Monday, July 29

August 5 Bike Ride

Hello Summit Bikers,
 
Next week we return to Summit County for a ride around Dillon Reservoir, with an extension to Copper Mountain for those that want something extra.  Meet at the amphitheater parking lot in Dillon.  We will have a grill after the ride so plan to bring something to cook and something to share with your friends.  Be ready to ride at 9:30 am.  The forecast is for sunny and warm!
 
The Silverthorne Police Department has requested volunteers to assist them with the Pro Challenge on Wednesday August 21st 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Duties will include closing intersections and private driveways, and monitoring traffic along the route through Silverthorne.  Please contact the Silverthorne Police Department at 970-262-7320 to sign up.
 
Barry Lazarus can still use help as well for the Pro Challenge on August 20 as the riders enter Breckenridge.
 
Several people have mentioned that emails do not always show up regarding the ride.  The emails are automatic from yahoo groups so we have no direct capability to make sure everyone gets the email.  We do control our web site (summitbiking.org) and maintain a calendar with rides listed.  When changes are made the site is updated, so if you do look at the rides coming up, be sure to check the calendar again the week of the ride.
 
Ride safe!
 
John Bowyer
 

Monday, July 22

July 29 Bike Ride

Hello Summit Bikers:
 
Bob and Jay Gilson did a wonderful job for us this week that will be hard to top.  Not only ice cream but ribs and barbecue.  Thank you Bob and Jay.
 
Next weeks ride will be a new ride from Georgetown Visitor Center (exit 228 off I 70) up Quenilla Pass.  Although, I have not ridden this I have been told that the new pavement on Quenilla Pass is wonderful.  Other options are to bike to Idaho Springs or or towards Loveland Ski Area either to Bakersville or Loveland.  We will meet at the Georgetown Visitor Center at 10 am ready to ride.  Since there are no grills bring a sandwich and a drink for after the ride during our social hour following the ride.  Since we have no grill we expect Bonnie to bike further!
 
I have noticed many more of the riders using hand signals, which is great riding.
 
See you next week.  Ride Safe!
 
John Bowyer 

Saturday, July 20

Road / Mountain Bike Crossover Day

 
 
Hello Summit Bikers,
 
This is a follow up to the previous message sent out regarding a mountain bike cross over day.  The response we have received from the mountain bike group to work with roadies is great but so far very few have responded about an interest to try it out.  If you have been considering it now is the time to let me know.  Respond back to bikebreck@yahoo.com and give me an idea of what size bike (small, medium, or large) you think you may need.  The previous message sent follows.
We will have a crossover trail day on Friday, August 2 in the morning for any one wanting to give mountain biking a try. Working with the Summit Mountain Bike Group (SMBG) we have selected a trail on the Peninsula which should provide beginners with a good experience. The plan is meet with those people interested and fit them to a bike and to send out riders with an experienced person in groups of four or five. The hope is to give people an introduction to mountain biking without a lot of rocks and climbing to hopefully get some people interested in doing this as well as road riding. The ride will be relatively slow over good terrain so pads will not be needed, although if you want to wear them feel free. The SMBG has various levels, depending on ability so everyone does not have to capable of charging up and down hills at high speed. Much like the road group riders are a little older, so we do not behave like you may have seen at the ski areas with full armor flying down the mountain. In fact, many of the road bikers also do mountain biking as a change of pace, and I think everyone will find the mountain bike group is very friendly and always ready to help one another.
If you tried mountain biking years ago the equipment has changed drastically (disk brakes, better shocks, 29 inch wheels) and it may be worth another try.
 
John Bowyer

Tuesday, July 16

July 22 Ride

Hello Summit Bikers,
Next weeks ride is to Ute Pass. There will be two starting points; North Pond in Silverthorne starting at 8:30 am (A group riders -- faster group perhaps with pace line) or from the bottom of Ute Pass road at 9:30 am (where Ute Pass intersects Route 9).  I plan to leave from Silverthorne, so if I am not at the bottom of Ute Pass at that start go without me.
 
The reward for the trip will be a picnic hosted by Bob and Jay Gilson in Hamilton Creek, Silverthorne. They will have a propane grill available for those who want to cook. As usual, bring something to eat and something to share with your friends as well as your drink. As a special treat, Bob intends to make some ice cream which will go as far as it goes, since he never knows how many people will be there.
Below are the details from Bob:
I plan to make some ice cream for the Ute Pass post-ride picnic at our house next Monday, 7/22. I expect to have plenty, but you just never know who the professional ice cream eaters are out there. The picnic will be on our deck and in the house, so please leave your bike shoes off at the porch, since we don't really have a lawn, and the view is prettier from the deck anyway. We have about 6-8 deck chairs and about the same inside. The deck rail is 2x8 flat, so it makes a good rest for a glass or dish.
 
From the Silverthorne Elementary School, which is on Hamilton Creek Road, drive/ride 1.3 miles up Hamilton Creek Road, then turn right onto Crescent Moon Trail. We're the 4th house on the left and the address is: 0137 Crescent Moon Trail. For those of you who know Roger and Sue Paluska, they live in the first house on the left of the same road.
We give extra points for those who ride up to the house, but if you're driving, we have room for some 8-10 cars to park just beyond our driveway in a cul-de-sac; plus you can park along one side of the road to allow others from the few houses beyond us to get past. About 6 can park in our driveway, but you'll have to back down to get out. If you're concerned, just carpool up from the elementary school. Or... this is where the extra points for riding up the hill come into play.
Home phone is: 262-6123 if any questions or problems. My cell phone is: (405) 210-6222 if you're calling when I'm on the bike.
 
Ride safe
John Bowyer

Sunday, July 14

Canceled Turquoise Lake Ride July 15

Hello Summit Bikers,
 
Sorry but there is a very good chance of rain tomorrow so the Turquoise Lake Ride July 15 is canceled.  Next weeks ride is to Ute Pass with ice cream afterward.  More details to follow.
 
John Bowyer

Friday, July 12

Turquoise Lake Ride July 15

This was sent last Monday.  Not sure what happened.

Hello Summit Bikers,
 
Next weeks ride takes us out of the county to Turquoise Lake near Leadville.  This is beautiful ride with great views of the lake and the mountains around it.  Please be ready to ride at 10 am.  We will meet at the Maid of Erin parking area.  To get there take route 91 at the Copper exit toward Leadville.  As you enter Leadville there will be a Safeway on your right and a stop light.  Take a right at the stop light (Mountain View Drive) and follow the signs toward the golf course.  As you near the golf course there are signs for Turquoise Lake.  Follow these until you reach road 9C, take a right here and the Maid of Erin Parking area is on the left.  (If you reach the dam you have driven past the turn.)  There is a $5 fee, reduced for those with Access Cards.  Fee envelopes are available as you enter the parking area.  Please bring a pen to complete the envelope.  If this area is full there is free parking near the dam (which is a short bike ride or walk back to the picnic area).  To reach the dam go out of the Maid of Erin parking area and take the first right, go past the road you drove in on and park on the right just before the dam.  To walk back to the picnic area after the ride follow the path along the lake, it takes about 5 minutes.
 
I normally ride counter clockwise, control my speed and look ahead for potential problems.  Since this is a circle those that want  a shorter ride should plan to turn around.
 
We will have a grill at the picnic area so plan to bring something to cook for lunch as well as something to share with your friends and a drink. 
 
Since this out of the County we will start slightly latter.  Those that would like to car pool are encouraged to meet at the west end of Frisco in the parking lot at 8:45.
 
Ride safe and have fun!
 
John Bowyer
 
 
 

Vail Pass Slick Striping

There have been reports of a number of bike accidents attributable to the yellow paint striping being very slick on the recently resurfaced Vail/Eagle County side of the Vail Pass path.

We checked with Summit County Open Space and Trails about the issue. They said CDOT apparently used an epoxy paint on the Vail side but plan to use "regular" paint on the Summit County side this fall in accordance with Summit County's normal practice.

Let's hope this is correct and PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL descending toward Vail; particularly, if the pavement is damp.

Tuesday, July 2

Mountain Bike Crossover Day Correction

Hello Summit Bikers,
We will have a crossover trail day on Friday, August 2 in the morning for any one wanting to give mountain biking a try. Working with the Summit Mountain Bike Group (SMBG) we have selected a trail on the Peninsula which should provide beginners with a good experience. The plan is meet with those people interested and fit them to a bike and to send out riders with an experienced person in groups of four or five. The hope is to give people an introduction to mountain biking without a lot of rocks and climbing to hopefully get some people interested in doing this as well as road riding. The ride will be relatively slow over good terrain so pads will not be needed, although if you want to wear them feel free. The SMBG has various levels, depending on ability so everyone does not have to capable of charging up and down hills at high speed. Much like the road group riders are a little older, so we do not behave like you may have seen at the ski areas with full armor flying down the mountain. In fact, many of the road bikers also do mountain biking as a change of pace, and I think everyone will find the mountain bike group is very friendly and always ready to help one another.
If you tried mountain biking years ago the equipment has changed drastically (disk brakes, better shocks, 29 inch wheels) and it may be worth another try.
The next step is to identify how many people are likely to attend, so if interested please respond back to me at bikebreck@yahoo.com. If you are interested but just can not do August 2 let me know and we will see if something can be worked out for a different day and time. We hope to have enough bikes on loan to cover those wanting to try this.
John Bowyer

Mountain Bike Crossover Day

Hello Summit Bikers,
We will have a crossover trail day on Friday, August 3 in the morning for any one wanting to give mountain biking a try. Working with the Summit Mountain Bike Group (SMBG) we have selected a trail on the Peninsula which should provide beginners with a good experience. The plan is meet with those people interested and fit them to a bike and to send out riders with an experienced person in groups of four or five. The hope is to give people an introduction to mountain biking without a lot of rocks and climbing to hopefully get some people interested in doing this as well as road riding. The ride will be relatively slow over good terrain so pads will not be needed, although if you want to wear them feel free. The SMBG has various levels, depending on ability so everyone does not have to capable of charging up and down hills at high speed. Much like the road group riders are a little older, so we do not behave like you may have seen at the ski areas with full armor flying down the mountain. In fact, many of the road bikers also do mountain biking as a change of pace, and I think everyone will find the mountain bike group is very friendly and always ready to help one another.
If you tried mountain biking years ago the equipment has changed drastically (disk brakes, better shocks, 29 inch wheels) and it may be worth another try.
 
The next step is to identify how many people are likely to attend, so if interested please respond back to me at bikebreck@yahoo.com. If you are interested but just can not do July 19 let me know and we will see if something can be worked out for a different day and time. We hope to have enough bikes on loan to cover those wanting to try this.
John Bowyer

Monday, July 1

July 8 Ride

Hello Summit Bikers,
 
For those that did not make last weeks technical talk you missed a fine breakfast and excellent technical talk.  Stewart did ask me to remind those people voting in the Summit Daily poll to keep Team Manager in mind this year for best bike shop.  Team Managers will also be doing afternoon rides starting this Wednesday July 3 at 5 pm and all Summit Biking is invited.  It is a good opportunity to ride with a bike tech that and talk about things that you want to know but were afraid to bring up in front of a group.
 
We will once again venture outside Summit County to East Vail and attempt once again to either do the Vail Pass or Vail Trail. See what our side of Vail Pass is going to look like once all the work by CDOT is completed. The ride will be from Big horn Park in East Vail, starting at 9:30am.  There will be a grill available so plan to bring something to cook, a drink and a dish to share with your friends. For those who would like to car pool meet at the west end of Frisco at the parking lot at 8:45 am.  Multiple rides are available from Big Horn, including West Vail Pass and the Vail Trail trough Vail and on to Minturn.

Directions to Big Horn Park: Go West to exit 180 in East Vail. Get off on the right and turn left going under I-70 on Bighorn Road. Go right on Streamside Circle. Stay on Streamside Circle and turn right on Meadow Drive. Bighorn Park is on the left ahead.

Remember the tourist are in town, slow down and do not cut corners.  Use those hand signals, especially in group rides and ride safe.

John Bowyer