Updated, Friday, Octobet 13, 2006, 10:00 a.m.
Several riders have been asking for a nice End-of-Season run. We'll be leaving from the Morrison Conoco at around 9:15 a.m. Saturday, October 14, 2006. The weather looks to be sunny and in the 60's. But hey, always be prepared. Don' forget to let your tire get up to cornering temperature before you try to look like "knee dragger". Cold tire, asphalt= not a good combo.
We'll plan on going up CO 74 to Kittredge and then over to Indian Hills along Myers Gulch and Parmalee Gulch. Next south on Hwy 287 to Pine Junction (gas up here) and then Rd 126 down Horsepower Hill to Deckers. From there we will go south on Hwy 67 through Westcreek and on to Woodland Park (Gas here). A short ride on US 24 over to Ute Pass, elevation 9,165, and we shall get back on Hwy 67 to Cripple Creek for lunch. Rd. 1 (gas here) will take us out of Cripple Creek to High Park Road and Rds 59/102/112. We'll loop some of these scenic roads around to Guffey and then take Hwy 9 south to US 50.
Cripple Creek:
It'll be a short run over to Canyon City (gas here)where we will take a run up and over Skyline Drive. For those of you that have not ridden on Skyline, this is one of the more interesting rides on the Front-Range. The road is a one-way that runs along the top of a mountain-like walking a high wire.
Skyline Drive:
Photo from Sky Valley Motel
From Canyon City we'll take US 50 east to State 115. 115 will take us along the backside of Ft. Carson. After a short jaunt up I-25 through Co Springs (gas here) we'll hook up with CO 83 via MM 153/Interquest Parkway and then ride through Black Forest up to Russellville Road.
We've got a nice little jaunt off of Russellville that you'll want to remember for your winter "twistie" runs. For those of you that live on the east side of town near Parker this will be a good place to break off and head home. The rest of us will keep heading north/west and call it a damn good day's ride. We'll be getting home around dinner time.
Updated: I have contacted the Colorado State Patrol and they say that it is ok for us to travel through from Deckers to Woodland park. A Pilot Car is in use and runs are made every 30 minutes or so. This will mean that we will have a roadside delay but it is a much better route . Hwy 67 allows us through Westcreek. This route would take us from US 285 at Pine to Horsepower Hill/Deckers then Hwy 67 to Woodland Park. This is the area that was washed out from a heavy rain on July 6th.
Please note: If, for some reason, the highway dept or State Patrol won't let us through (emergency,etc)... then we'll go back up to Pine Junction and head over to Fairplay and take Hwy 9 the back way into Guffey.
This is a good run and several of us have done it a time or two this year. Not much traffic/bicycles to contend with.
See you there.