Here are the preliminary dates for the 2013 Colorado Triple Crown:
- Saturday, June 15, 2013: Joe Lookingbill Denver-to-Aspen Classic
- Saturday, June 29, 2013: Colorado Death Ride
- Saturday, July 27, 2013: Cripple Creek Crippler
- Saturday, August 10, 2013: Tim Kalisch Memorial Grand Loop
- Saturday, August 17, 2013: Possible make-up date for Denver-to-Aspen, Cripple Creek Crippler, OR the Grand Loop
New for 2013:
- A possible make-up date for Denver-to-Aspen, Cripple Creek Crippler, or the Grand Loop. Let's face it...we've been extremely fortunate the past four years as we've only had to postpone one Colorado Triple Crown event (the 2010 Denver-to-Aspen). In 2013, we're including an official make-up date on the calendar so riders can prepare for the unthinkable...whether it be dangerous weather conditions, unexpected road closures, forest fires, hillsides overrun by rabid deer, etc, etc. We sincerely hope that we don't need to use this date, but we want to give every rider the best opportunity to complete the Colorado Triple Crown for 2013!
- Well...what about the Colorado Death Ride?? We traditionally ride the Death Ride on the weekend of July 4th (or the weekend prior to July 4th). We usually ride the Death Ride on Sunday as it is typically the day on the holiday weekend with the lightest traffic. In 2013, however, we will ride the event on Saturday. Although we might have to contend with slightly heavier traffic, riding the event on Saturday gives us the opportunity to do a make-up ride on Sunday if for whatever reason the course is unsafe to ride on Saturday. Riders need to be prepared that if conditions were not rideable on Saturday, we would attempt to make up the ride on Sunday (June 30th). If conditions were still unsafe on Sunday, then the event would be cancelled for 2013. Given the immense amount of travel time from the Denver area, it is not practical to include a separate make-up date.
- Oh...I forgot to mention that we're planning on starting the Colorado Death Ride in Durango in 2013, riding the event in the counter-clockwise direction! (Durango-->Silverton-->Ridgway-->Placerville-->Telluride-->Rico-->Dolores-->Mancos-->Durango). This will definitely present some different challenges to Death Riders in 2013. More on this to come in the months ahead!
- One last thing...we're swapping weekends of the Grand Loop and Cripple Creek Crippler. There are a number of reasons for this switch. First, Buffalo Bill Days in Golden (which is celebrated the last weekend in July...the same weekend that we usually ride the Grand Loop) has made the final miles of the Grand Loop extremely unsafe for participants. Riding the Crippler during the last weekend in July will move the start/end location to our trusty Ken Caryl RTD park-n-ride location in Littleton...away from the heavy traffic in Golden. Second...there's really not another weekend in July that we can move the Grand Loop without being in competition with a major ACA/BRAC race, which is not our intention...Finally, moving the Crippler to July virtually ensures that riders will encounter sizzling temperatures along Deckers Road, further adding to challenge of the Crippler! We're almost positive that all riders will embrace this added challenge! :)
Hope everyone is enjoying their "down" season and preparing for the upcoming holidays!
Ride safe and keep the rubber side down!!
