Cycling in Colorado National Monument

brittanypanter
2017年3月19日
讀畢需時 2 分鐘

Day One of Ride the Rockies 2015 covered 47 miles of beautiful Colorado as riders ascended Colorado National Monument from the east entrance and exited through the west entrance, riding down into Fruita then finishing up the stage one loop in Grand Junction.

While this year’s route doesn’t include the towering monoliths and spectacular canyons of the Monument, we figured what better way to train than by retracing various sections from previous year’s? Following the 2017 training schedule as closely as possible, we decided to do last weekend's 90-minute ride along Monument Loop, a 10-mile circuit that connects with the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive to create a grand loop.

While this route isn’t part of the 2017 ride, it is part of the ICON Eyecare Tour of the Moon which will take place on September 30. Between 1980 and 1988, the Monument was the location of the “Tour of The Moon,” one of the most famous stages of the Coors International Bicycle Classic. During its heyday, the Coors Classic was the largest men’s and women’s pro-am race in the world, attracting the top teams and top riders. In 1984, the film American Flyers, was inspired by the Tour of the Moon and filmed in Mesa County. Get more information about the ride here.

Bicycle entry to National Monument is $5 but annual NPS passes can be purchased for a bargain $80.

If you embark on this route please keep these rules in mind (taken from the NPS website):

Bicyclists are required to obey all traffic laws including speed limits, passing zones, stop signs, and staying on roads.
Bicyclists are required to ride single file at all times within the monument.
Always ride as far to the right as is safely possible.
Please allow vehicles to pass you.
Do not pass vehicles in the tunnels.
Bicycles or riders must be equipped with lights visible from the front and rear for safe passage through the tunnels.Bicyclists must use a white light that is visible from at least 500 feet to the front and a red light that is seen from at least 200 feet from the rear.
Bicyclists are required to stop at Stop signs when entrance stations are staffed.
Bicyclists are required to pay entrance fees.
On the east side of the monument, cyclists may encounter large trucks that use four miles of the monument's roadway to access the community of Glade Park.