I&M Canal

I didn't make it back to Michigan last night as I had hoped.  I ended up staying the night in Rockford, Illinois.  Since I had the whole day today to drive a comparatively short distance, I sought an opportunity to use my bike one last time in an exotic location.  I found good spot in the The Illinois & Michigan Canal trail. 

I parked in the town of Morris and rode about seven miles to the Aux Sable lockhouse and aqueduct.  The original canal ran ninety miles while it was in use.  Today sixty have been restored for recreational use.  A modern shipway replaced the historical canal in the 1930s.

Riding back to the car was a lot easier than riding out, probably a combination of the wind and grade both being easier going west.  I had a couple near scuffles with Canadian Geese guarding there new chicks, but at least my bike worked OK, a notable feat given its been on the back of the car for nearly 2,000 miles.

Niobrara State Park

When we left left the Niobrara River, give or take a hundred miles upsream, it was a modest affair.  Just before it debauches into the Missouri here at the eponymously named state park, it has nearly tripled in size.  After I arrived in the park, I took my bike off the car rack and set off to ride the three mile loop along the park road.  They weren't kidding when they said there were lots of hills! 

I walked my bike a short distance along a foot trail to find the old railroad bridge (now converted to a trail) that crosses the Niobrara before it spills in to the Missouri.  Most of the trail was pretty torn up from floods, but the boardwalk over the trestle was in good shape.  I had so much fun crossing it, I rode back & forth a second time.

For a grand finale in the park, I pedalled to the scenic overlook behind the group lodge (where I typed this post) .  The view up,  down, & across the river is amazing.   Lewis & Clark camped for a night just down the bluff.  It is easy to picture their expeditipn struggling against the current on their way west.

Cowboy Trail

Colorado has been a tougher nut to crack than I calculated.  After six months in the state without much success looking for work, I'm heading back to Michigan to regroup.  I'll take an extra couple days to make the drive.  Today, I made it as far as Valentine in north central Nebraska.  I came here foremost to see a striking railroad viaduct over the Niobrara River.   The old railroad grade is now a trail, the longest railtrail in the country in fact.  I rode five or six of its 195 miles, on a twenty mile ride that also criss-crosed the streets of Valentine.

Tribulus terrestris

I've been out on my bike twice since last Monday's ride around Boulder.  Like that ride, both ended prematurely with flat tires. Over the last several years, I've only had to replace a flat tire once or twice per season.  Today, I learned the blame for my recent spate of bad luck lies with the seeds of a common weed known as goat heads.  I probably picked up a collection the spiky little nuisance toward the end of my Boulder Ride.  They were small enough to escape inspection when I replaced the tubes after each ride. 

The first the two abbreviated rides meandered south as far as Chatfield State Park.  I had hoped to continue the ride through Highlands Ranch, but ended up walking six miles to the nearest light rail station to take mass transit home.  I did ride by the memorial to the late 1990s Columbine Shooting tragedy and make it across the Chatfield Dam trail before my technical difficulties.

This past Monday, I optimistically set out again for Highlands Ranch.  I made it as far as Aldenbrooke Park, which is to say four or five miles before my problems returned.  The leaks were slow enough that I was able to, perhaps unwisely, continue the ride by pumping up the tires every so often.  I wanted to at least follow-up on a suggestion to ride across the Dakota Hogback into the town of Morrison and eat lunch at the Blue Cow.  That's as far as I made it.


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The tires are now repaired, with 'thorn-resistant' tubes and 'puncture-proof' lines, but I'm skeptical of the efficacy of those defensive measures and am debating weather to risk another ride before I head back to Michigan this weekend.  On a positive note, my recent travails didn't stop me from surpassing 6,000 miles ridden on my bike, the same one I've had since 2006.

Trip Statistics (both rides)
Length: 61.3 miles
Total Time: 8 hours 58 minutes
Avg. Speed:  9.8 MPH
Max. Speed: 27.2 MPH
Max Elev.: 6,205 ft.

Columbine Memorial

Chatfield Dam Trail

Aldenbrooke Park

 Dinosaur Tracks

Alameda Parkway across Hogback

Boulder Hike & Bike

Last Monday, I drove up to Boulder with my bike.  Rather than complete another long ride in the mountains, I opted to split the day between a little hiking and a little biking.  I didn't arrive in town shortly after noon 12:30.  Still not too hungry, I figured a short hike would improve my appetite and then following lunch I would have plenty of time to explore the town on my bike.

The hike proved to be a bigger challenge than I expected.  Though less than four miles, it climbed well over 1,000 feet from the trailhead to the top of Mount Sanitas.  From the summit, I could see most of Boulder.  Downtown and the football stadium were a couple of the more easily recognizable landmarks.  I could even make out the skyscrapers of central Denver through the distant haze.  With a much improved appetite I arrived back back at the car around 3:00 PM.  Driving to Pearl Street, Boulder's main street, I had lunch at the Lazy Dog and watched a bit of the Rockies home opener.

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After lunch, I strategically moved the car to park at a lower elevation.  Recounting a lesson learned on my last ride in the area, I wanted to be in position to finish riding down rather than uphill.  I start biking at about 5:00 PM, which limited the time I had to explore.  I especially wish I had allowed more time so I could have ridden a bit on the University of Colorado campus. Nonetheless, I found plenty of interesting places to investigate, like the Valmont Bike Park.  Despite my thousands of miles a riding, the bike park concept was a new one to me.  It contained a plethora a groomed trails designed for dirt and mountain bikes, though my hybrid bike was versatile enough to allow me to explore some of the easier trails.

I was riding west through Boulder Valley Park as the sun began to set behind the mountains.  In retrospect, I wished I had avoided to the Foothills Trail in favor of riding back into town along paved roads.  That trail was too steep and rocky for my taste.  It did lead me to the trailhead from which I embarked on my Lefthand Canyon Ride.  I followed a now familiar trail for a mile or two before venturing in to new neighborhoods. After passing by downtown, I joined the Boulder Creek Trail, which would take me back to the car. My back tire was feeling a little low--probably from a leak sprung on the Foothills Trail.  I tried to fill it up with my hand pump, but only made the situation worse, and ended up walking the last two miles, a disappointing end to a great day outdoors.

Hike Statistics
Length: 3.5 miles
Ride Time: 2 hours 21 minutes
Trailhead Elevation: 5,560 feet
Summit Elevation:6,840 feet
Net Gain: 1,280 feet

Hike Elevation Profile

Mount Sanitas Trail

Boulder from Mount Sanitas Summit

Sanitas Valley Trail

Bike Statistics
Length: 23.4 miles
Ride Time: 3 hours 19 minutes
Avg. Speed: 8.4 MPH
Total Ascent: 1,200 ft.
Max Elev.: 5,735 ft.

Bike Elevation Profile

Corkscrew
Valmont Bike Park

Cottonwood Trail

Boulder Valley Ranch Park

Northern Burbs

Yesterday, I set out on my bike to explore some of the northern suburbs of Denver, an area within which I've spent very little time.  I had hoped to make this ride my first century of the year, but I had to attend to some business in the morning and didn't start pedaling until after 11:30.  I followed familiar routes for the first fifteen or so miles before arriving at the trailhead for the Fairmount Trail in the shadow of North Table Mountain.  After five miles, it connected to the eminently more interesting Ralston Creek Trail.  A couple switchbacks up a steep hillside brought me to the highest point on the trail--nearly 6,000 feet--with great views of the city and mountains.

I continued along or parallel to the Ralston Creek Trail eastward through Arvada, eventually finding my way to Majestic View Park and Nature Center.  The staff there helped identify the Meadowlark as the sonorous bird I've been hearing frequently the last couple weeks.  A trail/access road along the Farmers High Line Canal guided me much of the way northwest from the nature center to Standley Lake.

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I had some difficulty working my way counterclockwise around the large reservoir, but was able to find my way to a new trail in a a new city, Westminister.  I followed this trail, Big Dry Creek, for the next hour.  It was nice trail, but it took me further north then I intended to go.  As a result, when I left it, I knew I had to stick with a fairly direct route back to Lakewood.  I worked my way southeast through the neighborhoods of Thornton for seven-plus miles until I found the north trailhead for the South Platte River Trail, which after nearly two hours of riding head-on into a strong wind, brought me to within a few miles of my final destination.  Surface streets brought me the rest of the way.


Trip Statistics
Length: 76.1 miles
Ride Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours 57 minutes
Avg. Speed: 10.1 MPH
Max. Speed: 28.7 MPH
Total Ascent: 3,200 ft.
Max Elev.: 5,994 ft.

Elevation Profile

Ralston Creek Trail

Majestic View Park

Farmers High Line Canal

Standley Lake

Confluence Park

Waterton Canyon

Yesterday, I rode my bike in to the extreme southwestern extent of the Denver metro area.  For such a long ride (70+ miles), I spent the vast majority of it off-road by mixing paved and dirt trails through various parks.  After riding to and through Bear Creek Park, a venue I explored on a late 2011 ride, I ventured on a new trail which parallels the major freeway (C-470) that circles the city.   A few miles later, I turned west and passed between the imposing Dakota Ridge formation and followed a couple dirt trails in the South Valley Park, which is full of dramatic rock formations related to Garden of the Gods and Red Rocks.

Back on the east side of the Dakota Ridge, I rode a loop around Hildebrand Ranch Park and then continued south to my ultimate goal, Waterton Canyon.  The local water authority controls access to the canyon.  They own a dam six miles up the South Platte River and allow the public to use the dirt access road along which they have installed recreation amenities.  I found the view at the end of the road a little underwhelming, but a did find interest in a herd of mountains goats grazing nearby.
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Looking for a more satisfying rest stop, I rode further south along a trail that continues from the end of the road.  Exhausted and not seeing any hopeful signs, I plopped down to rest and refuel on the first bench I found.  A conversation with some mountain bikers passing along the trail informed me that there was indeed a 'top' with a nice 'view' ten to fifteen minutes uptrail.  Even padding the estimate for my experience level, I waged it worth continue the ride that far.  It was a tough slog up the mountain bike trail, but I did better and rode more of it that I expected.  I found the top, but had to continue on foot up a side trail to find the view, which looked in to Bear Creek Valley.

The descent back down the mountain bike trail was a novel experience, certainly much more fun than going up.  I rode out of the canyon the same way I entered. and then found a new trail in Chatfield State Park, which took me to the top of the dam that creates a large reservoir along the South Platte River.  I wished I could have ridden more trails, especially the one across the dam, in this park, but it was late and I had to press hard to finish the ride at a respectable hour.  The last dozen miles mostly followed the river, which but for the swarms of bugs was a pretty nice way to end the day.

Trip Statistics
Length: 72.2 miles
Total Time: 9 hours 57 minutes

Avg. Speed: 9.4 MPH
Max. Speed: 27.2 MPH
Total Ascent: 3,800 ft.
Max Elev.: 6,579 ft.

Elevation Profile

C-470 Trail

South Valley Park

Hildebrand Ranch Park

Waterton Canyon
South Platte River

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Bear Creek Canyon

Left Hand Canyon

Yesterday, I loaded my bike up and drove to Boulder to take off on a long ride up in to the mountains.  Looking for something a little different than Lookout Mountain Road, which defiantly climbs the face of the mountains, I wanted to try a ride that went higher and further up and in to the mountains, but did so more gradually.   When my friend Dan and I took a ride last fall, he suggested Left Hand Canyon to me as a future ride possibility.  Looking at the maps earlier this week, it fit the bill for my desired challenge.

I parked on the north side of Boulder and hopped on my bike.  Soon, I was working my way up a steep grade along Old Stage Road.  To my dismay after working hard to climb a few hundred feet, the road took me about as far down hill before intersecting with Left Hand Canyon Drive.   Once I turned left on to Left Hand Canyon, I was all uphill, roughly 3,000 feet in the next fifteen miles.  I maintained a fairly steady 4-6 MPH most of the way, not fast, but light-speed compared to Lookout Mountain Road.  I took one extended rest after surpassing 7,500 feet in elevation and a bunch of short stops for pictures.

The hardest part of the whole ride was the last mile and a half of the road leading in to the village of Ward.   The grade steepened considerably, forcing me to make about a half-dozen stops in that short stretch.  In Ward, I bought some refreshments and rested for about fifteen minutes.  Then, I had a tough decision to make; return the down Left Hand Canyon Drive or take the Peak to Peak Highway to Boulder Canyon Drive. It was about 4:30 PM.  The former option was safer, fifteen miles of easy downhill coasting almost all the way to my car, which would unquestionable bring me back to the car well before sunset.  On the other hand, the topography of Peak to Peak Highway was a mostly unknown, it could be a lot of up and down.  Too much 'up' in proportion to 'down' and I might find myself in trouble.

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Knowing that I wouldn't likely have this opportunity again, I forged ahead and was well rewarded for it.  The eleven miles of the highway in to Nederland, were mostly down, including some of the most exhilarating miles on my bike.  Moreover, the mountain views surpassed even that which I had experienced on the climb up Left Hand Canyon.  I took a short break in the town of Nederland before beginning the final and best segment of the ride, the descent down Boulder Canyon.  I've driven a lot of scenic byways, but this was the first time I savored coasting down one on a bike. Flying down the canyon road I was surrounded by the towering rocks and accompanied by the rushing mountain stream without a windshield or carbody separating me from the scenery.

The ride wasn't done when I got to the bottom of the canyon which exits right in to downtown Boulder. I still had about four miles to go, much of it uphill again, to get back to my car.   I rode a couple miles--in the decreasing daylight--through a residential section of boulder and then connected with an easy gravel trail that took me--in the increasing darkness--back to the car.

With a final cumulative elevation gain of 4,600 feet, this ride ranks fourth on my all time ride list, following New York (7,600 feet), Maryland (5,250 feet) and my last last ride in Philadelphia, Brandywine Battlefield (4,800 feet).  However, normalizing for distance traveled, this ride blows the others away, with an average gain of ninety feet per mile; almost thirty percent more than the next closest, Brandywine Battlefield at seventy-one feet per mile.

Trip Statistics
Length: 50.6 miles
Ride Time: 5 hours 56 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours 34 minutes
Avg. Speed: 8.5 MPH
Max. Speed: 37.7 MPH
Total Ascent: 4,600 ft.
Max Elev.: 9,363 ft.

Elevation Profile

Speed Profile

Old Stage Road Scenic Overlook

Left Hand Canyon Drive

Ward, Colorado

Left Hand Canyon from Peak to Peak Highway

Middle Boulder Creek

Boulder Canyon Drive

Washington Park & Beyond

It was another beautiful day today and I knew I better get out and enjoy it.  I didn't feel like driving anywhere so another bike ride it was.  I set out late afternoon intending for a short bike ride to Washington Park--the place I'd skipped last weekend--and back, but end up riding nearly as many miles as yesterday.

To get to the park, I planned to follow one of Denver's many designated bike routes.  I've seen directional signs for these routes all over, but never paid too much attention.  I found a map online, which showed that route D-16 led almost point to point from my place to the park, but when I got on on the road, I didn't see the first sign until after five miles of riding.  I ended up winging it most of the way, which is what I usually do anyway, but still feel a little cheated.

I made Washington Park in well under an hour and, after loop and a half around, decided to continue east a few more miles.  I ended up connecting with the High Line Canal.  It parallels and old irrigation ditch, and as such is pretty flat, but to maintain this level the ditch takes a pretty circuitous course, which should be evident on the map.  It took me more than ten trail-miles to travel three miles as the crow files.

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I would have liked to have stayed on the trail a little further, but to avoid being out too late for a second night, I turned west at Quincy Avenue and followed an increasingly familiar route back.  At the top of the last major hill, I saw splendid sunset over the mountains.  I stopped in Sanderson Gulch Park for picture before completing the ride.

Trip Statistics
Length: 38.8 miles
Ride Time: 3 hours 33 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Avg. Speed: 10.9 MPH
Max. Speed: 23.2 MPH
Min Elev:  5,230 ft.
Max Elev.: 5,532 ft.
Total Ascent: 1,400 ft.

Elevation Profile

First Bike Route Sign

Washington Park

High Line Canal Trail

Sunset from Sanderson Gulch Park

Van Bibber & Back

I hopped back on my bike today, another gorgeous day I might add, for a forty mile ride, the longest yet of the year.   My targeted destination was a small park in Arvada, two towns north of Lakewood.  There wasn't anything special about the park other than that it's run by the county.  I've selected many of my recent hikes from parks run by the same agency.  This one is more urban so rather than drive there, I used it as motivation for a bike ride.  Along the ride, I also visited two other similar parks also operated by the county, Crown Hill and Welchester Tree Grant.

Crown Hill, about five miles northwest of my rental, was the first notable stop on the ride.  After riding around the park's lake, I continued north in search of the Clear Clear Bike Path, which was a tad challenging to find while avoiding the major (i.e. heavily-traffic) roads.  For all the sleuthing, I didn't stay on that trail very long.  Crossing a very fancy bridge at Gold Strike Park--in 1850 the site of the first gold discovery in Colorado--I turned northwest along the Ralston Creek Bike Path.  After four or five miles on that trail, I cut southwest through some neighborhoods to the path that would take me to Van Bibber Park.

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A short ride (1.5 miles) through the park and I was back on surface streets.  I toyed with the idea of extending my ride around North Table Mountain, where I went hiking last Sunday.  Instead, I wisely decided to start heading back on account of the late hour.  As it were, I didn't finish the ride until after dark.  The ride took me passed Colorado Mills, a large outlet mall.  I was a little worried I would find an easy way to get off the mall's ring road back in the residential neighborhoods, but at the southern end of the property I found a sidewalk that led up a steep terraced embankment to Eighth Street.  Not long after that, I reached the highest point on the ride.

Welchester Tree Grant Park was a short, fun ride down Eighth Street from that highpoint.  I cut through the park on the paved trail and then continued to find my way east.  I expected to ride the rest of the way on roads, but found a surprise trail in Bellows Park that led me to Sunset Park.  Though I got there well after sunset, I still enjoyed the view of the silhouetted mountains against the darkening sky.  With night well upon me I stuck to neighborhood streets as much as possible for the last few miles of the ride.

Trip Statistics
Length: 41.5 miles
Ride Time: 3 hours 51 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 22 minutes
Avg. Speed: 10.9 MPH
Max. Speed: 33.0 MPH
Total Ascent: 1,650 ft.
Max Elev.: 5,853 ft.

Elevation Profile

Crown Hill Park

Gold Strike Park
(Start of Ralston Creek Trail)

Van Bibber Park

Welchester Tree Grant Park

Sunset Park