Rifle – Tuesday was a day for The Meatwagon. And if it’s a day for The Meatwagon, it’s a day for The Hook.
The Hook is a large, gregarious, Ride the Rockies, 50-something, volunteer named Dave Jackson. The Meatwagon? His mode of transportation – a huge van outfitted with multiple bike racks on its roof and room for many demoralized riders.
And there were a few on Tuesday who took refuge in the van. The third leg of the Ride the Rockies Tour was a 90-mile route from Craig to Rifle – 90 miles of heat, hills and mining traffic. For some cyclists, it was too much of all three.
Bring in The Hook. As the driver of The Meatwagon, Jackson is the last stop for riders whose bodies, bikes or willpower have given out for the day. Once in the wagon, they’re headed to the next base camp – in this case, Rifle Middle School.
“I’m part driver, part psychologist and part baggage boy,” said Jackson, a Berthoud resident who has been hauling bikes and comforting their owners for 15 years on the tour.
And some need a lot of comforting.
For some hard-core cyclists, catching any ride is bad enough, a sign of weakness. To jump in The Meatwagon is to admit complete defeat.
But to most, knowing when to quit is just common sense. And Jackson helps drive that point home.
“I try to make them feel better,” he said during a stop at the top of Nine Mile Gap outside Meeker.
“I like to call it The MEETwagon, because I’ve gotten to meet so many great people from around the world.”
Including a group of Italian riders. “They didn’t know any English at all, so we worked it out with sign language.”
As Jackson surveyed the scene at Nine Mile Gap, cyclists waved and shouted hellos.
“They tell me I’m an entity unto myself out here,” he said with a grin.
