Ride Magazine

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BIKE-FRIENDLY BUZZ COOL GEAR AND GADGETS BICYCLING MAYOR IN NOCO?

2018 GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE & EVENTS

PIT STOPS

FIELD TRIPS

Destinations and wayside breaks

BY BIKE

PLUS

THE 2018

BIKE

CALENDAR

FIND IT IN

BIG BIKE DIRECTORY THE

GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

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GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

contents

FEATURES

24 Why NoCo needs a bike mayor

FROM THE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

How we can become a world-class cycling center

Reflective rides

OUR 2018 CONTRIBUTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Meet the writers

28 I t’s nice to be nice to bikes

PEDAL APPEAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

How you can be bikefriendly and a friendly cyclist

Tubeless pump, rearview mirror, multi-tool, cargo holder

BIKEWAYS & WISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 New bike trails, Big Jump Project, school trips by bike, Smart Cycling

PIT STOPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 A bike tour through NoCo’s history

SPOKE OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 So happy together, squeaky wheels, be the change, racing clubs

FROM TIME TO TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Bicycles rock and roll

CULTURE CYCLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Let’s stay lucky

THE LAST MILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

39 The BIG Bike Directory

Shifting gears

WHO'S ON THE COVER? Meet Jeff Nye and his 1968 Falcon, just one of his 60 pedal machines with historical significance or otherwise unique features. See more of his collection on page 32. Photo by Cheri Schonfeld of Sky’s Open Designs.

All things bicycle in northern Colorado

48 Shifting shots 58

Too much two-wheeled merriment!

Bike Calendar

Cycling events & classes

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REFLECTIVE RIDES KIM SHARPE

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2018 GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE & EVENTS WITHOUT ANY INSTRUCTION FROM ME, all the stories submitted for this year’s Ride seem to have a theme—Reflection.

Gloria Veracis reflects on how northern Colorado can truly become a world-class place to ride. Kory Swanson reflects on what it means to be a cyclist. Meg Dunn reflects on our region’s history and how to travel through it by bike. Georgia Gould reflects on how her relationship to bikes is evolving now that she’s a mom. I reflect on what it means to be bicycle friendly.

Perhaps the theme is a tell-tale sign of where we are as a nation. A place that requires reflection to try to make sense of events, of people, of information…

My bikes are my vehicles, as in, I don’t own a car. Every day either Gracie, my beloved Trek Lexa, or Alice, my vintage Diamond Back Ascent, transports me to my desired or necessary destinations. Come rain, snow, wind or shine, I pedal to where I need to go.

My bikes also are my therapy. Simply by virtue of the freedom and activity they offer, Gracie and Alice transport me to my happy place. When I pedal down a path, the winds of time sweep through me, clearing away the rubbish, making space in my head for reflection. And at the end of a Ride, I find some peace. I hope you do, too.

Ride on,

PUBLISHER Scott Titterington scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR Kim Sharpe kim.kbccommunications@gmail.com COPY EDITOR Kristin Titterington kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Zaynard emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Greg Hoffman greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com COVER PHOTO Cheri Schonfeld courtesy of Sky’s Open Design CONTRIBUTOR/PROFILE PORTRAITS Cheri Schonfeld, www.skysopendesign.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Meg Dunn, Georgia Gould, Kim Sharpe Kory Swanson, Gloria Veracis ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING 825 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521 Voice 221-9210 Fax 221-8556 editor@rockymountainpub.com www.RMParent.com Ride 2018 is a special publication of Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. Publication of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. RMP reserves the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. The opinions expressed by contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rocky Mountain Publishing. ©2018 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rightsreserved.

Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited.

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GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

SOMETIMES IT IS ABOUT

THE BIKE

Sometimes, it is about the bike

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

4612 S MASON #110 | 970-204-9935 | WWW.PROVELOBIKES.COM

GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

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| OUR 2018 CONTRIBUTORS |

MEG DUNN (left) author of www.

UrbanFortCollins.com, believes that bicycling and saving historic buildings are both important ways to create a happier, healthier planet.

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GEORGIA GOULD (not pictured) is a professional cyclist, amateur chef, chicken farmer, bee keeper and most importantly, mom to her baby daughter, Quinn.

GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

KIM SHARPE (right) writes to live, but lives to ride. She’s happiest when sailing along on two wheels.

KORY SWANSON (center) is a professional word guy and tale spinner who believes life without bikes would be like living in a field of rotting pumpkins with the manure spreader stuck in the on position.

GLORIA VERACIS (not pictured) has called Fort Collins home for the past 25 years. She prefers walking as her main means of transportation and hops on her bike or the bus for longer trips.

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| PEDAL APPEAL | KORY SWANSON FROM ESSENTIAL TO a bit frivolous, cyclists love bike stuff. Here’s a mix of both that you might realize you can’t live without. (A few of the items are made in NoCo, which makes them even better.)

EYES FOR THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD

MOM ALWAYS SAID she needed eyes in the back of her head. While this isn’t anatomically possible, it is possible to see what’s coming up behind you with a rearview mirror designed specifically for cycling.

One that we’re particularly partial to is the Take-a-Look Rearview Bicycle Mirror, made in NoCo and available at many local bike shops.

PUMP UP, GO TUBELESS TUBELESS TIRES HAVE taken hold in the cycling world, but installing these tires sometimes can be a chore that a regular pump can’t handle. Enter, the Lezyne Pressure Overdrive, a sturdy regular floor pump until you need a blast of pressure for seating a tubeless tire. When that’s the case, simply pump up the special canister, release a blast of air and your tubeless tire is ready to roll. No compressor needed. Great for the garage and compact enough for traveling. www.leyzne.com

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JUST TOOLIN’ AROUND MULTI-TOOLS COME in many shapes and sizes. Some are minimalistic; others have everything you need to survive the apocalypse. Crankbrothers F-15 tool caught our eye not only for its elegance, but for how well it packs a bunch of handy implements—15 to be exact—in a sleek, magnetic package. www.crankbrothers.com

CAGED AND CAPTIVE HAVE YOU EVER purchased a fresh growler and found yourself without a way to carry it home—without riding with one or no hands, that is? Let Blackburn’s Outpost Cargo Cage come to your rescue. It’s perfect for cradling odd-sized vessels or rolled up cargo during all your two-wheeled adventures. www.blackburndesign.com

RING, DING-A-LING WHETHER ON THE TRAIL, bike path or street, a bell is a safety device we don’t like to ride without. Understated and elegant, this bell rings out a great tune while keeping your handlebars looking sleek and tidy. www.knog.com.au

SKUNK STRIPE DEFENSE LET’S FACE IT. The line of mud and road grime that works its way up the back of your jacket when you get caught in the rain blows, and sometimes it’s impossible to clean. But in northern Colorado, where moisture is in short supply, full-time fenders don’t seem necessary. Enter the Rain Fly Fender from Barfly. Installs in no time with four reusable zip ties and fits a variety of bikes. It’s lightweight, minimalistic and looks good, too. www.barflybike.com

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| PEDAL APPEAL | KORY SWANSON PACK IT BIKEPACKING (OFF-ROAD EXPLORATION) and bike touring (paved-road excursions) are nothing new, but both are gaining in popularity. And like any outdoor pursuit, good gear makes traveling by bike more enjoyable. Enter the Convertible Pannier Backpack by Richard Jones of Fort Collins who crafts incredible packs that fit on your back right off the bike and go right back on your bike when you’re ready to ride. www.pannierback packs.com

TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE LIGHT

LIGHT UP…if you ride your bike at night. Not only is it the law, but riding all lit up from dusk to dawn is just a bright idea. A good rear light, like the Cateye Rapid X3, can be seen from quite a distance. And with several different modes, 180 degrees of visibility, an easy attachment system and a USB charging port, this light simply makes a lot of sense. www.cateye.com/en/

CAP OFF YOUR RIDE DO YOU HAVE a favorite aprèsride beverage? One that comes in a bottle with a cap? Then why not take one of your favorite bottle caps along for a ride as a reminder of what’s waiting for you when you return? The Y.A.W.Y.D (You Are What You Drink), a fun product by local Niner Bikes, allows you to swap out your current top cap for a bottle cap. www.ninerbikes.com

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PHOTO BY KENNY BEARDEN

| BIKE WAYS & WISE | KIM SHARPE

BLAZIN’ TRAILS WHETHER YOU PREFER riding dirt single-tracks or paved pathways, trails for getting around NoCo are getting better all the time.

The On the Rocks trail, an expert-level, multi-use route within the Bobcat Ridge Natural Area above Mahoney Park, linking the Ginny trail with the Power Line trail. Ride it if you dare.

The 2-mile Colorado Front Range Trail connecting Loveland’s Recreation Trail just west of Boyd Lake State Park to the

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City of Fort Collins’ Fossil Creek Trail at Carpenter Road.

The 4.4-mile Long View Corridor Trail, which will connect the two cities along North Taft Avenue in Loveland and South Shields Street in Fort Collins, should be complete fall 2018.

Several Loveland Recreation Trail connections, including a non-paved, two-track from Namaqua Avenue over to Wilson Avenue; a short section going south from U.S. Highway 34 in the Marianna Butte area;

GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

and a section at the northeast corner of Wilson Avenue and the bridge over the Big Thompson River.

In Fort Collins, the Fossil Creek Trail linking the Cathy Fromme Prairie Trail to the Mason Trail is scheduled to open this fall.

A 1.3-mile stretch of Greeley’s Sheep Draw Trail west of 71st Avenue soon will be a reality.

And if you want to ride between Severance and Eaton, you’ll be able to do that on a trail by year’s end.

TRAIL SCOOP. GET IT, GIVE IT. For local trail maps and conditions: • Fort Collins www.fcgov.com/parks/trail-status2.php • Loveland www.cityofloveland.org/departments/ parks-recreation/recreation-trails • L arimer County www.NoCoTrailReport.org

• Poudre Trail in Weld County www.poudretrail.org/trail-conditions For info about regional trail plans: North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization—970-221-6243, www.nfrmpo.org/ bike-ped

JUMPING FOR BIKING JOY DID YOU KNOW, in 2017 PeopleForBikes selected Fort Collins as one of 10 cities nationwide to receive funding for a Big Jump Project? That means the city will receive $200,000 from PeopleforBikes for three years to radically re-imagine how people can get around on two wheels.

Tessa Greegor, FC Bikes program manager, is pretty excited about it. She says, “The Big Jump Project is giving us an opportunity to address barriers to bicycling along Vine Drive, Laporte Avenue and Mulberry Street and around City Park.”

Plan to attend the Fort Collins Open Street event (date TBA), which will take place in this area to show off the latest and greatest ways the City is working to keep people riding safe. Learn more at www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

To inform trail and connectivity plans: Go to www.MapNoCo.com, a cool crowdsourced data collection tool for NoCo residents and visitors to document how they move around the region.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO YOU LEARNED TO BALANCE on two wheels when you were about 5, right?

So, of course you know how to ride a bike. But do you?

If you ask a Bicycle Ambassador, cycling takes more know-how than just jumping in the saddle and pedaling. If you want to discover what you don’t know, take a Smart Cycling, Learn to Ride or Back on a Bike class. Car and truck drivers can know before they go, too, by taking a Bicycle Friendly Driver course.

Most classes are free! Learn more at www.bicycleambassordorprogram.org.

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| BIKE WAYS & WISE | KIM SHARPE

SCHOOL TRIPS BY BIKE WHAT’S MORE FUN for students than taking a field trip? Well, taking one by bike, of course!

In 2017, close to 500 elementary school students in the Poudre School District (PSD) rode a bike to a field trip destination with the guidance of Safe Routes to School instructors. All told, they pedaled 3,730 miles! More kids will join the fun this year—maybe in the Thompson School District, too.

But what about kids who don’t have their own bike or who may have developmental challenges that make riding difficult? No problem!

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Nancy Nichols, Fort Collins Safe Routes to School coordinator, says they take all kids by providing bikes to those who don’t have one of their own and by using adaptive equipment, trailers and tagalongs when necessary. Safe Routes also partners with Athletes in Tandem, a nonprofit that “… provides a path for anyone, regardless of physical ability, to participate in outdoor events.”

“When we roll out, everyone goes,” says Nichols.

“It’s our own version of No Child Left Behind.”

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| PIT STOPS | MEG DUNN

FROM TIME TO TIME IT’S EASY TO GET LOST in the moment when pedaling along our local bike trails. Scenery and time pass us by. But hitting the pause button when we ride can open up a door to local history, taking us back to times when the area was black with buffalo

and the teepees of the native people came and went with the seasons.

All along our bike trails are remnants of our past. The next time you’re bicycling out on northern Colorado’s trails, take a moment to hit the brakes and take a step back in time.

ANIMAL ATTRACTION

1

287 14

5

Bellvue

Kaplan-Hoover Bison Bone Bed–Windsor (Poudre Trail)

WHILE EXCAVATING to build a new housing division, a 2,700-year-old bison kill site was discovered in the arroyo to the south of the Poudre Trail. Over 200 of the big, furry beasts had been cornered and killed. The prehistoric hunters took what they wanted and left the rest for carnivores to feast on. CSU professors and students excavated the site in the late 1990s.

BEET THIS

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Great Western Sugar Factory Effluent Flume and Bridge–Fort Collins (Poudre Trail)

FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY, sugar beet growing and processing was a big part of the local economy. Fort Collins’ sugar plant sat close to where New Belgium Brewing Company is today. The wastewater that the factory produced was poured into a flume to be dumped south of the river where it killed off all of the native plants. (This was an improvement over dumping the waste by the Buckingham neighborhood, which they’d been doing previously.) The suspension bridge was quickly nicknamed the Brooklyn Bridge.

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Lory State Park

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

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Milner-Schwarz House–Loveland (Recreational Loop)

THE MILNER-SCHWARZ HOUSE is the oldest brick home in Larimer County. The Milner brothers and their dad—the same family that Milner Mountain, just outside Masonville, was named after—built it in 1873. The Schwarz’s moved in later and grew sugar beets in the surrounding fields. It’s now a house museum run by the Loveland Historical Society. Don’t miss the miniature railroad that runs through the garden.

287 I-25

2 14

Arrowhead

Fort Collins 287

1 392

392

4

Windsor

Loveland 287

3

Greeley 34

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View an online map of these sites at: http://bit.ly/2FLvis2 GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

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DITCH IT

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Number 3 Ditch–Greeley (Poudre Trail)

RATHER THAN STARTING with ditches No. 1 or No. 2, the Greeley colony jumped to No. 3 right out of the gate.

This irrigation ditch was dug with the help of horses and oxen back in 1870, making it the first along the Poudre River. The folks up in Fort Collins dug their own ditch a few years later, and when drought came in 1874, they drained the river dry leaving none for Greeley. The folks in Greeley had a fit (and rightly so since they were there first) and took Fort Collins to court. The idea of “first in time, first in right” became water law and was even baked into the Colorado constitution in 1876.

SCHOOL RULES Pleasant Valley School–Bellvue (Poudre Trail)

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WHEN YOU MAKE A pit stop at the Howling Cow Café, take a moment to pop over and see the newly restored Pleasant Valley School from 1879, one of only a few one-room school houses still in its original location.

Morning Fresh Dairy and Noosa Yoghurt are hosting monthly tours of the building (be sure to RSVP online). If you show up when the building’s closed, you’re always welcome to peek in the windows.

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| SPOKE OUT | KIM SHARPE

SO HAPPY TOGETHER

Find your peloton among the many different clubs IF YOU LOVE TO RIDE and want to share your joy with like-minded pedalers, join a cycling club. NoCo has many for folks of all pedaling strokes.

The newest is the Loveland Cycling Club (LCC), established late 2017 and welcoming all road riders regardless of skill level. LCC’s mission is to “promote safe cycling, and work with Loveland city planners to make the area a great place to ride.” Loveland-ites also have the option of riding with the PEDAL Club (People’s Efforts to De-emphasize Automobiles in Loveland), another actionoriented group established on Earth Day in 1970. Many NoCo cyclists enjoy the comradery of the Fort Collins Cycling Club. And women with a passion for riding may find their fit with the laid-back Belle Starrs, where spandex and fancy gear aren’t required.

For those who like to grind and get dirty, there’s the Overland Mountain Bike Club or Club BOB (Babes on Bikes). Both clubs offer mountain bike rides for those who want to hone their off-road skills.

ABOVE: The Loveland Cycling Club (LLC) rides together on a sunny day.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LOVELAND CYCLING CLUB

LEFT: PEDAL Club makes a pit stop and takes a quick group photo before continuing on their group ride.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEDAL CLUB

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SQUEAKY WHEELS WHILE YOU NEVER WANT your bicycle wheels to squeak, you might want to become a squeaky wheel by speaking out in support of bicycling safety, cyclists’ rights and access to biking.

Bike Fort Collins has one of the loudest voices in the region. Its members advocate for policy changes and a bike culture that is inclusive and empowers all bike riders, regardless of ability or background.

The Greeley Bikes advocacy group members’ voices are getting louder, too. The group wants “… traveling by automobiles to become a choice and not a requirement in Greeley.” It’s addressing ways to help people feel safe when cycling so they choose to ride more.

The Northern Colorado Trail Advocacy Group welcomes mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians— all stewards of trails—to join in maintaining and improving soft-surface trail access and opportunities in northern Colorado.

BE THE CHANGE, LOCALLY AND BEYOND Bicycling organizations give riders a stronger, united voice. Saddle up with one or more of the following.

Bicycle Colorado A nonprofit advocacy organization championing the interests of all bicycle riders statewide.

303-417-1544 www.bicyclecolorado.org

International Mountain Bicycling Association A worldwide leader in mountain biking advocacy.

303-545-9011 www.imba.com

League of American Bicyclists Committed to creating a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

202-822-1333 www.bikeleague.org

National Center for Bicycling and Walking NCBW works to create bicyclefriendly and walkable communities.

202-518-0524 x.224 www.bikewalk.org

PeopleForBikes Unites people to create a powerful, united voice for bicycling and its benefits.

303-449-4893 www.peopleforbikes.org

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| SPOKE OUT | KIM SHARPE

GET RACEY group supports all cycling disciplines, from road to mountain to cyclocross.

Got kids? Get them riding with the Ciclismo Youth Foundation. Ciclismo helps 12- to 18-year-olds gain skills to navigate life while teaching them to race. Kids of all ages also might flip for racing at the new Twin Silo BMX track in south Fort Collins.

You never know until you ride!

PHOTO COURTESY OF FORT FOLLIES

IF YOU LIKE riding fast, you’ll find racey riders in several clubs geared for speed.

9Seventy Racing is for athletes (or athlete wannabes) who “embrace a lifestyle of racing.” Members support one another in achieving personal goals, as they get stronger and healthier together.

Fort Follies is just for women who want to ride for fun or ride to win. The

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Why N

e e n d s o C a o

HOW WE CAN BECOME A

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B IK E

A

Y OR

GLORIA VERACIS

M

Something extraordinary happened a year ago at the sixth edition of the World Bicycle Forum held in Mexico. In an online election involving thousands of forum participants from more than 20 countries, Mexico City’s activetransportation activist Areli Carreón was elected alcaldesa de la bicicleta, or bike mayor, of Mexico City.

CARREÓN JOINED TWO OTHER bike mayors of the world, Anna Luten of Amsterdam, Holland, and Sarah Imm of Sydney, Australia, in this distinctive role. In addition to promoting bicycling in Mexico City, Carreón acts as an intermediary between Mexico City’s cyclists, community groups and local government, while regularly checking in with and getting new ideas from her counterparts in Amsterdam and Sydney.

Her driving mission is to use the bicycle, the most elegantly simple form of transportation ever invented, to help transform Mexico City into a healthier, happier place for its residents, with far better air quality, far less traffic congestion, and far fewer deaths and serious injuries caused by motorized vehicles.

SOUND FAMILIAR?

Although Fort Collins and neighboring NoCo communities enjoy an infinitesimally smaller-scale traffic problem than Mexico City, our local residents are equally concerned about quality-of-life issues, such as air pollution, traffic congestion and motor-vehicle crashes. (Did you know that car crashes are the leading cause of unintentional death among children and youth ages 5 to 24? No wonder people are concerned!) ww

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HANDMADE CITIES

The theme of the forum in Mexico was “Handmade Cities.” And, boy, do our local city planners, road engineers and traffic operations professionals have a great opportunity to learn from that concept.

According to forum hosts, “We all consider that handmade is a thorough and detailed work. The cities that we long for are made with the same passion and dedication as are handmade items. Handmade cities are better planned; they are built with the care and love of their inhabitants. Designed to celebrate and preserve life, handmade cities give priority to the users of the public space, providing them with accessibility, security, and egalitarian sustainable mobility.”

Northern Colorado has several Bicycle Friendly Communities, according to the League of American Bicyclists. Greeley and Windsor are both Bronze-level, and Loveland received an honorable mention a few years ago. Fort Collins, however, is a national leader in bicycle friendliness. A few years ago, the League conferred upon Fort Collins the status of Platinum, one of only five cities in the United States with that distinguished designation.

What could a NoCo bike mayor do to give priority to the users of the public space, providing them with accessibility, security and egalitarian sustainable mobility?

Could a bike mayor take Fort Collins to the ultimate bicycle-friendly level—Diamond—a place that no other U.S. city has yet to go?

ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL

Could a local bike mayor bring greater focus to the built environment and prioritize pedestrians and bicyclists at the top of the mobility hierarchy—something that’s critical if we want to give more than lip service to being inclusive?

In Weld County, a number of community organizations are working with a variety of municipal governments to make the built environment (humanmade surroundings) work for everybody.

Eric Aakko says, “We know the public wants connected trails, sidewalks and safe places to recreate—because they

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have told us so, and we’re working with a variety of community partnerships to fulfill those wants.”

“All across the country, including in our own backyards in Loveland and Fort Collins, there are perfect examples of low-income neighborhoods suffering from an inequitable built environment, says Edgar Dominguez, UCHealth Vida Sana health equity coordinator. “This means that what should be an easy trip to work or to the grocery store is like playing Russian Roulette because they revolve around walking or riding through dirt ditches rather than

on sidewalks, dodging cars as they zoom by and even having to make a flashlight part of their take-along accessories due to the street lighting—everything that should be a given when it comes to roads and pathways. We must create an environment where all people have the opportunity to access not only things that are a given like jobs, schools and food, but an opportunity to access life. Life that includes not worrying about whether or not you will make it out or back alive.”

If Fort Collins had a bike mayor, something she or he could do very quickly would be to join with Greeley, Loveland and Windsor, as well as cities like Denver, Boulder (another Platinum community), Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles in the Vision Zero movement, making a very public commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities and injuries.

But how exactly do you go about eradicating traffic deaths and injuries?

Perhaps a good first step is to simply get people out of their cars and onto their feet and bikes more often. After all, biking and walking are statistically far safer than driving. Despite the hoopla raised with every unfortunate (and usually avoidable) crash that takes a bicyclist’s or pedestrian’s life, far more people meet their untimely demise by driving.

A Fort Collins bike mayor would undoubtedly point out that the city has a growing, and potentially awardwinning, low-stress bicycle network that guides bikers (and walkers) away from high-speed, high-traffic streets and onto neighborhood streets with safe crossings of those nasty arterials.

That’s great!

But what else is needed? Is speed of traffic a problem, even on neighborhood streets? Could a FoCo bike mayor

change the focus from getting places quickly to getting places safely?

Fort Collins’ transportation planning group touts that it builds transportation systems that serve people of all ages and abilities. That’s the right spirit, but can kids and seniors truly get around as safely and conveniently as soccer moms in their mini-vans and delivery trucks making the daily rounds?

Urban-sustainability guru and transportation transformer Gil Penalosa, founder of the nonprofit 8 80 Cities, might have something to say about that. He’s the guy who started the ciclovía (open streets) movement that has taken the world by storm, and he proclaims that if you focus on designing a city to serve 8-year-olds and 80-year-olds, then everyone else will be served at a very high level, as well.

“Fort Collins and northern Colorado’s bike route and trail network is becoming more robust all the time, but we have to ask ourselves, ‘What does our network connect people to?’ and ‘How are we including vulnerable populations in planning processes?’” says Bruce Henderson, president of Bike Fort Collins, a group that advocates for equity and inclusivity in bicycling.

BECOMING WORLD CLASS

Fort Collins strives to be a world-class city, and in many ways its transportation system reflects that effort. Residents enjoy a convenient, ever-improving transit system and increasingly bikeable and walkable streets.

It also has, at least nominally, jumped on the bandwagon of Safe Routes to School, Safe Routes to Parks, Safe Routes to Everywhere.

But we need to do more than just say what we want to be; we need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

If Mexico City, Amsterdam and Sydney can make progress by electing a bike mayor, why can’t Fort Collins? Or Greeley?

Or Loveland? Anyone willing to step up to take NoCo where no other U.S. community has yet to venture?

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IT’S NICE TO BE NICE TO BIKES

How you can be bike friendly and a friendly cyclist KIM SHARPE

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IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS the nation, there’s a lot of buzz and competition around being “bike friendly.” But what exactly does that mean?

The League of American Bicyclists, the nation’s oldest bike advocacy group, packages bike friendliness within a framework of 5 Es: Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation. Its bicycle-friendly awards follow a hierarchy of precious substances. Fort Collins is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community,

Greeley and Windsor are Bronze, and Loveland has received an honorable mention. CSU is a Platinum-level university and Fort Collins boasts the most Bicycle Friendly Businesses (BFB) in the nation—62, ranging from Bronze to Platinum, with more expected soon.

PeopleForBikes, established in 1999 as a coalition of bicycling suppliers and retailers with a charitable grant-making arm, serves as another well-organized bicycling advocate. It just launched a new bicycle friendliness rating system for cities that takes into consideration Ridership, Safety, Network, Reach and Acceleration (how fast they’re getting friendlier). PeopleForBikes looks at data collected from local governments and private citizens through surveys. Its first-ever round of city ratings rolls out this spring.

These thoughtful rating systems provide motivation to be nice to cyclists, but what does it really take to be bike friendly? And who cares?

Well, everyone should care. At least everyone who also cares about traffic congestion, air pollution, social sustainability, health and living in a nice place. Bike-friendly spaces are people friendly spaces.

In an article about why bike-friendly streets are good for everyone published by AARP (yes, that association for old people), Barbara McCann, director of Safety, Energy & Environment for the U.S. Department of Transportation, says, “One of the things we’ve found with bike infrastructure is that it makes streets safer for everyone, not just bicyclists. It reduces the

frequency of crashes. It calms traffic, which makes streets less chaotic and safer for everyone.”

BIKE-FRIENDLY PEOPLE

Be a nice cyclist and/or be nice to cyclists.

If you drive (yes, drive) a bike, follow the rules of the road, because all of the rules that apply to motorists apply to you. Also, be predictable, never ride against traffic, and be especially aware at intersections. Also admit when you don’t know something. Regardless of your experience, there’s always something you can learn about being a safe cyclist. Check out the calendar on page 65 for safe cycling classes offered in NoCo. If you drive a car, pass cyclists with at least three feet of clearance (it’s a Colorado law), move to the far right when making a right turn (even if that means using a bike lane to turn right), and watch carefully for cyclists at intersections.

NoCo motorists also can go the extra mile and become a Bicycle Friendly Driver. During a one-and-ahalf hour interactive class taught by Bicycle Ambassadors, you can learn about rules of the road, who has the right of way and how to safely share roads with people on bicycles. (Learn more at www.fcgov.com/bicycling/ bike-friendly-driver-program.php)

BIKE-FRIENDLY BUSINESSES

Thanks to researchers at Clemson and the University of Pennsylvania, a study released in 2014 made it official: Folks who

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bike to their destinations—including work—are the happiest.

Kurt Freiberg is a happy bike enthusiast and regularly commutes by bike. He’s also a member of Bike Fort Collins and heads up the organization’s consulting team that helps businesses become more bike friendly.

He says, “Employers think they have to have showers to be bike friendly, but that’s not true. I like to find out what businesses do have for their workers and go from there.” He says simple incentives include secure bike parking, providing a bike repair kit, hosting bike safety, and maintenance classes and offering cash incentives for bicycling. “And often, businesses get their start by sponsoring a Bike to Work Day breakfast station.”

Employers who really want to shine go above and beyond, like Platinum-level CSU. Aaron Fodge, the university’s alternative transportation manager, says “We are designing our workplaces to support bicycle commuting by providing indoor bike parking, commuter showers, break rooms, lactation rooms and reflections spaces. We are designing our buildings to make bicycle commuting a reality instead of forcing our employees to rely on their personal automobiles

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because these amenities are not included in buildings.”

BIKE-FRIENDLY CITIES

Municipal investment in bike friendliness is where the rubber really meets the road. To see how towns and cities can become more bike friendly, just look around.

Throughout northern Colorado, you’ll find innovations to keep all users of roadways safer, like bike lanes physically separated from vehicle traffic, signage directing cyclists to the ever-expanding network of trails, and special intersections that give bikes priority over motor vehicles.

“Northern Colorado is a developing region. As such, we have the opportunity to plan for growth and ensure that bicycle infrastructure is considered and often required as we grow,” says Fodge. “We understand the social and economic benefit of bicycle commuting and recreating along with taking the steps to ensure our infrastructure continues to support that growth.”

At the end of the day, we all have a responsibility to be nice cyclists and to be nice to cyclists. After all, we’re all just people trying to go somewhere.

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| FROM TIME TO TIME | KIM SHARPE

BICYCLES ROCK AND ROLL As a high school student, Jeff Nye rode his bike from Indiana to Colorado, spending a week in Fort Collins. That’s all it took for him to fall in love with the city and then decide to move here in 1978. Every weekend during mountain bike or gravel rides, Nye’s passion for the place and cycling grow, much like his collection of bikes with distinct features and stories.

One special feature is the enormous but lightweight aluminum BSA signature chain ring.

1900 English Track Custom Stayer

Custom built by Birmingham Small Arms (BSA), this maple-rimmed bicycle was used in the exciting sport of motor pacing or “staying.”

These competitions, wildly popular in the early to mid-1900s, were held on steeply banked, wooden velodrome tracks where bicycles drafted behind motorcycles.

Maple rims

1938 Geared Racer Indexed shifter

Cantilevered Brakes

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1937 was the first year that variable gears were allowed in the Tour De France, which this light weight, 20-pound racing bicycle has. Its “Osgear SuperChampion” indexed shifter was the popular choice of several national teams for its reliability, the indexed shifter and ease of wheel removal when changing a punctured tire. Note, too, the unique brakes.

1888 Peugeot The lack of ambient light made one candle sufficient to ride at night.

This hard-tire safety bicycle combines High Wheel-era features, like the mounting step, spoon brake and solid rubber tires, with “new� elements, like a block chain and sprockets allowing for a larger, variable gear and the benefit (safety) of placing its rider closer to the road, thus eliminating dangerous falls. The handlebar grips are made from water buffalo horn.

Spoon brake

The bike and candle lantern were made in Paris.

Block chain and sprockets

1938 Geared Racer

The wingnuts were an innovation that eliminated the need for multiple tools and reduced the amount of time lost when repairing tire damage.

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1949 Alphonse Thomann 650b French Touring Bike

front changer/derailleur

This un-restored machine is a real-world bike made for every-day adventures, which are still happening! Its special features include a front-rod activated derailleur with a built-in chain guard, cargo racks and pedalcharged generator lights allowing it to go anywhere and do anything.

The carbon fiber fork, aluminum frame and other lightweight components are why this bike weighs in at a mere 17lbs.

1993 Alan Cyclocross Custom Gravel 2-Speed

Truly an international bike, this beauty features an Italian Alan aerospacegrade aluminum frame and an Italian Campagnolo crank set and front changer/ derailleur, (modified with a nod to the old French constructeurs), a German-made Tune carbon saddle; and U.S.-made wound-up carbon fork and Paul Industries chain tensioner.

front changer/derailleur

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| CULTURE CYCLE | KORY SWANSON

LET’S STAY LUCKY

IF YOU TURN THE PEDALS, DOES THAT MAKE YOU A CYCLIST?

WALK INTO A TYPICAL northern Colorado garage and chances are you’ll find a bike or two or eight. And you might think to yourself, “Wow, the person who lives here must be a bad-ass biker.” But does owning a bike or a quiver of bikes make someone a cyclist?

If you roam the hills and get lost in the woods on a mountain bike, does that make you a mountain biker? Do you have to use words like “rad” and “stoked” and wear baggy shorts and drink beer at the trailhead after the ride?

If you ride a fat bike in the snow when the trails are powdered over and the kids are skiing next to you, does that make you a fat cyclist that has to ride with pogies and a flannel shirt?

If you ride a gravel bike built for adventures, does that make you a gravel cyclist? Should you put racks and fenders on the bike and wear a colorful cycling cap under your helmet? Must you go camping on that bike?

If you ride a cruiser bike with a relaxed upright position and internally geared hub, does that make you a commuter cyclist that must wear one pant leg rolled up with a messenger bag slung over your shoulder?

If you ride a road bike, that makes you a roadie, right? One who must wear tight, stretchy Peter Pan clothes and funny shoes that make you walk weird?

Or maybe you ride a recumbent bike, a BMX bike, a track bike, an e-bike, a polo bike, a steam-powered bike, a touring bike…the list goes on and on, but let’s stop here and ask…

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Does having a fleet of different bikes at your beck and call make you a cyclist? Or does the simple act of throwing a leg over whatever top tube is handy, plopping your behind on a seat, grabbing the handlebars and pedaling off make you a cyclist?

Perhaps being a cyclist lies between owning bikes and riding bikes.

GET LUCKY

Here’s what is for sure. Anyone living in northern Colorado who pedals any type of bike is one of the luckiest cyclists around.

Lucky because this discussion resonates.

Lucky because someone before us had the forethought to put in a network of bike paths and bike lanes that allow riders to freely wheel about the area without having to constantly elbow for space with automobiles. Lucky that others, who care about cycling, work with land agencies and city and county governments to make cycling not only a viable form of transportation, but also a great way to recreate with friends and family.

As the region continues to grow, let’s stay lucky. Let’s continue to work together to extend the already incredible bike network of bike paths, bike lanes, bike parks, bike trails, gravel bike routes, bike polo areas...you name it. If it’s bike related, no matter how we each identify ourselves as cyclists, we should work together to continue to advocate for all things cycling.

To learn how you can get involved, flip on over to the BIG Bike Directory on page 39 for a list of biker gangs you can join— those who ride as well as advocate.

Join us this season for the best of Fort Collins: bikes, beer, farms, food and fun.

We create fortified connections through events with a purpose.

F O R T I F I E D C O L L A B O R AT I O N S . C O M

Keep Your

Ride KOOL!

ASK ABOUT OUR

CERAMIC COATING PACKAGES WINDOW REPAIR, PAINT TOUCH-UP AND FLEET DISCOUNTS ALSO AVAILABLE

808 East Mulberry Street • Fort Collins • Call for an appointment (970) 482-5668 GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

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MAKERS, SELLERS, WRENCHERS ........ 40 RECREATIONAL RIDERS ....................... 42 RACERS & TRAINERS ........................... 42 TOURS ................................................ 44 ADVOCATES & VOLUNTEERS ............... 44 BIKE FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS ............ 45

BIG BIKE DIRECTORY THE

Spot this icon next to Bike Friendly Businesses GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

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GET YOUR GEAR HERE

MAKERS, SELLERS, WRENCHERS

BERTHOUD

Berthoud Bicycle www.berthoud bicycle.com 443 Mountain Ave. 970-532-2290

ESTES PARK

Big Shot Bikes www.bigshotbikes.com 106 N. Link Lane, 970-775-1233 Black Sheep Bikes www.blacksheepbikes.com 204 N. Link Lane, 970-218-5952 Boo Bicycles www.boobicycles.com 1750 Laporte Ave., 970-444-2228

Estes Park Mountain Shop www.estesparkmountainshop.com 2050 Big Thompson Ave., 970-586-6548

Brave New Wheel www.bravenewwheel.com 105 E. Myrtle St., 970-416-0417

Via Bicycle Café www.viabicycles.com 751 N. Lake Ave. #110, 970-930-1842

Cantitoe Road www.cantitoeroad.com 2106 Rollingwood Dr., 800-422-2104

FORT COLLINS

Carver Surf Racks www.carverracks.com 1318 Duff Dr., 808-389-4372

Akinz www.akinz.com 15 Old Town Sqr., Ste. 132, 970-682-1750 2720 Council Tree Ave., Ste. 106 970-297-8678

Convertible Backpacks by Richard Jones www.pannier backpacks.com 1512 Elm St., 970-222-4190 CycleTote Bicycle Trailers www.cycletote.com 517 N. Link Lane, Unit B, 800-747-2407 Drake Cyclery www.drakecyclery.com 2100 W. Drake Rd., Ste. 4, 970-631-8326 Fort Collins Bike Co-op www.fcbikecoop.org 1501 N. College Ave., 970-484-3804 Fort Collins Bike Share Borrow a bike at one of several automated self-checkout stations around town. www.bikefortcollins.org, 970-221-6620 www.bike.zagster.com/fortcollins/ 202-999-3924

COMMUNITY PROFILE Michael Fitzsimmons Greeley City Council Member When your first bike was red with chrome fenders, a headlamp and raccoon tails tied to the handlebars, you knew you were in for some wild rides. While that old Schwinn was put out to pasture years ago, Michael Fitzsimmons remains an enthusiastic cyclist. He enjoys long road rides, and the challenges of cranking up hills and mountain passes. “I love my time on the bike, the people I meet and the challenges that come with riding,” Fitzsimmons says. “Training rides on the roads near Horsetooth Reservoir and Carter Lake are my favorite rides. Northern Colorado is great because of the variety of scenery.” When he’s not riding, Fitsimmons is serving as the resource development director for the Good Samaritan Society in Greeley, pastoring a Presbyterian church in LaSalle, legislating as a City of Greeley council member and helping his in-laws manufacture Take-A-Look Rearview Bicycle Mirrors.

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The Gearage Outdoor Sports www.gearageoutdoorsports.com 119 E. Mountain Ave., 970-416-6803 Jax Outdoor Gear www.jaxmercantile.com 1200 N. College Ave., 970-221-0544 Lawson Cycles www.lawsoncycles.com 120 W. Stuart St., 970-368-5529 Lee’s Cyclery www.leescyclery.com 202 W. Laurel St. 970-482-6006 931 E. Harmony Rd., 970-226-6006 Moonmen Bikes www.moonmenbikes.com 1304 Duff Dr., #12 970-556-4074 New World Sports, LLC www.newworldsportsllc.com 119 E. Mountain Ave., 970-416-6803 Niner Bikes www.ninerbikes.com 2330 E. Prospect Rd., Ste. 1, 877-646-3792 Oddity Cycles www.odditycycles.com 204 N. Link Lane, #5, 816-812-8598 On the Wheel www.on-the-wheel.com 106 N. Link Lane Parsley Art Ankle Bands www.parsleyartstudio.com Peleton Cycles www.peloton-cycles.com 3027 E. Harmony Rd. 970-449-5595 Performance Bicycle www.performancebike.com 2407 S. College Ave., 970-419-2770 Phoenix Cyclery www.phoenixcyclery.com 1532 E. Mulberry St., Ste. D 970-493-4517 proVelo www.provelobikes.com 4612 S. Mason St., Ste. 110, 970-204-9935

Recycled Cycles www.recycled-cycles.com 4031 S. Mason St., 970-223-1969 CSU Lory Student Center, 970-491-9555 REI – Fort Collins www.rei.com/stores/fort-collins.html 4025 S. College Ave., 970-223-0123 Richard’s Bike Shop www.facebook.com/pages/RichardsBike-Shop/1540553719601921 4319 Silverview Ct., 970-420-2039 Ridekick International www.ridekick.com PO Box 1486, 877-974-4440 Road 34 www.road34.com 1228 W. Elizabeth St., 970-689-3556 Rocky Mountain Recumbents www.rockymountain recumbents.com 1901 Sharp Point Dr., Ste. E, 970-221-4838

Ride www.ridegreeley.com 3830 W. 10 th St., Unit C4, 970-356-7617 Turnaround Bikes www.turnaroundbikes.com 134 11th Ave., 970-616-0770

LOVELAND

Adventures Unlimited – Bike Shop www.adventuresunlimited.org 103 W. Fourth St., 970-667-1604 The Bearing www.the-bearing.myshopify.com 2707 W. Eisenhower Blvd., Unit 4 970-420-5447 Breakaway Cycles www.breakaway-cycles.com 2237 W. Eisenhower Blvd., 970-663-1726 Days Roll By www.facebook.com/DaysRollBy 2650 N. Lincoln Ave., 970-481-4339 Lawson Cycles www.lawsoncycles.com 2707 W. Eisenhower Blvd. #4 970-368-5529 Lee’s Cyclery www.leescyclery.com 4880 Thompson Pkwy.

970-667-8735

Swobo Bicycles and Apparel www.swobo.com, 970-219-3166 Topo Designs www.topodesigns.com 130-B S. College Ave., 970-568-8628 Trailcraft Cycles www.trailcraftcycles.com 970-402-2384

Loveland Cycle ‘n Fitness www.lovelandcycle.com 524 Cleveland Ave., 970-667-1943 PUSH Industries, Inc. www.pushindustries.com 1520 Taurus Ct., 970-278-1110

YendraBuilt www.yendrabuilt.com 1304 Duff Dr. #11, 970-430-6505

Rocky Mountain Cyclery www.facebook.com/ RockyMountainCyclery 504 N. Garfield Ave., 970-669-2361

YiPsan Bicycles www.YiPsanbicycles.com 970-672-0168

WINDSOR

Spokes www.spokesinc.com 427 Main St., 970-686-9275

GREELEY

Bike Peddler Cycling & Fitness www.bikepeddler.biz 5240 W. 9th St. Dr., Ste. 200 970-356-3663

NORTHERN COLORADO

George’s Repair Shop www.facebook.com/pages/GeorgesRepair-Shop/135541259828468 825 W. 7th St., 970-352-9492

Beeline Bikes www.beelinebikes.com, 970-294-6455 Bike Wrench www.MobileBike Wrench.com 970-231-0605

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FIND YOUR BIKER GANG

RIDERS, RACERS, TRAINERS, ADVOCATES, VOLUNTEERS

REC RIDERS

Belle Starrs A women’s bicycle “gang.” No Spandex or fancy equipment needed, just a passion for two wheels. www.facebook.com/thebellestarrs

Fort Collins Cycling Club Recreational road cyclists of all ability levels. www.fccycleclub.org, www.facebook. com/groups/fccyclingclub/ Fort Follies Empowers women of all abilities and disciplines to ride for recreation or race competitively. www.fortfollies.com Front Range Women’s Bikepacking Brings women together through bikepacking—equal parts camping, biking, and adventures. www.frontrangewomensbikepacking.com

Loveland Cycling Club Welcomes all to join in group rides and other events. www.facebook.com/LovelandCyclingClub Overland Mountain Bike Club Builds and maintains trails, teaches people how to ride and patrol trails in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming. www.overlandmtb.org PEDAL Club (People’s Efforts to Deemphasize Autos in Loveland) Diverse members ride together and teach others how to ride safely. www.pedalclub.org Team B.O.B. (a.k.a, Babes on Bikes) Women mountain bikers of all ages and abilities ride, maintain trails, educate and participate in cycling-related community events. www.coteambob.com

RACERS & TRAINERS

9Seventy Racing A multi-sport racing team (cycling, running, swimming and snow sports) welcoming all skill levels. www.9seventyracing.com Ciclismo Youth Foundation (CYF) Promotes, advocates and creates youth cycling opportunities in northern Colorado. www.ciclismoyouthfoundation.org CycleBar Premium indoor cycling training. Free intro session. 970-283-7609 www.fortcollins.cyclebar.com Twin Silo BMX Supports bicycle motocross (BMX) racing at the USABMX-sanctioned track in south Fort Collins.

970-460-8030, www.epicbmxfc.com

COMMUNITY PROFILE Christopher Brown City of Loveland Police Officer Bikes rule in Chris Brown’s life. Actually, they’re kind of the law. Since he was 13, cycling has been a big part of his life. Whether working in a bike shop, building and maintaining bikes, racing mountain bikes (and winning) at state and national levels, riding with his children, coaching local high school bike racers or patrolling Loveland’s downtown streets by bike, Brown’s passion for cycling is palpable. What fuels that passion? “It’s probably the feeling of freedom we all feel as a kid when we first learn to ride. The feeling of accomplishment you get by riding long miles, at high elevation or on challenging terrain. And besides a great workout that keeps me fit, it’s just a good stress-relieving activity, something very important in my profession. I enjoy working on my bike too. I’ve always been fascinated with the simplicity and complexity of the technology that goes into the bicycle.”

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Gemini Training Systems Cycling training for athletes to help them reach their competition goals.

970-301-8510 www.geminitrainingsystems.com Northern Colorado Cycling Events (NCCE) Manages and promotes competitive cycling events in northern Colorado. www.YourGroupRide.com Source Endurance Individualized training to reach athletic, performance and competitive goals.

877-729-0911, www.source-e.net

BICYCLE TOURS

At Your Pace Freestyle Cycling Adventures Custom or self-guided bike or multisport tours that span one or multiple days. 970-776-0181 www.atyourpacebiking.com

ExperiencePlus!

Guided cycling tours in more than 20 countries. 800-685-4565 www.experienceplus.com Front Range Ride Guides Guided mountain bike tours of the Colorado Front Range and beyond.

720-470-1627 www.frontrangerideguides.com My Handle Bar A 16-passenger bar bike with pedaling seats offers eco-friendly tours of Fort Collins. 720-431-0119 www.myhandlebar.com New Venture Cycling Offers exciting and informative downhill bike tours in Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park. 970-231-2736 www.newventurecycling.com

Beer & Bike Tours Guides and support crew connect people to fun and safe adventures.

970-201-1085, www.beerandbiketours.com

ADVOCATES & VOLUNTEERS

Bicycle Advisory Committee A subcommittee of the City of Fort Collins Transportation Board that works to advise capital improvements, bicycle policies, priorities and future goals.

970-221-6515, www.fcgov.com/bac FC Bikes Bicycle Ambassador Program The education division of the City of Fort Collins that trains volunteers to become ambassadors of safe cycling. www.bicycleambassadorprogram.org Bike Fort Collins Unites NoCo in building a world-class community, committed to cycling for transportation, recreation and social good. www.bikefortcollins.org Campus Bike Advisory Committee Offers support and guidance to enhance the bicycle experience for the CSU campus community. Participation of students, staff and business representatives welcome. www.bicycle.colostate.edu

COMMUNITY PROFILE Jamie Gaskil-Fox FC Bikes Program Specialist Some people say they are what they eat. For Jamie Gaskil-Fox, it’s more like, she is what she does. She says, “Bicycles are central to my identity.” Fox’s love affair with bicycling began on fat tires. Once hooked, she raced for CSU, worked at bike shops and joined biking clubs. She rides for transportation and recreation nearly every day, plus volunteers to make sure her sons and their schoolmates feel safe and encouraged to ride. Gaskil-Fox says, “Working in the bicycling industry allows me to feel like I am part of the solution to so many issues we face today, including transportation safety, climate change, equity and wellness. I believe that what I do changes people’s lives for the better.”

About a year ago, she taught an Adult Learn to Ride class. One of the students was a 30-something-yearold woman who had never been on a bike in her life. “I will never forget the elation and tears of joy she cried as she circled the parking lot pedaling a bike for the first time,” recounts Gaskil-Fox. “Riding a bike changes people’s lives for the better and I love helping to give people that gift.”

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Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol Certified Mountain Bike Patrollers assist others on the trails in medical and or mechanical emergencies; educate trail users of proper etiquette; work on advocacy and trail work. www.overlandmtb.org Estes Park Cycling Coalition Promotes and increases cycling of all kinds in the Estes Valley, through advocacy, education, partnerships and community building. www.bikeestes.org FC Bikes Through advocacy, programming and planning, this City of Fort Collins program seeks to increase bicycling while creating and maintaining a bicycle-friendly community atmosphere. www.fcgov.com/bicycling Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op Dedicated to building community through bicycling in northern Colorado.

970-484-3804, www.fcbikecoop.org

Fort Collins Velo Park Association Working to bring a world-class community cycling venue to Fort Collins. www.fcvelo.org Greeley Bikes A City of Greeley initiative to encourage and educate more people to travel by bike. www.greeleybikes.com NoCo Bike & Ped Collaborative Advances connectivity of nonmotorized networks for recreation, transportation and economic development through coordination, education and promotion. www.nfrmpo.org/Resources Documents/nocobikeped.aspx

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Delivers bike and pedestrian safety instruction to Poudre School District and Thompson School District students. www.fcgov.com/saferoutes www.cityofloveland.org

BIKE FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS

Adventures Unlimited – Coffee Shop www.adventuresunlimited.org 103 W. Fourth St., 970-667-1604 The Armstrong Hotel www.thearmstronghotel.com 259 S. College Ave., FC, 970-484-3883

Northern Colorado Trail Advocacy Group Promotes and improves soft-surface, multi-use trails. www.facebook.com/NoCoTAG/

Aunt Helen’s Coffee House www.AuntHelensCoffeeHouse.com 800 8th Ave., GR, 970-775-3462 Benson Sculpture Garden www.sculptureinthepark.org/garden 2908 Aspen Dr., LV, 970-962-2327 Chapungu Sculpture Park www.chapunguatcenterra.com Sky Pond Dr., LV, 970-962-0011

COMMUNITY PROFILE Sarah Boyd City of Greeley Parks Planner & Greeley Bikes Coordinator Twenty years ago, Sarah Boyd would have laughed if you would have told her she’d be knee-deep every day in walking, biking and transit issues. “After all, what does a small town farm girl know about such things?,” asks Boyd, who grew up in rural Hudson, Colo. But boy howdy, does she know about such things. As a park planner for the city of Greeley and a League of American Bicyclists certified instructor, Boyd see’s bikes as integral to creating healthy communities. She feels it’s critical to gather input from residents about what they envision for their community, and personally stays in touch by biking to work, running errands by bike, and riding for fun on her vintage bright yellow Schwinn Breeze. She says, “There are a plethora of amazing people out there who are active in coalescing partnerships around community health, active transportation and creative place making. Find those people in your community. They are your tribe. Oh, and remember you will always be successful if you approach life with the same zest, determination and dedication you approached learning to ride your first bike.”

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Cranford Cove Tea Tavern www.cranfordstea.com 823 10th St., GR, 970-515-2664

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery www.fcmod.org 408 Mason Ct., FC, 970-221-6738

Cranked Up Coffee & Craft Beverages www.crankedupcoffee.com 215 N. College Ave. (inside Scrumpy’s) and SW corner of College and Mountain Aves., downtown FC 970-237-0334

The Gardens on Spring Creek www.fcgov.com/gardens 2145 Centre Ave., FC, 970-416-2486

The Cupboard www.thecupboard.net 152 S. College Ave., FC, 970-493-8585 Edge Optics www.edgeopticseyewear.com 706 S. College Ave. #101, FC, 970-682-2627 Fort Collins Food Cooperative www.fcfood.coop 250 E. Mountain Ave., FC, 970-484-7448 Fort Collins Lincoln Center for the Performing and Visual Arts www.lincolncenter.org 417 W. Magnolia St., FC, 970-221-6735

Howling Cow Café www.howlingcowcafe.com 5821 W. CR 54E, Bellvue, 970-980-9560 Kress Cinema and Lounge www.kresscinema.com 817 8th Ave., GR, 970-515-5717 Me Oh My Coffee and Pie www.meohmypie.com 3310 CR 54G, Laporte, 970-817-2252 Nuance Chocolate www.nuancechocolate.com 214 Pine St., FC, 970-484-2330 Otter Shop / Otter Box www.otterproducts.com 151 W. Mountain Ave., FC, 970-825-5650

Snooze AM Eatery www.snoozeeatery.com 144 W. Mountain Ave., FC 970-482-9253 Via Bicycle Café www.viabicycles.com 751 N. Lake Ave. #110, EP, 970-930-1842 Whole Foods Market www.wholefoodsmarket.com 2201 S. College Ave., FC, 970-267-9200 Wolverine Farm Letterpress & Publick House www.wolverinefarm.org 316 Willow St., FC, 970-682-2590 Woody’s Newsstand Café & Coffeebar www.besthometownnews.com/woodysnewsstand 942 9 th Ave., GR, 970-352-8117 The Wright Life www.wrightlife.com 200 Linden St., FC, 970-484-6932

COMMUNITY PROFILE Michelle Aschenbrenner City of Loveland staff engineer

Katie Guthrie City of Loveland principal planner The City of Loveland has a dynamic duo working to make its streets safer and friendlier for all types of users, including bicyclists. The tenacious team of two, Michelle (Shelley) Aschenbrenner and Katie Guthrie, say, “With each capital project, we’re looking at ways to add or enhance bike improvement projects.” Why? Because they both love active transportation, especially bicycling. “I feel that a bicycle is as equal a mode of transportation as your feet or a motorized vehicle,” says Aschenbrenner, who designs and manages roadway projects. Guthrie focuses on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Together, they’re unstoppable and gaining ground to respond to and support the increasing demand and level of advocacy in Loveland for active transportation. Just like when Aschenbrenner was reminded to ride slow in the Loveland Pet & Doll Parade as a kid, she and Guthrie are methodically taking the time to get the city up to speed in offering safe places for people to ride.

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GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

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Shifting Shots:

A PHOTO GALLERY OF TWO-WHEELED FUN

Jeff Barber at Glendo State Park PHOTO BY KENNY BEARDEN

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This Page: Bicycle repair clinic at the Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope

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Fort Follies group ride

2017 Bike to Work Day PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF FORT COLLINS

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This page: Front Range Women’s Bikepacking

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This page: Loveland Cycling Club 52 | RiDE

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We Love Loveland Cycling Event

Bottom three images: Wrench Night at the Bicycle Co-op

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PEDAL Club The Egg & I Fundraiser

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Tooth or Consequences Race PHOTO BY KENNY BEARDEN

Overland Mountain Bike Club in Moab PHOTO BY KENNY BEARDEN 56 | RiDE

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RiDE on To advertise in RiDE, call Greg or Scott.

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GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

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THE 2018

BIKE CALENDAR ONE OFFS

Events WEEKLY

WEDNESDAYS Ladies Night @ Source Endurance Training Center of the Rockies Indoor training sessions. Source Endurance Training Center of the Rockies, 1833 E. Harmony Rd., FC. www.source-e.net/training-center-ofthe-rockies.

JUNE Colorado Bike Month Participate in fun, encouraging, educational bicycle-related activities and events during the month of June. www.fcgov.com/bicycling www.GreeleyBikes.com www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

NoCo Bike Show A live-audience talk show for local bike news and updates. Check website for dates, times, locations. www.bikefortcollins.org.

MARCH 24 THROUGH 25 Crew Leader Training for Trails Leadership training for trail construction and maintenance. LV. $20; free for members of Overland Mountain Bike Club, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers and Colorado Addicted Trailbuilders Society. LV. www.wlrv.net/index. hp?section=events&action=list&type= trainings#event2426

MARCH THROUGH OCTOBER Trail Work Days Get dirty with Overland Mountain Bike Club members as they build and maintain trails throughout northern Colorado. Check website for days, times, locations. www.overlandmtb.org.

MARCH 26 Overland Mountain Bike Club Season Kickoff Party Hear about all the great things planned for 2018! The Agave Room at The Rio, 149 W. Mountain Ave., FC. 6:30-9pm. www.overland.org.

MARCH THROUGH AUGUST The Hex Wenches A bicycle werk night for FTW (femme/ trans/women) people. Fort Collins Bike Co-op, 1501 N. College Ave., FC. 970-484-3804, www.fcbikecoop.org.

APRIL 30 THROUGH JUNE 27 2018 Bike-to-Work Challenge Participate in the eight-week event to promote biking to work by competing with other Colorado organizations. www.goo.gl/iAJqVB.

MONTHLY

www.thecupboard.com

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MAY 9 National Bike to School Day K-12 students bike to school to celebrate active transportation.

Check with your school for special activities. www.fcgov.com/saferoutes www.walkbiketoschool.org.

MAY 20 McKee Classic Bike Tour A beautiful ride in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, this pedal-at-yourown pace community tour offers four scenic routes (10, 30, 37 and 62 miles) and family fun. McKee Medical Center, 2000 N. Boise Ave., LV. Â www.mckeefoundation.com.

MAY 20 Tour de Coop A 6- 8-mile bike ride from coop to coop around Fort Collins. Learn about chickens from beak to butt from experienced backyard chicken owners. $25/adult; $15/child. 8:30am-1:30pm. www.sustainablelivingassociation.org.

JUNE 2 Spring Take-a-Kid Mountain Biking Day Free event for kids of all ages! Location TBD. www.overlandmtb.org.

JUNE 2 National Trails Day Join others to work on local trails. A Loveland Bike Month activity. Oxbow Natural Area, 1135 Rossum Dr., LV. www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

JUNE 3 Open Streets Come Ride the Route during a day of car-free, family friendly streets with free music, art, more. Location TBD. 10am-3pm. 970-416-2628 www.fcgov.com/openstreets.

JUNE 8 Night on the Town and Bicycle Bonanza on 4th Street A Loveland Bike Month activity. www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

JUNE 9 Northwest Loveland Art by Bike Guided Tour A Loveland Bike Month activity. www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

JUNE 16 Downtown History and Architecture

by Bike Guided Tour A Loveland Bike Month activity. www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

JUNE 23 Downtown Loveland Art by Bike Guided Tour A Loveland Bike Month activity. www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

JUNE 24 Bike to Church Day A Loveland Bike Month activity. www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

JUNE 27 Bike to Work Day Ride your bike to work and fuel up at free breakfast stations located in NoCo communities. www.fcgov.com/ bicycling, www.GreeleyBikes.com www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

AUGUST (DATE TBD) Back to School Sale Kick off the school year with a rebuilt bike or buy an “As Is” bike and fix it yourself. Fort Collins Bike Co-op, 1501 N. College Ave., FC. 970-484-3804, www.fcbikecoop.org.

AUGUST 12 Wanda’s Ride The 6th annual fundraiser for Wanda Roche, paralyzed from a cycling accident. Prices vary. Start at Ryan’s Sports Grill, 925 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 7:30am-2pm. www.fccycleclub.org.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

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Aaron Fodge CSU Alternative Transportation Manager Aaron Fodge grew up on a farm in Western New York. When he was 5, his grandma and parents hooked him up with a banana seat bike which he used to commute from the house to the barn, but he never imagined a bike could take him to a job in a city, until he moved to Fort Collins. “When I moved here I had the revelation that daily bicycle commuting is really possible!” And since his job at CSU is to support all commuters with safe and efficient options to travel to work, he thought he’d lead by example. Fodge says, “I love commuting through the back roads of Old Town to CSU. I enjoy the camaraderie and I like ringing my bell to say ‘hello’ along my route.”

Another revelation Fodge has had is that, “Bicycling allows me to shift my paycheck from paying for car expenses to investing in my home and my community. And I’m quickly realizing another intrinsic benefit—improved health. I love it.”

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AUGUST 25 Ride and Tour of Fort Collins Farms A family ride to community gardens and farms in and around Fort Collins.

Local and artisanal snacks and beverages, and activities along the way. $30-50. Locations TBD www.fortifiedcollaborations.com.

AUGUST 26 Grow. Ride. Eat. at 3 Forks Progressive Farm Dinner A ride that starts at Odell Brewing and progresses to four local farms, where guests will enjoy a tour, music or activity, and a meal course paired with local beverages. Shuttle service available. $75. Locations TBD www.fortifiedcollaborations.com.

SEPTEMBER 9 Open Streets Come Ride the Route during a day of carfree, family-friendly streets with free music, art, more. Location TBD. 10am-3pm. 970416-2628, www.fcgov.com/openstreets.

OCTOBER 3 (TENTATIVE) Bike Projects Fair Learn about the bike-related projects and programs Fort Collins has planned for 2019. Location and time TBD. www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

SEPTEMBER 29 Fall Take-a-Kid Mountain Biking Day Free event for kids of all ages! Part of 2018 Tooth or Consequences MTB Festival. Lory State Park, FC. 9am12noon. www.overlandmtb.org.

DECEMBER 12 Winter Bike to Work Day Warm up with a free breakfast when you ride your bike to work in Fort Collins. www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

SEPTEMBER 29 THROUGH 30 Tooth or Consequences MTB Festival Saturday is Fest Day with demos, poker ride, contests, music and food. Sunday features a seven-stage MTB race. Lory State Park and Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, FC. www.tocmtbfest.com www.overlandmtb.org.

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Kurt Dallow, M.D. Doctor of Sports and Family Medicine If you turn to Dr. Kurt Dallow to fix what ails you, he’s likely to prescribe exercise, like riding a bike. And he practices what he preaches. He says he’s an everything kind of cyclist. “I commute to work by bike and have for over 30 years. I ride on the roads with family and friends. I have done some destination bike vacations with my wife and look forward to doing more when I retire from medicine. I race in triathlons. And a long mountain bike ride on singletrack is hard to beat, particularly if followed by a breakfast burrito and good coffee.” Beyond providing numerous benefits for one’s body, Dallow says cycling helps you connect with others and doesn’t pollute the air. “When people ride bikes, both the cyclists and Mother Earth win.”

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Rides WEEKLY RIDES

WEDNESDAYS, MARCH THROUGH OCTOBER Overland Mountain Bike Club Social Rides No-drop group rides every Wednesday evening, weather and trail conditions permitting. All abilities welcome!

Locations and times vary www.overlandmtb.org.

SATURDAYS Loveland Cycling Club Group Rides Cyclists of all abilities welcome. Ride start locations vary. 10am. www.lovelandcyling.org.

Saturday Morning Rides Hosted by Rocky Mountain Recumbents No-drop policy rides with refreshments after. Use of recumbents available on a first come first serve basis. Gather at 9:30am; rides leave by 10am. 1901 Sharp Point Dr., Ste. E, FC. www.rockymountainrecumbents.com.

SUNDAYS, MID-MARCH THROUGH OCTOBER Sunday Funday Road Ride Intermediate pace 15-17 mph average.

Leave from Lee’s Cyclery North, 202 W. Laurel St., FC. 10am. www.fortfollies.com.

MONTHLY RIDES

APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER RAT Rides Monthly Rides Around Town (RAT) with Bike Fort Collins. Check website for dates, times, start locations. www.BikeFortCollins.org

ONE OFF RIDES

APRIL 13 THROUGH 15 Overland Mountain Bike Club Destination Ride Weekend riding and camping trip. Lake Pueblo State Park/Canon City. www.overlandmtb.org.

MAY 18 THROUGH 20 Overland Mountain Bike Club Destination Ride Weekend riding and camping trip.

North Fruita Desert/18 Rd., Fruita, CO www.overlandmtb.org.

JUNE 8 THROUGH 10 Overland Mountain Bike Club Destination Ride Weekend riding and camping trip.

Glendo State Park, Glendo, WY. www.overlandmtb.org.

COMMUNITY PROFILE Lauren Nagle Fort Collins Bike Advocate Her first memories of biking include a pink Huffy and falling a lot. Thankfully for the community, Lauren Nagle got right back in the saddle. Nagle says bikes fit into every aspect of her life—even her living room, much to the dismay of her roommate. She interns with the City of Fort Collins FC Moves department helping with bike-related projects, serves as a Bicycle Ambassador and a Safe Routes to School instructor, teaches bike maintenance at the Bike Co-op, keeps the Fort Collins Bike Share fleet in shape, wrenches on bikes at the Murphy Center to help homeless riders, and basically is involved in almost every bikey event in town.

“The most exciting thing for me is being lucky enough to take something I am extremely passionate about and use it for work, as well as for play,” says Nagel. “I love bikes because they are pretty universal. I mean, sure, there are people of different capabilities and skills, but at the end of the day, we are all just simply humans going places by bike.”

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JUNE 10 Ride to Benefit Meals on Wheels 30-, 70- and 100-mile fully supported charity rides benefiting Meals on Wheels Loveland and Berthoud, plus a fun family ride route and family-friendly entertainment. 7am. www.active.com/ loveland-co/cycling/the-lovelandchallenge-2018.

JUNE 12 Discovery Bay Family Ride Casual 3-5-mile bike ride for the whole family. 715 E. 24th St., GR. 7-8pm. www.GreeleyBikes.com.

JUNE 23 THROUGH 30 Bicycle Tour of Colorado Fully supported seven-day road/ camping tour through the Colorado Rockies. Prices vary. Start at Lake County High School, 1000 W. 4th St., Leadville. www.BicycleTourColorado.com.

AUGUST 26 Poudre River Trail Full Moon Ride Ride round trip 20-25 miles or as far as you like. Riders under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Lights and helmets required. Trailhead TBD. GR. www.GreeleyBikes.com.

AUGUST 26 6th Annual Redneck Ride for Parkinson’s A 24-mile ride from Stove Prairie to Loveland. Lunch provided. Donations accepted to benefit Parkinson’s patients. Sign up with Rocky Mountain Recumbents at 970-221-4838 www.rockymountainrecumbents.com.

SEPTEMBER 21 THROUGH 23 Overland Mountain Bike Club Destination Ride Weekend riding and camping trip.

Steamboat Springs, CO. www.overlandmtb.org.

JUNE 28 Poudre River Trail Full Moon Ride Ride round trip 20-25 miles or as far as you like. Riders under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Lights and helmets required. Trailhead TBD. GR. www.GreeleyBikes.com.

OCTOBER 11 THROUGH 14 Overland Mountain Bike Club Destination Ride Weekend riding and camping trip.

Moab, Utah. www.overlandmtb.org.

JULY 13 Farr Park Family Ride Casual 3-5-mile bike ride for the whole family. 2610 13th Ave., GR. 7-8pm. www.GreeleyBikes.com.

Check www.yourgroupride.com for a comprehensive list of road and mountain bike races in NoCo.

JULY 27 THROUGH 29 Overland Mountain Bike Club Campout Weekend riding and camping trip. Curt Gowdy State Park, 1264 Granite Springs Rd., Cheyenne, WY. www.overlandmtb.org.

AUGUST 10 Pheasant Run Family Ride Casual 3-5-mile bike ride for the whole family. 4620 3rd St., GR. 7-8pm www.GreeleyBikes.com.

AUGUST 11 Moon Light Ride A 10.25-mile moonlit ride. Helmets and lights required. Minimum riding age is 12. 2875 W. 10th St., GR. 8pm www.GreeleyBikes.com.

AUGUST 16 THROUGH 19 Overland Mountain Bike Club Destination Ride Weekend riding and camping trip.

Crested Butte, CO. www.overlandmtb.org.

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Races

JULY 28 Laramie Enduro MTB Race One of the nation’s premier endurance mountain bike races. Various age categories and entry fees. Volunteer or race. Headquarters Road (FS 707), about a 20-min. drive southeast of Laramie, WY, 7am. www.laramieenduro.org.

SEPTEMBER 15 Stone Temple 8 Endurance MTB Race An eight-hour individual or team MTB race. Kids and adults. Curt Gowdy State Park, 1264 Granite Springs Rd. Cheyenne, WY. www.overlandmtb.org.

SEPTEMBER 30 Tooth or Consequences MTB Race A MTB race with seven timed stages featuring punchy climbs and epic descents. Part of the Tooth or Consequences MTB Festival. Lory State Park and Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, FC. www.tocmtbfest.com www.overlandmtb.org.

GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE AND EVENTS

The walk and ride skills hub, pictured above, is the ideal place to hone your bicycling skills while learning about safety with friends.

PHOTO COURTESY CITY OF FORT COLLINS

Classes Bicycle Friendly Driver Learn about traffic laws and responsibilities for both cyclists and motorists, shared responsibilities, and how to avoid crashes or conflicts.

Free. Ages 16+. Register online. Check website for more class dates. www.fcgov.com/bicycling/bike-friendlydriver-program.php.

Everyday Cycling Learn what to ride, what to wear, what to carry, how to carry stuff, route selection and safety techniques when you want to bike for every day transportation. Check website for class dates. www.bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

Cycling with Children Learn about the benefits of cycling with kids, including, kid-friendly gear, safety considerations, route selection, and how to teach children the rules of the road. Check website for class dates. www.bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

Cycle Touring Basics Prepare to pedal to your next vacation destination. Learn about bikes used for touring, panniers, trailers, camping equipment and clothing. Check website for class dates. www.bicycleambassadorprogram.org.Â

Women on a Roll For women interested in bicycling.

Learn about women-specific clothing and gear, where to ride, tips for biking with kids, safety tips, and how to connect with local women’s cycling clubs and organizations. Check website for more class dates. www.bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

Cycling in Winter Learn tips and techniques to help you ride safely, confidently and comfortably in the winter. Check website for class dates. www.bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

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| THE LAST MILE | GEORGIA GOULD

Shifting gears, GAINING PERSPECTIVE

I SPENT OVER 10 YEARS focused on training and competing as a professional cyclist, so when I decided to start a family, I also decided my pregnancy wasn’t going to be a competition.

I wasn’t going to be the most badass momto-be. I wasn’t going to set any records for ride

time or distance. Instead, I saw pregnancy as a time when I could step back from the focus on performance and rekindle my love and enjoyment of the sport.

Pregnancy provided a new framework for me. I no longer had to “suck it up” or “push through,” instead, I tried to listen to my body and do only what was asked of it.

I returned to the world of the recreational athlete. I became a “fair weather” rider. My goal was to stay active, be healthy and grow a healthy baby. I no longer worried about maintaining a certain heart rate or power. I slowed down and took in the view. I stopped and chitchatted with neighbors. I rode with friends that I never got a chance to ride with when I was busy training. I volunteered with some local programs to get more kids on bikes. I rode my bike slowly and enjoyed it.

After my daughter was born, I still listened to my body and started exercise slowly. But after a few weeks of riding, I began to feel like myself again, and I missed competition. I missed the challenge it provided.

So, I began racing a bit only a few months after giving birth, but it’s much different than

Georgia Gould has raced bikes professionally since 2004. She is a multi-time U.S. national champion and two-time Olympian. Gould was the bronze medalist in the MTB cross-country race at the 2012 London Olympics. Her daughter Quinn was born in June 2017.

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pre-baby. I don’t have hours to dedicate to training. I don’t get the ideal amount of sleep. My daily schedule revolves around another person. In the past, my pre-race routine was all about me, but now, I have another person whom I must take into consideration. While other racers pre-ride the course or warm up, I nurse my baby in the car until the last minute. I have no points, so I line up in the back of the field. Is that demoralizing? Nope. I know what it takes to be at the front of a race, and I know that since I’m unable to prepare to the best of my ability, it’s silly to have the same expectations.

Having a baby has changed my life, but cycling is still a part of it. It isn’t as big a part as it used to be, but that’s okay. Riding my bike keeps me fit and gives me some “me time” and that makes me a better mom. And I like how things ebb and flow through my life.

Perhaps when my daughter’s older I will return to more serious racing. Perhaps the bike will once more take a central role in my life, but perhaps not. Like an old friend, it’s always there for me. Even if we fall out of touch for a bit, we can pick up right where we left off.

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PHOTO COURTESY OVERLAND BIKE TRAIL CLUB

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