Estes Park

ESTES PARK, COLORADO

It’s the shortest day of the week at 49 miles and the day that cyclists will fall hard; hard in love with the majestic state of Colorado. West to East, across the Continental Divide, Trail Ridge Road hugs high alpine ridges with stunning views near and far. Cyclists will be treated to 11 miles above 11,000 ft. with many scenic overlooks and beautifully maintained roads all the way to Estes Park. Rocky Mountain National Park affords the most iconic ride in our Centennial State; and one you’ll treasure for a lifetime.

I left Daven Haven Cabins and rolled out to the Ride the Rockies headquarters. It was 59°. I assumed a vest for Trail Ridge Road with arm warmers would be enough.

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Rolling out of Grand Lake

Almost immediately after turning onto U.S. 34 to go into the Rocky Mountain National Park, the temperature dropped 25 degrees. That is, if it ever was 59° this morning. We could see our collective breath as we rolled into the park.

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Switchback on Trail Ridge Road

Admission was free to the park if they could see the RTR wrist band or bike tag. I rolled through the gate. Freezing. The temperature had dropped to 34 degrees. My fingers were freezing. I regretted not bringing along long-fingered gloves.

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Trail Ridge Road

I pulled into the Aid Station #1. The line for Flippin Flapjacks was incredibly long as was the line for the porta-johns. I left.

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View from top of the world

I began the climb up Trail Ridge Road in earnest. I was getting warm. I unzipped the vest and let it dangle. I was feeling good.

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Trail Ridge Road

When I reached Medicine Bow Curve, a sharp right-hander above the tree line, I turned into the wind. It almost blew me over. It was strong (estimated by me to be 40 mph) and cold (mid 30s). I pulled over simply to put my vest back on. I had to turn my back to the wind to get it zipped. Then I was off pedaling into the wind.

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Barry on Trail Ridge Road

It was harder pedaling into the wind than climbing. Reaching the Gore Range Overlook many people thought we were at the summit. We weren’t. I turned the corner and was hit with a wicked cross wind. I’d rather have the head wind than the cross wind. It was hard to control the bike even while going uphill.

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Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes, Co.

The next couple of miles could best be described as rollers. And then the descent began. A very dangerous descent. The winds made it wickedly dangerous. The bike had the wobbles.

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Trail Ridge Road

I wanted to let the bike go (which means go really fast) but it was prudent to proceed down with caution. Darn it. Once reaching the tree line the winds were mostly blocked. Then I could ride more freely (think: no brakes). I stopped to watch a group on horses cross the road. Then made my way to Estes Park.

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Trail Ridge Road

At the RTR Headquarters I spent a bit of time with Clare from the Hot Shot display. She explained to each and every rider who approached that what we think about cramps is completely wrong. She introduced us to her product which was part cinnamon and part chili pepper. It will fool the nervous system and make the cramps go away.

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Trail Ridge Road

While there I won a T-shirt. The DJ who appears at one Aid Station every day found it too windy up on Trail Ridge Road. He was in the parking lot at the end. And he offered one of his Tour T-shirts to “the male with the longest hair.” There were already two guys there. One, a 12-year-old boy, but his hair wasn’t very long. But there was a 20-something who did have longer hair. I sort of felt bad for winning. But not.

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Rocky Mountain National Park

The afternoon cycling session was Allen Lim, PhD. He is a sports nutritionist and founder of Skratch Labs. He spoke about where cramps came from. What he said, an error in the nervous system, tracked what Clare has said earlier.

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Clare, from Team Hot Shot

After the session I met with Allen. I told him I had two questions. The first was about Floyd Landis on Stage 17 in 2006. Was it the Jack Daniels? Damn, you had good oatmeal? Or holy s–t?

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Allen Lim, Barry Sherry

To his credit Allen told me, along with Ron and Erlinda Kiefel, everything about that day in France (and not repeating it here). I also asked about cramps and he confirmed, without endorsing, what Hot Shot was offering. I’ll be carrying that with me.

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Riding Partners – but not today. Barry, Christine, David

Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO

Day 7 of Ride the Rockies brought mixed feelings. On one hand, I could ride here forever but on the other hand, it felt like it was time to stop. Scott Olson and I began our day by eating breakfast at McDonalds which opened at 5:00 a.m. (like they should have).

Navigating road furniture in Cañon City

Once out on the open road the two of us stayed together through Florence. As we were leaving, and I was missing some photo ops, we were joined by two, then three other riders including a medic. And we were flying.

Quick photo in Florence

We were on our bikes before 7:00 a.m. Even trending uphill, we might arrive at the finish by 10:00 a.m. Scott was all in to do that but I was not. He wanted to get there, tear down and pack his bike, grab his luggage and catch a noon bus to the Denver airport. I had no where to go except Hays, Kansas, after the closing ceremony.

Saw this bike today
Maybe I should have bought one around 2000-2001

After doing a pull for our group, I moved aside and let them go. One rider saw me and drifted back briefly to pull me back in but I told them to go on. I was happy riding my own pace. Quite happy, in fact.

They picked up 50, then 100, then 200 meters on me. Then I quit watching. I shouldn’t have. Moments later I came upon a rider standing in the right lane of two motioning all cyclists into the travel lane and away from the shoulder. I saw a couple of riders down on the shoulder. I hoped it wasn’t Scott. But it was.

SAG wagons are bad. This one is worse.

I stopped as did a second medic (one of our riders in the group was a medic and immediately was administering first aid) and quickly did what I could which was to help direct oncoming cyclists away from the danger spot – an uneven open seam in the concrete highway.

The Colorado State Patrol, on motorcycles, quickly arrived and an ambulance was not far behind. I was able to help lift Scott to put the board underneath him and then onto the stretcher. We made plans for me to pick up his bike in Colorado Springs after it was SAGged there but that would not be necessary as RTR took care of that.

“SAG” driver

Scott and another rider went to the hospital and I was pretty shaken up. It was hard to ride after that.

Rooster. A Norwegian rooster perhaps.

In comparison to the crash that I narrowly avoided, the rest of the day was uneventful. I rode slowly just talking to spectators and riders. At the second rest stop one rider saw the Mount Washington Auto Road Hillclimb jersey and asked me if I actually did that race. We chatted. He told me that wanted to try it but thought it would be too hard.

Just married
Don’t know where this relationship is going but they will get there faster on a tadem

After the second Aid Station, I was passed by Ron Kiefel and his sister, Erlinda. I joined them for a couple of miles, long enough to tell him I didn’t know how they could race on when a teammate goes down. It does leave one shaken. I was still shaken. But I wasn’t invited to join the two of them and soon let them go.

Colorado Springs – The End

A few pictures. A few more miles and then I arrived the finish line. It didn’t feel like an accomplishment although many people were celebrating it as such. Volunteers were handing out pins. For me, it was just over.

Beautiful views at the finish

I loved Ride the Rockies. I was asked by Lauren Hunt of the Davis Phinney Foundation to return next year and ride for them – a real honor to be sure. The memories I take are not of the riding although hard to beat a six-mile stretch off Wolf Creek Pass where I averaged 40 mph. But I will remember the people – Chris and Erin, the kayakers in Telluride; George Hincapie and Connie Carpenter; Bob Roll, the rider from Haymarket; a veterinarian from San Diego; an 8-year-old boy at Oak Lodge in Pagosa Springs; Lauren and Jenna from the Davis Phinney Foundation; Ron Keifel and his sister, Erlinda; the paraplegics riding with hand cranks; and Margaret and John riding with Parkinson’s. And many more that I have left off.

A standing ovation for the Colorado State Patrol arriving in Colorado Springs

This is one event, maybe the only event, that I can see myself returning to.

Music at the festival

Cañon City

CAÑON CITY, COLORADO

The rain that fell last night brought ash. Cars and bikes that were outside were covered with spotted ash. But at least the area got some rain.

I did not want to wait for the 6:00 a.m. breakfast at the Super 8 and instead went to McDonalds hoping they would open before 6:00. This one left me shaking my head. Thousands of cyclists, most of whom actually like McDonalds, at least for breakfast – those hotcakes supply carbs — and all wanting to roll out early for a 95 mile day – the fourth day in a row of 85+ miles.

And McDonalds was closed. Well, not closed completely because there were workers inside at 5:45 a.m.  But they weren’t budging. The line outside was long at 6:00 a.m. when they appeared to reluctantly open the restaurant. I guess if you’re not a kid they don’t want to serve you. Service was very slow. I am not a fan.

When I rolled out from McDs at 6:20 it was cold. The usual 48 degrees. We rode through Big Horn Sheep Canyon but I didn’t see any big horn sheep.

At Mile 25 I turned right and began a climb on a country road. Not all did. There was a sign which stated “US 50 OPEN” and a number of cyclists decided for whatever reason to travel US 50 to Cañon City. Although this was the original planned route, all RTR support was on the new route. These riders were on their own. I didn’t go because I respected the organization and I wanted the extra miles. Bragging rights, you know.

It actually went deeper than that. The organization offered us two options for today. One was to ride the 95 mile route and the other was to take a bus. They made it clear that they did not want cyclists on US 50 even if it was open. If they had to close the road again they could not evacuate all the cyclists. Also, they would be in the way of emergency equipment. To ride the “renegade route” was an irresponsible option but did not stop some riders including one of the bloggers for the Denver Post.

The Royal Gorge burned. No riders could go through there but they could see across the gorge and see the Royal Gorge Bridge. I wish I could have seen it but chose not to. Plus I would have a much more memorable day.

After the second rest stop, I saw Ron Keifel and his sister, Erlinda, pull out. I was close behind. Within a few minutes I was side by side, then shoulder to shoulder, with Ron. Erlinda motored ahead. For 17 miles we chatted. Ron regaled me of stories from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Tour of Switzerland, and more. We talked about cycling, Lance Armstrong, Bob Roll, and more. And we chatted about life.

During this time there was a third rider on our two wheels. She sat in for a free ride. Ron is as down to earth person as you will meet. He talked about not riding much and having a sore butt and legs. Just as we were pulling into Westcliffe, where there was an aid station, he disappeared.

Ron Kiefel, Barry Sherry

As I turned the corner somewhat bewildered, a rider said to me that “your friend just stopped and took a break.” Did I just drop a seven time Tour de France rider? Really? Oh this is awesome!

At the aid station I was a couple hundred meters behind the Kiefel group as they rolled out and wasn’t about to integrate again. Nor could I catch them. For the next 10 miles I watched this group stay 200 meters ahead. And then on a false flat my legs felt good. I picked up the speed and started passing lots of people (except for the Keifel group). I flew by the woman who had been sitting on with us earlier and with the Keifel group after the aid station. She explained she could not stay with the Keifel group. I invited her to follow my wheel. I pulled her to the next aid station.

After going through Hardscrabble Pass I rolled out of the San Juan National Forest by myself. The descent was steep and technical. I quickly got up to 48 mph but applied the brakes. And I saw where one rider had just gone over the guard rail. Oh boy.

Numerous Ride the Rockies cyclists crashed and were sent to the hospital on Friday as they attempted to maneuver the descent of Hardscrabble Pass in Custer County, a treacherous hill added to the route when the course was altered for Royal Gorge fire road closures. Riders reported crashes that sent people over guard rails while biking switchbacks along the downhill section of the pass.” 1

After seeing the carnage on the descent I sat up and took it carefully. While the run-in to Florence looked to be all downhill on the profile the reality is it flattened out and got hot. I was struggling. I had one group of three pass me and knew I could follow their wheels. But I knew I was too gassed to help and didn’t want to sit on. I let them pass.

About five minutes later the Kiefel group passed me. And Ron called out my name. It was an instant energy boost. I joined them and in short order we passed the group that I was too tired to follow. In Florence I moved up to talk some more with Ron.

After our last stop in Florence I rolled out and we quickly had four but I excused myself as not wanting to work anymore with anyone. I was pretty gassed. But I did want to stay ahead of the Kiefel group because it would be embarrassing to get caught yet again. And I managed that.

I finished the day, added some bonus miles to make 100, and attended the cycling seminar. While Chris Carmichael was the featured speaker, and gave the same “caught up in the era” excuses as we heard all week, the highlight was Margaret Rae Tennant, a woman with Parkinson’s Disease who was riding in this week’s tour. She presented her video, Better on a Bike, and she received a standing ovation.

Recovery

At the seminar, a woman from the US Geological Survey named Jane spoke and told of how she tried to follow the wheel of Ron and “another rider” and was just hanging on. Oh yea, I remember her — on the ride into Alamosa she was calling the shots and wasn’t too nice. And now she was thanking Ron and me for pulling her — and she was also the rider that I pulled back to the Keifel group on the false flat. That felt good.

WD-40 Bike free cleaning

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1 The Denver Post, June 15, 2013

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