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Photographing Evergreen

Photographing Evergreen

My Uncle John Troisi is coming to Evergreen next week on a picture-taking mission. He has traveled all over the USA over the past three or four decades to take photographs, which he turns into breathtaking slideshows set to music. He is a prominent local photographer in the Susquehanna Valley (PA) whose work has been displayed in art galleries in his hometown of Williamsport.

Uncle John has chosen the Colorado foothills because he loves the western United States – plus two of his nieces and their families live here in Evergreen, presenting the opportunity to combine “business” with a mini-family reunion. Uncle John’s idea of a vacation is to wake up at 4 or 5 am so he can be on-site and ready to capture the sunrise, shoot for hours, then do it again for the sunset. My cousin Cindy and I are hoping to catch a little time with him in the middle of the days, if we can tear him away from his camera. (It would be nice if he would shoot us, but people are not his specialty. Perhaps he’ll make an exception this time!)

But we also want to give Uncle John the best advice we can on where he can capture the most unique, spectacular pictures in his short time here. Evergreen Lake House, Red Rocks Park and Mt. Evans are obvious candidates, but this whole mountain area is so spectacular – where are the hidden gems? Where should Uncle John go to get the most unique and memorable shots? He is willing to travel a couple hours – and then wait more hours for the right light.

Please pass your suggestion on! And feel free to share some of your own photographs.

—The Hammster

 

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Kids and Exercise

The Best Way to Battle Childhood Obesity:
Get Your Kid Moving!

I heard a debate on CPR today about whether or not government money should be spent battling our country’s epidemic of obesity. As you doubtless know, the incidence of obesity is growing at an alarming rate — more than 15% of American adults are obese, and in nine states, over 30% of adults are obese.

But it’s our children who are most at risk. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control — aided by video games, computers and other sedentary pursuits, and supersize portions.

So how do we fight it?

While experts no doubt are pondering solutions, sometimes I see the answer right in front of my eyes. Today I watched about a hundred kids aged 8-13 participate in Evergreen Park & Recreation District’s (EPRD) Kids Triathlon.  First they swam, then they rode, then they ran, before crossing the finish line and receiving a certificate.

Some of the younger, inexperienced swimmers needed pool buoys to keep them afloat for 25 yards across Buchanan Rec Center Pool. Some had their moms run along side them as they left the pool and ran to their bikes. Some girls rode onto the trail wearing helmets shaped like pink bears with little ears. One little boy was wearing an oversized “US Pro Cycling Challenge” jersey with matching riding gloves. Some were gasping and clutching their sides in pain as they limped across the finish line. Others charged onto the race course like Olympians, determined not to let anyone pass them.

But every child in this noncompetitive race had friends and family on the sidelines encouraging them. One mom waved a poster that said “Go, Alex!” Little girls waved pom poms and cheered for big brothers. Moms and grandmothers clicked photos and videos. The volunteer who managed the finish line called out to struggling youngsters, “That’s it! You got it! You’re almost there! You can do it!”

And you know what? I didn’t see a single case of childhood obesity today. Instead I saw healthy, active, happy kids, encouraged in their fitness pursuits by parents and friends in a friendly, noncompetitive atmosphere, on a beautiful summer day.

Battling childhood obesity? Perhaps it takes a village. And the Youth & Sports Expo on Buchanan Fields that followed the Kids Tri demonstrated that Evergreen is just the right kind of village to win this fight. It offers so many opportunities for children to stay active and healthy — from EPRD’s facilities, sports programs and teams; to Stingers soccer; to Nick’s Pro Fitness’s Tae Kwon Do classes; to Kinetic Dance; to the Tennis Bubble; to the trails on which we hike, bike and walk; and so much more.

So get your kids moving!

The Hammster

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What Kind of Crazy Would Ride Mountain Passes?

Well … me.

When I first moved to Colorado, I was amazed to witness the things cyclists can make their bodies do here. Coming from a sea level community of rolling hills just outside New York City, I was not prepared for the concept of riding on big, steep mountains. They just looked impossible.

I lived in Denver for a couple months, where the riding is relatively high but flat, and really enjoyed it. When my family arrived, we lived for a few months in a cottage on the back side of Lookout Mountain, where we’d see these seeming gods whiz by on their bikes day after day. They would climb up the steep, daunting mountain from Golden, push through miles of relentless uphill, switchback after switchback, and make it to the top with what looked like little effort, then speed down the other side.

I thought their hearts must be the size of basketballs, their veins huge, their determination incredible, and their pain thresholds incredibly low. I could barely get my heavy aluminum Cannondale to the top from the relatively easy other side without succumbing to an asthma attack.

 Then I learned about mountain passes. Colorado is full of them, paved roads to the top of high mountains. And many Colorado cyclists spend their free hours riding up them – on purpose. I couldn’t understand how it was physically possible! Independence Pass — 12,103 feet. Fremont Pass — 11,318 feet. Kenosha Pass — 10,001 feet. Vail Pass — 10,666 feet. Up. On two wheels. Pedaling. What were they, crazy? Superhuman?

Then my husband Bob, a rabid cyclist, caught the bug, upgraded the gears on his bike, and started spending spring and summer weekends attacking passes. My daughters and I were with him for his first, at the end of a Fraser vacation. We dropped him off in Tabernash, went out for lunch, then drove to the top of Berthoud Pass (11,315 feet), where he arrived a few minutes later, sweaty but triumphant. (He made a major miscalculation, though. In his desire to get up, he failed to realize that the best part of climbing a pass is then getting to whiz DOWN! He never made that mistake again.

For me, just getting three-quarter miles up the hill to our house in Kittredge was impossible. A trip to Velo Swap (veloswap.competitor.com/ ) a year and a half changed that, when I emerged with a used-but-awesome carbon fiber Specialized Ruby Elite with a triple chain ring and upgrades galore. A week later, I made it up the hill home by pedaling instead of pushing. Triumph!

First Pass

Last summer, we went camping at the top of Kenosha Pass, south of Bailey, and I tried to ride it – up and back from Como. Holy mother of God, despite 65-mile-an-hour traffic whizzing by and brisk headwinds, I made it to the top. Ecstasy! I had ridden to the top of a mountain pass!

Over Labor Day, we went camping at Turquoise Lake, outside of Leadville, where I tried to ride around the lake but found its steep hills still daunting. I did ride up most of Tennessee Pass, but the lure of the lake pulled me back to the campsite.

New Attitude

This year, however, something has changed in me and Bob’s encouragement has had a lot to do with it. I have attacked more and more difficult hills here in Evergreen – Witter Gulch, the loop from Alderfer/3 Sisters to Brook Forest Road. My confidence is increasing. Bob took me up Lookout Mountain a couple weeks back – and it wasn’t difficult On the 4th of July I rode to the top of Loveland Pass. Now, instead of surviving the final hill up to my house, I am attacking it.

This past Saturday, I spent the morning volunteering with the Evergreen Chorale group assisting riders on the Triple Bypass bike ride (www.teamevergreen.org/triple/). They were riding 120 miles, from Buchanan Park in Evergreen, over Squaw and Juniper Passes, then Loveland Pass, then Vail Pass, into Avon – and some were spending the night and riding back the next day. I helped last year and thought it was an unattainable goal for me. This year, something has shifted. As I watched riders go by – some of them lean and chiseled, but others flabby and big and heavy and, well, normal looking —  a new thought crossed my mind: “Hey, maybe I could do this.

Uh oh

When my shift ended I rode halfway up the mountain from which they came toward Echo Lake, and it wasn’t difficult at all. I do believe I am acquiring Colorado cycling legs. Who knew it was possible?

Looking for a Pass?

If you’re looking for a pass, there are a couple of excellent websites that can help you out.

See you on the roads!

 

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Cycling With Kids in the Mountains

I find cycling with kids is a unique challenge when you live in mountainous Evergreen. We live on a hilltop – three quarters of a mile up several switchbacks from the Bear Creek Canyon Road, above Kittredge. One kid is too scared of speed to ride down our twisting, narrow neighborhood road; the other is too lazy to go back up. Plus, their bikes don’t have enough gears to handle the elevation change! So what to do?

Back in New York, where it was flat, we had to navigate street lights, but at least there were sidewalks, and a golf course road with a few speed bumps but very little traffic.

There is a bike trail in Evergreen along the Evergreen Parkway, which is great if you live along that stretch – but it is very hilly, and may be too challenging for some kids, at least until they get into shape.

So we have to think creatively – and that usually means planning our rides, and driving to them. Here are a few ideas to keep the kids interested in cycling despite the obstacles:

    • Safety first. Use common sense.
    • Make sure the kids are snugly helmeted, their bike tires pumped full of air, and that they have a cold bottle of water and a snack.
    • Teach them the rules of the road – keep to the right, but not so far that you fall into the dirt along the side. A bike IS considered a vehicle and has the legal right to use some pavement space, and cars are obligated to give them three feet of space when they pass.
    • Signal when you turn.
    • Always look for wars before getting onto a road to ride.
    • Comfort next.
    • Make sure they are dressed appropriately for the weather.
    • Let them set the pace and the distance.
    • Don’t push them too hard.
    • Entertainment next. A destination with a reward at the halfway point is a great idea. Perhaps ice cream, frozen yogurt, some time at the lake.
    • Package the ride as time with mom or dad instead of – God forbid – exercise.
    • Make it easy. Don’t take your kid up to a mountain top the first time out, or they will put the bike in the garage and leave it there. Find a place to ride that will be fun but not too grueling, and gradually work your way up to more challenging terrain. Some ideas:
    • Upper Bear Creek. Start at the Evergreen Lake House and ride out Upper Bear Creek as far as you like, then turn back. (Ride single file, with your children in front of you, so cars go around you and you can make sure you travel at their pace.) It’s a gradual uphill, and coming back, it’s a gradual downhill. If you don’t like traffic, this may not be the ride for you. I used to ride in New York City, so for me, Upper Bear Creek traffic is negligible.
    • Bear Creek Lake Park. I suggest you park for free at the dirt lot across from the Conoco Station at Morrison Road and 270. Walk your bikes across Morrison Road to connect to the bike trail to Bear Creek Lake Park. (If you go right at the trail, you can ride into downtown Morrison. Stay on the trail and follow traffic rules – they ticket riders there.) Bear Creek Lake Park has roads and bike trails throughout, some flatter and some hillier, as well as a couple of lakes which could be destinations if you pack a swimsuit, towel, food and a few bucks into a backpack.
    • The I-470 Bike Trail. Head north from the parking at the Morrison Conoco and you will quickly connect with this bike trail which is uphill all the way to Golden.
    • Elk Meadow and Lair o’ the Bear have gentle mountain bike trails. The ones off to the left at Alderfer/3 Sisters are more hilly but easily manageable.
    • There’s a whole network of flat paved trails in the Denver Metro area. One that I especially like is the Platte River Trail. You can park at the Nature Center at Ken Caryl and Santa Fe in Littleton, then ride this trail for miles north into Denver or south toward Chatfield Reservoir.
    • Chatfield and Cherry Creek Reservoirs also have miles of trails and roads that area ideal for cycling with kids – and lakes to swim in (or rent boats) for the reward at the end!
    • Highway 74 from Kittredge into Evergreen is a nice little ride – again, you have to bear with the traffic – and the Café at the Place provides yummy froyo at the turnaround. If you’re coming from Evergreen, try From the Vine for a mid-ride break.
    • If you’re a camper, take your bikes along – most public campgrounds have paved roads on gentle terrain that kids love to ride around on. We have enjoyed riding at Turquoise Lake (near Leadville), Estes Park, Redstone (which has a 1 ¼ mile paved road into an adorable town with – you guessed it – ice cream), Woodland Park and many others.

Got any other ideas of places to ride with kids? Please share them!

–The Hammster

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Climbing Mountains – Getting to Know Colorado from the Top

My husband Bob has discovered mountain climbing.

At first it was 14ers. He climbed Mt. Bierstadt last fall with a networking group and got hooked on 14ers, vowing to try to climb every one in Colorado. For those not “in the know,” 14ers are mountains over 14,000 feet high. Colorado has more than 50 of them. (You can learn all about them at http://www.14ers.com/.)

Anyway, after a couple of 14ers spent with crowds of others also trying to scale the highest peaks, Bob bagged a 12er and had a revelation – the view from the top of a 12,000-plus-foot peak is still amazing – but without the crowds. Even a relatively shrimpy 8,700-foot or so peak like Mt. McClure, near Marble, which we climbed a couple of weeks ago, is amazing.

Now Bob is hooked on hiking Colorado. Every weekend he attacks a mountain. His only criteria – it should have a peak to aspire to. Recently my daughter and I joined Bob for a stroll to the top of Colorado Mines Mountain, which many will recognize as the peak with the weather station on the way to Winter Park Resort. It was amazing up there. We walked to the edge of a rockslide and sat on small boulder to eat our lunch. We gazed down upon two emerald green pools of water below with a lone tent set up between them, and pondered how it must feel like camping at the edge of the earth. In the dappled distance, we watched storm clouds rumble in. We breathed in the thin air, and stood atop the Continental Divide. We saw a marmot. We could see countless small trails on peaks all around us that we could hike on future trips, and our hiking thirst grew.

Perhaps I’m starting to understand those Mt. Everest idiots.

Naaah.

A couple of days ago, we scrambled with visiting friends up a short, rocky trail to St. Mary’s Glacier, which is actually a snowfield. The rain fell, lightning flashed and thunder cracked, and we scurried back down. We could have continued on past the glacier and hiked a 12er, but the weather conspired against us. Still, despite the wet and the chill, people were there with babies in backpacks, and with dogs on leashes. And the view was magnificent.

Try it! To pick your next hike, try 100 Classic Hikes Colorado by Scott S. Warren. It is full of hiking suggestions, though we have found distances to be inaccurate. The descriptions, however, are very thorough.  Get out there this weekend and hike up a mountain!

–The Hammster

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Surviving the Heat

I lived my entire life on the east coast until I moved to Colorado 3 ½ years ago. That means I spent a lifetime of summers sweating in the oppressive heat. I lived for a decade in Washington, DC, a city built on a swamp where most summer evening runs would be enfolded by the crush of temperatures and humidity levels in the 90s.

One of my favorite things about living in Evergreen is that I barely shed a drop of sweat during summertime runs. Even when it’s blistering down the hill, up here at 7,200 feet I enjoy the breeze moving through my house, and the nip in the air at night – even in July and August – that requires me to keep a sweater close at hand.

But those are just distant memories? Aren’t they? For much of the last two months, I have been revisiting unpleasant memories of my former life grappling with heat and humidity. Being an athlete makes it even more difficult. But with another week stretching ahead of temperatures well into the 90s, it occurs to me that most people living here in the mountain area don’t have the benefit of experience on how to maintain fitness and survive in the summer heat.

So here are my tips on beating the heat:

  • Exercise early or late. Avoid the heat of the day if at all possible.
  • Wear a hat with a brim to keep your head cool. Get it wet if you can!
  • Wear light, breathable clothing.
  • Stay hydrated! Carry a water bottle. Start drinking half an hour before you start exercising, because it takes that long for the “juice” to reach your muscles. I recommend a sports drink to replace the electrolytes you lose through sweat.
  • Change it up to make life a little easier! Perhaps try riding a bike instead of running, because the breeze you create through speed cools you down. Or walk instead of run. If you do choose to run, reduce your mileage, or walk on the hills. Better yet, give yourself permission to take a day off!
  • Wear sunscreen. Obvious.
  • Carry a phone and ID, in case you run into trouble with the heat.
  • Consider moving your exercise indoors. We have lovely, air-conditioned recreation centers with lots of indoor class options.
  • Tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back.

Remember, you aren’t going to lose your fitness level if you cut back or take a day or two off because of the heat. You will lose a lot more if you push through it and hurt yourself by overheating. Listen to your body and enjoy the summer weather!

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Berrian Mountain: A Hidden Gem in Evergreen South

I recently hiked up to the 9,147-foot peak of Berrian Mountain in Evergreen South with my daughter’s Girl Scout troop.

Berrian is a Denver Mountain Park reached by driving up, up, up through a winding, hillside neighborhood off Rte. 73 near Conifer. Despite driving through the area countless times, I never even knew it was there.

According to Wikipedia, Berrian Mountain was named after George, Dan and Ray Berrian, who came from Kansas to Colorado in 1887. Previously, it may have been called McIntyre Mountain after Duncan McIntyre, who owned property on the east side of the mountain.

According to one of the kids on our recent Girl Scout hike, there are nine geocaches hidden near the trail up to the peak of Berrian Mountain, so bring your caching equipment ad a pencil! (If you don’t know what geocaching is, watch this space – a blog about this fun 21st century activity is coming soon!)

Berrian Mountain is considered a “Conservation/Wilderness Park,” which means it’s one of a group of isolated Denver Mountain Parks parcels that were never intended to be developed. It’s not easy to access and has very little parking next to the trailhead. (Find it on this map of Denver Mountain Parks: http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/626/documents/DenverParkMap_2010_mountain_pg1.pdf. For driving access, use this map: http://goo.gl/maps/mqovf

The trip is worth it – in the two-hour hike to the summit and back, you’ll encounter prominent mountaintops, forested ridges, steep slopes, rocky outcrops, and narrow riparian corridors. You’ll sweat. Your jaw will drop in awe. Your kid will complain about the hard work of climbing. You’ll feel invigorated. At the summit, you’ll be rewarded with a steep, rocky ridge to climb on, an amazing view of south Evergreen, and the knowledge that it’s all downhill from here!

–The Hammster

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Join the new Evergreen Multisport Club!

I love to work out, but I haven’t found the right group in Evergreen. The Denver Road Runners are too far away. Team Evergreen is too intense – I don’t always want to ride 50 or 100 miles over mountain passes. The Foothills Running & Cycling Club, which I helped found, decided to focus on Golden. I don’t want to have to drive 30 or 45 minutes to find workout partners — I want friends here in the mountain community, and friends who are pursuing the same healthy lifestyle as me.

So after three years of solitary workouts, I have taken the plunge and founded the Evergreen Multisport Club. I used that great online “Meetup” tool, which allows you to start a group and get it up and running immediately!

The Evergreen Multisport Club brings together athletes looking for training partners for running, cycling and swimming in our beautiful mountain community.

All ages, ability levels (from super slow to fast) and commitment levels (from casual duffer to intense competitor) are welcome, whether you are new to a sport, seriously training for a biathlon or triathlon, or just looking for someone to ride 20 miles with, or run 4 miles with, on a Saturday morning or after work on a weeknight.

Is the Evergreen Multisport Club right for you?

  • If Team Evergreen is too intense for you but you’re looking for a good workout with companions, the Evergreen Multisport Club is the place for you.
  • If you want to work out hard and be pushed by a peer, the Evergreen Multisport Club is the place for you.
  • If you’re just getting in shape and want support from a group, the Evergreen Multisport Club is the place for you.
  • If you want relay partners in races or multisport events, or a team to compete with, the Evergreen Multisport Club is the place for you.
  • If you want to discover new people and new trails, the Evergreen Multisport Club is the place for you.
  • If you enjoy eating brunch or throwing back a beer or two with a friend post-workout, the Evergreen Multisport Club is the place for you.

Regular workouts

The club’s first event, a 4-mile run in Lair o’ the Bear Park in Idledale on a recent Saturday morning, was marred by hail, pouring rain, and cancellations, but I went there anyway and ended up having a wonderful run and brunch with Julie S., another Evergreen athlete seeking friends in her community. We had four cyclists show up for our second event, a road ride in Ken Caryl; through fabulous red rocks.

The club is set up so anyone can post a workout and invite people to join them. We are having a social event on June 1 to get to know each other and talk about what we want the club to “be.” Join us!

Find the Evergreen Multisport Club online at http://www.meetup.com/EvergreenMultisportClub/.

— The Hammster

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Running 50 Miles for Fun and Firefighters

Believe it or not, there are people who think a marathon is short. There are people who love to run ridiculously long distances on a regular basis – 20 miles, 30, 50, even 100! I admit, I am not one of them. For me, a four or five mile run is just right. But I know a few crazies who revel in the “ultra” lifestyle.

One of them in our area is Janice O’Grady, a 60-something retired attorney from Conifer who looks 20 years younger. Her cheeks are pink, her eyes are bright, her step is spry, and I attribute it to her active lifestyle. Going out for a 20-mile run in a windstorm is no problem for her, though her porcelain doll beauty doesn’t hint to such inner steel.

“I’ve been running ultras since 1987,” she says. “I’ve done 110 of them now.”

In 2010, Janice pioneered a 50K (30.1 miles) and 50-mile trail run down in Pine to raise money for the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department. She started the race simply because “there was a need. When we moved here from California, I discovered that there weren’t any true Front Range mountain ultras. There was really a need and I knew how to do it so I did it!”

The first North Fork Trail Race attracted 110 ultra-runners. Last year, 150 people ran, and this June 30, she’s adding the Evergreen Chorale as a beneficiary and expecting 175 runners, coming in from all over the United States and even Italy.

“It’s an amazing number that are just local – Conifer and Evergreen,” Janice says. “We also see a bunch from Colorado Springs, Boulder, and all over the Denver metro area.”  Janice says the race is getting close to full, so sign up soon if you want to do it, at northfork50.com.

Volunteers Needed

Don’t want to run 30 or 50 miles? Completely understandable! Volunteers are also needed – to set up the course, give out water, help at the aid station at the halfway point, set up the BBQ, help with parking, register runners and more. Volunteers get a T-shirt with the race logo, all they care to eat at the l barbecue, and a day of fun and inspiration.  Please email northfork50@live.com to volunteer.

The Course

The North Fork Trail Race is run entirely on trails in the beautiful Buffalo Creek Recreation Area in the Pike National Forest. It starts and finishes at Pine Valley Ranch Park.  The course is hilly and it is very challenging for those who are not experienced mountain trail runners, but speedsters who are used to altitude enjoy the course.  The friendly aid stations, beautiful scenery and generous time limits make North Fork an excellent choice for a first trail ultramarathon. Runners get unique finisher awards, a high-quality gender-specific tech shirt, and a fabulous post-race barbecue.

North Fork Volunteer Fire Department

The North Fork Volunteer Fire Department protects the area where the race is run.  These firefighters have valiantly battled a number of fires in recent years that have changed the landscape. Learn more about them at www.northforkfire.org/.

The course winds through some of the burn areas, as well as through pristine forests of ponderosa and lodgepole pines dotted with fields of wildflowers.  It is 100% trails, mostly single track and some double track, with mostly good footing, at altitude ranging from 6,700 to 8,100 feet.  Elevation gain is about  4,500 feet for 50K and 7,200 feet for 50 miles.

Evergreen Chorale

Part of this year’s proceeds will also go to the Evergreen Chorale, members of which will be volunteering on race day.  Janice has appeared in a number of their theatrical and choral productions, most recently in a leading role in the musical Quilters. Learn about the Chorale at www.evergreenchorale.org/.

Contact Janice for more info about how you can get involved in the North Fork ultra race, at (303) 903-3533 or northfork50@live.com.

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Safe Cycling Tips, Evergreen Style

As I was riding on the bike path along I-470 this morning, the wind whizzing through the vents in my my helmet as I labored uphill toward Golden, I passed a cyclist plummeting downhill at top speed with a bare head. “What an idiot!” I thought.

My husband has landed in the ER twice because of riding accidents – once he toppled headfirst when he hit a raised utility lid while riding downhill, and the second when he hit a dollop of tar that had been dropped onto a newly paved roadway. The second time, an examination of his helmet showed a long, deep ridge in the back, just to the right of where his brain stem would be

Fortunately for me, Bob isn’t a vegetable and I am not a widow for one important reason – he wears a helmet. He still suffered road rashes and mild concussions, but emerged to ride again, and again, and again.

So, with spring here and people stampeding outdoors to get the exercise many of us have foregone all winter, I now present, in no particular order, tips for keeping safe when cycling.

  1. Always, always, ALWAYS wear a helmet. I don’t care how hot it is. This rule is not negotiable. And make sure your kids are helmeted, too, even riding around the neighborhood. The helmet should fit and be worn snugly, so there is room for just two fingers between the strap and your neck.
  2. Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.
  3. Ride what you can handle in terms of distance and terrain. Don’t try to do too much and risk finding yourself far from home and incapable of climbing the big hill you need to forge to get there.
  4. Ride on the right side of the road, but don’t feel forced onto a narrow shoulder. You are considered a vehicle and cars and trucks are required to pass you and give you plenty of space. When it’s congested, if you’re riding with someone, ride single file.
  5. Carry a patch kit and a spare tube, and make sure you know what to do with them.
  6. Carry a pump. Doesn’t do much good to be able to change a tire if you can’t pump it up!
  7. Carry ID – your driver’s license, or a Road ID device (http://www.roadid.com/) – in case something happens to you. A credit card and $20 cash are a good idea, too.
  8. Carry a phone. If it has Latitude on it, even better. This app can help your significant other find you if you don’t make it home.
  9.  Make sure your bike is maintained in good condition.
  10. Always carry a bottle of water or a sports drink. If you’re going more than 20 miles, carry two. It’s a good idea to carry an energy bar or two as well.
  11. Wear sunscreen.
  12. Take it slow on the way down, Yes, a fast descent is a real rush, but if the road is windy, make sure you can control your speed, especially if you hit a rock.
  13. Check the weather before you go out. Sometimes you should stay home – if it’s raining (slippery roads), or there’s thunder and lightning, or hailstorms in the area.
  14. Dress appropriately, and be prepared. Just because some idiots ride in shorts and short sleeves below 30 degrees doesn’t mean you should. Do you know how to spell “hypothermia?” Also, there’s a huge difference between how your body feels climbing up Squaw Pass (Whew! Sweat!) and how it feels whizzing down the other side (Brrr!). Carry extra gear, at least a wind vest or light jacket. If you’re doing a pass, check the weather at the TOP and prepare for it.
  15. Ride with friends! Team Evergreen is available for the intense and hardcore. For more moderate mountain cyclists, I just formed the Evergreen Multisport Club. The goal is to bring together cyclists, runners and swimmers for training partners, friends, and fellow competitors. Learn more at www.meetup.com/EvergreenMultisportClub.
  16. Got any other ideas? Please add them, or share your experiences!

See you on the roads!

The Hammster

Coming next week … Riding with kids when you live in the mountains.