There’s nothing that kicks off a bike tour better than riding the highest continuous paved road in the United States.
Felkerino and I spent yesterday riding our Co-Motion Java tandem on the Trail Ridge 200K, a 134-mile RUSA permanent that starts in Louisville, Colorado, and takes the rider to Estes Park, up Trail Ridge Road, down the mountain, to Grand Lake, Granby, Hot Sulphur Springs, through a canyon that has a name I don’t recall Byers Canyon, and over to Kremmling.
We had a good ride, the highlight (and lowlight) for me being Trail Ridge Road which ascends to a height of 12,200 feet.
The road was beautiful, winding us up and up and up, and eventually giving us incredible views to look back at what we had climbed.
However, the intense climbing amid fairly constant car traffic on a road with a tiny shoulder overlooking what seemed like a long long long way down if we fell freaked me out in places. I would call it vertigo, and at times I found myself flung over to the left side of the stoker bars like a cat stuck in a tree clinging to a branch while it awaits rescue. So dignified.
We breathlessly made our way to what seemed like an interminable summit and stopped to warm up and drink a pop. While there we received many kind comments from visitors who had seen us on the climb and I can’t tell you how much that meant and helped me feel better about my low moments on this preposterously high road.
Felkerino and I rolled our way down the mountain and glided our bike over gentle rollers to Kremmling in perfect late afternoon long shadow sun, with stories of Trail Ridge Road pouring out. I have never ridden anything like it.
Unforgettable, daunting, vertigo-inducing, exhilarating, inspiring. We did it. I can’t believe we did it.
chasingmailboxes.com 
Those views!!! WOW.
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kudos to you both!
and, amazingly spectacular scenery.
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Outstanding…!!! Simply, OUTSTANDING…!!!
(err.. Chasing ‘Mailboxes’.. or ‘Rainbows’..?? LoL)
PS… Thank you.. both.. for posting your “adventures”. Nice..!
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Wow. The pictures look spectacular. Thanks for letting us ride along through your posts. It sounds so strange to read “stopped to warm up” after doing a ride this morning through the hot and humid weather down here at 600 ft in MD.
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I bet! By the way we thought of you on the run from Grand Lake to Kremmling as they were all CHC1200 roads.
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Awesome job, both of you! Riding in the high mountains, where the sheer drops combine with the altitude to create odd mental quandaries, you did very well! Enjoy the rest of your riding!
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I rode Trail Ridge last summer on my single bike. I totally applaud you guys for doing it on a tandem! Great job!
http://springfieldcyclist.com/2012/06/14/ride-the-rockies-day-5-granby-to-estes-park/
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Been up that road from Idaho Spgs to the top of Mt Evans during the annual Mt Evans Hillclimb. Once you get past treeline the dropoffs look pretty scary! There are no guard rails and the road is (was) in poor condition. Great job doing it on a tandem!
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I think you might be thinking of a different road though similarly challenging. Our climb up Trail Ridge started in Estes Park and then went into Rocky Mountain National Park.
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Bravo!!! Congratulations.
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Well done! Your tandem rides are inspirational. Enjoy!
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Breathtaking photos! I am terrified of heights, so I can understand wanting to look away from the cliffs!
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Sounds harrowing, exhausting and amazingly beautiful, the components of any great adventure.
Congrats on that ride!
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[…] Or perhaps you might want to go Chasing Mailboxes on the back of a CoMotion Tandem in Colorado (they’re normally found in Washington D.C.) – first post here. […]
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[…] Trail Ridge 200K […]
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[…] July – Colorado Bike Tour and Trail Ridge 200K! […]
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