Originally Posted by
cyccommute
And then there are the full on mountain bike only dirt roads like Williams Pass and Tincup Pass in Colorado...
Cycco- Your Colorado loop brings back fond memories memories of a dirt road side trip I did way back in the same neighborhood. I left a paved ACA group tour at Sargents CO, just before Monarch Pass, and rode over Cumberland Pass to Taylor Park Reservoir where I camped for the night. The next day I headed east over Cottonwood Pass and returned to the pavement At Buena Vista.
Squeezebox- My route was probably one or two levels lower in difficulty than the Williams/Tincup route that Cycco took. I recall it being rough in places but 2WD passable. I was on a touring bike with 700x35 tires thus I had to keep my speed down on the descents. I could have let it rip on a MTB but it was doable on the touring rig.
edit: My trip was back in 1983. I see on videos that the eastern side of Cottonwood is now paved.
The TA Cyclotouriste crankset and Hartley Alley Touring Cyclist Shop panniers date this photo!...
camp at Taylor Park Reservoir...
