Bicycle Tour Colorado -- Well... half of it!

Bicycle Tour Colorado is a week long bike tour around Colorado. For those of you who don't really know what that is, basically, you bike from town to town over a week and the "tour" sets up the route, aid stations, transports your luggage in between, etc. to make it all possible.

When Ross said he wanted to bike more this year, we set it out as our goal to do it together. That, along with the support of our awesome parents (who came to watch the kids), made it possible. Here is the route:

 

Leading up to the tour, we did a lot of training together and had a lot of fun on our bikes together...

Then, the morning that we had to check-in for the tour, Ross woke up SICK! He tried to sleep it off that morning, we packed up, headed up to Breckenridge to check-in, and then he slept more. Sometime that night, Ross' fever broke (we thought) and Sunday he woke up determined to do this tour (we HAD been training for it for 6 months or so). So, off we went...

Heading out at the "official" start

Riding with my honey

First Aid Station, that's Copper Mountain behind us.

Ross was doing well, but some of his symptoms were coming back. From here, we took it REALLY slow up Fremont Pass (like there is another way to do it). But we still made it!

Ross was really hurting by now (sickness, not out-of-shapeness), so we just focused on getting down the pass and to Leadville.

We did and made it to our hotel where Ross sacked out for the entire night and his condition just got worse. Knowing this, we/I (since Ross was knocked out) had some decisions to make. SAG was an option... but not really. It would not be comfortable for him to SAG the following day in the heat with nausea. SO, the following morning, I woke up early and rode back to Breckenridge by myself, got our car and then drove back to Leadville to pick up Ross (all before 10 am).

From there, it was rest and recovery in Breckenridge for Ross. While he was sleeping it off, I tried to get some good riding in.

Top of Vail Pass - I rode it both ways one day.

Top of Ute Pass - possibly one of my favorite views in Summit County!

When Ross recovered, he insisted we try to salvage the end of the trip. So... come Wednesday, it was off to Crested Butte! The tour had their rest day there on Thursday to which we went on an awesome hike!

Start of the hike

Hiking in between Aspen forests!

Mt. Crested Butte behind us

Wildflowers starting to bloom - we're about 2 weeks early for the season!

And then on Friday, we got back to riding!
I took off with the tour, Ross drove to the end and rode backward to meet us. I went through Cottonwood Canyon (so pretty!) and then up to Cottonwood Pass!

View of reservoir on way up to Cottonwood Pass

Patty, Julie and I at the top of Cottonwood Pass

Hanging with our new friend in Salida

Saturday, we took of together riding with our friends when Charley's derailer broke 12 miles into the ride. Knowing this, Ross rode back, got the car, picked up Charley and his bike and then they met us at the 2nd aid station. From there, Ross and I rode the rest of the way together while Charley drove our car to the end (thank you, Charley!).

It was a hard ride, but one that I will treasure forever. It was long and uphill, BUT well worth the views and time. Basically, I had been looking forward to riding with my hubby in the mountains and showing him what I had the opportunity to do a few years ago... and this was our chance to do that. True, it wasn't a full week of riding, but we took what we got and we made it count. This week made me realize how lucky I am to have a partner in life that treasures the same things I do and is willing and wanting to make things happen. Over the week, we got stronger as a couple and stronger as riders.