Redstone's first ever BFR (Big Fall Ride)

First off, thanks for everyone that came out to our first ever Big Fall Ride (BFR).

We had no control over the weather and everyday this week had been just dandy. Imagine our dismay when we woke on Sunday to heavy fog and patches of rain. As I drove off for my breakfast burrito and coffee before meeting everyone at the shop, I was a bit leary. I really wondered what twisted souls would drift up to Lyons for a big ride in potentially disastrous conditions. My spirits lifted as the cars started rolling in! "Rain? We've got the right gear - let's ride!" It was music to my ears.

Even better was the music to my eyes. As we drove up the canyon to Peaceful Valley, we rose above the inversion. It was an abolutely fantastic day up in the mountains. We started the ride at 8500' and conditions were awesome.


We rode from the trailhead in Peaceful Valley south on Sourdough.



Sourdough has some really great terrain. Lot's of variety, too. We rode from fast sandy sections...



to dense woods...



to high alpine meadows...

BFR pt II

The first big alpine meadow also yielded the day's first money shot. The small lake, the aspens, the Indian Peaks... How much better can a fall ride get?


We climbed from the aspen vista into the aspens. This climb is a short but daunting loose scramble throug the trees. Don makes it look easy here.


And so does Jen.


From the lollipop loop, we faced our only real necessary evil. Coney Flats road is infamous for it's baby heads. This climb was a bit longer feeling. Especially with sections like this. Babyheads mysteriously devoid in this section, though...


Andrew was still having a good time.

BFR III

Jen smiled pretty much the entire ride.


The second money shot of the day. That's Sawtooth Mt right in the middle.


Last photo op for Greg before prior commitments called.


This is as far west as we got. We're at the boundary of the Indian Peaks Wilderness on the Buchannan Pass Trail.


Buchannan Pass has some fun sections! JL shows us how it's done, 29er style. Big wheels for big rocks.

BFR IV

Here's the last of the ride pics. Thanks everyone for coming out to enjoy great riding and scenery on such a beautiful fall day!

Andrew playing on the rocks. The drop looks bigger with 26" wheels.


Jen on the approach.


BP trail has some great scenery and trail features. Here's an excellent use of natural terrain. Again, note the smileage.


No ride is really complete without eating and reliving the ride over food and beer!


Saved one for you.

good news for Ft Collins peeps

I pulled this off of Trail Central. Good news on the Advocacy Front!
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Its that time of year again. The leaves are starting to fall and the nights are cooler. It must be time for the 9th Annual Friends of Lory Trails Workday.

This year it will be held on October 8th at Lory State Park. The exciting news for those of us that ride on two wheels or four hooves is that this day will be the final work needed to reopen Timber Trail to multiple use. So please come out and leave your mark on the trail. Timber Trail has been closed to multiple-use since July 1997. The current renovation project is 1-2 years AHEAD of schedule. The work will only be finished if YOU show up on October 8th to help construct a switchback, a bridge, and 300 feet of new trail.

The workday is being hosted by the Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol this year. You can get all the INFO and SIGN UP at www.dpmbp.org. You can download the flyer to plaster your favorite gear shop or watering hole from www.dpmbp.org/flt/ltd05g.pdf

In case the warm, fuzzy, feeling of finishing off 4 miles of sweet singletrack isn't enough for you, there will be pizza and prizes to follow.

Night Ridin'

Well, it looks like the days are short enough now that night riding season is officially upon us. Tuesday 9/27 seems that it will probably be our last 6:00pm ride of the 2005 season. The days are getting short and we've been using the Braille method of riding coming down Hall Ranch. We'll give 'er one more go - after that, it's time to go nocturnal.

Any feedback out there for night riding? How's 6:30 or 7pm on Tuesdays sound? Since we're criminals if we ride county open space when it's dark, we usually drive into the forest as weather permits. Once the high country gets high and cold, we're driven down lower to evening cruises around Boulder Res. Whatever the ride is, it's dark and we have fun.

Thoughts?

Sunday 9/25 Fall Epic!

On Sunday, 9/25 (next Sunday) we'll be shutting down the shop for the day. It's a worthy cause - we'll be celebrating the first weekend of Fall Riding, as that will be the first Sunday in Fall. We'd like for this to become an annual event so come on out to ride some fantastic Northern Front Range terrain. Meet in Lyons at the bike shop at 8:30am to caravan up to Camp Dick/Peaceful Valley. Since I don't get to close the shop down to ride often, this one will be big. The plan is to ride until our legs fall off. Be prepared for all day on steep rocky singletrack. The ride won't be big mileage wise, but will take several hours. Bring lots of water and food! Thankfully, this ride will have a couple of bail outs. For those of you that are familiar with the trails in that neck of the woods, here's the proposed route:


Leave Peaceful Valley CG heading south on Sourdough. Sourdough to the Baptiste Wapiti loop, then back north on Sourdough to Beaver Res Road. Here, we'll head west on Coney Creek road, a jeep road full of deep water and loose rocks that takes us up the the boundary of Indian Peaks Wilderness. After resting and soaking in the incredible views, it's downhill back to the campground on one of the most challenging and techincal trails in the area. We'll have beer on ice waiting at the campground. Provided there's enough interest, I'll also toss in some charcoal and some sausages for the grill! Next Sunday promises to be a great time, come on out for a little end of the season torture!

Labor Day Ride I

On Labor Day, Libertine and I were able to get out for some great late day adventure. We were off to ride a loop I like to complete at least once per year. I'd done it last, actually, 2 years ago. I had been starting to daydream about it so I knew it was time. The ride starts with a 3 mile paved climb, then to a 7 mile jeep road climb to a county road. 1 mile of descending on a county road before turning off to the rough again. Luckily, just a little ways up the jeep road we came to some choice singletrack that climbed thru dense woods and heavy aspen stands. We found ourselves in the middle of a beautiful meadow at the base of one of the Twin Sisters.

Labor Day Ride II

The jeep roads grew more hectic and steep with a really fun descent thrown in for good measure. By this time, we'd been climbing for a few hours. The climb up to the top of Pierson Park was tough. The views of Pierson Mt were amazing.


We dropped down from Pierson Park in a hurry. This is the first switchback in a series of many. They just kept getting steeper, tighter, rockier, and looser as we descended.


The singletrack is great. It's relatively unused because it's hard to get to. Front Range backcountry at it's finest.


Also, in it's finest form, the rocks were scattering as we hustled down the trail. Scattering enough to do some damage that required heavy trailside maintanence.


We were able to reseruct our devices and make it back down the trail and back down to the car. Stairs aren't for walking!

It's a moose!

Heil Ranch in the evening

Yep, Fall is coming, we were off the trail at 7:30 and it was getting dark fast. I'm dreading DREADING the time change... But I'll have a new light by then. Anyway, here's some pictures from tonight. Left Boulder at five, only people in the parking lot, and cutting fresh tracks in the tacky trail. No better time to ride then after the rain!

Snow!

Snow on the divide this morning!! Time to get out while we still can, in shorts and short sleeves!