06 Elephant Rock Ride

6.4.2006 4:57:12 PM
06 Elephant Rock Ride
I was so bummed, I spaced my digital camera out after loading the family and bikes up for this adventure. But that feeling soon evaporated as we neared the start line or our bikes.We parked at town hall and had a short cruise to the DC Event Center and upon arriving I heard a name from my past over 20+ years ago.The name was Deb Burney from Silverthorne CO, I was a lift operator with Deb at Copper Mountain in the early 80's, apparently she left her drivers license at the KBCO booth and I jammed to see if I could catch her, but no; these days I am always hauling an extra 35 pounds minimum if my son is in the noodle, sans clothing. Oh, I am not overweight; it's just that I get to haul my kid in his Burley bike trailer; if it's not the Burly then it's the baby backpack or just my toddler himself.
We just did the family 8 miler seeing how we had not done any real biking other than chasing Dakota on his bike.The hill over by Crystal Valley Ranch is just big enough as to where you start cussing it then you see the aid station at the top, and a few more minutes then you are there.
After getting refreshed at the aid station, it's a screamer downhill then over the railroad tracks near the bottom, this day it was a rather brisk descent and we got stopped at the tracks by a train.It was kind of freaky being that close to a train going that fast and those track and rollers were squealing but ten feet away.Dakota really dug the train, but soon it passed so we could finish this downhill segment to the frontage road.Once on the frontage road, it's all over but the fat lady singing as they say.Over on the southbound frontage road the riders from the 50 and 100 mile rides are flying by.As we approach Plum Creek Parkway we have one smaller climb up and over the railroad tracks, with that done it's just a short cruise back to the event center festivities.Now all the give a ways, barbeque and party begins!
-Mike
www.milehidad.com