The grand adventure of the TripleByPass.
121 miles 9:40' 10K' vertical
Three passes
Squaw (11,140 ft.)
Loveland (11,990 ft.)
Vail (10,560 ft.)
It is hard to explain the motivation to train for and actually do this ride.
But, Doug, me and 3,498 of our closest friends find that motivation.
It is like a microcosm of a life time, in a 12 hour period of time.
You experience all things that life brings you and have to deal with each one,
if you expect to finish.
One thing that an organized ride like this provides you is aid stations,
so you don't have to carry all your food and water for the entire ride.
This is the organized, chaos of Aid 1, at the summit of Squaw Pass.
This is what you're interested in.....food...
and most important....
The fun is being on the road.
Rolling out of Idaho Spgs., headed for that snow in the distance.
Aid 3 at Loveland Basin
Looking up at the upper switch backs of Loveland Pass from Aid 3, remember this view.
The start of the climb up Loveland Pass from Aid 3.
Looking from the upper switch backs, back down at Aid 3 and the lower pass.
Halfway, Loveland summit in view.
The second of 3 prizes.
Waiting out the rain in Copper Mt., before the final climb up Vail Pass.
The final prize. Summit of Vail Pass. It is a most incredible experience to be here.
There aren't too many parts of your body that aren't screaming at you to stop.
At this point, there are still 28 miles to go....but, it's all down hill.
The rain held off till we completed the 10 mile descent of Vail Pass,
which is some of the sweetest desert there is in cycling.
It dumped on us the last 18 miles into Avon.
We finished in a down pour, soaked to the bone,
glad to be at the finish, sad to see it end.
Can't wait for next year.
