This was grueling and flat-out dangerous. I saw several ambulances working their way up and down the course, and I'm concerned about what that was all about.

It really is a wonderful ride, and the event is exceedingly well run, but I think it just ran into a buzz-saw of bad luck with the weather. The volunteers were amazing to stand out in the cold like that, and I have to think that their commitment under the conditions has to make them the greatest group I've seen.

I think that I would seriously consider just skipping an event like this under these weather conditions in the future. I'm concerned that it's potentially pretty dangerous. Otherwise, setting up a private sag would have been very helpful.

Enjoyed a very nice little barbecue and changed out of drenched biking gear. Made it in plenty of time for the first bus out of there, so I went straight back to Denver and out to a small party that night.


I could have gone much faster, but there were mountains in the way. The freezing, torrential rain tended to slow things down a bit, as well.


Holy shamoly, this event was nuts. The course is about as tough as anyone can make a ride in Colorado, and coupling freezing rain on the front third with warm drizzle on the second third makes it both grueling and dangerous.

The event was capped at 3500, but I would imagine that several hundred probably had the good sense to sleep in that morning. The first section up Squaw Pass was mobbed, and the descent on the back was extremely treacherous with a downpour of freezing rain. Visibility was shot, brakes were soaked, rain gear wasn't enough (should have worn my wetsuit), and shivvering on a bike is just no fun.

I think the descent knocked a large number of the participants out of the event, as the course really thinned out. The Aid Station at Loveland Ski Area looked something like a war zone, and it was set up in a dirt parking lot that was turned to mud. By the time we were over Loveland Pass, I think the majority of riders had come to their senses and found other ways to just get home and call it a day, because the remainder of the course was entirely wide open.

At the finish line in Avon, riders were coming across in dribs and drabs to genuine cheers and looks of amazement from families and friends, but I'd be very surprised if more than about a third of riders finished on this day.

Juliapurr was thoughtful enough to try to track me down and have me ride with her group, a kindness for which I am most grateful, and reinforcement to me that this is a fantastic website.