Jay Rochlin
Border Beat
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| Bicycle Tour of Colorado - 2008 |
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(June 12, 2009) The Bicycle Tour of Colorado is just over a week away. I was looking at this slideshow from last year's ride and can't wait to hit the road.
On Thursday, Keith and I head out for Glenwood Springs by car (actually by huge Suburban) with our bikes and other gear. We did the ride last year and it was great. This year covers some of the most beautiful territory in the country, but will be a tougher ride. Day 2 is 98 miles long and includes a climb to the top of Grand Mesa at 10,839 feet. Day 4 from Montrose to Crested Butte is 93 miles. Day seven (the last day) is 107 miles long and includes 14 miles of dirt road as we make our way to the top of Cottonwood Pass at 12,326 feet.Keith and I will have very different experiences. He has been working hard both in the gym and on the road. He is trained and ready. I imagine he will finish most days between one and two. I feel ready, but will be slow. If I make it in by 6 p.m. and I’m feeling good, I’ll be happy. I also hope to take a lot of pictures. This year I will be riding a classic Bike Friday, probably built in about 1992. It is set up with a triple in the front so I’ve got all the gearing I need. It is stable on fast descents and I’m comfortable on it for long periods of time. I’ll report back on how it (and I) did.
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