Sometimes you’ve just gotta get out of town, ya know? We love riding our local routes, but it sure is fun to mix it up a bit. Therefore, we hit the road a few times a year. There’s hardly a better way to get to know your teammates than spending a full weekend with them. Every year can be different in regard to destination, lodging, and timing, but Aspen and Moab have become mainstays of our calendar. We keep our trips affordable and easy: team leaders arrange lodging and a main meal, and members simply pay up to RSVP. Just like everything on our calendar, these weekends are totally optional. Lodging spots are usually gobbled up fast, so teammies are encouraged to jump on opportunities asap. Following are examples of some of our favorite trips:
Independence Pass is closed to cars before Memorial Day weekend. Therefore we’ve created an annual road-riding excursion to Aspen the weekend prior. The team secures a group lodging offering while some ladies stay in hotels or with local friends. We all meet up for rides and meals. On Saturday we pedal up to the Maroon Bells. After a celebratory photo session we cycle through Snowmass to the Woody Creek Tavern for lunch and margs. Sunday presents the big gig: an out-and-back to the summit of Independence Pass. Those who don’t want that magnitude of a ride do their own thing by riding the Rio Grande Trail from Aspen toward Carbondale. This is an incredibly beautiful area to ride in and is perfect for all rider levels.
Mountain bikers rejoice at the thought of a weekend in the cyclist’s mecca of Moab. The team reserves a group camp site 6 months in advance to be sure we get the campground of our choice. Team leaders organize the trip to epic proportions: carpools, shared camping gear, rides for different ability levels, and even a shuttle service to bag epic trails. For those who love NOT camping, they grab their own lodging in town and just meet up at trailheads. Since it’s a haul to get from CO’s Front Range to Moab, this is at least a 4-night weekend. Some folks have to arrive a day late or leave early, and that’s OK. We’ve learned things over the years so the Moab trip is recommended only for blue (intermediate) riders to black (advanced) levels.
Glamping in the Vineyards has become our latest “have to” rode trip. Roadies and mountain bikers cross-pollinate this weekend and set out on pavement or dirt. We then reconvene at Palisade Basecamp RV Resort for wine tasting, sharing a meal, swimming, hot showers, and sharing stories of the day.
There’s so much to explore in Colorado’s high country. Summit, Eagle, and Mesa counties beckon us on both road and mountain bikes. We have some one-day events where we’ll just meet up at the destination for the day. We also have weekends where we’ll reserve a condo or hut. Past rides have included road rides over Vail Pass, around Lake Dillon with a Montezuma offshoot, and our own version of the Copper Triangle. Mountain bikers have hooked up for a singletrack day near Breck, Vail, Buffalo Creek, Fruita, Eagle, and other locales. A woman’s got a right to change her mind, so we keep our options open and add trips to our calendar as desired or requested.
