ITT

My good mate, Mick, and I spent the past few days watching the USA Pro Cycling challenge here in Colorado.

What an event!! Not only was this the first serious cycling race I'd been to - but a number of international-class teams and riders were racing. This includes Cadel Evans - the winner of the 2011 Tour de France -

 as well as the Schleck brothers - who came 2nd and 3rd in this year's tour. So, needless to say, a lot of talent riding the roads of Colorado this August! These pictures are of one of the cyclists rounding a curve in Vail Village at the beginning of the course - just a few seconds out of the start.





















Thursday's stage consisted of an individual time trial beginning in Vail. While 'just' 10 miles, it entailed a climb of 1,700 feet. Pretty brutal when you're already beginning at an elevation of 8,000 feet. This time trial is actually a classic route - it was one of the mainstays of the Coors Classic race a number of years past. The great thing about an individual time trial is that each rider has to ride by himself. Spaced apart by a minute each, this meant we got to watch over 3 hours of top-level riders. This made for a great and exciting afternoon of watching top-level sports.

Vail did a great job in hosting the stage. Already a place where I've had some of my most favorite and unforgettable experiences, this event has only added to my appreciation of the town. Great place to carouse with good friends, have a pint, and watch some great sports.

Moot Point

Moots is a Steamboat Springs-based bike company. In addition to building nationally-recognized bikes in a tiny town, the key thing about Moots is that it builds nothing but very high end Ti bikes.

And this is what I want...

However, given the Vamoots RSL's current retail price of over $8700, it seems I'm going to have to wait to make this purchase for just a little while.... In the meantime, to satiate your and my interest in fine rides, here are some of their other new bikes.

JT3 - any second-hand deals you want to make - you let me know!

THIS is not a beaver!

Today I hiked the Niwot Ridge trail in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. At the top, my hiking partners and I were greeted by one of the local marmot residents.

While the original plan was to hike the Arapahoe Glacier trail, it turns out that trail is closed till next year because of trail maintenance concerns (please, please don’t raise our taxes – the nation’s infrastructure and resources really don’t need maintaining….).

While not the original plan, this hike was great. Ambling over rolling alpine terrain we eventually made our way to a narrow ridgeline that led west to the Divide. Given gathering stormclouds, we didn’t make it the whole way up the ridge. That said, the old wise marmot (attested by his silver fur) encouraged me to return – and suggested that some of my eastern readership might appreciate coming along for a walk. I guarantee that you’ll enjoy the hike as much as my hiking buddy (although you’ll have to bring your own smokes!)

In addition to the spectacular scenery endemic to Indian Peaks, there were two highlights to this trip. Niwot Ridge is home to many of the research facilities of the University of Colorado-Boulder’s Mountain Research Station. This field-based interdisciplinary research center facilitates the advancement of understanding regarding alpine physical and biological systems. It was very cool to be in such a rigorous and wild environment, while seeing research facilities and equipment. I can only imagine how inspiring it must be for CU undergraduate and graduate students to have the opportunity to work and study at a place like this.

  

Immediately to the south of Niwot Ridge is a closed area that provides the drainage for the source of Boulder’s water supplies. Looking east, the string of mountain lakes untrammeled by humans was very pristine. 

Marketing panthera leo minor

Yesterday morning, the kids and I visited the Lyons Outdoor Market. Lyons is a small town that lies in the foothills, just north of Boulder. It's one of the primary routes into the mountains and, by the by, up to Rocky Mountain National Park. While I haven't spent much time in Lyons itself, it seems to have a great community feel. While I presume that many of the residents work in Boulder and Denver, it's has an integral sense of character - at once rural, mountain-oriented, and small town.



The market is organized on a much smaller scale than the Boulder Farmer's Market, and much more crafts-oriented. An added benefit are the bands playing music.

The kids and I had a great time hanging out at one of the local coffeeshops. While they messed around in the playground, I talked with a number of parents who had kids around the same age. All of them emphasized what a great place Lyons is to raise kids.

Not to mention, you've got to like a town where the coffeeshops have repair stands permanently set up right outside.

Taking a Toll

Today I hiked the Blue Lake Trail in our local Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. Indian Peaks is an amazing place. Only 50 minutes west of Boulder, it contains some of the stunning and sublime scenery to be had. We are blessed to have this jewel so close.

I extended today's hike up to Little Blue Lake - the drainage for Mt. Audubon, on the northern side of the cirque. And from there, I tried to make it to the Divide where my hopes were to get to the base of Mt. Toll (above). However, given the still considerable snowpack and unstable scree, I turned around just shy of the ridgeline.

A good walk, topped off with the obligatory peanut butter & honey sandwich, as well as a heart-stopping dunk in frigid and clarifying alpine water.

 Not to mention the good company to boot! (with no doubt a good bit more perspective than I have these days...)

Golden Flapjacks on the Fourth

 This past Independence Day, the kids and I went up to Gold Hill for an old school, outdoors, pancake breakfast. The Gold Hill Fire Department does this every year as a fundraiser. The event had a great feel to it - a real community event for what seems to be a pretty tight knit community.

Given the magnitude of the fires that have taken place over the past year, and the incredibly hard work done by these firefighters, this was a great event to support.

Plus, the kids are never ones to turn down pancakes.

They set up in the schoolyard of the local elementary school. This school looked like it could have come straight out of the 1800s.