Heading towards the end of November, Goodbye Indian Summer!

 We are now heading into WINTER here in Southern Colorado. Here is the rest of the month of November as the fridged COLD has finally shown up in our area, it's 15 F degrees outside with a very lite snow flurries at times today!

November 19- Many Bridges ride on Cottonwood Creek Trail- Headed out on the PP Greenway to ride the Cottonwood Creek Trail to the Park and a bit beyond. It was a very nice, sunny day and the CCT is a favorite. We just enjoyed all the bridge crossings of the creek on the way up and then thru the big tunnel and headed northeast to a turnaround point. Didn't go all the way to the end of the concrete at just north of Powers Blvd. It was a good day to RIDE!

November 22- A late Fall Day, different sections of different trails- We just took off and headed here and there using different sections of different trails to enjoy another beautiful day in Southern Colorado in the warm late fall weather!  

We headed up the Austin Bluffs Trail to its end and then took a little used sidewalk up to the old Austin Bluffs Mall to go to Scooter's Coffee but it has been closed down so we headed back down to the trail and then headed south to let Jo ride the new concrete section of the Sinton Trail before we headed home, another excellent day to Ride!

November 24- Rode several different Bike Lanes to get to Panera Bread in Southgate- It was a Monday, and the Sacred Grounds Cafe was closed so we headed to Panera Bread on a bit of a chilly day to eat our brown bag lunch and get a HOT tea!  We did a bit of a photo op at the Creek Walk area. Headed back the same way but picked up the Pikes Peak Greenway and then to the Mesa Greenway, rode to its end point and home.

November 28- CHILLY Moring Ride on the Rock Island Trail and Academy Blvd Path- Had to bundle up a bit as the day started out Gray and Cloudy but the temp wasn't too cold so we decided to ride. Been a little while since we rode the Rock Island Trail all the way to its end at Powers Blvd. heading east. We rode to the end, then turned around to head to the Mavrick Station for again, HOT tea. As we were flying down one of the big downhill sections of the trail, the hard mount for my GoPro 6, SNAPPED and the camera went tumbling!!!! Jo found the camera, it's amazing it still works and only got a mar or two!! Tough little camera! 

We packed it away and again headed over to the Mavrick Station, that HOT tea really hit the spot! From there back to the Rock Island heading west and to the apartment to tuck in the trikes as Saturday's temps are 32F for a HIGH and windy and Sunday is even COLDER so this is all the rides for November! It gets a bit iffy, weather wise for the next 3 months here in Southern CO., so it will be hit and miss as far as the blog and videos for a bit. Happy Holidays to all of you and yours! Happy Trail's! 

More November Rides

 Another busy month but there have been so many nice days that we got more rides in anyway!

November 12- With lot's of appointments, etc. Finally got in a ride and the day was Awesome! 

November 13- Couldn't find the Phase 4, new section of the Creek Walk Trail in Manitou Springs? - We saw a Facebook post from the PAC-Man Group in Manitou Springs that they have finished the newest section of the Creek Walk Trail. We headed out over to America the Beautiful Park and the Midland Trail to Manitou Springs. It was supposed to hook into the Mayfair Ave., Phase 3 section but we followed a dirt path we thought might be it but it wasn't so we headed back the way we came into the Springs! They are suppose to have a "official" ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday November 18th but we have appointments that day, RATS. Oh well, it was another great day for ride so we will try again soon!

November 14- I took a different route and headed back to find the new phase 4 section of the Creek Walk Trail in Manitou Springs! - Well jo had a doctor's appointment, so I decided to go back and FIND the new Phase 4 trail section!!  Wala, I found it, no markings at all and instead of running along Fountain Creek like the rest of the Creek Walk Trail, it runs along Manitou Ave. heading towards the Manitou Springs Visitor Center and then to downtown.

It's better than having to use to streets but kinda a bummer, it's not continuing to follow the creek, RATS. It will take you over to Memorial Park and 7 Minute Springs Park, via back street and then to the Visitor's Center. Ok, well mystery solved but hopefully a future, Phase 5 will take it all the way into downtown Manitou Springs! Enjoyed the longer route ride via Sinton and Foothills trails, another nice day to RIDE

November 16- World Remembrance Day for Road Crash Victims at City Hall in Downtown Colorado Springs, CO.- We decided to ride down and support the local World Remembrance Day for Road Crash Victims. Headed down the Weber St. bike lane into the City Hall and did a video of the Ceremony. Then we headed out to lunch at the downtown Starbucks and then rode to Monument Valley Park, Pikes Peak Greenway and picked up the Rock Island Trail up to hook up with the Academy Blvd Access Path to a Mavrick Station Store for iced tea and a Think Bar afternoon break. The sun heads down a lot faster now so we headed back to the apartment and tucked in the trikes!

   

Monday the 17th. - It's REALLY WINDY today, sunshine but lot's of clouds and heavy wind gust's so we decided not to ride, hopefully we can ride Weds. as Thurs. and Fri. look like RAIN, bummer. Oh well, it's been a good fall riding season so hopefully we can get in a few more rides before the snow falls!! HAPPY TRAIL'S!

Ending October and into November!

October 30, 2025- For many years, there were two small natural duck ponds in Monument Valley Park. About 3 years ago, they were drying up and in really bad shape! 2 years ago, they started a rebuild by digging out the land in-between ponds. Starting the new Duck Lake, dug out, added a protective layer and short rock wall around the new lake. The westside of the Pikes Peak Greenway goes right by the Lake and they smoothed out the old rough dirt trail with a new layer of concrete. 

Going by on the trail, we watched the construction, and it took 2 years, but it's now finished and I rode the trike to the Dedication Ceremony at the lake!  Shot a video and took photos of the ceremony. Then headed out for a ride, it's great to see the city work on the parks and they even put in a walkway around the whole lake!

November 1, 2025- Another round at the Sacred Ground, "CAFE". Again, headed out mostly on area bike lanes, including, Weber St, Tejon St and Cheyenne Blvd bike lanes. Although the Tejon St. bike lane is still a challenge, the newly paved and painted Cheyenne Blvd bike lane is actually fun to ride now! We decide not to ride up to the Starsmoor Center at the foot of North Cheyenne Canyon Park. Arrived at the Sacred Grounds Cafe and it wasn't as busy as usual, so we got great parking! Ordered iced tea and ate our brown bag lunch on the patio area. From there we headed back on the Cheyenne Blvd and other bike lanes. It turned out to be a really nice day and so far, except for a couple of "cold fronts" here and there it's been sunny and warm, SWEET!

November 3, 2025- Food Run & Lunch Ride- It's that time again, we needed FOOD! Hooked up the cargo trailer and headed via the Rock Island Trail to the Walmart Market Store at Union Blvd. We headed out to lunch after packing away to food and supplies, then rode misc. trails, etc. to finish off the ride for the day!

November 6, 2025- Rode to Angletech to sign up for their T-shirt order and I checked out some new recumbent accessories, sadly Jo had an eye doctor appointment, so I was SOLO! There was a new handlebar bag, actually made for recumbents to attach to the sidebar that had the latch close to the rider and a hard plastic bottom. Next, new hi-tech water bottles in stainless steel and don't need to be squeezed as they have "gravity flow"! After that headed to a Mavrick Station Store for, what else, Iced tea and the infamous brown bag special!

Back down Sinton Trai, sadly, it's blocked off again for more finishing work so had to use the Elliston Street Detour route, rats. Headed north on the PP Greenway up to Panera Bread, I caved in and got a Hot Tea and a Cinnamon Raisin Bagel for late afternoon snack, YUM! Back on the PP Greenway and headed to the barn, ok, apartment, the winds had gotten really STRONG, lots of dust and crunched leaves blowing around made it a good time to end the ride!

Ok, folks, that's all for now, hope your fall is being kind to your riding, we all know the snow will fly soon but the longer the warmish fall stays the better we like it. Tell we come together again, HAPPY TRAI'S!