# Cache la Poudre Canyon, Laramie River Valley, Deadman Hill, and Michigan Lakes



## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

For the Labor Day weekend, my father in law rented a cabin for the family up the Cache la Poudre River Canyon in Colorado, west of Fort Collins, which means, for me, a choice: the 29er of a "road" bike? There are few real trails you can bike on in the area due to vast tracks of wilderness in the forest in this area just north of Rocky Mountain National Park (which, don't tell the mtb-ers, is fine by me) so I took the Black Sheep equipped with some fatty 32s. (*sigh*, LOL).





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The route I took covered some of the few roads I have not ridden in northern Colorado on the Front Range. Although only 80 miles, a good 60 were dirt (of varying quality and consistency) it is surprisingly remote and there were no services until mile 65 or so. It was up the Poudre Canyon from the Trading Post Cabins, then onto the dirt of the Laramie River Road, past the portal of the Laramie Tunnel (the "you could die" picture) where I snuck in some singletrack, then up and over the aptly named Deadman Hill, via Red Feather Lakes back to the Poudre Canyon for a Mountain Dew and tarmac again. I didn't bring a water filter, so I had to judiciously use my two water bottles for the first 60+ miles and 5 hours. The following day, it was a hike up to the headwaters of Michigan Creek, somewhere near the 12,000 ft. mark. All in all, not a bad way to spend the weekend. On the drive home, we say what was the beginning of the now-famed Four Mile Canyon fire west of Boulder.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

I <3 this thread.

BTW I'd like to hear more about your bike.


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

Yeah, James sure knows how to bend titanium into sweet looking frames. I guess he is inspired by trees like this


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## evs (Feb 18, 2004)

*Yes, about the bike*

I was thinking the same thing. I scrolled back up to check it out again. Is it a surly? Is it Ti? Nice pics? 




MB1 said:


> I <3 this thread.
> 
> BTW I'd like to hear more about your bike.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

MB1 said:


> I <3 this thread.
> 
> BTW I'd like to hear more about your bike.


It's a custom ti Black Sheep "dirt" road bike with long reach calipers. http://www.blacksheepbikes.com/ Black Sheep is James Bleakley, out of Fort Collins Colorado.

Here's a thread all about my bike: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=196448 The only real difference is now it has the Black Sheep ti custom stem and traditional rad bars. I took the rack off for this ride, which comes off with a four allen bolts.

There are more photos here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?aid=143127&id=129436858552 On the Facebook photos, it shows a prototype handlebar/stem that was cool but completely nonfunctional because I could not get into the drops and my knees hit the bar.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

cut to the chase: "you will be killed"

killer bike, too.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Very nice pics. Exceptional!


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

Nice ride. That's a loop I may have to try someday. BTW, plenty of singletrack to ride up over Cameron Pass in the State Forest.

Michigan Lakes area has become one of my favorites in the state!


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

llama31 said:


> Nice ride. That's a loop I may have to try someday. BTW, plenty of singletrack to ride up over Cameron Pass in the State Forest.
> 
> Michigan Lakes area has become one of my favorites in the state!


I read your posts on mtbr on that area (good work), which almost had me bringing the 29er to explore, but I just had to ride Deadman Hill. Earlier this year, in late May, I rode from Livermore up the Cherokee Park Road (another f*ing amazing road if you like remote dirt) 45 miles rolling and windy to the base of Deadman Hill only to discover that the Deadman Hill Road was not open yet.


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

Pablo said:


> I read your posts on mtbr on that area (good work), which almost had me bringing the 29er to explore, but I just had to ride Deadman Hill. Earlier this year, in late May, I rode from Livermore up the Cherokee Park Road (another f*ing amazing road if you like remote dirt) 45 miles rolling and windy to the base of Deadman Hill only to discover that the Deadman Hill Road was not open yet.


Hmmm...sounds like it's time to take my Gunnar Crosshairs out for a long ride...


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Hands-down one of my favorite RBR bikes. If not _the_ favorite. The polished metal Deda bars are a nice touch; I have those on my IF (and a black bar on my Gunnar).

Great report, too.

:thumbsup:


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

Your pictures make me miss living in Norcolo. Very nice.


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