Well, this is what I had worked up to all summer... The Copper Triangle. This is a charity ride that Benefits the Davis Phinney foundation for Parkinson's disease. I'll be honest, my nerves in the days leading up to this were on high! I didn't fully know what to expect and was fearful of not being able to finish. However, nerves quickly turned in to adrenaline and the rest is history! :)
I always think of great and wonderful things to say in my blog postings while I'm on my bike, but then quickly forget them once I get off. I'll try to summarize :)
We started at about 6:23am... about 45 minutes or so after we had originally planned. No worries though, we were still in a pretty good pack of people (3200 people participated in the ride). The temperature was FREEZING at 40 degrees and got chillier as we climbed up the first pass, Fremont Pass. Once the sun peaked out over the mtns, it warmed up a little and our blood was pumping also. Although, I was pretty sure that my toes were going to be black when/if I pulled my shoes off! :)
Our first aid station was 11 miles in at the top of Fremont Pass. Wow... what a well supported ride... there was water, cytomax, bagels, fruit, energy bars, cookies, crackers, etc. along with medical support and bike mechanics. This was the case for each rest/aid station. It was always nice to pull up to that... and friendly people working the stations too!
Next was the downhill on the back side of Fremont Pass in to Leadville. I LOVE downhills, but when it is only in the 40s and you are in the shade of the mtns... it is really, really, really, chilly!!! I was shivering on my bike and pushing just that much harder to get myself to the sunny spots! Max speed on this downhill was 40.3mph.
The cruise then had us turn right before Leadville to head west on highway 24. This had some beautiful views as this area is filled with some of Colorado's highest peaks. The sun was up but still casting some awesome shadows on the mountains and valleys. A nice cruise for sure. The temperature was starting to warm up now and was probably in the 50s or so.
Rest stop #2 was on top of Tennessee pass. A healthy climb, but fairly gradual. Sat for a little while refueling, bathroom break, and just general people watching. I was wondering how much the bikes standing up next to me cost... my guess... well over $7,000 each... if not plenty more!
The next stretch between here and the next aid station was a long one, but mostly downhill. Max speed on this downhill and for the day was 40.7mph!! I did get a kick out of breaking the speed limit for cars (25mph) going around a turn at 35mph with a state trooper on a motorcycle next to me. :) It was fun! State Troopers patroled the entire route on both motorcycles and vehicles to be sure that both the cars and bikers were staying in check. It is always a good thing for the bikers to remind them to stay in single file (unless passing) on highways without shoulders. People forget that a lot and it is really frustrating because they give the rest of us bikers a bad name!
The next rest/aid station was in West Vail. Here, more than anything, I was mentally preparing myself for the final climb of the day... Vail Pass. I was very thankful that I had done the Pass from this direction two weeks ago. It isn't an overly difficult pass, but when you are starting it after already having done 58 miles for the day, it will take whatever you have left out of you! So, after some more Hammer Gel, water, and fruit, I pressed on...
The next rest/aid station was near the bottom of where the climb actually started (we had to ride through Vail first - kudos to the police officers that manned each intersection for us). I really didn't want to stop because of the incline that we were stopping on, but figured one last refuel probably would be a good idea. I then continued on my way, counting down the miles to the top, fearing the imfamous "Dip". I made it through the Dip without stopping, dodging the people who were walking it and the tourists that ride down the pass (they get a ride to the top, sissies!!!). I was pretty spent at this point, but new that I was almost done and the last downhill in to Copper Mountain was going to be a great reward! And that it was!
Mom and Tomba were waiting for me at the finish line. The finish line was in the Village of Copper Mountain and it was great to be cheered in as the goal was met! I did it... all 78 miles and 5,981ft of elevation gain! I would be lying if I said I wasn't damn proud of myself and had to fight back the tears of joy to avoid looking silly! What an accomplishment!!
So how am I going to top this next year... we'll have to wait and see!
More pics here: http://picasaweb.google.com/mtatzmann/CopperTriangle#
Ride Stats:
Distance: 78 miles
Time: 8 hours total including rests and breaks
Elevation gain: 5,981ft
Max Speed: 40.7mph
Challenge: Overcoming the mental block of being able to complete this!
Goal: To enjoy nice short recreational rides for the rest of the summer... stay tuned for next summer!
Maps:
