# Riding vacation out West?



## gatr7 (Jan 14, 2005)

We are planning a trip out West this summer. Where is the best place for a week of road riding? Location and money is no object.


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## MikeBiker (Mar 9, 2003)

If you are going to a high altitude location from sea level, count on a few easy days to acclimate.

What type of riding do you enjoy and what after ride activities would enhance your stay?

Do you want to be near a urban area or do you want the wide open spaces?

Do you ride solo or would you like to join some local rides?


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## gatr7 (Jan 14, 2005)

we are recreational riders. we would like to do 25-50 miles daily (if we can handle the altitiude). There will be 4 of us traveling together. Ideally we can stay somewhere that has a little nite life or at least some good restaurants. We would prefer areas that have little traffic or a good bike lane.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*The "west" is a big place!*



gatr7 said:


> we are recreational riders. we would like to do 25-50 miles daily (if we can handle the altitiude). There will be 4 of us traveling together. Ideally we can stay somewhere that has a little nite life or at least some good restaurants. We would prefer areas that have little traffic or a good bike lane.


First narrow it down to which state you're thinking of. During the summer I would generally not recommend Arizona or southern New Mexico. Since you want to ride someplace that has civilization too, Colorado or northern New Mexico would be my choice. Sounds like what you want is to base yourself in one spot and do shorter daily rides, either out and back or loops. Consider Dillon/Frisco/Vail area of Colorado, lots of restaurants and night life, plus good choices in riding. There is a pretty extensive system of bike lanes/paths in the area and good bike shops. You could even rent a mountian bike for a day and check that out. Another place would be Durango CO. There are great rides going in almost any direction, north south, east or west, with a decent variety of terrain. Mesa Verde National Monument is just west of there, very cool place.

My home ground is around Santa Fe, New Mexico and environs. It is a fine place to ride. Lots of choice routes, but riding around in town can be tricky. The restaurants can't be beat. The remodel of the highway going north out of town is nearly complete and will have frontage roads all along, it so it will be easier rde in that direction. Good hard climbs going into the mountians, some nice rolling routes south of town. We have a regular group that meets every Sunday, but by summer we are ususally doing 50+ miles and may be traveling outside of town a ways. There is an easy "coffee klatch" social ride that meets on Sundays too, I can try to find the link for you.


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## gatr7 (Jan 14, 2005)

we were actually considering vail/beaver creek. We have been there many summers (for hiking not biking). I did not remember many road bikers there. 

In CO where would you make home base?


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*Well, if it were up to me*



gatr7 said:


> we were actually considering vail/beaver creek. We have been there many summers (for hiking not biking). I did not remember many road bikers there.
> 
> In CO where would you make home base?


I would choose Durango. It is just big enough to have several good restaurants and brew pubs, but not a big city atmosphere at all. Plus there are a lot of other things to do when you don't want to ride; hike, ride the train to Silverton, river rafting, tour Mesa Verde Natn'l Park. It's at the edge of the San Juan Mountains so there is a variety of terrain. I think it is one of the most beautiful places I have been.One drawback if you are coming from a long distance is that it may be hard, or a least complicated to get to. If you fly into Denver it's still a full day's drive to Durango.

If you want ot be closer to Denver, Boulder has lots of great riding all around, but of course is busier and has more traffic. Fort Collins is north of Boulder, and in some ways reminds me of what Boulder was like when I lived there 20 years ago. I don't know how good it is for night life. 
The Front Range (east side of the Rockies) is highly populated. Any place in the mountains within a 2-3 hour drive of Front Range cities (or along the I-70 corridor) is going to get lots of traffic in the summer. If you can handle the extra travel, places farther away, like Durango, are best.


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

*From Vail/Beaver Creek*

From Vail you can head back up Vail Pass to the east. It's quite a nice climb. You can continue to the east and down past Copper Mountain and down to Frisco for lunch. It will be quite the up and down, but a nice ride on bike paths.

From Vail/Beaver Creek you can head west down Highway 6. It's about 50 miles to the mouth of Glenwood Canyon and is remarkabley flat for Colorado. The real traffic stays up on I-70 so the ride is nice without a lot of cars.

There are a few other rides out of there, but I haven't done the Vail, Leadville, Copper route yet. It's a 100 miles with a lot of climbing. Definitely out of your 25-50 mile days.

Even if you stay at Vail/BC you can alway pack the bikes up and head over to Silverthorne/Dillon/Frisco/Breakenridge. There is a bike path system that is well maintained and suitable for many 25+ mile rides. A ride around Dillon Res is always fun which includes a nice ride up Swan Mountain. 

Durango is also a beautiful place to ride. I've only done it once for the Ironhorse Classic. Other than the rain/sleet during the ride it was beautiful.

Have fun on your trip. KJ


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## gatr7 (Jan 14, 2005)

Thanks for the input.


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## carver (Aug 15, 2002)

*Vail/Beaver Creek*

I second the Vail choice. From Vail or Avon there are many out and backs or loops. I have had many sea level visitors come up to ride and all have found the variety of routes to be excellent - not many spots from extended flats, but rolling, long climbs, short climbs are in abundance. Tons of options for restaurants, shopping, night life. 

Second choice in the area would be staying in Frisco.


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## gatr7 (Jan 14, 2005)

Are there any group rides in Vail? (For the recreational rider)


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

*sosride.net*



gatr7 said:


> Are there any group rides in Vail? (For the recreational rider)



A few of us did the Colorado Eagle River ride last August. A group called the Snowboard Outreach Society puts it on. It was a nice ride with a really nice looking jersey. Colorado Flag with a big bald eagle. They had a 68 mile out and back and a 100 mile loop. My riding partners (including my wife) weren't in the best of shape so we did the short out and back. It was a nice ride. If my partners aren't in shape next year I might attempt it on the fixed gear. It was a nice flat ride for Colorado standards.

Registration was at sosride.net. Now it only shows their Leadville Loop ride which sounds like fun. It's 80 miles with lots of climbing which doesn't sound like the ride you want to do. You might want to email the SOS group and see if they are planning on the River Ride again. I would definitely suggest the 68 mile ride for someone coming from the low lands. The elevation is high, but the route is flat. It's the same route that I posted above along Highway 6. Only for the $80 you get some basic support and a really nice jersey.


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## carver (Aug 15, 2002)

*Group Rides*



gatr7 said:


> Are there any group rides in Vail? (For the recreational rider)



Hmmm. Not sure about organized group rides. Not even sure about local clubs other than Team Vail which is a very strong group. Locals switch between mtn and road - with weather always being a factor. I don't ususally see groups on the road. Lots of seasonal homeowners who are casual riders abound - a favorite ride for rec riders is from the west base of Vail Pass to Copper Mtn and back which is about 25 miles roundtrip. 

Maybe a good way to find out is contact a couple shops - Colorado Bike Service, Pedal Power, Vail Bike Service for example - and ask. The name of the shop in Edwards is Moon something. Eagle, way down valley, has a shop too. If you have an inclination to combine mtn and road over a 7-10 day stay the Vail Valley is awesome. Crisp mornings, warm days, oh and thunderstorms (but they pass quickly).

Cheers--


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