Following are references and links to the annual bike tours/adventures that dot the sports calendar every summer. (If you are organizing one not on the list, email 'glen' at this website, and I will try to add it.)
Why not go for a ride while helping your neighbors that suffer from MS150? This ride - new name, new sponsor, same great cause - will attract an estimated 3,000 cyclists, and raise over $2.5 million! This year, they made it earlier - June 28-29, 2008. The route runs Westminster-to-Fort Collins and back. Check out the MS150 ride page for details.
Will you prove 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? Registration capped at 3,500 riders, and is already closed for this year's ride on July 12 (yes, it's that popular!). Check the Team Evergreen page for details.
Many cities around the globe hosted their edition of the WNBR early in June - Boulder held theirs on June 14. Denver's ride comes later - so you can still participate! You don't HAVE to ride naked - go as bare as you dare! Ride location is still TBD - sign up for email notification at the World Naked Bike Ride page.
The 16th annual KAISER PERMANENTE MOONLIGHT CLASSIC late night city bike tour to benefit Seniors Inc. is scheduled for Saturday night, July 19, 2008! The event will once again start and finish at the Colorado State Capitol in Downtown Denver. The Ride will offer two distinct start waves. The Family Wave will start at 10:30 p.m. and the Gonzo Wave for riders who want to stay up late will start at 11:30 p.m. Whether you’re an avid cyclists or you’re simply looking for some urban fun, you won’t want to miss the Moonlight Classic. Their web site is now updated at www.Moonlight-Classic.com.
This race - a combination adventure outing, scavenger hunt, and bike ride - returns to Colorado with rides in Ft Collins (July 20) and Denver (July 27). Two-person teams get to chart their own route to visit 5 or 6 checkpoints, where they take part in such activities as riding Big Wheels thru an obstacle course. You'll need your thinking cap (or a friend sitting at a computer, whom you can call on your cell phone) to decipher the clues to reach a handful of landmark checkpoints. Check out www.UrbanAssaultRace.com for details.
Try the 3rd Annual Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle Alpine Classic scheduled for August 2, 2008 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 will offer both recreational and competitive cyclists the opportunity to participate in a challenging and meticulously supported organized ride. See www.coppertriangle.com for more info.
Join in on this prime Colorado bicycle tour of 2008 on Aug 3-9 - the Colorado Rocky Mountain Bike Tour. Riding a true mountain loop, starting and ending in Gunnison Colorado, the ride will visit great Colorado towns such as Hotchkiss, Glenwood Springs, Leadville, Frisco, and Salida. The Colorado Rocky Mountain Bicycle Tour will cross 8 mountain passes ranging in altitude from 7,950 feet to over 12,090 - 478 miles of challenging riding, beautiful scenery and loads of fun. Check out CRMBT.com for details.
Head down to Salida on August 9 for the 3rd Annual Going Green 100 Century Ride and Healthy Living Weekend. Last year, they also had a flat 25-mile and a metric century option. Check out their page for details.
Women: You can change a flat tire. You can fix a toilet. And you can make one mean margarita. Created for women by women, Venus de Miles is Colorado’s first women’s-only bike ride. We invite you to ride on Sunday August 17, in the spirit of challenge and in the spirit of charity in support of Greenhouse Scholars, an organization providing mentorship and scholarship support to high-performing, under-resourced students. We invite you to become a part of this Colorado first and only—because you’re a woman, and because you can. Check out their page for details.
On September 9. join the only century ride dedicated to fighting cancer! You must raise $500, since this is a fundraiser first, then a bike ride. You don't have to do 100 miles - they have a shorter, 30-mile route also. This is a fully supported ride. See komenaspen.org for more information.
No, not a ride - just what they tout as "the world's largest consumer bicycle and sports expo." Reserve Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 to check out the bargains. Two years ago, I bought panniers for only $15! See www.veloswap.com/expo/ for details.
Looking for something fun to do this Memorial Day weekend with your family and friends? Ride in Beckwourth Outdoors’ 4th annual Pedal the Platte event on Saturday, May 24. This fun, non-competitive event offers participants the choice of a 10, 20 or 30-mile ride along Denver's scenic South Platte River bike path. See beckwourthmountainclub.org for details.
The first ride of the Colorado touring season! This year's ride - the 21st annual - happens on June 1! Get ready, get set, get out and get saddle sore again! See elephantrockride.com for details.
This June 14 ride covers Boulder's classic locals route, a circuit of the county. You can pick your poison - they offer a 45-mile route that stays out of the foothills, a 60-miler that ventures up Left-Hand Canyon to Jamestown, 75 miles including Peak-to-Peak Highway, and the century route that detours to Nederland. Check the Bikerpelli Sports page for details.