Ride the Rockies

[Sparky]

I am considering registering for ride the rockies. I would like info and advice from anyone who has done the ride or is familar with it. Mostly concerned about the difficulty and training involved. I live in IN-very flat, on a daily ride an overpass would be considered a hill. I have done a few rides that were hilly never mountains.

[pjwarz]

Hello! I live in Colorado and have done Ride the Rockies twice. I have a newborn, so I can't do it this year - wish I could!

My advice - JUST DO IT!!! Train as much as you can and do some strength training for your legs. Some lung work would be good too - swimming, running sprints, etc.

A friend of mine from Scotland did RTR with me in '99. She did minimal training at sea level and did fine. As a matter of fact, she beat me every day, and I trained at altitude often.

So I say to you, ATTITUDE will conquer ALTITUDE. Do the ride - it's an incredibly beautiful route. You'll be thrilled forever that you did it!!!!

[Sparky]

Thank you for the reply!

[Pedal Wench]

shhhhh... i'm entered too, but i didn't want to tell anyone - i want to stack the odds in my favor! shhhh - we don't want anyone else to know about it!

[annie]

Sparky,

I've done RtR twice. Loved it both times. It is an incredible ride. Super well-organized.

I am from Iowa. We have no altitude! (Attitude, yes, altitude, no.) I live by the Mississippi ride, tho', so have lots of hills. That's what I rode. I rode the hills. Every hill I could find. And then I rode them some more. I learned to love the hills and climbing. RtR was challenging, yes, but not to the point that I couldn't enjoy the ride, the people, and the beautiful vistas. Not to the point of exhaustion.
I rode past many people on the climbs. I noticed the altitude, but it didn't make it impossible, just a bit slower. Hydrate well. That is important. Enjoy all the beauty around you. Talk to people riding. Do not stress out. You will be fine. Train as much as you can and then just go and ride.

annie

[spazzdog]

My buddy Bob Nelson from NYC is riding it this year. If anybody is going and happens to see him, surprise him with a big ol hug from me (uh, he knows me as Gena :p )

spazz

[spazzdog]

So... do we have anyone from TE on this ride?

I've traded a few text msgs with my friend Bob, am awaiting word from him for today's stage (day 4).

spazzdog

p.s. there's no day-to-day coverage on the site, but here are the daily elevation profiles: http://www.ridetherockies.com/?page=route&profiles=yes

[Adventure Girl]

there's no day-to-day coverage on the site, but here are the daily elevation profiles: http://www.ridetherockies.com/?page=route&profiles=yesDay 2 looks pretty challenging!
http://www.ridetherockies.com/elevation_profiles05/Delta_elevation.gif

[spazzdog]

Yeah, it didn't look like a lot of giggles.

Bob txt me the following at the end of that day: "GrandMesa was a pain but i got thru it"

better him than me :D spazz

[Vkb]

My husband is out in Colorado right now acclimating for Tour of Colorado which is this Saturday or Sunday. It's 5 days and 500 miles. Then he's going to do the Triple Bypass a week later which is 3 mountain passes in one day and 120 miles. It amazes me but if you've got the will you can do anything.

I ride the Vail Pass during the summer and find that challenging, but no doubt if you have the will you can ride anything.

[spazzdog]

Cool Vkb!

Perhaps you can supply us with his ride reports (during or after). Just start a thread for that ride and keep us informed. You never know when a TE grrl willl choose a ride and the posted info will be very useful.

good luck to your hubby!

[skibum]

So... do we have anyone from TE on this ride?

If I remember correctly, Audio-A is on this ride. I am heading out on Sat to do the Bike Tour of Colorado. I'll post a write-up when I get back in case anyone is interested in trying out the ride in the future.

[spazzdog]

Great skibum! Can't wait to read your report.

As for Ride the Rockies; today is day 5, Gunnison to Salida. It includes the climb (and descent :D ) of Monarch Pass, a 3000' climb in 10 miles.

My head hurts just thinkin' about it :eek:

[On_yer_left!]

Just got back from Ride the Rockies, and WHEW! what a ride. Day two WAS a trip -- 92 miles, with a 7,000-foot elevation climb squeezed into 20 of those miles. People dropping off the road like flies, retching, head-between-the-knees ... They bussed a good third of the riders off the mountain halfway up. :eek: But gorgeous scenery, great rides all the way thru. Made me decide Triple Bypass may just be doable... Anyone else back from RTR?

[Pedal Wench]

I'm back too! Loved every single minute of it! Even that Day 2 monster. It was a great challenge for someone like me, with limited climbing skills. I just found my cadence and just worked away at it, and made it to the top - with the considerable support and encouragement of a very patient boyfriend!! It was a great day. I didn't see the folks head-between-the-knees, but I can see why! The climb started after 38 miles of hot, flat riding, so it was a long day. The rest of the ride was amazing. I felt that once I 'conquered' day 2 with no major problems, I could relax and enjoy the other climbs. Monarch was gorgeous, and Fremont Pass was the perfect finish for a great ride. I can't wait to get back out there. I'm already trying to figure out which one to do next year - Ride the Rockies or Bicycle Tour of Colorado. I might just do both!!!!

[spazzdog]

Ride reports grrls... we want to hear all the excruciating details :eek:
spazzdog

[Adventure Girl]

Loved every single minute of it! Even that Day 2 monster. It was a great challenge for someone like me, with limited climbing skills. I just found my cadence and just worked away at it, and made it to the top...Climbing that monster tells me that your "limited climbing skills" are stronger than you admit! Great job!

[eofelis]

I kinda-sorta-but-not-really rode in RTR. Living in Grand Junction, I was excited that RTR was starting here. I did ride with everyone on the first day over the Colorado National Monument. It was so much fun to ride with 2000 other people! I visited the visited the camp area at the school and went to the Geology talk and the Bicycling Physics talk. Lots of fun!

I didn't ride on day 2, but some folks here did. I have not yet ridden the Grand Mesa, but I want to soon.

Next year we are definitely going to do Bicycle Tour of Colorado.

[Pedal Wench]

We've decided to wait and see who's route is better. I had thought that the Bicycle Tour was much smaller, but I think they're up to about 1500 riders. The difference between the rides seems to be getting narrower - Ride The Rockies was 2000. We'll probably sign up for Bike Tour, and then see where Ride The Rockies goes. They're probably very similar - and very fun! We had a blast - I still can't stop talking about it!

You should try to do the Grand Mesa ride (Day 2 - from Grand Junction to Delta)! It was beautiful. Three distinct different areas - the orchards in Paradise (or Palisades - I get confused...) were gorgeous, and then the stretch through the canyons off of I70, and then, of course, the climb. If you do it, don't try to go all the way down to Delta. Those last 20 miles seemed endless!

Surly - any reason you're going with BIke Tour over Ride the Rockies? Obviously, we're undecided!

[eofelis]

We've decided to wait and see who's route is better. I had thought that the Bicycle Tour was much smaller, but I think they're up to about 1500 riders. The difference between the rides seems to be getting narrower - Ride The Rockies was 2000. We'll probably sign up for Bike Tour, and then see where Ride The Rockies goes. They're probably very similar - and very fun! We had a blast - I still can't stop talking about it!

You should try to do the Grand Mesa ride (Day 2 - from Grand Junction to Delta)! It was beautiful. Three distinct different areas - the orchards in Paradise (or Palisades - I get confused...) were gorgeous, and then the stretch through the canyons off of I70, and then, of course, the climb. If you do it, don't try to go all the way down to Delta. Those last 20 miles seemed endless!

Surly - any reason you're going with BIke Tour over Ride the Rockies? Obviously, we're undecided!


Some friends of ours have done both RTR and BTC. So I have been told: BTC is smaller, has better aid stations and is usually a loop ride (no shuttling cars). Several of our friends are talking about doing BTC next year.


I certainly want to ride the Grand Mesa. For some reason we just haven't gotten around to it. My road bike, with super low gears, is up for it; and my bf John is going to set one of his road bikes up with a triple so he can climb more with happy knees. I ride through the orchards of Palisade regulary. One fruit stand gives out free peaches to cyclists who stop by in the summer, YUM!

[Pedal Wench]

When we went through, the orchards were bursting with ripe cherries. The trees looked more red than green. It was wonderful!

When does BTC release their route? I had heard some complaints about the rest stops on BTC, but before this year, had heard that they were better than RTR. RTR only officially has bananas or oranges and Gatorade at the rest stops - everything else had to be purchased, and sometimes the vendors ran out (we were late starters...) I'm kind of a picky eater anyway, so I'll continue to carry my own powerbars, whichever ride we do next year. All I know for now is that we WILL do one of them next year!

[cindysue]

I'm debating between RTR and BTC.

How good are the lottery odds with RTR? If I wait until the end of March to hear about the lottery, how likely am I to still get into BTC if I have not signed up yet?