The folks behind the USA Pro Cycling Challenge formally unveiled their routes for the Aug. 22-28 stage race today, and the prologue — slated for right here in scenic metropolitan Bibleburg — should please the Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and any other buck-hunters hoping the area’s scenic beauty outsells its reputation for screaming loonies.
Unfortunately, it’s not much of a race course.
The 5.18-mile route is mostly downhill or flat, barring a short climb from the gun in the Garden of the Gods and another over the railyard approaching the finish at U.S. Olympic Committee headquarters in downtown Bibleburg.
The biggest obstacle will be a hard left turn at the bottom of Ridge Road onto Pikes Peak Avenue. Ridge is a steep little mother, ordinarily ridden in the other direction by cyclists seeking healthful exercise, and anybody who fucks it up will slide right through West Colorado Avenue and Highway 24 into the Red Rock Canyon Open Space, there to be eaten by bears.
From that point on it’s mostly bullshit — one quick right-left at North 29th Street takes the riders onto West Colorado Avenue and then it’s a long road that has no turning through Old Colorado City to the finish. In short, bor-ing.
I’m thinking the place to be is at that left-hander at the base of Ridge Road, with a big sack for carrying off the salvageable high-zoot components of the fallen. It’s an easy half-hour ride from Chez Dog, and I have plenty of messenger bags.
Meanwhile, here’s a short video clip of the interesting bits of the Garden of the Gods section from an unauthorized ride I took on the course this morning. Sorry about the jerky video, especially on the descent, but I had the Flip Ultra HD clamped to the stem instead of my helmet to cut the dork factor. I have to buy my own toys for this kind of playtime, don’t you know, and this thing was already in the quiver.
And slainte to Elvis Costello for letting me liberate one of his tunes for the shoot. He doesn’t exactly know or anything, but we share a name (Declan) so I expect he wouldn’t mind. Much.
Mad Blog Media 
Hey, fun video, but, uh…where’s my Dramamine?
What were you riding for this “shoot”? I’m guessing something with a rigid fork. Y’know, I’ve got this Rockshox Indy POS in my basement that someone gave me that’s reknown for being super squishy soft, you want it?
Hey, I warned you it was a puker. Yep, rigid fork, Jamis Supernova ‘cross bike. The helmet mount beats a stem mount, but a shirt pocket is preferable for this Flip dealie. Suspension doesn’t help …a chest mount is best, ’cause the torso doesn’t jink around as much.
What I need is a Contour or a GoPro, but the reviews are inconsistent and the prices high. Given my skill set and fitness it seems silly to piss away a half-G on a shooter meant for people who like to launch off the Sears Tower in hopes of landing on the Empire State.
That was one heckuva a slow downhill for a big guy………..
Maybe I am mistaken but didn’t you post a video of the proposed route in town a few months ago? Not that it matters but my memory is somewhat sketches on these details. Sort of like former governors from The Land to the Northwest of the Great White North.
We just got back from a weekend in Durango riding the tandem, getting plastered, and eating too much. Took a drive to Silverton while we were at it. Made me wonder if I could still ride from Durango to Silverton under my own power in under four days.
Aside from door zone bike lanes in Durango, overpriced gas, and highly overpriced food, it was at least fun to have clear air. My eyes are burning as I write this and the moon is blood red from the smoke in the air. Happy climate change and megadraught future, mates….
Played the clip on the iPhone while I was feeding 11-month old Hope, and she sent her kibble flying as she danced to the Attractions. So there’s your good deed for the day. Feel free to be unproductive for the next 24 hours.
That corner is going to be the place for sure.
I broke out the old road bike to try riding down and make that left at speed. It is difficult, hah hah.
Road bike not TT machine.
Good luck to the riders, keep the rubber side down, see you on the corner.
Derek