This month marks the 30th annual Pearl Pass Ride from Crested Butte to Aspen and back. It’s a roughly 40-mile ride each way over the Rockies, and it got me to thinking: Which other mountain towns here in Colorado can be connected via a dirt road or a passable trail through the backcountry? The idea of loading up your bike for an epic ride with a hotel room, shower and hearty meal at the other end, then turning around the next day to ride back to your car, is an experience unique to the state.
In addition to the Pearl Pass Ride, you can collect fellow adventurers and build your own epic, such as the 18 miles over Imogene Pass between Ouray and Telluride or the gentler 15-mile ride up the old railroad grade over Boreas Pass between Breckenridge and Como/Fairplay. All these rides feature spectacular views and the first colors of fall.
This being Colorado, though, you’ll still need to be prepared to rough it even though your plans call for a hot shower, a warm meal and a soft bed at the end of the day’s ride. After several years guiding mountain-bike trips in Colorado, I’ve amassed my top tips for getting the most out of your mountain-bike adventure.
* Don’t go alone. The more people, the better.
* Call the local bike shops in your start and turnaround towns for up-to-date information on the route.
* Arrange a bailout plan if you can’t ride back the next day.
* Shift into a lower gear that lets you spin at a cadence of 80 rpm. Faster pedaling – even if it means going super slow – saves your muscle strength.
* Bring a first-aid kit, emergency blanket, mirror, whistle and sunblock.
* Besides your bike clothes (shorts, jersey, helmet, gloves), stuff your Camelbak hydration pack with a waterproof-breathable rain jacket and pants, wool socks, Lycra knee-warmers and a wool ski cap.
* Pack an extra inner tube or two, patch kit, chain tool, extra chain pins, multi-tool, chain lube and a tooth brush for removing grit and mud from your bike.
* Haul all the water you can and carry a water filter so you can refill your Camelbak and water bottles on the trail. Pack enough energy bars and energy gels to fuel you through a four- to five-hour ride. (One energy bar or two energy gels should see you through 60 minutes of riding.) Then pack an additional bar or gel as backup in case your ride lasts all day.
* Keep it pristine by hauling out trash and busted parts.
Crested Butte-based Rhonda Mayo is a coach for Carmichael Training Systems. She guides mountain-bike tours throughout the Rockies for Magpie Adventures when not training for adventure races. For info on the latest in training, fitness and nutrition go to www.trainright.com/newsletter.
