[newleaf150]

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A penny-farthing trainer?! That is simply awesome. Great view from your 'safety' bicycle, too!

 

[newleaf150]

 

[i12ride]

Cool, they even have it on a trainer

 

[newleaf150]

A few from my recent trip to Jackson, WY. Canine companion Chip was along for the trip, which limited cycling options to a surprising degree. I still failed to scratch the surface of the canine-legal trails. Good times.

Note the line of cars above and to the left. This is the trail between the town of Wilson and Jackson, headed into the latter. Despite the bumper to bumper rush hour traffic and a fair number of other users, the trail was calming and pastoral, with bird song distracting from the surprisingly mild traffic noise. Having made the drive and the ride, I'll take the latter every time logistic permit.

Note the fenced, ruler-straight trail on the right. So pretty to ride through these fields!

Those are the Grand Tetons in the distance, the Snake River in the foreground.

 

[newleaf150]

On the right, Moose-Wilson road. Runs between the two towns. Moose being where Grand Teton National P'ark's main visitor's center is located. Note the ski runs of Jackson Hole on the left. They look a bit different in the summer.

Because I chose to bring canine companion Chip, this sign meant the end of the ride. the Park Service only allows dogs to enter the Park by car, and they are highly restricted even then. I knew that going in and didn't even try. Turns out, it didn't matter: the road through to Moose was closed on all but weekends due to staffing issues or something. It's still a loop I'd like to make, but that wasn't the plan this time.

There he is! Chip was a hit whether on the paw or in the trailer.

 

[newleaf150]

Good times with a little dog.

Note the yellow and black sign to the left of center: it's warning drivers to look out for deer. Also, elk and moose. Not listed on the sign but still present are bears. Another sign (unpictured) warned cyclists and pedestrians that the MUP is closed at dawn and dusk during certain months due to bear activity.

Heading into a forested park where I later paddle boarded with the nieces and nephew. Riding through here at night later still was less spectacular but more interesting due to the presence of bears. They are unquestionably here, but rarely bother humans. Rarely . In the event, nothing happened. Except later on we were nearly sprayed by a skunk.

 

[newleaf150]

This MUP has a name, but I never remember it because I simply think of it as the 'Bit O' Heaven MUP'. Runs alongside a creek through a couple of cute little parks. At one point, I passed a kid on a scooter who was being flanked by an intermediate sized mutt-type dog. As soon as I passed the kid, his dog forgot all about his boy and came running alongside Chip and I for a few hundred yards instead. Then he remembered the boy and turned back.

Sorry, my pics can't begin to do this place justice.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

A few from my recent trip to Jackson, WY. Canine companion Chip was along for the trip, which limited cycling options to a surprising degree. I still failed to scratch the surface of the canine-legal trails. Good times.
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View attachment 54979 Note the line of cars above and to the left. This is the trail between the town of Wilson and Jackson, headed into the latter. Despite the bumper to bumper rush hour traffic and a fair number of other users, the trail was calming and pastoral, with bird song distracting from the surprisingly mild traffic noise. Having made the drive and the ride, I'll take the latter every time logistic permit.

View attachment 54980 Note the fenced, ruler-straight trail on the right. So pretty to ride through these fields!

View attachment 54981 Those are the Grand Tetons in the distance, the Snake River in the foreground.

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This sounds like it’s on the Wyoming side of the Tetons.
Any chance you ride the Idaho side?
It is beautiful. As much or more than the eastern side.

Just curious newleaf.

 

[newleaf150]

This sounds like it’s on the Wyoming side of the Tetons.
Any chance you ride the Idaho side?
It is beautiful. As much or more than the eastern side.

Just curious newleaf.

You are correct, Sir! Pics are all from the WY side of the Tetons. Although I've driven 'The Pass' between Jackson and Driggs, and have skied Grand Targhee on the ID side more than once, I've never had the opportunity to ride the ID side. All of my family are in the Jackson area or YNP; I just haven't been on the ID side much. I'd sure love to, though. I agree the scenery over there is stunning. Have you had the chance to ride the area?

 

[newleaf150]

A few last shots.

It doesn't look it, but this was a twilight ride.

In the winter, the plain to the left is largely covered with elk, which winter there on the edge of Jackson. In the summer, big horn sheep are often visible in the hills or on the roadway. I have seen them here before, but spotted none on this ride.

Looking back toward Jackson. Note the ski runs of Snow King in the distance on the left. The town sits at the foot of the ski hill. More or less .

I rode this as an out and back from Jackson, but it is possible to make it a loop of varying lengths depending on one's choice of exit and connecting roads. It's all a matter of having time to enjoy the area.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

You are correct, Sir! Pics are all from the WY side of the Tetons. Although I've driven 'The Pass' between Jackson and Driggs, and have skied Grand Targhee on the ID side more than once, I've never had the opportunity to ride the ID side. All of my family are in the Jackson area or YNP; I just haven't been on the ID side much. I'd sure love to, though. I agree the scenery over there is stunning. Have you had the chance to ride the area?

I’ve only been on both sides a few times. Sadly, never with a bicycle.

 

[newleaf150]

I’ve only been on both sides a few times. Sadly, never with a bicycle.

I hope at some point you have the opportunity to repair that sad lack. I can vouch that it sucks to be in that area without a bike, even 'only' on the WY side. As much as I love to hike and paddle the area, cycling there is just the best. We should all be so fortunate.

 

[newleaf150]

This is probably my single favorite Denver area descent. Begins out-frame to the right with another hairpin turn, leading straight into the one in the foreground. From there it flows to a bridge where a hard left carries you over a local freeway and into Bear Creek Lake Park where the angle steepens and the trail flows through some sweeping turns. It's good practice for riding steeper, tighter curves further into the mountains but also eminently worth riding in its own right. Mountains on one side, plains on the other. Iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater nestled in the rocks on the mountain side.

Construction on the main trail led to a detour into some sweet dirt trails I hadn't previously spotted. Worth remembering.

 

[newleaf150]

This little train runs during the summer. Few things cuter. As Chip and rolled past it a moment after this shot, I heard a ragged chorus of 'look at the dog!' from the passengers.

Not the prettiest sight trailside, but interesting. The pipe hissed in places and was heavily anchored. I imagine burying it will be quite the task.

Canine companion Chip cooling off trailside after a good run. Note the dark water dish just in front of him.

 

[newleaf150]

Another day, another ride. This one marked the first test of my new Ortlieb handlebar bag, bought to replace the one I broke in a recent crash. No trouble found. Would that I could say that for canine companion Chip's trailer panniers. Today was their first extended road test. Also their last. I love them, but they are too big and sit too low. I dragged both on turns, more than once. On pavement. No way I'm taking them off road. Not on the trailer, at least: they mount fine on the Safari's front rack and I've never questioned their build quality.

Canine companion Chip cared nothing about my pannier woes. He was just happy to be out.

Looking back the way I came. Good times in CO.

Not sure what the dark spots in the lake might be.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

Very early this morning, my son just arrived home from working in CO again this summer. He drove cross country, dropping off friends as he made the trek to deliver another friends car to Ohio.
I had hoped our family could get together in CO for several days, but we just couldn’t pull it off.
If he goes next year. Maybe it’ll work out then and I’LL be posting CO pics on this thread.

Until then, keep’em coming.

 

[newleaf150]

Very early this morning, my son just arrived home from working in CO again this summer. He drove cross country, dropping off friends as he made the trek to deliver another friends car to Ohio.
I had hoped our family could get together in CO for several days, but we just couldn’t pull it off.
If he goes next year. Maybe it’ll work out then and I’LL be posting CO pics on this thread.

Until then, keep’em coming.

I hope it works out one way or another. There are a lot of really cool rides to be made around here. There are even some pretty fun off-bike activities. I hear .

 

[newleaf150]

A few from yesterday's trip to the mountains.

Beauty whichever way you happen to look.

Want to go?

Dillon Reservoir.

Good times on the lake.

This place just doesn't stop.

 

[newleaf150]

Climbing Swan Mountain, enjoying views of the others.

I didn't get a shot of it this time, but this section of MUP offers a 25mph speed limit.

Note the sign in the distance warning of a 10mph hairpin. This would make a heck of a fun descent. I've only ridden up it so far.

A bicycle superhighway. I love this place! Easy riding MUPs between local towns and ski resorts, a near 11k ft pass to explore by MUP, another just short of 12k ft available by road.

The route from Frisco to Vail Pass, the latter at 10,662ft.

 

[newleaf150]

An example of why the range is called "The Rocky Mountains."

Long grind of an ascent, sweet, blazing glory of a descent.

The Rockies. Gotta love 'em.

Trailside flowers with a river chuckling in the background. On the right on the distance, the bare spots on the mountain are what ski runs look like in the summer. In this case, the Copper Mountain Ski Resort. Cycling actually does get better than this, but not much.

The bridge is one half of I-70, which is separated by direction of travel here, sometimes by a good bit. The trail to the pass runs generally along the Interstate route.

Looking back at what will soon be a sweet descent.

Close to my turn around point.

Note my fellow ascender in the distance on the right. There are shuttle services on both sides of the pass which will drive you and your bike to the top. Lots of people do that, and it's a brilliant descent. These days, you also see a lot of e-bikers making the ascent. More power to both groups, I just like powering myself up the mountain. Even if I end up not making it all the way up. I turned back just after this.

I forgot that my body likes to rebel when I ride above 10k feet: I go through a phase where I puff like a freight train without ever getting enough air. My legs turn to jelly and my heart hammers like it's trying to escape. If I push through it, the symptoms ease and I feel okay to keep spinning. Takes time, though. This time, I interpreted the symptoms as exhaustion from my previous mileage at altitude. In retrospect, I think I just forgot how it feels for me to climb past 10k ft. Either way, I fell short of my goal. It was still a wonderful ride, one I would not have missed.

Good times in the mountains.