by Scott Downes
The question came up after the floods in 2013, after all the damage in Jefferson County was assessed, and after a core network trails were closed to mountain bikes for too long in the eyes of many. It came after tough conversations about trail usage and maintenance and stewardship. And it came after talk of restrictions and limitations that did not sit well with the people who ride those trails the most.
Photo courtesy of Golden Giddyup
“Why doesn’t Golden have a mountain bike event?” asked Ben Davis some time ago, when the Golden Giddyup was a figment of a few locals’ imagination. And so began the two-and-a-half year effort to bring the first ever mountain bike race to life.
That question helped galvanize an effort to restore and rebuild the flood-damaged trails, and initiate a new conversation around trail stewardship. This will culminate and – as organizers hope – continue on in a unique, community-sponsored event in the Golden Giddyup.
The Giddyup is slated for September 18th, with registration opening today (April 19th). An early bird pre-registration period sold out quickly, and organizers anticipate the same this week.
Perhaps that’s because calling the Golden Giddyup just a bike race is a bit of an understatement. Envisioned as part bike race, part community event, part trail stewardship, and all fun, the organizers have dubbed it the world’s very first “Endurondo” event.
That’s part enduro-style race, part fondo, for the uninitiated.
The highlight of the event is indeed expected to be the racing. There will be timed descents and climbs that will potentially incorporate local favorites like Apex, Chimney Gulch, and North Table Mountain. The final route will be announced this summer. In addition to the trail action, a slew of other activities are being planned – organized hikes, strider races for the kids, a gear expo, and Colorado food and beer.
How the event came to be, though, is a unique part of the story. After the floods, local volunteers put in a massive amount of work to get Apex Park reopened, and continue maintenance efforts throughout the JeffCo trail network. Since then, those efforts have totaled more than 1,500 volunteer hours.
Photo courtesy of Golden Giddyup
The Giddyup is made possible in part by a strong partnership with Jefferson County Open Space (JCOS) that relies on an ongoing commitment of 600 volunteer hours each year to work on trails.
“This is stewardship with a bike race at the end,” said Jen Barbour from Team Evergreen Cycling, one of the organizing partners.
Barbour, Davis, and Al Head of Friends of Apex have been spearheading the effort after coming up with the idea for an event separately. JCOS coordinated an “arranged marriage” and charged them with figuring out how to make it happen.
“The Giddyup has really been a catalyst in creating a newfound sense of community,” added Barbour, noting that it’s changed the discussion from conventional trail development to how to create and maintain purpose-built trails for the community.
Population growth and increased traffic from different user groups has added to latent but longstanding tensions on trail usage. So in addition to the volunteer commitments, the Giddyup organizers are also aiming to help promote trail behavior that eases conflict and reduces those longstanding tensions. The “shape what you shred” model, as organizers call it, illustrates an interesting growth and evolution of mountain biking as a sport and a community.
“We want mountain bikers to take responsibility for mountain biking,” said Barbour.
“We’re not 20-somethings with a bad attitude anymore,” said Davis. “The more mature we are the better the scene is for every one.”
Photo courtesy of Golden Giddyup
The Giddyup effort is exploring everything from promoting bells on bikes in high trafficked areas to more visible “Ride Through It” educating to smart trail construction that better enables mountain bikers and hikers to coexist. It’s a we-come-in-peace mentality that has been well received, and goes a long way towards capitalizing on the attractions of Golden and throughout Jefferson County.
A strong network of partners and sponsors have all played key roles in making the event a reality, including Team Evergreen Cycling, Jefferson County Open Space, Yeti Cycles, Wheatridge Cyclery, Team Yeti Beti, and others.
All proceeds from the Giddyup will go towards the JeffCo Outdoors Foundation.
“There’s an advocacy part of this too,” said Barbour. “It’s an opportunity to take money we make and put it into something we love.”
“We just want people to have a good day,” added Davis.
Registration opens today – April 19th – at www.goldengiddyup.com. Information is also available on the site for volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
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