The Adventures of Wadle

Mile High Mayhem

6/10/2007

The annual pilgrimage continued this weekend with a last-minute jaunt to the Elephant Rock bicycle ride (www.elephantrockride.com) in Castle Rock Colorado. This year the pack consisted of the Boulder Bicycle Bomber Dean the Destroyer Densmore, the Destroyer Tamer Mo Momentum Melissa, The Beast of the East Jason the Juggernaut Deel, and myself. Unfortunately, the Goliath of Golden Travis the Bicycle Terror Meyers was unable to attend due to a cycling injury that we believe is simply a bad cover for his inability to pass an EPO drug test. Maybe next year he’ll get the hang of the doping/testing cycle.

The air was crisp, cool, and decidedly Colorado (God’s Country) on the morning of June 3^rd. Jason, Dean, Melissa and I headed out with an awesome roar (right after stashing our goodie bags in the bushes near the start). We had decided to give the majority of the other 70,000 Elephant Rock riders a break by allowing them to start the ride an hour or two before us. So like a river we headed out like a small tributary flowing towards the larger stream of cyclists already swarming over the foothills.

On the first hill I connected with my inner Lance and took off like a banshee howling in the wind. I arrived at the crest of the hill, approximately .5 miles into the ride, with my first hill victory over my companions. From there, I knew that besting them on any other portion of the 65 mile course was simply not necessary. I think they knew it too, because that was the last time I saw the front of their bicycles.

The rest of the adventure that day went great. We had the best weather ever and the landscape was especially awesome. The recent rains had greened up everything to a lush emerald hue. The riding was fun, and the folks out on the road were as amazing as ever. At the end of this entry you’ll find some links to photos from the ride. Some photos also include a quick trip to downtown Denver to check out the new DAM building and the capital.

The next day after the 65 mile ride I really couldn’t think about riding on the bicycle again. However, Dean and Jason convinced me to try an easy 23 mile ride to get breakfast up in the mountain town of Johnstown. We took off from Boulder and took 36 towards Lions, CO. on the way there we turned off onto a small two-lane road that gradually headed up a valley/canyon. It was a breathtaking ride. Not just because of the scenery, but also because I was out of breath pushing my bike up the hill ha.

Group photos

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2091142791&code=28418696&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite

The Real Deel
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=sundanceimages&gallery_id=714307&image_id=49

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=sundanceimages&gallery_id=714307&image_id=159

The Dean Machine
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=sundanceimages&gallery_id=714307&image_id=159

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=sundanceimages&gallery_id=714307&image_id=176

Super Scott
http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?userid=sundanceimages&gallery_id=714307&image_id=196