Sunday, May 30, 2021

5-29-21-The Last of the "Midland May" Event Rides from the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort to the Crit Cafe!

 Well Sat's. weather at least started out sunny and warmish so we loaded the bikes into the old pick up truck and headed over to the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort for the starting of the last of the "Midland May" Event Rides for 2021. It's called Midland May as the events happen in May and all showcase rides, etc. on and around the "Midland Trail" here in Colorado Springs, CO. The ride starts at the Lodge which is just in Manitou Springs and headed out to lunch at  The Crit Cafe, this is a outdoor eatery that's a part of the Criterium Bike Shop that's on the Pikes Peak Greenway. It opens on the 29th. of May. to early Oct. 

We started out before the group, (Buffalo Lodge Tribe Riders, of which we are members BUT we don't group ride as we are just "TOO SLOW"!), yes, they caught and passed us on the PP Greenway. We showed up just as the crowd finished ordering food so it worked out well. We got our favorite, the MTB BLT Slider and a salad and enjoyed lunch with the tribe on the patio! We headed back a little before the group but the clouds had turned DARK and ugly so I had Jo head for home and I rode back to the Lodge to retrieve the truck. LOL, I got about halfway back and the skies opened up and the rain came pouring down! Stopped under a tree and put on my rain jacket, I carry rain pants but hate to use them unless it's cold! My new bike is now baptized by nature! ;)  Got to the Lodge, loaded up the truck and the group arrived as I was leaving. Most of the tribe hung around the lodge for drinks, etc. but since we don't do booze, I decided I wanted to get back and into dry clothes. 22 miles RT. It was nice to at least hang with the tribe for once! :) 


   The Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort



Friday, May 28, 2021

5-28-21-Getting in a RIDE, while the weather is good!!

Since the weather is looking "IFFY" for Sat. we decided to get in a short ride today (Fri), Sun and Mon here look like CRUD!! Rode over to Ted's Bicycle Shop and had "tire/tube sealer" installed and upgraded brake pads installed so the front brake would quit Squeaking when coming to a stop, (adj. toe in, etc. didn't work?) Left the shop then headed back north to pick up the Templeton Gap Trail heading south to the Pikes Peak Greenway, over to the Palmer/Mesa Greenway to America the Beautiful Park, back streets over to the Shooks Run Trail, headed north. Stopped at the Tasty Freeze Drive Inn for unsweet iced tea, then headed back to the apt. as the clouds were building quickly! 16 miles RT, mostly sunny till the last part of the ride. 





Wednesday, May 26, 2021

5-25-21-Scouting Ride #3 for the 3rd. possible ADA Tour de Cure-Rocky Mountains Ride on August. 28, 2021-Heading south on CO. Hwy. 115 to Pueblo, CO.

 5-25-21-Scouting Ride #3. For Jo's ADA "Tour de Cure-Rocky Mountains" Ride on August 28th. Our 3rd. possible rides heads south of Co. Springs via Hwy. 115 to Florence, Wetmore, then east on Hwy. 96 into Pueblo, CO. I was having my bike (BJ) first adjustments at the shop, we left Old Town Bike Shop and headed down Tejon St. bike lane over to Nevada Ave. then south to Hwy. 115. We stopped at the edge of town at the Black Bear Coffee Shop for lunch, (excellent salad and green iced tea), then headed out into the WIND again and were looking at going 10 miles then turn around but with the heavy dark clouds coming over Cheyenne Mountain at the entry way to Cheyenne Mountain State Park and the main gate of Ft. Carson we decided to head back and pick up Shooks Run Trail to head home. 21 miles RT. Partly sunny with a lot of clouds and WINDY!! Here's a video of the ride and tour of the "static display" of the "Future" 4th. Infantry Division Museum, Enjoy.


Monday, May 24, 2021

5-23-21-Scouting Ride #2 for Jo's ADA Tour de Cure Ride, Sept. 28th., Heading East, Highway 24 E from Co. Springs to Callahan, CO.

 It was a dark and stormy night, ok it was a gray and drizzly morning we awoke too! It took about 2 hours for the clouds to start parting and the ground to start drying so we finally decided to go ahead and do our scouting ride anyway! That and WINDY too so we packed up the bikes and headed out via the Rock Island Trail, then over to Constitution Ave. heading south to get to Highway 24 heading east. It was mostly cloudy but some sun was out and we worked our way up all the HILLS. When we got to Hwy. 24 (2 hrs. and 7 miles), There was a WALL of black, low clouds heading east so we BAILED on the idea of going to Falcon, CO. the first little town on Hwy. 24 E. for lunch and headed back into Colorado Springs via Hwy. 24 W. at least this way the sun was shining and only partly cloudy. Stopped for lunch then headed home via the highway, Wooten Rd. , Palmer Park Blvd. and picking up the Southern Homestead Trail heading north back to the Rock Island Trail, heading west back to the apt.

21. miles RT, The winds never let up and later we found out they had marble size HAIL and a Tornado touch down out east of Hwy, 24/Hwy. 94 so we made the RIGHT choice!



5-20-21-1st. Scouting Ride for Jo's ADA Tour de Cure Ride on Sept. 28th., Starting point time and mileage Ride #1. Heading north 70 miles to Castle Rock, CO.

 We've picked 3 different possible "Rides" for Jo's first ADA Tour de Cure-Rocky Mnts. "virtual" ride on Sept. 28th. The first ride is from Co. Springs to Castle Rock (appx. 70 miles) via Highway 83 N. and 86 W. The start point is at Hwy 83 and Interquest Parkway. We wanted to find out "how long" and how many miles it was from our Apt. to that point. So we headed out on the Pikes Peak Greenway up to Vincent St. bike lanes over Woodman Ave. heading north via back roads up to Academy Blvd. then up the bike path as far as Research Blvd. then a major street up to the turn off for Hwy. 83 N.  

We decided to stop and have a snack at Cafe Velo, a high end bike shop and cafe but found out it went out of business and replaced by Loyal Coffee Co. We had a unsweet Mango Iced Tea and a apple and sat on their patio with a great view of the mountains. Headed back the same way to apt. 7 miles to the start point but a lot of up hill grades! This will be a very long days ride for us, with a overnight stay in Castle Rock!! 







Friday, May 14, 2021

5-13-21-The Training continues, time to add a Highway Ride, US 85/87 to Fountain CO. for Lunch!

 All the long distance destinations we've looked at to use for Jo's "Virtual" Tour de Cure ride in September are along busy highways, as our only seriously LONG trail here is mostly dirt/gravel and our bikes are "road bikes" so we are stuck with a hwy. out of the city of Colorado Springs, no matter which way we head! We mostly ride area Urban and Rail Trails that have NO CARS so we needed a refresher on riding next to busy auto traffic! Headed out to have Lunch at the Western Omelet 2 Restaurant in Fountain, CO. Back roads to get to Highway 85/87 South and then into Fountain, CO. It was a very cloudy and cool morning, so much for the "weather guessers" Sunny and warm, LOL! Still it was fun to add a bit of "not normal" to our bicycle riding. Arrived at the Restaurant and split a excellent Club Sandwich with a side salad and iced tea! Then took a bit different route home over Hancock Expressway to down town then Cascade St. bike lane back to apartment! It was a bit unnerving with the cars wizing by at 60 mph. and a few real HILLS but a very enjoyable ride too. 34 miles RT with a breeze, clouds and sometimes a brief peak of sunshine, 55 F. Still it did help to get over the "interpadation"  of "Sharing the Road" with the car drivers! Here's a video of our ride, thanks and enjoy! :)


  

Saturday, May 8, 2021

5-6 and 5-7-21: RED Rider in training and a visit to the finally opened Starsmore Visitors Center in North Cheyenne Canyon Park

 We got out on Thursday and Friday this week (5-6/5-7) as Saturday we did a early Mom's Day breakfast for BJ's Mom and birthday celebration for BJ's brother Bob and Sunday is going to be WET and CHILLY! 

Close to a month ago, we got a burger, (very rare for us!), at Carl's Jr. and I put in a survey and got a FREE burger if you buy one. So on Thursday after my doctor's appt. we headed out for a short ride up the Rock Island Trail, then up it's extension trail running along Academy Blvd. up to a new Carl's Jr. and got our free burger as the survey ticket expires after 30 days. We then decided to try the only PAVED road thru Palmer Park! WOW, is this road STEEP and winding, I just managed to make it to the top and Jo did great as she only walked the steepest part! She found a nice flat rock and took a rest while I went up to the outlook to get a couple of photos:




I headed back to pick up Jo and we went flying down the hill out of the park and back over to Fillmore St., then took a back street to pick up the Templeton Gap Trail west to the Pikes Peak Greenway south back to the apt. 15 miles RT, Sunny, 70 F a bit breezy!

5/7/21





Then on Friday we did a bit of a "training" ride as Jo is a RED Rider for the American Diabetes Assoc. Tour de Cure, riding the Rocky Mountains ride on August 28th. Her goal is "60 miles" in one day. She self-embroidered, RED RIDER In Training on a jersey so I am her "support" so we will ride the event together! We headed over to the Cheyenne Blvd. Bike Lane and up the North Cheyenne Canyon Rd. up to the Starsmore Visitor Center at the Base of  North Cheyenne Canyon Park. It's a lot of uphill grind to the center, we found a bench and ate our brown bag lunch! The center was finally open for the season so we gave a small contribution and looked at a few of exhibits, took some photos and left to again, fly down the canyon road, then down town over to the Palmer Mesa Greenway and Pikes Peak Greenway back to the apt. LOL, 15 miles again, RT. Sunny 80 F, Windy with more clouds but 2 days of "leg building" uphill grades so "training" was accomplished! :) Here's a video of the Training Ride: 

 

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

5-1-21-Midland May Ride-May is celebrating the Midland Trail here in Colorado Springs, CO.

After our more straining ride on the 30th. we decided to do a mellow local area trail ride and found out that "Bike Colorado Springs", the local city sponsored bicycle advocate here in town has declarer "MAY" as Midland May! It's celebrating the "Midland Trail" between Co. Springs and Manitou Springs, which is one of our favorite local trails and a actual "Rail Trail"! 

It use to be a smaller gauge railroad that went between Co. Springs and Cripple Creek/Victor, CO. to pick up raw gold bring it back down and process it in the huge smelting plant on the westside of town back in the middle-late 1800's to early 1900's! It's now a huge housing area known as Gold Hills Mesa. So we headed out from our apartment, rode over to the Shooks Run Trail, which is the only other, "Rail Trail" in Co. Springs, (the rest are Urban Trails), heading south into down town over to America The Beautiful Park, then picking up the Midland Trail heading west to Manitou Springs! 

BCS is having several "events" with rides during the month to promote using the Midland Trail for shopping, eating, etc. between the two "Springs", instead of driving your car!! We stopped at our usual brown bag lunch spot at Schryver Park in Manitou Springs and ate, (sorry, no funds to eat out, RATS!). 20 miles RT, 80 F and SUNNY, very enjoyable! :)






   

4-30-21-Ride the Centennial Trail in Woodland Park, CO. out to Manitou Lake State Park

 The last time we rode this trail was a couple of years ago on our old recumbent trikes and it was a VERY ROUGH ride as the trail had 3-4 inch deep cracks covering the whole WIDTH of the trail for 4 miles out of the 8 mile trail length!! Thought we'd give it a try and see how the new bikes with their 700 C size wheels would fare. Loaded the bikes in the old truck and headed from Co. Springs up Ute Pass to Woodland Park and the Centennial Trailhead. Unloaded, headed out and wow, lot's of NEW, smooth asphalt for quite awhile but sadly it wasn't done for the whole 8 miles so we still had 2+ miles of cratered trail surface to deal with!! :(  The larger 700 C wheels did help some but you still had to SLOW down to a crawl to get thru the even larger cracks! The bummer is that there are several short but STEEP segments to this trail and where you'd normally speed up on the "down hill" to help get up the steep grades, you couldn't do it, RATS!! :(





Still it's a beautiful area as the trail goes along CO. Hwy. 67 N. that goes through the Pikes Peak National Forest area. Lot's of pine and a few aspen trees mixed in. The area is close to 9000ft. altitude so we got a work out! The trail got a bit better as we neared Manitou Lake which is a CO. State Park with lake, lot's of picnic tables and nice restrooms (advised, $3.00 entry fee for bicycles). We ate our Brown Bag Lunch and took a couple of photo's of us and the lake before heading back to Woodland Park. LOL, this trail fools you as it has more down hill grade heading north so there's a LOT of steeper uphill graded sections heading south!! :O It's only 16 miles total but we both felt it as we got back to the trailhead, loaded up the bikes and headed down the pass back to the Springs!! Sunny, 65 F, slight breeze, nice day for a RIDE!! :)