere do I begin? Perhaps where I left off.It started sprinkling as we left Starbucks Saturday night. We walked out to the corner and flagged a shuttle bus - such great service!It sprinkled off and on as we prepared for bed, and at exactly the moment I pulled the ten zipper closed it started to shower. After organizing riding cloths and repacking the duffel, we settled into our sleeping bags. Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-36428140482236499822007-06-18T23:43:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:24.850-05:00Day 1: The long and windy roadCourse: Frisco to Steamboat SpringsDistance: 99 milesFeet of climbing: 4,700Weather conditions: Sunny with gusting windsIf you were looking for this post on Sunday evening, my apologies. After 7 hours on the road followed by a pasta dinner and a bottle of Fat Tire, I needed to sleep. You cyclists are probably doing the math right now. If it took Keri and Lisa 7 hours to ride 99 miles, their Lisa Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14310610755285680756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-23309251734558124322007-06-16T21:23:00.001-04:002008-12-09T17:55:25.682-05:00Huddled Down in SherpavilleWell, Florida followed us here. All that cold weather last week is ancient history. Looks like we won't have to worry about being cold. It is still dry and chilly at night, which makes for good sleeping in the tent.The altitude has not been an issue yet, but now I know what it's like to be Joy. The downside of hydrate, hydrate, hydrate is that I have to pee, pee, pee ALL THE TIME! Having to get Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-73594728068706858012007-06-16T21:09:00.000-04:002007-06-16T21:22:21.748-04:00Community spiritIt’s Ride the Rockies Eve and the excitement’s building. This is my first multi-day cycling event and I’m definitely on sensory overload. There are so many people of all ages, obvious abilities (one cyclist will be powering up the mountain with an artificial leg) and not-to-obvious fitness levels. You could make people watching an art form at one of these events. There are people who travel Lisa Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14310610755285680756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-61275593220735180242007-06-15T19:27:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:26.063-05:00Happy trails to youThis was taken from the Frisco section of Summit County, Colorado's 200 miles of paved recpaths. We took the bikes out this afternoon to check the gearing and make sure everything works properly. Talk about a view: Snow-capped mountains and plush meadows provide a breathtakingly beautiful backdrop to the crystal blue waters of the Dillon Reservoir.The Frisco path is one of 36 rides detailed in Lisa Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14310610755285680756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-5170804238924840232007-06-15T18:12:00.001-04:002008-12-09T17:55:26.206-05:00What a stellar day!Here's Breckenridge from Boreas Pass... looks a lot different than it did in January.Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-47472442057329623912007-06-15T11:09:00.000-04:002007-06-15T22:57:37.238-04:00Rocky Mountain HighIt's going to be a beautiful day in Frisco, site of the ride start: 74 degrees and sunny, winds out of the NW at 5 to 10 mph and 33% humidity. Gotta love it! It's so beautiful here -- mountain sides are lush green and the tops are snowy white. We're heading out to Breckenridge to scope out some of our favorite haunts from the "Greatest Birthday Bash Ever 2007" then we'll return to Frisco to put Lisa Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14310610755285680756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-32205756975778995602007-06-13T20:32:00.000-04:002007-06-15T11:24:19.102-04:00Ode to MaryIt’s the evening before I leave for Colorado and Ride The Rockies. The bike is packed. The duffel (yes, only one!) is packed – to the gills. I’ve run through the mental checklist of supplies and everything is accounted for.This 7-day mountain excursion is a first for me, and I’m amazingly calm. What a sharp contrast to Six Gap Georgia last year. I fretted. I worried. I doubted myself.Not this Lisa Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14310610755285680756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-57031337078854118232007-06-10T21:56:00.000-04:002007-06-10T21:58:23.429-04:00Don't pack like a girlTwo things I always do before a bike trip: check the weather and figure out how to pack only essentials in the smallest amount of space — one duffel. That’s right, only one duffel (Keri’s advice: don’t pack like a girl. Excuse me, I think you mean Princess).Armed with ziplock bags and a minimal amount of clothing, I met the challenge. I managed to pack for a 10-day trip — 7 on the bike — Lisa Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14310610755285680756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-3774139637388529222007-06-05T20:37:00.000-04:002008-12-09T17:55:26.793-05:00Top 10 Lessons Learned on Previous Cycle ToursThis will be my third 7-day bike tour. I did Cycle North Carolina in 2004 and Sierra to the Sea last summer.Each trip has taught me something about myself and my equipment. So here's a list.#10 (from CNC) I don't like riding flat, unscenic roads day after day. I can do that at home. No more flat-state bike tours. (CNC Mountains to the Coast is 1 mountain day, 2 days of rolling hills and and 4 Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4621752913877470035.post-24067935280069763882007-06-04T13:24:00.000-04:002007-06-04T14:48:23.663-04:00The Wind is My FriendThat's what I told myself for 40 miles yesterday.The best way to train for mountains in Florida is to ride into the wind. Well, we have had plenty of opportunity to do that this spring. Has there been a weekend in 4 months with wind speeds less than 10 mph?Yesterday, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Barry, the winds were WSW at 15-25. We slogged west for 40 miles in the morning, using far too Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.com