I was asked by my friend Jim to write a blog post about rides that I've intended to do, and maybe some I've decided not, and why, so I'll give it a stab. I'm not much of one to show my cards before the hand is played because I might have to fold 'em. But, I'll give this a try and see where it goes.
My tastes in most things run a bit contrary to what you might find most people attracted to, and so, this also affects my choice of rides to do as well. For example, instead of paying $100 a plate for a three snail French dinner at a classy restaurant with a stuffy French waiter, and $50 a glass for wine, I'd much rather go to a hole in the wall diner, for a huge slice of meat loaf, and a beer for $5.95 and a sassy waitress to serve fun as well as food. So, when I was thinking about rides to do, my ideas may run a bit contrary to what you might think. Bicycling magazine just ran an article about the best rides in every state...... 50 of them. Lots to choose from there for sure, but after looking through them and realizing that sure, they are certainly the cream of the crop, there really wasn't any I'd put at the top of
my list. Why?...... this is hard for me to answer, but it goes like this..... the one in Colorado was the Mt Evans road, certainly a worthy challenge. The highest paved auto road in the U.S. Five or six hours of climbing, toppping out at over 14,000 feet, certainly a worthy accomplishment. Just not mine! It goes up to the top, and then you turn around and come back down the same road ....... where's the fun in that? Here's where my different mindset comes into play. Jim suggested my thoughts on this when I posted this picture......
Two of my three bicycles, the other being a less adventurous road bike. The one, a factory made touring bike, capable of a heavily loaded tour around the world if you wanted, the other, a mountain bike, capable of light to moderate loads over rugged terrain, but probably much shorter trips. Both are important to me in their differences, as adventure is what these two are all about. So, what would I rather do instead of the Mt Evans ride....... well two come to mind. Mosquito Pass in Colorado, a rough and rugged mountain pass that jeep drivers brag about when they get over it. 13, 183 feet in elevation, and rough, rocky, and a tough climb to boot. A very worthy adversary. And....not just up and down.....but a mountain pass that I could combine with Weston Pass for a loop. Actually going somewhere, and coming back via a different route. A new challenge in each direction. Now this is my cup of tea.
While I'm in Leadville, there is yet another that I've looked seriously at, and this one is probably the more do-able of the three, and the most likely to get done by me. Hagerman Pass from Leadville over to Basalt, unpaved most of the way, but not nearly as rough or rugged as Mosquito, just longer. The return for this would be back over Independence Pass and back to Leadville. This is very do-able, and should make a really nice two day ride for the adventurous soul. Both of these I would take the mountain bike and plan on motels. Expensive motels, more than likely in that neck of the woods.
Other off road rides I've looked at and some that I am considering if I live long enough are
1: Michelson Trail in South Dakota. This is very do-able for a two day ride, and shuttles are available to return you to your start. (For a fee).
2: Katy Trail in Missouri..... at one time near the top of my list, and very do-able. I would take the train back from probably Washington instead of going all the way to St Louis and trying to find my way through a big city to the downtown Amtrak station. The train fare is cheap, and the ride is well known. So well known that it kind of relegates itself down the list several pegs. Peak time makes it very difficult to obtain affordable lodging, camping is hit and miss, and not always where I might want it to be. I've planned and planned on this one, and in the course of many plannings have cooled off on it a bit. Still in consideration, but not near the top.
3: The Cowboy Trail in northern Nebraska. This would indeed be a nice ride. 193 miles in length, scenic and historical. I just haven't found a way back yet, and really don't care to do it both ways. Not even a bus route goes there. I'll keep looking, and keep thinking.
4: A couple of trails (Womble Trail) in Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, but these are rugged, tough single track, and not as appealing as some of the easier ones in other areas. Unbeatable for scenic beauty though. Much better if I was thirty, than seventy.
Why not Moab, people ask....... Moab is certainly the Holy Grail among bicyclists, much scenic beauty, challenging terrain, and the idea that you could ride where everybody in the country wishes to go. If I wanted to do that..... maybe the New York Gran Fondo would be next. Maybe some day, if I can plan far enough ahead to reserve a motel room 6 months in advance, and bring plenty of money. I'm not ruling it out, as there are a couple of organized rides there that would be very nice indeed.
5: There is an overnight tour that I am going to do. It's in the works, and it'll happen next Fall if I'm still around. I've investigated motel rates (affordable lodges), and the rest of it goes with my idea of a good time too. I'm driving to Chama, New Mexico, staying in a lodge there, Then riding my bike over Cumbres Pass to Antonito, Colorado, spending the night there at the 1911 Hotel, and taking the historic steam train back the next day. I love old steam trains! Wait a minute..... why not the original, the famous, the one everybody else wants to do..... the Durango to Silverton narrow gauge. For the same reason I like meatloaf over a fancy French dinner. But also, because the road from Chama to Antonito is very lightly travelled, no huge busses, motor homes, travel trailers, trucks, and the like that you'll find on the million dollar highway. To me, anyway, it's just a better choice.
6: A ride that I've looked at, and I think is fairly do-able, although I've not researched it very well yet is another Colorado ride. From Gunnison up the unpaved portion of Cottonwood Pass, turning off before the summit to the old ghost gold mining town of Tincup, then continue up and over Tincup pass (another VERY rugged jeep trail) back to U.S. 50 and return to Gunnison. Probably primitive camping on this one, which means a too heavy a load for the mountain bike, and maybe Tincup pass would be a bit too challenging for the fully loaded touring bike. It'll take some more investigating.
7: I've also looked at a southern Utah loop that would amount to about 750 miles or so when completed. It is, however, pretty far down my list because of the vast distances, long ways between water and food stops, and generally would require a lot of advance planning. It would be a beautiful trip, and a memory maker for a lifetime though. Just not sure how practical it would be on a bicycle. Maybe better for a motor cycle.
If I live long enough, there is a circle of Michigan and Wisconsin, and back across the upper peninsula and return along the lake Huron coast that I'd like to do. That one would be mostly camping (many campgrounds) and includes a ferry boat ride (historical old boat) across Lake Michigan. Looks like a fun ride. Maybe some day. So, as you can see....my plate is heaped full of dreams, maybe some will come true, probably most will not. That's why I don't usually open my plans to others, because, (a): I might try and fail, or (most likely, b): I may just never get to them. I'd rather dream up my own rides than I would ride someone else's idea of a wonderful ride. So, there you have it, a symposium of some of the rides I've been considering for the future. At least
one of which will get done. There are probably many more that I have thought of that just didn't make this list, but if I get all these done, I'll be at least 122 years old when I finish the last one.
So, how many of these will I get finished? I guess it depends on "How big
is the meatloaf", and whether or not my eyes were bigger than my stomach, as my Grandmother used to be fond of saying, when I'd pile my plate too high with something I liked, and then couldn't finish.
