velotel
11-07-2015, 08:35 AM
Turned out to be a terrific evening. Something like 25-30 people showed up. Lot of visiting, talking, imbibing as so many seemed to know each other. In fact I think they all knew each other to some extent. Peter was there, looking good, enjoying his retirement, terrific seeing him again. Too bad he'll never come to France.
Andy Hampsten was there, that was a treat. Super low key guy, easy to be with, apparently really liked the show, didn't know any of the roads I featured but would like to. His kind of riding, lots of mixed stuff.
All this was after a big ride with my son, something like 4000 vertical feet of climbing, most of which was done on dirt roads. The last big climb was basically a dirt single-track, steep enough, 8% at a guess, and sustained the whole way. An old forest service road massively eroded by the rains a couple years ago that caused the floods in Boulder. The result is riders, mostly only mountain bikers I heard, are forced to follow one line just about the entire way up. Terrific riding.
The dirt roads here are friggin buffed! I mean smooth, packed red dirt. Even damn near all the single-track was buffed with only plots of rocks from time to time. And after the rain the day or so before the dirt was sticky for great traction. Finally ended up at the top of Flagstaff where we dodged around a gate and popped out onto the paved road. Good descent, pretty fast, passed two cars, one truck. Wasn't sure what the deal around here is on that, as in whether it's cool to ride the double yellow lines and pass or not but figured I'd just keep my euro habits and hammer past. No one seemed to mind. Road's not tight enough and twisty enough for major interest in the downhilling department but good fun.
Boulder is quite the place for riders. Brought a camera with me and shot some pics in the rides but haven't downloaded them yet. Probably won't until I'm home.
Jim Potter at Vecchio's was a champ, pretty cool seeing the shop floor all cleared away for the show. Really a good evening. Definitely a shop to visit if for no other reason than to wander around and look at all the stuff suspended from the ceiling and on the walls. Peter and Jim created a real masterpiece there.
Cheers
Andy Hampsten was there, that was a treat. Super low key guy, easy to be with, apparently really liked the show, didn't know any of the roads I featured but would like to. His kind of riding, lots of mixed stuff.
All this was after a big ride with my son, something like 4000 vertical feet of climbing, most of which was done on dirt roads. The last big climb was basically a dirt single-track, steep enough, 8% at a guess, and sustained the whole way. An old forest service road massively eroded by the rains a couple years ago that caused the floods in Boulder. The result is riders, mostly only mountain bikers I heard, are forced to follow one line just about the entire way up. Terrific riding.
The dirt roads here are friggin buffed! I mean smooth, packed red dirt. Even damn near all the single-track was buffed with only plots of rocks from time to time. And after the rain the day or so before the dirt was sticky for great traction. Finally ended up at the top of Flagstaff where we dodged around a gate and popped out onto the paved road. Good descent, pretty fast, passed two cars, one truck. Wasn't sure what the deal around here is on that, as in whether it's cool to ride the double yellow lines and pass or not but figured I'd just keep my euro habits and hammer past. No one seemed to mind. Road's not tight enough and twisty enough for major interest in the downhilling department but good fun.
Boulder is quite the place for riders. Brought a camera with me and shot some pics in the rides but haven't downloaded them yet. Probably won't until I'm home.
Jim Potter at Vecchio's was a champ, pretty cool seeing the shop floor all cleared away for the show. Really a good evening. Definitely a shop to visit if for no other reason than to wander around and look at all the stuff suspended from the ceiling and on the walls. Peter and Jim created a real masterpiece there.
Cheers