Signing up for Ride The Rockies always includes a few unknowns. What will the weather be like? Will there be headwinds or tailwinds? How will my legs feel after a few days on the road? How will other body parts feel after a few days on the road? One thing that seems set in stone is the route. However, the … Read More
My favorite bike schwag on RTR
As you all know, I do love to bling out my bike. One of the things I love about Ride The Rockies is that I get to see how 2,000 other people decorate themselves and their bikes. Here are just a few things that made my day so far this year.
When Good Rides Go Bad
Wow, this whole bicycle thing is terrific. You’re chugging up the hills and coasting down the other sides. The pedals are going round and round and you’re clicking off the miles. Life is good. The finish line in Colorado Springs is practically in sight. Then, suddenly, disaster strikes! Your tire makes a hissing sound, your spokes make a pinging sound, … Read More
Packing Tips: What Not to Forget
There are two kinds of people in the world. The first kind goes grocery shopping with a shopping list. Within this group are subsets: there are those who alphabetize the list, and those who sort the items according to aisle number. The second kind of people don’t need no stinkin’ list. Furthermore, they like to think up all kinds of … Read More
100 Miles of Nowhere
At the time, it seemed like a brilliant idea: Ride 100 miles in as small a loop as possible. Easy! And, it’s for charity. Awesome! But after 5 hours, with 15 miles still to go, my mental capacity was at broccoli level and dropping fast. I wondered – do those discarded candy wrappers on the putting green have any candy … Read More
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that bling!
Biking can be serious business. Very serious. Intervals and hill repeats. Power meters and heart rate zones. Sweat rates and carbo-loading. But, it also can be fun. Lots and lots of fun. In my opinion, a bike that’s fun to ride is going to get ridden more. There are days that I don’t feel like going out, but I look … Read More
Introducing: The Pedal Wench
I started cycling about 10 years ago, having been off the bike since college. When I was just starting out as a novice cyclist, I heard about an amazing adventure — Ride The Rockies — and my immediate goal was to become good enough to attempt that ride. My first RTR was in 2005, and I’ve been hooked ever since. … Read More
Training for hills (when life gives you pancakes)
I remember the first time I was accepted into Ride The Rockies. The coveted letter from the Denver Post announcing, “Oh, Happy Day! You’ve been accepted!” triggered both joy and fear in me. As an out-of-state rider, would I be able to ride 500 miles, in the Rocky Mountains?!? I was thrilled to have made it through the lottery, and … Read More