Join a Group Ride
 
My introduction to riding with a group came one summer evening when I timidly decided to join a well-known ride in my area. As much as I enjoyed my solo adventures, I wanted to start connecting with other cyclists. The entire day I worried about it. Was I fast enough? Were there some secret rules I didn’t know? Was my bike good enough? Did I have the right gear?
I worried I would be secretly judged, or dropped, or worse. In some ways, it felt like the first day at a new school. I almost backed out at the 11^th hour, but I made myself go through with it, and in retrospect I’m glad I did. When I showed up, there were guys with much more expensive bikes, flashier kits, and legs that looked like they could dish out some serious hurt. But of course, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Everyone was pretty nice and I didn’t get dropped; nobody bike or my kit or my helmet.
said anything about my
I showed up again the next week, and the week after, and had soon become a regular at the ride. And a funny thing happened. I began to develop more as a cyclist. Not only did I get faster, and develop more endurance, but I learned more about cycling. And, most importantly, I made some good friends that I started riding with outside of our group.

It’s not to say I don’t still love riding alone. I do. In fact, I eagerly wake up early on Sunday mornings for my long, solo ride into the country. But I still regularly show up to group rides to make some friends, push myself, and test my mettle.

As a cyclist, whether recreational or competitive, riding with a group has a lot of benefits.

1.    You’ll Get Stronger: It’s almost a guarantee that many, if not most, of the riders in the group will be stronger, and you’ll have to push yourself out of your comfort zone. This leads to big improvements in your fitness.
2.    You’ll Learn More: Are you pushing too big of a gear? Not shifting in the right spots? Every group ride is full of riders who are eager to share what they know. Just try not to take offense, they’re just trying to help.
3.    You’ll Feel More Confident: You never know what you’re capable of until you try. Riding with a group will help you quickly master many of the complexities of cycling and be a stronger, more confident rider over all.
4.    You’ll Make Friends: Unless you’re that guy (and you don’t want to be that guy) that attacks when someone flats, you’ll probably make some pretty good friends on your group ride.
5.    It’s Fun: Sometimes riding can become a chore, especially if you always ride alone. Instead of always doing the same routes and struggling in the same spots, riding with a group can help spice up your riding life and give some variety to your cycling.

An Easy Mountain Bike Ride in Breckenridge

If you’re anything like me this isn’t your first time on a bike but you’re also not totally ready to trust a thin piece of aluminum on two wheels to take you down a black diamond level bike trail quite yet. With this in mind I recommend the Sally Barber Mine Trail for an easy mountain bike ride in Breckenridge.
Depending on how long you want your ride to last there are two great starting points for this easy mountain bike ride in Breckenridge. The first of which is the longer of the two, park your car at the B&B Trailhead, just past the Country Boy Mine on Wellington. Wellington will have turned into a dirt road by this point and parking will be on your right hand side.

From here, unload your bike and head back out to the dirt road and turn left. This Elevation Ski and Bike this is a great time to play with your gears and get the feel of your new bike.
is where your climb will begin. If you are renting a bike from
Continue straight on the dirt road. The climb will slowly take you up the hill, where you will pass some beautiful homes in addition to a few other bike trails. The road will start to level out and there will be a large turnout on your right hand side, this is the second spot to start your easy mountain bike ride in Breckenridge.

From here your easy mountain bike ride truly begins. Approximately thirty yards up from the parking area there will be a fork in the road. Take a right and drop down slightly and ride through the opening in the gate. The gate is wide enough for your handle bars to easily fit through, just make sure you are looking where you want to go and not at the gate!

Once through the gate settle in and enjoy the scenery. You are now on a rocky old 4WD road. This is where your climb starts. The incline is subtle but you’ll eventually feel it on your legs. There will be a small stream on your left hand side and the surrounding trees provide some shade most of the way up.
This easy mountain bike ride in Breckenridge is just over a mile each way from the gate. At the top get off your bike and enjoy the beautiful views of town and read about Sally Barber Mine. You can catch your breath while you brush up on Breckenridge’s mining history.

The ride down is your reward! This easy mountain bike ride in Breckenridge is a great way to get comfortable with some speed as there is plenty of space allowing for some forgiveness. Be sure to keep an eye out for bikers and hikers on their way up though as Sally Barber Mine is quite a popular trail.

Remember to pack extra water and some snacks and enjoy your easy mountain bike ride in Breckenridge!

Riding Gravel

1. Tires/Rims

What To Do: Run the widest tires your bike will fit—for most road bikes this will be 25-28mm tires. The bigger tires will provide a larger contact patch, which will help improve traction on loose gravel and dirt. The larger air volume will also let you run lower air pressures to improve comfort without risking a pinch flat. Look for a tire that features a puncture-resistant belt and a moderate file-type or Roubaix tread.

 Hacks: Even if your bike’s clearance is limited to a 25mm tire, you can get more air volume by using a wheel with a wider rim. The wider rim gives the tire a wider stance, allowing the tube to inflate more fully. Examples would be HED Ardennes, Mavic’s new Ksyrium 4D, or Zipp Firecrest. If you bought a new Fuji or Diamondback road bike in the last two years, you’re in luck. The Oval 500- and 700-series wheels spec’d on most 2014 and later Fuji’s already feature a new wider rim profile, while most 2014 and later Diamondback’s come with nice and wide HED Tomcat or HED Ardennes rims.

Be Careful Of: While wider tires do have lower rolling resistance, that’s only true to a point. When I first got the Fenix SL and was playing around with tires and rims, I was delighted/astounded to realize it would clear a ~33mm tire. With rim brakes. The balloon tires handled great on the gravel, but out on the road they felt sluggish and slow. Realizing that Alpine Loop had only ~15 miles of gravel, with 90-something miles of road, I opted to go for a slightly smaller tire.

2. Tire Pressure

What To Do: For the Northern Classics like Paris-Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen, the pro team mechanics consider tire pressure to be their most closely guarded secret. Finding the right tire pressure for gravel riding is about finding that happy medium between a low enough pressure that the bike feels comfortable over the jarring surface, but high enough to avoid pinch flats or rim damage. Finding the right pressure will depend on your body weight, tire width, and rim width. There are no ready-made solutions, so you’ll have to experiment to find what works right for you. Generally, the best bet is to start at 20 PSI under the tire or rim manufacturer’s recommended max (whichever is lower) and then go down from there.

Hacks: Run your front and rear tires at slightly different pressures. Run the rear wheel 5-10 PSI higher than your front, since it’s bearing all of your weight and will be taking far more punishment. The front tire can handle lower pressure, which will help reduce the amount of vibration and jarring hits going into your arms.

Be Careful Of: Going too low. Too low of a pressure will allow the tire to compress all the way to the rim if you hit something hard enough and fast enough. This can both cause a pinch flat (“snake bite puncture”) if you run clinchers, and possibly lead to damage to your rim whether you run tubeless or clinchers.

3. Bar Tape

What To Do: Even with big tires, wide rims, and the right tire pressure, gravel can still deliver a pretty rough ride. If you’ll be doing a lot of gravel riding, or are looking at setting up a dedicated bike, you may want to opt for some thicker tape (in the 3mm thick range), adding some gel inserts under the tape, or even double wrapping.  This will provide more cushion to improve comfort and relieve pressure on the ulnar nerves.

Hacks: Next time you wrap your bars, you can get a little more padding by utilizing the extra tape. Most rolls of handlebar tape will have more than you need, requiring you to cut off the extra. Once you’re done wrapping and have cut off the excess, unwrap the bars back to the lever, and place the extra tape on the bars where you feel you need some extra padding, then wrap back over it.

3mm thick bar tape helped take the sting out of the gravel. Also note the climb cue sheet taped to the stem to help anticipate efforts and plan when to fuel.

4. Torque Is Your Friend

What To Do: Most riders will need to significantly gear down to ride gravel. A high cadence with lots of torque is your best friend in situations where the gravel or dirt gets loose and sloppy. The higher cadence will allow you to power through situations where you lose traction, and allow you to stay on top of the gear without having to resort to standing up—which is a no-no on gravel. Depending on the gearing you already run on your bike, you may need a bigger cassette, smaller chainrings, or both.

Hacks: Consider upgrading your rear derailleur to a medium/long cage model (Shimano GS or SRAM WiFli). It will still work perfectly with your normal cassette for every day riding, but will also give you the option of running a huge 11-32t cassette when the time comes.

Be Careful Of: Overestimating yourself. There is no such thing as too low of a gear on a long ride with lots of gravel, especially if it’s hilly. I seriously considered using a 52/36 on this ride, and only reconsidered at the last minute after consulting with some friends. That would have been a disaster, and I’m glad I listened to them. Too high of a gear will force you to have to stand on a hill, which will unweight your rear wheel and break traction. The wheel will spin out from underneath you, and most likely you will crash.

Trekking Poles - How to use them

Trekking poles sure do come in handy for balancing a heavy pack or taking a load off your knees — but they really shine when it comes to navigating on all sorts of challenging terrain. Here’s how to tweak those poles to make sure you’re getting the most possible support out of them in every condition and type of terrain.

Deep Snow

Stop! Don’t take your trekking poles into deep snow unless they have snow baskets on them — a big discs that sits just above the tip of each pole, keeping it
from sinking too far into the snow. On most trekking poles, you can just unscrew the old baskets or snap them out (if they’re there in the first place), then screw or snap the new baskets in.
Poles come in especially handy if you fall while snowshoeing in deep snow. If the snow’s too deep for you to poke a pole down against the ground and lever yourself back up, place both poles flat on the snow, upslope from you and crossed in the middle so they make a big “X.” Place one hand where the poles cross, and use that support to get your feet back underneath you.

Dirt and Gravel

No baskets needed here! In fact you’ll do better without them. If you’re really depending on the poles for balance or support, place them firmly with each step and pay attention to how they feel in your hand. It’s that feel — and sometimes the sound of the pole hitting the ground, too — that will tell you if the pole is planted solidly enough for you to trust it with your weight.

On Rocky Surfaces

The metal tips on your trekking poles will slip and slide on rocky surfaces, and can leave ugly scratches on the rocks. Pop some rubber tip protectors on your poles, and problem solved — they’ll grip solidly on dry rock, with nary a scratch (or dulled pole tip) to be seen. But be careful: Just like your feet, those rubber pole tips can still slip when the rock is wet.

Uphill/Downhill

Here’s where adjustable trekking poles really shine: Shorten them for uphill slopes, and lengthen them for downhill slopes. That way you still have full support from the poles, without having to stoop forward or lean back to use them for leverage.
If you don’t have adjustable poles, you can cheat it by gripping the poles lower down when you go uphill, and holding onto the very top of the handles when you go downhill.

Sidehilling

Walking sideways across a slope? No problem — just shorten the uphill pole (or grip it lower down) and lengthen the downhill pole (or grip it at the tippy-top of the handle). That gives you equal balance and support on both sides.

Mud and Slush

Mud and slush work out pretty much the same: Goopy and slippery. Use snow baskets on your poles or, better yet, mud baskets (completely round discs). Either type will keep your poles from sinking into the mud as deeply, and create a little extra stability for you.

Winter Hiking

Visiting the great outdoors and seeking out of the way locations that allow you to experience the backcountry in the best way possible is a popular activity among novice and seasoned hikers alike. Hiking in regions with colder climates, planning a trip during winter weather and dealing with safety concerns that may not be an issue during warmer seasonal conditions can present many unique challenges. A few basic safety tips can ensure that your next winter hike is able to be as safe and enjoyable as possible.

1: Hiking with a Partner and Alerting Others to Your Plans

Being unable to contact help can turn even a minor problem or issue into a potentially life-threatening crisis. Hiking with a partner, especially a more experienced one, offers greater safety and the means to more easily address any problems that may be encountered on the trail. Ensuring that others know of your plans and timetables is another safety measure that should not be taken lightly as hikers who have encountered a problem in the wilderness may be unable to call for assistance on their own.

2: Plan Shorter Hikes and Get an Early Start

Winter weather means less daylight and more abrupt darkness after sunset, a concern that novice hikers may easily overlook. Planning a lengthy hike that may be undertaken with ease during warmer months may find you still on the trail when darkness and temperatures begin to fall. Starting as early as possible, and planning hikes that are more modest in scope could make a big difference in ensuring your winter outing can be as safe and enjoyable as possible.

3: Selecting Proper Clothing and Gear

Choosing the right clothing is of paramount importance when it comes to hiking in cold temperatures. Dressing in layers, selecting outer garments that can better resist moisture and donning undergarments that will retain the most heat are all essential for staying warm and dry. While snowshoes and crampons may be required for more extreme environments, trekking poles can offer the added stability needed to avoid slips and falls that are common even over level terrain and make a valuable addition to any gear selection.

4: Emergency Supplies

Proper preparation always pays off especially, in crisis situations and circumstances that may be potentially dangerous. Stocking up on emergency supplies can make a life-saving difference in the event that you encounter a problem in a location where help may be hours or even days away. When hiking in winter conditions, packing more than one compass, multi-tool or other basic survival item is often a prudent move. The old adage of “two is one, one is none” is important to remember as overlooking the importance of redundancy can turn out to be nothing short of a disaster.

5: Check the Weather and Be Prepared

Severe storms, frontal systems and other weather changes can often develop very quickly, leaving those who are out on the trail unable to properly prepare themselves. Checking the weather, early and often, is a wise idea during any season but should be of paramount concern during the cooler months of winter. With proper planning and preparation, weathering a snowstorm or blizzard can be done more safely and comfortable. Hikers who fail to keep track of weather predictions and information could be placing themselves at much greater risk than they might imagine.

6: Eat and Drink Frequently

Dehydration can speed the process of hypothermia, a potentially life-threatening condition that may be very hard to address when alone in the wilderness. The amount of calories burned on a winter hike may come as a surprise, meaning hikers would do well to take food and snacks that are high in protein, fats and complex carbohydrates. Eating and drinking frequently will ensure that your body is able to function more efficiently, allowing you to make the most out of your winter hikes and outdoor experiences.

Hiking Breck

Summer means hiking in Breckenridge, and this mountain community is fortunate to have renowned trails nearby; however, travelers don’t need to commit to full-day, lung-busting, quad-wrecking hikes to get a scenic trail walking fix.

Check out these three short hikes to experience backcountry peace without a ton of time (and without a car to get to the trailhead – these hikes are accessible from downtown Breckenridge).

Carter Park: This short-and-sweet hike follows stone steps uphill from Carter Park, which is home to a dog park, pavilion, tennis courts and more. Panoramic views of the Tenmile Range and Breckenridge Ski Resort await at the top of the steps; the distance to the top is easier measured in yards rather than miles. Carter Park is one of several popular town trailheads that provide access to a vast network of town and county trails. If this short hike just isn’t enough, continue south on the Hermit Placer Trail and loop back via Jack’s Cruel Joke (careful, it’s steep!) and Sunbeam.
Getting there: Carter Park is located at 300 S. High St. Walk or bike from downtown; the park is also accessible by the Breckenridge Free Ride’s purple route, and parking is available on site.

Sawmill Trail: This roughly 1.5-mile hike begins at the bottom of the Snowflake Lift and follows a
stream to a reservoir. Abundant shade and little elevation gain make this a good option for families. The location puts this hike within easy walking distance of many surrounding lodging properties.
Getting there: The Sawmill Trail is located at the Snowflake Lift, near the intersection of Four O’Clock Road and Kings Crown Road. Walk or bike from downtown; the lift is also accessible via the Breckenridge Free Ride’s yellow route.

Burro Trail: Hike the Burro Trail as an out-and-back route for as long (or as short) as desired – just five or 10 minutes out can make you feel like you’re miles away. Like the Carter Park trailhead, the Burro trail provides access to a vast network of backcountry hiking options. It’s a great option for those staying at the many properties along Village Road.

Getting there: The Burro trail can be accessed from the bottom of the Lehman ski trail, located at the base of Peak 9 off Village Road in Breckenridge. Walk or bike from downtown; the trail is also accessible via the Breckenridge Free Ride’s yellow route.
These three easy hikes accessible from downtown Breckenridge are just a sample of the many trail options available in and around town. Visit the Breckenridge Welcome Center at 203 S. Main St. for information, directions and detailed maps that include these and other hiking routes. BreckenridgeTrails.org is a fabulous resource for in-town trails – the site includes trail conditions/closures, volunteer days and more.