Category: Adventure
My Ad-van-ture with “Johnny”, Confessions of a Van-Life Newbie With a Titus Adventure Van
Submitted by Andy Schmit on April 21st, 2021Johnny Cash is arguably the most influential musician to bridge the gap between country music and rock-n-roll. With that said, you may be wondering what “the man in black” is doing in the lead of an article about van-life and endurance sports. On a weekend in April, I had the unique opportunity to take “Johnny” to the red-sand desert of the Colorado Plateau in Fruita, CO for some mountain / gravel biking and camping. It would be my second foray into Van-Life.
You see, the guys at Titus Adventure Company name all of their vehicles after legends of country music. When I met “Johnny” he was parked next to a candy-apple red van named “Reba” inside the Titus staging garage located off of I-70 and Pecos. Read more
Colorado’s Next Big Gravel Race, the ‘Rad Dirt Fest in Maybe Colorado’s Next Big Boom Town–Trinidad?
Submitted by Bill Plock on April 5th, 2021The time capsule of Trinidad and the surrounding Spanish Peaks makes for the perfect back drop for what might become Colorado’s newest bucket list gravel bike and trail run event—Life Time’s ‘Rad Dirt Fest.
The city of Trinidad, nestled at the base of Colorado’s newest state park, Fishers Peak, located on the North side of Raton Pass, will host this event in early October. Trinidad, one of Colorado’s oldest and most preserved cities still flourishes with about 10,000 people but it feels like it hasn’t changed much since its heyday in the early 1900’s.
But it has changed–tons. As in tons and tons of coal that used to roll through here after being mined near the roads the ‘Rad Dirt Fest follows. Thousands of miners and their families lived in the Spanish Peaks area northwest of town leaving hundreds of miles of smooth gravel roads to play on a hundred years later. Read more
Megan Hottman, Mt Lemmon Ride and Dry Shampoo
Submitted by 303cycling on March 1st, 2021That is the sweetest climb ever… one I will definitely come do again and one I recommend for every cyclist who loves to climb in the sunshine…. The gradient is gentle enough you can push the pedals and never have to stand due to steepness- the pavement is good, the bike lane/shoulder is pretty consistently present and wide-ish, and though there is steady car traffic, there are so many cyclists out that drivers seem to have an awareness and are more cautious driving around us (that’s how it felt but who knows?!).
I parked a couple miles up from the bottom selecting my campsite for the night early into the ride. Then I rode up towards the top and once the temps stopped feeling warm and I started to see more snow and smaller shoulders, I decided to flip around. Read more
Skill Building Adventure Camps This Spring and Summer for Youth Mountain Bikers
Submitted by Bill Plock on February 17th, 2021Are your kids wanting to improve their mountain bike skills? Maybe they want to join their high school cycling team or simply participate in some fun rides with their friends and get top notch coaching along the way?Whatever the case, the Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures (SMBA) has a slew of programs to help you and your kids. Lets face it, especially right now, kids are looking for some adventure more than ever and as fast as programs fill up, now is the time to check out these opportunities! Read more
3-day Guided Gravel Adventures in Northern CO?–Includes a Demo Gravel Bike–Try Gravel!
Submitted by Bill Plock on February 2nd, 2021Northern Colorado contains some of the purest, rock and roll, mixed terrain experiences you can get in the world, that’s why we call it Gravel Graceland. Professional athletes Whitney and Zack Allison want to show you their favorite go-to routes and hidden gems in Gravel Graceland. The specific goal of this adventure is to be inclusive and an exposure focused-adventure to this region’s mixed terrain riding. Each days route will contain at least 80% dirt to pavement. The routes are challenging, fun, and exploratory, and will range between 39 and 48 miles each day with varying elevation.
Three stellar options in Fort Collins, CO: MAY 14-16TH, SEPTEMBER 3-5TH, AND OCTOBER 15-17, 2021. Read more
Megan Hottman Rides Bike with Two Dogs from Arvada to Colo Springs and Stays at Buffalo Lodge Bike Resort
Submitted by Bill Plock on October 5th, 2020By Megan Hottman I have always wanted to go credit card camping on a bike adventure…. By that I mean- ride somewhere cool with a credit card, clean pair of clothes and flip flops, and explore the new spot, thenRead More
Colorado; Lake City to Colorado Springs, Silver to Gold, Mountain, Road and Gravel….
Submitted by Bill Plock on September 1st, 2020Most towns in the Colorado Rockies began as mining camps and supply depots. 303 visited some of the most rugged and historical towns in Colorado looking for cycling and recreational opportunities—especially ones maybe not as well known and not on the I-70 corridor. Our journey originally started in Buena Vista.
Part two began with a climb out of Lake City over notorious Slumgullion pass. It’s not only home to the Alfred Packer grisly tale of cannibalism (did you know he missed hanging by death on a technicality, ended up in jail in Canon City and was released in the early 1900’s dying a confirmed vegetarian?), but Slumgullion pass is the steepest continuously paved road in Colorado averaging a 9% grade. No wonder it was tempting to break out the road bike and try this challenge! Read more
Sasha Underwood’s Life Changing Bike Trek on the Colorado Trail
Submitted by Bill Plock on August 28th, 2020Sasha took on the 550 mile Colorado Trail, climbing over 80,000 feet and spending 16 nights on her own in the woods. Known for her Ironman’s and Leadville 100 finishes, Sasha dug deep to overcome the challenges of overnighting alone,Read More
Colorado Trip, Part 1, Buena Vista to Lake City, Places to Explore off the Beaten Path
Submitted by Bill Plock on August 24th, 2020Gravel or road? Road or Mountain? Pavement or dirt? Colorado or……Colorado? We have it all. Recently 303 embarked on a journey to discover some new places, or at least be reacquainted with places like Buena Vista, Salida, Gunnison and Crested Butte. But some places, a bit off the beaten track offer amazing cycling options as well. Places like Lake City, Westcliffe, LaVeta, Cuchara, Mosca, Victor, Canon City and Pitkin.
If you haven’t been to Buena Vista recently, you might be surprised, like we were. Once upon a time the vibe was perhaps a bit industrious, maybe not so hip and didn’t really compare with the other “cool city” in Chaffee County—Salida. Now it’s more of a toss up with a brand new river walk neighborhood complete with a high end hotel, The Surf. There is outdoor music space and a collection of new shops and eclectic homes much different than downtown. Read more
Gravel Race and Adventure in Southern Colorado Aug 29th, Pony Express 160 – 160k and 85k courses available!
Submitted by Bill Plock on August 20th, 2020Last week 303 was near here exploring Cuchara valley and the area between La Veta and Trinidad. If you are looking for a fun getaway weekend and are wanting to do a race, check this one out. The Pony Express Gravel 160K in Trinidad. www.ColoradoGravelGrinderChampionship.com
Come enjoy Southern Colorado and be sure to check out Trinidad, Cuchara and La Veta while you are in the area. For a fun trip home, if you have time, go to Walsenburg, Westcliffe and to Salida or east down the Arkansas to the front range. Read more