Following are references and links to the annual bike tours/adventures that dot the sports calendar every summer. The list has shrunk - 7 of the 21 rides from last year have not returned! But we do have one new ride debuting. (If you are organizing one not on the list, email 'glen' at this website, and I will try to add it.)
The American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2011. The much-anticipated, inaugural Southern Colorado Tour de Cure event launches on May 14 with four routes from Woodland Park feature beautiful views of the South Platte River and the majestic Pikes Peak, including a mountain bike route, a 14-mile family friendly route, a 50-mile intermediate route and a very challenging 86-mile route. For more information, to register or donate, visit: main.diabetes.org/socotourdecure
The informal kickoff ride of the Colorado summer cycling season! This year's ride - the 24th annual - happens on June 5. Whether you are six or sixty, prefer to ride on the road or the dirt, there is a course for cyclists of all abilities. All of the rides start and finish at The Douglas County Fair Grounds in Castle Rock. Or, Kick-off the weekend by joining solos & teams at beautiful Greenland Open Space for the 6th annual OPTIC NERVE 24 HOURS of EROCK. See elephantrockride.com for details.
Come out on Saturday June 11 for a community fun ride of 22 miles. If you still have the energy, return the next day to ride a metric (62 mi) or standard (100 mi) century! All rides start and end at Invesco Field and cover a nice blend of urban, suburban, foothills and mountain terrain on roads and trail systems throughout the Denver Metro area. See DenverCenturyRide.com for details.
Why not go for a ride while helping your neighbors that suffer from MS150? The Great-West Life Bike MS, Colorado’s Ride Presented by Newmont Mining Corporation is a two-day fundraising bike ride that benefits the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the National MS Society, and the 88,000 Coloradans and Wyomingites affected by multiple sclerosis. This ride is the longest-running non-profit event of its kind in Colorado with over 3,000 cyclists, 700 volunteers and countless supporters and spectators. The 2011 Ride will take place on June 25th and 26th and starts nd finishes in Westminster, Colorado.Check out the MS150 ride page for details.
Do you have what it takes to cross THREE passes (Squaw, 11,140'; Loveland, 11,990'; Vail, 10,560') on one 120-mile gut-busting day? You still have a chance! Due to its popularity, you can bicycle Evergreen to Avon on Saturday, July 9 (if you've already registered) or Avon to Evergreen on Jluy 10 (registration is still open!). After riding this grueling course one direction or the other, think about the 500 brave riders who signed up for BOTH rides! See the Triple Bypass page.
The annual KAISER PERMANENTE MOONLIGHT CLASSIC late night city bike tour benefits Seniors Inc. Thi ride is 19 years old! The streets of the 10-mile route will be closed to automobiles - you can run it more than once if you'd like! Come out on Saturday night, July 16 for the ride - or the costume contest! Register on-line at moonlight-classic.com or to see more details.
Boulder Sunrise Century presented by Primal Wear. June 18th 2011. The Sunrise has all the challenge you'd expect from a century ride out of Boulder, CO. Plains cruising, canyon carving & high-alpine rollers with views for miles. With 75 & 100 mile options there’s something for every skill level,from amateur to Boulder uber-athlete. And just when you feel you can't climb anymore, its 30 miles downhill to the finish. Event includes 8 aid stations, full course support, post-event meal, music, & sponsor arena. Check Bikerpelli.com for details.
This race - a combination adventure outing, scavenger hunt, and bike ride - returned to Colorado with rides in Ft Collins and Denver last year. Two-person teams got to chart their own route to visit 5 or 6 checkpoints, where they took part in such activities as riding Big Wheels thru an obstacle course. Riders used their thinking cap (or a friend sitting at a computer, whom they called on cell phone) to decipher the clues to reach a handful of landmark checkpoints. For 2011, lOcal rides are in Fort Collins (July 17) and Denver (July 24). Check out www.UrbanAssaultRace.com for details.
Are you looking to ride some of the best mountain roads in the world? Come join the Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour (CRMBT) for its fifth annual tour through some of the most scenic and challenging routes in the Colorado Rockies. Come join cyclists from all over the world as you motor over some of the highest roads in Colorado. The CRMBT is a fully supported road bike tour that starts and ends in the same location. Dates: Aug 7-13. Check out CRMBT.com for details.
Try the 6th Annual Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle Alpine Classic scheduled for August 6 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. The famous Copper Triangle has long been considered one of Colorado's classic alpine road rides. Graced with breathtaking scenery, gorgeous roads and three challenging climbs (Freemont Pass, Tennessee Pass and Vail Pass), the Copper Triangle exemplifies cycling in the Colorado Rockies. The Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle Alpine Classic offers both recreational and competitive cyclists the opportunity to participate in a challenging and meticulously supported organized ride. See www.coppertriangle.com for more info.
This ride gives you three options - 75K, 130K, or Colorado's only fully-suppported double metric century. Aid stations and sag vehicles, of course, as you ride from Boulder to Ward and/or Estes Park. Start getting in shape now - there are cutoff times to do the longest ride. Sunday, August 14. Check out safehousealliance.org for details.
Have fun in Summit County - ride between 21 and 100 miles on August 20. Check out circlethesummit.com for details as they become available.
Women: Venus de Miles is a lot of things – a celebration of sisterhood, support for Greenhouse Scholars, and crazy fun – but one thing it’s not is a race. So, don’t be afraid to walk your bike up that hill, stop to listen to a band, and, most importantly, enjoy yourself. Join us August 28, 2011, for our fourth year – it’ll be bigger, better, and more inspiring than ever. Check out their page for details.
The 2nd annual Jam the Damz follows after a better-than-hoped for inaugural event. Wander over to http://www.jamthedamz.org for more info as it becomes available.
No, not a ride - just what they tout as "the world's largest consumer bicycle and sports expo." Reserve Saturday, Oct 23 to check out the bargains. Four years ago, I bought panniers for only $15! See www.veloswap.com/expo/ for details.
Most cities around the globe host their edition of the WNBR early in June, though - Boulder and Denver often lag by a few weeks. No details yet on 2010 events - sign up for email notification at the World Naked Bike Ride page.