Pikes Peak Highway ride report
The owners/operators of the toll road up Pikes Peak in Colorado are allowing unescorted bicycles this month. This is a "pilot program" and they're soliciting comments from motorists (what about us cyclists?!) about it. I guess they're worried about drivers having a negative experience somehow due to the bicycles. Judging by what I saw, the few drivers who might be put off by bicycles would be more than offset by the number of cyclists who would show up to ride! And given that they're charging us just as much as the cars ($12), they stand to increase their income.
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My ride was on Sept. 10, a Monday, chosen in hopes there'd be a bit less traffic on a weekday. I'd hoped for good weather, but ended up with perfect weather!
I had anticipated difficulty finding a place to park near the beginning of the road. I anticipated this so allowed extra time for the search. Happily, there turned out to be some parking available right where I turned off from Hwy. 24. From where I parked, I had to ride about a mile to the toll station. Note this mile includes a short, steep grade, just to help you get warmed up! I started pedalling a minute or two after 7:00 AM.
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Since the road didn't actually open until 7:30, I had to wait around a few minutes at the toll gate. Eventually, I paid my toll ($12, but I got a $2 military discount) and handed over my signed liability waiver form, then I was on my way.
I had started out wearing some leg warmers but no jacket (I did wear a long-sleeve jersey). But after only a few minutes, I was warm enough that I shed the leg warmers. They went into the small daypack I was wearing, where I also had a cycling vest, a heavyweight cycling jacket, some warm cycling gloves, and a windproof headband...most of this I expected to use only during the descent.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...t/IMGP6442.jpgThe first few miles of the road, which have always been paved, were okay but a bit narrow and the pavement wasn't in top condition (see photos above). On the other hand, the upper miles featured consistent 1-2 foot wide shoulders and smooth pavement. I was told that the last of the paving work was only finished about two years ago.
While the road gains considerable elevation in the first few miles, you actually have to descend slightly to reach Crystal Reservoir, and there is a section of rolling terrain after that. Which on one hand was a nice break, but on the other hand I found myself becoming concerned. There was a lot of elevation to be gained over the 19 mile length of the toll road, so easy terrain here meant stiffer grades later! Per Google Earth, the elevation at my starting point is 7390'; at the Tollgate it's 7752'; at Crystal Reservoir it's 9237'; and the road tops out at 14117'.
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Just above 11,000 feet and in mile 11, there's a little stopping place called Glen Cove. There's a small store here, where you can get some water or a bottle of Gatorade (my choice) and a few other things. They have restrooms too of course. There are some typical Forest Service vault toilets in a few spots along the way up to this point. However, I don't recall seeing any between Glen Cove and the summit.
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At Glen Cove, I finally saw some other cyclists...I guess nobody else wanted to start as early as I did! Actually, two of them were a couple who drove up to Glen Cove and started pedalling from there. I learned later they had left another car at the bottom, so they could enjoy the entire descent! :haha: But at least they invested some sweat equity...during my ride I was passed by two vans hauling tourists and rented mountain bikes to the summit...I later saw them descending. Cheaters!
Pressing on, I was soon above treeline plus hitting some more steep grades (as I anticipated!). Over the next couple of miles, a handful of cyclists passed me.
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After a few miles of steady climbing, again there was a break. However, at the end of that, lurked the homestretch. See above photo for the view of the road heading up in earnest!
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Between the grade and the altitude, the last mile and a half or so were tough. Above is a pic at the last major switchback. It was also pretty chilly up here. In fact I'd put my leg warmers back on just above Glen Cove since I was catching some wind, and soon after that added my vest.
Along this upper stretch, there was some water dripping from a culvert and the puddle was partially frozen. In the dirt along the road I saw some skinny tire tracks...I surmised that a few riders had got off and pushed their steed up the last bit. I did stop a few times but managed to pedal all the way to the top. Also, around this switchback, I saw the cyclists who had earlier passed me starting down.
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Well, if you've never been on top of Pikes Peak, suffice it to say that when you do get there you'll have plenty of company! I had the misfortune of arriving while a train load from the cog railway (see above) were there, mobbing the whole place. So I went outside to take some photos and enjoy the views. And bask in compliments from people astounded anyone would ride a bike up there. :haha:
By the way, I reached the summit house at about 12:10. Meaning it took me about 5 hours, 10 minutes to make it up from my car. That includes lots of "kodak moments", potty breaks, and my rest at Glen Cove. And a few catch-my-breath breaks, esp. up high! What's kind of sad is that in previous years, I completed the Pikes Peak Ascent (foot) race on four occasions, in times ranging from 4:03 to 4:34! :oops: And that starts all the way down in Manitou Springs, so you have to climb several hundred more feet (but cover less distance, as the race uses Barr Trail). This may help explain why I've never got into bicycle racing, LOL.
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In the above photo, my starting point is down out-of-sight in about the middle of the photo, between the green terrain on one side of Hwy 24, and the brown terrain on the other. (It's brown because it's part of the country burned in the huge infamous wildfire this past summer.)
Eventually, the train loaded up and left, making the walmart-in-the-sky a more pleasant place to visit. I treated myself to a piece of fudge and a bottle of water (which was a $7-8 snack up there!). While I was enjoying that, the couple from Glen Cove appeared. Two other cyclists floated through. After about an hour on the summit, my sweaty clothes had pretty much dried out and I figured it was time to head down. I felt good, though on the way up I'd had a few fleeting moments of headache now and then.
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(Hopefully that sign will be changing soon to permanently remove the bicycle prohibition!)
As soon as I started down, I came across scattered ascending cyclists. A couple of them were walking that last stretch. You'll definitely want your brakes to be in good shape for this descent! There are numerous hairpin turns in the steep sections. And though they've added a lot of guardrail, not all sections have it and you wouldn't want to launch off the roadway! Fortunately, as noted, the pavement up high is currently very good, and the roadway was quite clean so at least the surface is predictable.
Since vehicle traffic wasn't heavy at all, I only passed one car (in a left hairpin turn) up high. :naughty: I'll note here that one of the conditions on the liability waiver sheet I signed was that bikes would obey the speed limits on the road! Oops! Amazingly, when I was almost down to Glen Cove, another driver waved me by, encouraging me to pass. I don't think that's ever happened to me during a descent. Drivers love to get upset if they have to slow for a few seconds for a bike on the way up, but are blissfully oblivious if they hold up bikes for miles of descent. :fitz:
Note that Glen Cove also features a "brake check" station where vehicles are required to stop. This is to guard against people riding their brakes all the way down rather than downshifting. But I was waved through. As noted earlier, all the way down I kept seeing cyclists heading up. Including some on mountain bikes! The low gears are nice, but I'm not so sure about those fat tires and the extra weight. At any rate, I was happy to see there is so much interest in riding this route.
Soon I reached the section where some pedalling was again required. Then the short climb up from Crystal Reservoir. I had to stop at the foot of that and peel off some clothing. Resuming my descent, I was now on the lower-quality pavement, and feeling the bumps and cracks that weren't quite so noticeable on the ascent. I also soon caught up to the Glen Cove couple.
All in all, a satisfying achievement. Cycling Pikes Peak is something I'd long wished I could do, but it wasn't possible due to the prohibition (and the lack of pavement). Hopefully the bike ban will be dropped for good, as I'd love to do it again. But at least I got to ride it this time!
