Saturday, August 8, 2009

Biking Is An Exciting Challenge In Colorado

By Patricia J Williams

If you're looking for a serious biking challenge, consider a trip to Colorado's mountain country and take in some of the exciting trails guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping. There are also some trails suitable for new riders, so don't despair if you haven't been riding for long. Check out all the options available.

The combination of Colorado Trail, Cottonwood Pass Road, and Chalk Cliffs near Buena Vista are over 21 miles of technical track. There are some smooth fast sections that could work for the more inexperienced rider, but at about 3 miles in it starts to get fairly steep. About halfway youll find a great little hot springs which makes the perfect place to relax. There are restroom facilities at the parking lot for Colorado trail.

Nature lovers will really enjoy the Monarch Crest trail-a 28-mile journey that gives you spectacular views of the Continental Divide. Located not far from Salida, this is a great scenic spot. Utilizing the shuttle to the higher elevation-12,000 feet-is recommended.

If you want to challenge yourself with rocks and roots to navigate, steep inclines, difficult descents, and maybe even an odd encounter with a cow, bear, deer, or elk, you'll love the White Ranch Park trail. It's 19 miles long and is great for intermediate bikers because you can choose from different loops with different levels of technical difficulty.

The Bear Creek Loop near Glenwood Springs is a 20-mile loop. It starts out with a 10-mile climb before following the rim of the Glenwood Canyon at about 1700 feet above the Colorado River. Aside from the awesome views, theres also fast banked corners and wide open stretches where you can build up quite a bit of speed. This is followed by a tricky downhill section that is lots of fun. Watch out for some technical rocky sections and some fast bermed corners. You can buy a map of this area for only $1 at the Chamber of Commerce.

If you can handle high altitudes-like 12,300 feet-combined with a really vigorous and demanding workout, you will like the Searle/Kokomo Pass. The entire thing-all 18 miles-is a challenge and is definitely for more experienced bikers, but the scenery is spectacular. From serene mountain ponds to stunning wildflowers, you'll enjoy the breathtaking views-if you can catch your breath, that is.

Even more challenging and arduous, expert bikers will experience some fantastic but technical trails on the 32-mile loop called the Double Top Trail not far from Crested Butte, Colorado. Bring along lots of water, though, because the 11,700-foot altitude contributes to dehydration problems. Make sure you're in excellent physical condition before you tackle this one, and then plan to have a blast!

Colorado's biking trails present unique challengers to bikers-like the high altitudes that can cause a lightheaded reaction and contribute to dehydration-but they're also incredible if you want to have fun and stretch your skill level. To ensure safe riding, never bike alone, always take lots of water along with you, and give yourself time to adjust to the high altitude before biking. Then have fun!

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