Sunday, July 6th, 2008, 7:30 a.m.

Squaw Pass Loop w/Shorter Coached Rice Option (Morrison, Evergreen, Kerr Gulch)

COACHED RIDE THIS SUNDAY JULY 6TH: PLEASE READ THIS and ATTEND!:  Gang, we are so fortunate this year to be coached by elite cyclist Megan Hottman of Defined Fitness Training. 

Megan (who is also a lawyer, lucky us!) has kindly agreed to spend 2 hours of this weekend's training ride coaching WoJ riders on ascending and descending skills.  Tripp Lake has created a special 30 mile loop options to optimize our experience in learning these skills (see below). If you are new to riding or just new to riding in the mountains, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU, NAY I BEG YOU, TO ATTEND MEGAN'S COACHING SESSION THIS SUNDAY. 

The Courage Classic is a blast -- it's a fun tour and NOT a race. Yet it is also very challenging and includes very steep ascents and descents on some of Colorado's most challenging paved roads.  Last year, one of our WoJ riders ended up in the Vail ER after crashing near the bottom of Battle Mountain on Day 1 -- we all know this could happen to any of us, and I'm delighted that this rider has happily joined WoJ again this year.  However, the best way to ride safely on these epic roads is to understand the best way to use all of the skills (including weight shifting) that experienced riders use to stay upright and strong on steep winding roads.  New riders (including me 3 years ago) often think that the safest way to descend is by staying on your brakes -- this is actually NOT true and can be especially dangerous.  I learned how to ride safely (and faster) on a coached WoJ training ride 3 years ago at Lookout Mountain, and am now very relaxed and confident on descents that used to scare the bejeezus out of me.  Our goal this year is ZERO WoJ injuries at the Courage Classic and these sessions offered by Megan are going to be a huge part of that.  Also, Megan is available for private coaching sessions: see www.definedfitnesstraining.com  

Training Ride Host: Tripp Lake

Please RSVP by COB Friday to Tripp Lake,dlake@pjckn.com or 720 530 9481

Meeting Location:

Sunday, July 6, 2008, 7:30am SHARP!!
SQUAW PASS LOOP W/ SHORTER COACHED RIDE OPTION (Morrison, Evergreen, Kerr Gulch)
Training Ride Host: Tripp Lake of sponsoring firm Pryor Johnson Carney Karr NixonRide will start at 7:30 a.m. sharp. Be sure to show up early enough to get a prompt star. We’ll start at Ozzi’s coffee shop in Morrison .

Directions:

101 Bear Creek Ln, Morrison, CO 80465

We’ll start at Ozzi’s coffee shop in Morrison , Colorado at 7:30 a.m. (to avoid lightning later) and ride Bear Creek Road into Evergreen then on to Bergen Park and up Squaw Pass. This ride will test your climbing legs (and lungs) and you will be all set for Vail Pass on day one of the Courage Classic if you can do this ride.  Approximately 60 miles round trip, I’d plan on this taking 4 to 5 hours. 

Sunday's ride has morphed!  It's grown an extra limb at the Squaw Pass turnoff.  Since we will have WoJ Coach Megan Hottman with us to discuss and the illustrate the finer points of going up and down around sharp turns on very skinny wheels, we have designed an alternate route for those who want to practice what Megan teaches with Megan.  The plan:  We all meet at Ozzi's coffee shop in Morrison, though I would park my car just East of the Conoco and ride to Ozzi's which is located at 101 Bear Creek Ln, Morrison, CO 80465.  The Conoco is just off C-470 at the Morrison exit and you will undoubtedly see a line of bikes and the cars that brung 'em.  From there coast down toward the savory smell of espresso.

At 7:30 sharpish, Megan will host a discussion on the finer points of climbing and descending.  Wheels turn at 7:45, as the day gets hot and the lightening arrives early in the mountains.  We head out as a group, going up 74, Bear Creek Road, to Evergreen Lake where we hang a right and roll along Bergen Parkway North toward I-70.  At the intersection between up and not up (Squaw Pass Road) you have a decision to make.  You can continue on with Megan to Kerr Gulch Road to descend a twisty road with a professional coach and work on your skills, or you can head up to the top of Squaw with an amateur who, I assure you, will be suffering as much as you.  Joking aside, going up and down and around sharp turns in the mountains is a serious thing and, even if you need the miles as much as I do, if you are not comfortable with either then the trip with Megan will be well worth your while. 

If you go up at Squaw then you will have climbed more than any one day at the Courage Classic, approximately 5700 feet over 55-60 miles.  If you go with Megan the loop is about 30 miles with about 2800 total elevation gain.  If you would like more miles either turn around and head back up Kerr Gulch for some nice climbing or turn left at Mt. Vernon Canyon Road (Hwy 93) to 70, then take 40 (parallel to I-70 past Cabrini Shrine) to the top of Lookout Mountain for another 40 miles roundtrip.

Veteran riders will forgive this parental moment, but DO NOT forget to bring lots of calories you can ingest on the bike.  It would be very easy to bonk on this ride if you don't take hydration and feeding seriously.  I've done that before at the top of a pass and it makes for a very unpleasant rest of the morning.  We'll probably stop someplace to refill bottles, etc., but I don't have a place planned just yet.

See you there, and my cell phone is 720-530-9481.  If you need a map, the links to the rides follow. PLEASE PRINT OUT A MAP & BRING WITH YOU ON THE RIDE.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/co/morrison/1159374193  (Shorter ride)
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/co/morrison/457101924321

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