# Ride the Rockies 2011 route?



## Italia (Mar 7, 2008)

Anyone have any pre-knowledge of the RTR route this year? Is there an early (Sunday) edition of the Denver Post that's available before the RTR site goes live?


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## kupe (Sep 20, 2005)

Here ya go....

http://ridetherockies.com/route


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## mulkdog45 (Apr 5, 2006)

Looks like another good time on a Bike ! :thumbsup:


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Very, very disappointed! 
The other two (BTC & CRMBT) routes had issues so I was really counting on RTR having a good route.


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## mulkdog45 (Apr 5, 2006)

MerlinAma said:


> Very, very disappointed!
> The other two (BTC & CRMBT) routes had issues so I was really counting on RTR having a good route.


So I am unfamiliar with this route, what do you not like about it if you don't mind me asking ?


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

mulkdog45 said:


> So I am unfamiliar with this route, what do you not like about it if you don't mind me asking ?


The only thing I can think of is that it requires you to get a ride to CB somehow--it's a long ways from the metro Denver area. Getting back from Georgetown is no big deal. Cottonwood pass is hard packed dirt and is a great climb IMO.


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## mulkdog45 (Apr 5, 2006)

Thanks for the input Bocephus. I have done the RTR twice and have really enjoyed it and will probably try to get drawn for this one as well. Love me some Colorado in June!


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## wasserbox (Mar 17, 2002)

mulkdog45 said:


> So I am unfamiliar with this route, what do you not like about it if you don't mind me asking ?


It seems rather..... easy?

Dunno what I'm going to do this year.... 7 in a row, but this route makes me go Meh.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

wasserbox said:


> It seems rather..... easy?
> 
> Dunno what I'm going to do this year.... 7 in a row, but this route makes me go Meh.


Cottonwood pass is really cool if you haven't done it before.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

mulkdog45 said:


> So I am unfamiliar with this route, what do you not like about it if you don't mind me asking ?


After having a little time to get over my initial reaction, here's my summary.

Crested Butte to Buena Vista | 76 miles | Cottonwood Pass – 12,126 ft.
I love Crested Butte. They have public transportation so it’ll be possible to get around some if you don’t want to ride your bike.
Cottonwood Pass? Seriously – pave the road. It’s 2011, not 1951. Yes, it’ll be a lovely experience if it is dry. But with some rain (even the day or night before), things could get ugly. It’s happened before! 

Buena Vista to Edwards | 76 miles | Tennessee Pass – 10,424 ft. & Battle Mountain
Don’t know much about Buena Vista other than I’ve ridden through there. Looks like it’ll be a decent place to overnight. The ride up to Leadville is a 35 mile slog on a narrow busy road. The ride from Leadville to Edwards is great. Tennessee Pass from the Leadville side isn’t too bad . The bridge at Red Cliff is a photo stop for sure. 
We started and finished a tour in Edwards last year. Seemed like a nice place

Edwards to Steamboat | 80 miles | Yellow Jacket Pass – 7,428 ft.
There will be two nasty climbs before the long descent (for the most part) to Steamboat. It’s rolling plains, I guess, as there aren’t trees. Not exactly what comes to mind when I think of Colorado mountains. Altitude is relatively low which will make riding easier.
Steamboat is cool. They also have public transportation. The Moots factory is there and I’ll bet they will be giving tours.

Steamboat Loop Ride | 52 miles
Are we riding the same road as yesterday to some extent? Maybe it’s in a different direction. The scenery will look about like yesterday.

Steamboat to Granby | 78 miles | Rabbit Ears Pass – 9,426 ft. & Muddy Pass – 8,772 ft.
Now we’re doing something. Rabbit Ears Pass is an excellent climb, something you can brag about. 
Granby isn’t bad. The people in town will not tell you about the new stuff out toward the ski area, but it’s there. Big grocery store, etc. If you can get to the ski lodge, the food is excellent.

June 17 — Granby to Georgetown | 50 miles | Berthoud Pass – 11,307 ft.
The first part is not that scenic but after getting to Winter Park, things look better. I love the climb up Berthoud Pass. Seems like this road was reworked a few years ago and was great when I rode it last. 
After going south of I70, we’ll get on Alvarado Rd. going to Georgetown. There were some really slick muddy unpaved parts last summer, but they were also paving some of it. Best case is that all of it is paved by June. 

Overall the negatives are only being a 6 day tour, not being a loop ride, not having a century (or epic) day, having less than 21,000 feet of climbing (3,500 per day average), having a dirt road day, and having way too many miles out of the forest.

The positives are only being a 6 day tour, and having less than 21,000 feet of climbing. And the overnight locations are all decent to great.

Some of these obviously can go both ways depending on what you are looking for.

I’ll very likely try to get in even though I think they could have come up with a better route. For RTR, there are probably more considerations than I think about. 

The tour I rode last year was close to 39,000 feet of climbing over 6 days of riding. We rode both Mt. Evans and Trail Ridge Rd, and the very last day was a century. Yes, that is great to brag about now that it is over. But by the end of the ride, I was toast. So having an “easy” tour isn’t all that negative to me.


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## mulkdog45 (Apr 5, 2006)

Merlin, thanks for your insight you have alot of good info. MD45


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

MerlinAma said:


> The tour I rode last year was close to 39,000 feet of climbing over 6 days of riding. We rode both Mt. Evans and Trail Ridge Rd, and the very last day was a century. Yes, that is great to brag about now that it is over. But by the end of the ride, I was toast. So having an “easy” tour isn’t all that negative to me.


The older I get the less I feel the need to be "challenged." I've ridden almost all the possible routes RTR has ever done at some point or other. When I rode Cottonwood pass last time they thad just graded it and it was almost like riding up a paved road. Great descent on the other side also. If you want a harder ride check out the Bike Tour of CO. Tends to be longer days and more climbing overall. Also a loop route which is nice logistically.


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## wasserbox (Mar 17, 2002)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> Cottonwood pass is really cool if you haven't done it before.


Yeah - reading Merlin's synopsis brought back some memories. I guess I wouldn't call this route easy... I'm just used to there being at least one 80+ mile day. All the 70's make it sound more like a series of training rides.

BUT

Rabbit ears is not easy either direction.
Cottonwood pass was a LOT more gradual (and fun) than I expected. I recall that day being very much a cruiser... until my girlfriend decided to hammer me on the dirt section. 
Any time you go through Leadville is never easy. I absolutely HATE that slog into town. I haven't ridden Tennessee. That could be a lot of fun. So could Berthoud.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

wasserbox said:


> Yeah - reading Merlin's synopsis brought back some memories. I guess I wouldn't call this route easy... I'm just used to there being at least one 80+ mile day. All the 70's make it sound more like a series of training rides.
> 
> BUT
> 
> ...


Rabbit ears is tougher from Steamboat IMO--and you have that damned false summit. You think you are up and then you have to climb again.


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## wasserbox (Mar 17, 2002)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> Rabbit ears is tougher from Steamboat IMO--and you have that damned false summit. You think you are up and then you have to climb again.


I was thinking the exact same thing, but from the other direction. There's always a friggin headwind between those summits.


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## sbsbiker (Mar 29, 2008)

Looking at the route, the Steamboat loop ride is a hilly 52 miles that takes back roads from Sboat to Oak creek, Routt County road 33 to 27 to cohwy131. We call that the seven summits as the route is either climbing or downhilling for most of the ride. You'll get to see where all the coal comes from that powers your front range power plants, as the Twenty mile coal mine is on route. It's the biggest underground long wall coal mine in the country. Great fun and you'll love it. It's also part of the route for the Steamboat Stage Race's Road stage, although we turn around before decending into oak Creek.


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

Thanks for the info on the loop ride.
My enthusiasm for this route has increased a lot over the last few days. Except for Cottonwood Pass. 
The day 3 map has been fixed so that it does, in fact, go over Yellowjacket Pass.
So I'm definitely trying to get in.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

MerlinAma said:


> Thanks for the info on the loop ride.
> My enthusiasm for this route has increased a lot over the last few days. Except for Cottonwood Pass.
> The day 3 map has been fixed so that it does, in fact, go over Yellowjacket Pass.
> So I'm definitely trying to get in.


I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by Cottonwood. It's really pretty and they grade the day before the ride so it's nearly like climbing on pavement. It's paved down the other side and the descent is super fast and fun.


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## peter584 (Aug 17, 2008)

Is there a way to get to the start from the finish, i.e. drive car to Georgetown and get ride back to CB with bike(like a shuttle service)?


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

peter584 said:


> Is there a way to get to the start from the finish, i.e. drive car to Georgetown and get ride back to CB with bike(like a shuttle service)?


That's one of the services Alpine Cycle provides. There is a link from RTR's website.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

MerlinAma said:


> That's one of the services Alpine Cycle provides. There is a link from RTR's website.


Biggest downside is you generally have to box your bike.


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