2015 Colorado Death Ride Recap

Mark Lowe, Eric Nelsen, and Stephen Strayer speed toward the base of Red Mountain Pass as dawn breaks
 during the 2015 Colorado Death Ride. (Photo by Walter Zitz)

On Saturday, June 27, 2015,  RMCCers made the long journey to the southwest part of the state to face the Colorado Death Ride. The Death Ride is the most spectacular single-day event on the RMCC calendar and arguably the most spectacular double century course in the world. Starting and ending in Durango, CO, the Death Ride course navigates the spectacular 225-mile San Jan Skyway, including four high altitude passes above 10,000 feet (Coal Bank Pass, Molas Pass, Red Mountain Pass, and Lizard Head Pass), as well as the beautiful, highly photographed Dallas Divide, which sits just below 10,000 feet. The route also includes the surreal, death-defying descent down the notorious Red Mountain Pass, one of Colorado's most incredible mountain descents! This year's event had rather balmy temperatures, except for the expected chilly plunge into Silverton from Molas Pass before the break of dawn. Several riders also encountered some bone-chilling thunderstorms as they made the final descent from Hesperus Hill into Durango at the end of the day. This year's event had a remarkable 100% finishing rate! Congratulations to all of this year's Colorado Death Riders!

The beautiful Mt. Wilson, near Telluride, CO (Photo by Penny Nelsen)

2015 Colorado Death Ride Event Summary: 

Course:

• 225 miles, approximately 17,000 feet (est.) of climbing
• 7 categorized climbs:
• Coal Bank Pass (10,640 feet): HC (Hermosa to Coal Bank Summit)
• Molas Pass (10,910 feet): Category 3
• Red Mountain Pass (11,018 feet): Category 2 (from Silverton)
• Dallas Divide (8,983 feet): Category 2 (from Ridgway)
• Lizard Head Pass (10,222 feet): HC  (from Placerville)
• Marcos Hill (Category 3)
• Hesperus Hill (Category 4) 

Participants: 

• 23 pre-registrered riders
• 22 ride starters, 1 early withdrawal. Of the riders who started, 21 were men, 1 woman
• 22 official finishers (100% finishing rate...WOW!), successfully completing this challenging high altitude course in under 19 hours (>11.8 m.p.h.)
• Mark Lowe and Walter Zitz recorded the fastest men's time, completimg the Death Ride course in 12 hours, 35 minutes (total elapsed time) (avg. speed 17.9 m.p.h.)
• Corinne Warren was our lone female competitor, completing the Death Ride in 18 hours, 17 minutes (avg. speed 12.3 m.p.h.). Corinne's moto for the day: "I'd rather be D.F.L. than D.N.S.!" Great ride, Corinne! 

The spectacular San Juans at dawn (photo by Penny Nelsen)

Special thanks to this year's volunteers!!! We cannot run these events in their current format without your assistance! Thank you to each of you!!!

• RMCC president, Charlie Henderson
• Penny Nelsen
• Kelly Shannon

Also, thanks to Corinne Warren for her culinary efforts to provide cookies and muffins for this year's event!!

The beautiful Sneffels Range as viewed from the Dallas Divide (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

Brief Results:

Name	Age	Hometown	Total Time
Lowe, Mark	41	Arvada, CO	12:35
Zitz, Walter	29	Englewood, CO	12:35
Nelsen, Eric	42	Evergreen, CO	12:54
Strayer, Stephen	37	Noblesville, IN	13:46
Rudolph, Steve	55	Westminster, CO	13:51
Horwood, Josh	35	Loveland, CO	14:10
Miller, Tom	45	Denver, CO	14:10
Schaefer, Tim	49	Denver, CO	14:49
Smith, Vernon	57	Denver, CO	14:53
Schroer, Steve	46	Littleton, CO	15;07
Kaminski, Jason	45	Longmont, CO	15:13
Henderson, Michael	49	Dolores, CO	15:29
Stokes, Colin	49	Mission Viejo, CA	15:29
Sendor, Jon	58	Denver, CO	16:20
Rosenthal, Harris	53	Denver, CO	16:55
Turner, Jason	40	Monument, CO	17:09
Lapkass, Andy	57	Breckenridge, CO	17:12
Nelson, David	60	Greenwood Village, CO	17:15
Barnes, Graham	44	Boulder, CO	17:16
Grimm, Paul	46	Fredonia, AZ	17:40
Warren, Corinne	47	Monument, CO	18:17

Mark Lowe and Walter Zitz at the conclusion of the Colorado Death Ride.
This was Mark's 7th Death Ride and Walter's 2nd Death Ride.

Eric Nelsen had a stellar ride at this year's Colorado Death Ride!

Still developing his high altitude lungs, Indiana rider, Stephen Strayer, completes his first Colorado Death Ride.
Congratulations, Stephen!

After another death-defying ride, Steve Rudolph is glad to have survived yet another Colorado Death Ride! 

Back to his old form, Josh Horwood looks comfortable at the finish of this year's event! Great ride,  Josh!

Tom Miller completes his 5th Colorado Death Ride! Great ride, Tom!

After completing his first Colorado Death Ride, Tim Schaefer is well on his way
to completing his first Colorado Triple Crown!

RMCC endurance veteran, Vernon Smith, looks comfortable at the end of his first Death Ride!

Triple Crown veteran, Steve Schroer, continues to get faster and faster with the double century distance. Great ride, Steve! 

Jason Kaminski is relieved to have finished his second Colorado Death ride (and first Death Ride
in the traditional counter-clockwise direction!). 

A bit damp at the end of the ride, Colin Stokes (Mission Viejo, CA) and Michael Henderson  are relieved
to have finished the Colorado Death Ride. 

Chilled by the evening rain, Jon Sendor sets a new personal benchmark for distance! Great ride, Jon!
(Believe me...these rides do get easier with practice, although none of us ever get used to the rain!)

Harris Rosenthal, you are now a Colorado Death Rider! Congratulations! 

Jason Turner successfully completes his second Death Ride! Great ride, Jason!

Endurance veteran, Paul Grimm, completes his second Colorado Death Ride.
 Great ride, Paul!

Breckenridge rider, Andy Lapkass amazingly completes the Colorado Death Ride on a single speed road bike!
Impressive ride, Andy!

David Nelson survives another Death Ride! Per report, this was David's tenth time he has completed this amazing loop!

Completing his first Colorado Death Ride, Graham Barnes continues to impress on his modified mountain bike! 

Kelly Shannon gives up a valuable day to volunteer for this year's event. Thanks, Kelly!

Eric and Penny Nelsen get a chance to relax after a long day or riding and supporting riders, respectively!!

The appropriately named Red Mountain, as viewed from Red Mountain Pass on a relatively cloudless morning.

Mt. Wilson dominates the scenery to the southwest of Telluride (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

Sunrise at the base of Red Mountain Pass (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

Looking back toward Silverton from Red Mountain Pass (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

Trout Lake (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

Up Next: The Colorado Classic Double Century. Book your motel rooms NOW!!!!!

Inaugural Colorado High Country Double Century Recap

Steamboat Springs, CO is the final destination of the Colorado High Country Double Century

On Saturday, June 13, 2015, RMCCers tackled the inaugural Colorado High Country Double Century, the newest Colorado Triple Crown event. Inspired by the RMCC Colorado High Country 1200km brevet, the new course is a point-to-point route, venturing from Boulder, CO to Steamboat Springs, CO in the northwest part of the state. The course passes over the beautiful Horsetooth Reservoir to the west of Fort Collins. From Fort Collins, the course turns west up the spectacular Poudre Canyon. Perhaps the longest canyon along the Front Range, Poudre Canyon climbs over 5,000 feet in 60 miles to its summit at the stunning Cameron Pass. From Cameron Pass, the route drops down into the North Park Valley, where riders are at the mercy of the winds! Riders complete the route by climbing to the top of the relatively short but steep Rabbit Ears Pass and then make the blazing seven-mile plunge into Steamboat Springs. Participants had 16.5 hours to complete the course to receive an official finishing time and Colorado Triple Crown credit.

The upper portion of the beautiful Poudre Canyon (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

2015 Colorado High Country Double Century Summary:

Course:

• 207 miles, approximately 12,000 feet of climbing
• 3 categorized climbs:
• Poudre Canyon to Cameron Pass (10,276 feet): HC
• Muddy Creek Pass (8,772 feet): Category 5
• Rabbit Ears Pass (9,426 feet): Category 3 

Participants: 

• 31 pre-registered riders
• 27 ride starters, 1 early withdrawals, 3 late withdrawals. Of the riders who started, 25 were men, 2 were women.
• 25 official finishers, successfully completing the course in 16.5 hours (12.55 mph avg speed), 2 DNFs
• Speedsters Billy Edwards, Mark Lowe, Walter Zitz, and Bryce Walsh completed this challenging new course in 10 hours, 55 min. (19.0 mph).
• Lisa Renee Tumminello of Steamboat Springs, CO posted the fastest women's time with a time of 12 hours, 32 min. (16.53 mph).

Special thanks to this year's volunteers! We could not have done this event without your help!! 

• Charlie Henderson
• Penny Nelsen
• Corinne Warren

Cameron Pass (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

Brief Results:

Name	Age	Hometown	Total Time
Edwards. Billy	37	Boulder, CO	10:55
Lowe, Mark	41	Arvada, CO	10:55
Walsh, Bryce	44	Boulder, CO	10:55
Zitz, Walter	29	Englewood, CO	10:55
Nelsen, Eric	42	Evergreen, CO	11:46
Miller, Tom	45	Denver, CO	11:47
Rudolph, Steve	55	Westminster, CO	11:47
Schaefer, Tim	49	Denver, CO	12:03
Horwood, Josh	35	Loveland, CO	12:11
Hulett Jeffrey	55	Golden, CO	12:22
Smith, Vernon	57	Colorado Springs, CO	12:22
Tumminello, Lisa Renee	45	Steamboat Springs, CO	12:32
Baker, Chris	44	Firestone, CO	13:03
Rupel, Ray	60	Centennial, CO	13:05
Strayer, Stephen	37	Noblesville, IN	13:10
Kaminski, Jason	45	Longmont, CO	13:21
Jensen, Keith	41	Windsor, CO	13:49
Schroer, Steve	46	Littleton, CO	14:00
Rosenthal, Harris	53	Denver, CO	14:07
Sendor, Jon	58	Denver, CO	14:07
Benoit, Diane	57	Morrison, CO	14:20
Barnes, Graham	41	Boulder, CO	14:38
Griffith, Scott	41	Albuquerque, NM	15:10
Grimm, Paul	46	Fredonia, AZ	15:21
Rainwater, James	46	Nederland. CO	16:04
Turkaly, Edward	43	Black Hawk, CO	16:04
Stefely, Ernie	58	Denver, CO	DNF
Turner, Jason	40	Monument, CO	DNF

Billy Edwards, Walter Zitz, Mark Lowe, and Bryce Walsh blistered the new Colorado High Country Double Century course in 10 hrs, 55 min (19.0 mph!) 

Eric Nelsen, Steve Rudolph, and Tom Miller at the finish of Colorado High Country Double Century

Tim Schaefer successfully completes his first Colorado Triple Crown event! Congratulations, Tim! 

After a season of trial and error, Triple Crown veteran, Josh Horwood, has his nutrition dialed in for this year's Triple Crown. Congratulations, Josh, on a great ride! 

RMCC Colorado High Country 1200km course record holder, Jeffrey Hulett, and RMCC endurance veteran, Vermon Smith, at the conclusion of the inaugural Colorado High Country Double Century. 

Ray Rupel looks relaxed and comfortable at the conclusion of this year's first Colorado Triple Crown event.

Relieved to be finished, Scott Griffith at the conclusion of the Colorado High Country Double Century

After getting off to a rough start, Paul Grimm managed to survive this year's  first Colorado Triple Crown event.

Ed Turkaly and James Rainwater are relieved to have finished their first Colorado Triple Crown event .

Steamboat Springs speedster, Lisa Renee Tumminello, completes her first Colorado Triple Crown event of 2015. (C'mon, Lisa...you have to complete the entire series, especially if I agree to complete in the gravel grinder in Steamboat Springs in August! Just sayin'!) 

Chris Baker successfully completes the first stage of the Colorado Triple Crown series. Great ride, Chris!

Indiana distance rider, Stephen Strayer, succesfully completes the Colorado High Country Double Century
and his first Colorado Triple Crown event!

After a several year hiatus, Colorado Triple Crown veteran, Jason Kaminski once again has Triple Crown aspirations!
Nice ride, Jason! 

Keith Jensen at the conclusion of this year's Colorado High Country Double Century.
Great having you back out there, Keith!

Steve Schroer successfully completes the first Colorado Triple Crown event of 2015!

RMCCers, Jon Sendor and Harris Rosenthal, are both on their way to completing the 2015 Colorado Triple Crown. Great ride to the two of you...

Diane Benoit rides herself into Colorado Triple Crown form! Nice ride, Diane!

Graham Barnes looks comfortable at the end of the day's challenging ride! Great ride, Graham!

Tom Miller in action on Rabbit Ears Pass

RMCC president, Charlie Henderson, Penny Nelsen, and Corinne Warren (not pictured) provided fabulous support for this year's event! Thanks to all of you!!!

Bryce Walsh, Billy Edwards, Steve Rudolph, Tom Miller, Penny Nelsen, and Eric Nelsen
at the Rabbit Ears Motel

The Rabbit Ears Motel in Steamboat Springs was the final destination for this year's participants.
Thanks to their support!

High water along the Poudre River  (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

Park Range Mountains as viewed from North Park (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

Medicine Bow Mountains as viewed from North Park (Photo by Tim Schaefer)

NEXT UP: THE COLORADO DEATH RIDE, JUNE 27, 2015!!!