Vail Pass To Copper Mountain

[Razors Edge ★]

...is a helluva of fun descent, but not a whole lot of pedaling

 

[MoseySusan]

On 6/17/2021 at 11:07 AM, Razors Edge said:

...is a helluva of fun descent, but not a whole lot of pedaling

 

We just drove past that area yesterday. Saw lots of cyclists this weekend.

[Razors Edge ★]

On 6/20/2021 at 7:46 AM, road0315 said:

We just drove past that area yesterday. Saw lots of cyclists this weekend.

You missed me by a few days.  I rode it Tuesday of last week.  It was grand as I rode it once from Vail to Frisco by myself, then joined my buddy for the return trip.  He is not yet in full cycling shape - it just stopped snowing there - but he was a good sport even trying it with me.  He at least knew all the twists and turns, so could pace himself and let me know what was up next.

[MoseySusan]

We are interested in a trip back to the area in late August to ride more of those town to town pathways. Just mr. and I. Our son is a slacker on the tandem, and there’s no riding with him over passes. 

[Razors Edge ★]

7 hours ago, road0315 said:

We are interested in a trip back to the area in late August to ride more of those town to town pathways. Just mr. and I. Our son is a slacker on the tandem, and there’s no riding with him over passes. 

Having never ridden a 10,000+' pass, I wasn't sure how tough it would be.  Definitely felt a little weaker due to slightly less oxygen.  At my normal HR, my power numbers were a bit lower than I would expect, but also, not knowing where to ease up or to push it, I really just rode it the first time at my own dialed back pace.  On the return, I spent a lot of time chatting with my buddy, and my HR was about 30 beats less on average, so it was a breeze. 

The climb from Vail to the pass is longer and steeper than the climb from Frisco to the pass, and both are steeper as you approach the last few miles of the climb.  My wife rode halfway up the Vail side a couple days later, and stopped to turn around when I told her she had another 45+ min left to the top and the same for her descent, and we we were meeting folks in an hour, so she wouldn't be able to do it and still get home and shower.  Maybe next time for her  

I would definitely recommend that area as after the descent from the pass to the edge of Vail, there is a continuation of another 10 miles or so to the Vail "villages" and then it even continues out the other side.  From the pass and down to Copper, it then continues to Frisco (still downhill) where I me my friend.  You could then work trails to Silverthorne, Dillon, Keystone, whatnot.  Could likely combine it with a run up Loveland pass (no path, though) or some other climbs. It seemed like there were cyclists doing all sorts of rides and loops through the mountains, so it is likely just a pick what you feel like sort of situation. 

Oh, there is also a bazillion miles of mountain biking.  So much to see and do.

A guy I passed did a 77 mile loop that included the Vail Pass.

[MoseySusan]

So, I didn’t hear you say, “woo” as you were riding through the tunnel. Do people back east not announce that they’re in a tunnel? It’s pretty common here to avoid collision because of changes in visibility when riding through the dark. Especially if there’s no flasher on the bike.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 hour ago, MoseySusan said:

So, I didn’t hear you say, “woo” as you were riding through the tunnel. Do people back east not announce that they’re in a tunnel? It’s pretty common here to avoid collision because of changes in visibility when riding through the dark. Especially if there’s no flasher on the bike.

Ha.  No "woo".  I do - almost always - have front and rear blinkies going.  Luckily, the tunnel wasn't as bad as the video makes it look

[MoseySusan]

Maybe it’s that most of our tunnels and underpasses have blind corners that everyone goes “woo,” or rings their bell. 

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, MoseySusan said:

Maybe it’s that most of our tunnels and underpasses have blind corners that everyone goes “woo,” or rings their bell. 

Or you are all weirdos???? How about that???

It was funny, though, riding in CA and CO.  Almost no one ever warned folks when passing.  No bells ringing, no "on your left", nothing like that.  Yet folks still got around okay.  A nice thing MTB folks did in CA was put cowbells on their bikes, so you'd hear them jingling as they approached on the trail.  That's a nice addition I'd like to see adopted out east near me.

[MoseySusan]

3 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Or you are all weirdos???? How about that???

Could be.

We also have horses all over our multi-use trails in the valley. We have to signal that we’re coming through the underpass. 
 

A couple of weeks ago I was riding on the foothills trail, and I rang my handlebar bell to pass a guy. Twice he chewed me out. First time he yelled after me, “You’re supposed to call out.” Second time he had pulled up next to me at an intersection where I was waiting for the light to change and gave me a lecture. 

I wonder if cowbells are also to alert the deer (mountain lions, coyotes, etc) so that they clear the trail?

[Prophet Zacharia]

On 6/20/2021 at 9:46 AM, MoseySusan said:

We just drove past that area yesterday. Saw lots of cyclists this weekend.

I’ve driven that often, as we’ve gone to Copper many times. But I’ve never known there is a bike trail along side, as it’s always been snow covered!

[Prophet Zacharia]

On 6/21/2021 at 10:14 AM, Razors Edge said:

I rode it Tuesday of last week. 

Back in VA now? The spring of California is over? 

[Razors Edge ★]

8 hours ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

Back in VA now? The spring of California is over? 

Long gone   Sold the house, packed up, drove off into the sunrise!

[dinneR ★]

On 6/25/2021 at 1:54 PM, Razors Edge said:

It was funny, though, riding in CA and CO.  Almost no one ever warned folks when passing.  No bells ringing, no "on your left", nothing like that.  Yet folks still got around okay.  A nice thing MTB folks did in CA was put cowbells on their bikes, so you'd hear them jingling as they approached on the trail.  That's a nice addition I'd like to see adopted out east near me.

These are great. You can turn it on or off as needed. 

[MoseySusan]

@denniS is that a horn? 
 

I am so over old guys telling me that I’m supposed to announce that I’m passing. Again on the MUT today, an old guy we had passed miles back caught up to us, chewed me out for not announcing even though I rang my bell, then he passed mr. without saying anything. 

[Razors Edge ★]

8 minutes ago, MoseySusan said:

@denniS is that a horn? 
 

I am so over old guys telling me that I’m supposed to announce that I’m passing. Again on the MUT today, an old guy we had passed miles back caught up to us, chewed me out for not announcing even though I rang my bell, then he passed mr. without saying anything. 

His is a fancy cow bell.

I find 90%+ of folks running have earbuds in, so announcing to them is useless.  The other 10% react the wrong way and potentially jump in front of you in a panic.

For folks on a bike, I simply ride up next to them and say hi as I pass.  It scares a few, and most ignore me, but they'd ignore/not hear a bell or warning too.

Yesterday, a guy on a road bike, with one of those visor mirrors, was up ahead of me on the trail.  I slowed as I approached him going into a sweeping left turn.  My rear hub makes a pretty loud racket when freewheeling, I have a bright blinkie light, he had his head turned in my general direction through the turn, AND he had the mirror.  He was STILL surprised as I rolled up next to him and said hi.  Not sure how folks don't get run over by cars more often as their situational awareness is ZERO.

[dinneR ★]

2 hours ago, MoseySusan said:

@denniS is that a horn? 
 

I am so over old guys telling me that I’m supposed to announce that I’m passing. Again on the MUT today, an old guy we had passed miles back caught up to us, chewed me out for not announcing even though I rang my bell, then he passed mr. without saying anything. 

It is a Timberbell. The lever allows you to turn it on or off. It jingles when you hit a bump or wiggle the handlebar. It's great for mt biking so you don't have to worry about hitting a hiker or try to ring a bell.