Day Trips and Weekend Rides

Colorado

Bicycle Routes and Touring

Colorado Day Trips

• Cycle Colorado Passes:
• Copper Mountain-Leadville-Vail Loop: 80 miles, 6,608 feet climbing
• Pikes Peak: 36.5 miles, 6,668 feet climbing
• Colorado River Road: A beatifule alternative to Hwy 6 out of Dotsero

 

Colorado 2-3 Day Trips

• Salida-Cottonwood Pass Loop: 162 Miles, 11,270 feet climbing
• Durango-Silverton-Telluride Loop: 230 miles, 16,000 ft climbing
• Grand Mesa- Colorado Nat. Monument Loop: 185 miles, 14,936 ft climbing

 

CA MN AZ UT WI Trips

1 to 7 days

Bicycle routes for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona, and California. I've included some of my favorite routes on this page that I use for training and touring. For training, I try to seek out hill on many of these and, if hills are lacking, I try to get distance. Routes like Rockford Round-up in MN are good early season rides as hills are moderate and milage is manageable. Also, because a lot of tis ride is in the open, the roads are clear of snow and ice early in the spring. The heart attack ride is a great WI ride with close to 4000 feet of climbing. The Arizona amd California routes are the result of mid-winter breaks. Utah is almost Alway good. At this time, the number of routes are not extensive, but I will add routes as I have time.

Norther California PCH Week long tour:

• Eureka to Weott: 50 Miles, 1,750ft Climbing, Inland and Forested
• Weott to Leggitt: 55 Miles, 3,200ft Climbing, Inland and Forested
• Leggett to Fort Bragg: 44 Miles, 2,400ft Climbing, Heavy Forest to Coastal
• Fort Bragg to Point Arena: 45 Miles, 1,600ft Climbing, Coastal and Very Hilly
• Point Arena to Jenner: 52 Miles, 2,000ft Climbing, Coastal, Hilly and Steep last 10 mi.
• Jenner to Inverness: 48 Miles, 1,300ft Climbing, Coast to Inland, Steep Climbs
• Inverness to San Francisco: 40 Mi, 2,500 Climbing, Parks, Forests, Shoreline, Steep Climbs

These are shorter mile days due to scenery and anticipated exploring- Take your time.

 

Minnesota and Wisconson Routes:

• Afton Hills Loop: 60 Miles, 2,000ft Climbing, Hilly MN route around Afton and St Croix River
• Gateway Trail Loop: 58 Miles, 1,100ft Climbing, Trail is fairly Flat, Hilly near Stillwater and Scandia
• Menomoni Loop: 60 Miles, 2,750ft Climbing, Western WI, Very Hilly Route
• Plum City Loop: 78 Miles, 2,500ft Climbing on the St Croix River Bluffs, Wisconson
• Lake Pepin Loop: 70 Miles, 1,100ft Climbing, One climb, then small rollers, Scenic
• Rockford Loop: 46 Miles, 900ft Climbing, Near Twin Cities, Fun short route
• Stockholm Out and Back: 78 mile Out and Back from Red Wing/ Prescott, 2,900ft Climbing

 

Arizona and Utah coming shortly

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: 

While I strive to provide current and accurate information, things change and I can not always keep up with the changes.  I don’t travel every route every day or even every year.  If I say the road has good shoulders, it means the road generally had reasonable room for a bike to maneuver on the shoulder the last time I was there.  If an avalanche or summer flood took out that shoulder, I’m not responsible for it.  In other words, I don’t know what I don’t know.  Any information presented in my reports is as accurate as I could get it.  But these guides are to be used as a guideline, not as an absolute.  Distances may be off and altitudes may be off.  Shoulders that were there may be gone, or ones that weren’t there may be there.  Potholes may have developed.  Sand and debris may be on the road.  Ice may exist when not expected.  And the unknown or unanticipated may pop up at any instance.  Cycling in the mountains or anywhere carries risks and it is your responsibility to know and practice good riding skills.  It is your responsibility to follow local laws. It’s your responsibility to make sure your equipment is in good operational shape.  It’s your responsibility to exercise due care and caution on the roads, trails, and in life in general.  If a road is too narrow or too busy for your tastes, get off of it.  It’s your responsibility to make sure that you are physically able to ride a bike and to follow the advice of your doctors.  The bottom line, I disclaim any liability for injury or other damage caused performing any activity described in these guides. Be responsible- Be safe. Share the road.