nmichell

Ride The Rockies did Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mt. Nat'l Park this year, but I missed out due to an injury. But I got a 2nd chance on a group ride this past weekend. 44 miles round trip from the Visitor Center on the Estes Park side up to the Alpine Visitor Center, with about 5000ft vertical altogether, topping out over 12000ft. And, while I was very slow, the ride was not as bad as I feared it might be. And the scenery was spectacular! Doing this by bike is just at a whole different level than driving there in your car (which I've done a few time). I've had this on my to-do list for about a decade -- it was great to finally do the ride.

bboti

Very nice images, great job

Garfield Cat

What gearing did you use ?

OldsCOOL

Iconic! You will always savor the moment.

My bucket list ride is a coast to coast ride across the USA.

nmichell

I have a triple with a 30/25 lowest gear. It was fine for this ride -- there was a lot of climbing, but it was never ridiculously steep.

nmichell

My next goal is to stay healthy and be able to do the whole Ride the Rockies route next year. A full coast to coast is beyond my ability to comprehend

OldsCOOL

Mine as well but I still have that nagging.

DiabloScott

I would love to do RtR with my brother - we don't get to see each other much. I took him up Diablo, he lives in Denver and he should be able to share his mountains too.

jppe

I'm waiting on my grandson to arrive (8 days past the due date as of today). Then we drive out to Oregon and start pedaling from there......it's hard to rush nature and something so important!!

jppe

Terrific!!! Glad you got a reprieve plus I bet you didn't have the gale force winds to deal with either. I've climbed it from both sides and just from memory it seemed about the same in terms of grade. Nice views from either direction starting about 2/3 of the way up. I didn't realize we were crossing a "ridge" on the climb up from Estes where there was a good bit of drop off on both sides until this past year. The winds were still blowing us around and I didn't feel like there was an area for bailout if needed. As you were climbing from Estes it would have been about a mile above the parking area about 2/3 the way up.

fietsbob

I got out of the USA and rode in British Isles and Europe .

the 91 trip from AMS to Calais, thru England , Ferry to Norway* Denmark Poland and Back
via Prague and The Danube and Bavaria and Belgium a few years after the Warsaw pact dissolved
was Memorable .. and since the ferry route * has closed down Un Repeatable.

nmichell

No gale force winds -- we were lucky with the weather, it can be more than a little unpredictable up there. I did notice the ridge line you mentioned, since as you come up the drop off is always on your right, then somewhere around the tree line there's a drop off to the left also. Certain does feel like you are on top of the world!

jppe

Here is a view of Trail Ridge from Estes Park from the parking area I mentioned:






Just a little ways up from that Parking lot.....29 degrees and 30+ mph winds. This is the 3rd week of June in 2011:





Just a little further up from the last photo-probably before the ridge. My camera froze up and quick working afterwards. Not sure if you can see that it's snowing and sleeting:

Biker395 

Green with envy here.

I started riding Xcountry with this group. It was a hoot. Gotta finish before I have to do it in a wheelchair.

https://www.cycleamerica.com/cc-tour.htm

wished

Looks like some great rides!

When I was in college in Pensacola, FL, in my early twenties, we took off on our bikes to ride to Daytona Beach (about 425 miles if my memory is correct. Our goal was ride there, party a day or two and ride back during Spring Break. We rode there, partied a bit too much, met some girls, etc. Ended up boxing the bikes and rising a bus back with them as luggage and us with killer hangovers.

Now that I am older (63), retired, and much wiser my bucket list would be to do that ride again but both ways as originally planned. Maybe when my wife goes back to teaching school next month, and my first year as a retired teacher, I will get on my new Surly DT and head to Daytona again!