New Santa Fe Trail

Quick Ride Summary: DISAPPOINTING - Wednesday, June 17th, 2009, I rode from the trailhead at Palmer Lake, CO to Colorado Springs, CO where the trail connects to the Pikes Peak Greenway. The distance was 18 miles with a net loss in elevation of just over a 1000 feet. I do NOT recommend this trail for the casual rider or for any type of road bike. The trail surface was advertised as crushed stone but often deteriorated to mud holes with sections so steep I still slid downhill with all brakes locked. Little, if any, evidence of trail maintenance within the Air Force Academy grounds.



I have added a chart of the Percent Grade as an overlay to the elevation chart. You will notice the spikes in the grade that indicate very steep sections of the trail.


I started in Palmer Lake and the trail was quite nice and stayed on the railroad grade to Monument, CO. If the entire trail had been this nice I would be giving you a glowing report rather than reporting a complete disappointment in the overall trail.



There were shelters and other amenities at the Palmer Lake and Monument trailheads, and a nice shelter just before entering the Air Force Academy. There were numerious signs concerning the flora, fauna and geology of the region. In fact there were so many that they were actually intrusive.





This trail passes along a beautiful section of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, but the expected serenity of riding along was marred by continuous road noise from I-25 and the constant drone of the airplanes overhead at the Academy.


Just south of Monument the trail left the railbed for long sections. At one time the trail surface was so bad that I thought I had wandered off the main trail onto some side trail, but was assured by a rider coming the other way that I was still on the New Santa Fe Trail. The trail had huge erosion ruts and several times I had to dismount and push the trike around obstacles and up hills that even the two wheelers could not navigate.


Finally, the trail left the Academy grounds and was back on the railbed for a nice couple of miles before reaching Colorado Springs.

In summary, the scenery was great, but the ride was at times quite unpleasant. Unless something changes I will not ride this trail again. I took no pictures of the ugly parts of the trail.


You may see all the pictures I took on this ride by visiting my Picasa site HERE

George S. Mickelson Trail

Note of Exception: The George S. Mickelson Trail, Black Hills, South Dakota. This is obviously not a Colorado trail, but since it is not that far away, Colorado riders may find it interesting. It is also an excellent example of what can be done with retired rail lines of considerable length. The website for the 108 mile George S. Michelson trail may be visited by clicking HERE, or by clicking the title of this trail.

Quick Ride Summary: I made two rides, both restricted by weather. The first was on Tuesday, June 9th. I rode 34.57 miles with a net loss in elevation of 1580 feet. Temp. in the low 50’s. Started at noon after rain all morning and was chased by thunderstorms for the entire ride. Trail surface is gravel or crushed rock, well maintained considering the previous winter and the current rains. Most of the time rolling resistance was high, requiring effort to even go downhill. Trail was best suited to mountain bikes. The surface was occasionally marred by the tracks of large animals.

The second ride was on Thursday, June 11th, early in the morning. It was only 4.9 miles because going further up the trail would have meant traveling on slick, muddy dirt roads. We tried it but turned around, went back to paved roads, unloaded the trike and took what was available. It was cold.

Clicking a graphic will usually render it full sized. Then use the back arrow on your browser to return to the blog.

I have included my GPS trail map in both "road" and "satellite" versions, and have rotated the elevation map to match the direction of the trail.

In spite of the fact that I ride a trike that is more suitable to paved trails and roads and that riding the Mickelson was more effort than I had anticipated, this trail is FANTASTIC!

Except for where the trail parallels the road, the silence is deafening. I flushed 6 turkeys in the first mile and a half and was constantly spooking antelope, white tailed deer and regular deer all of whom sprung off like they had built in trampolines. The only person I saw on the trail was Fran who would race ahead of me to the next trailhead, in case rain would end the ride, and then walk up to trail to meet me and to enjoy the trail herself. The trailheads can be from 5 to 16 miles apart.

I came to a place with a shelter and sign called Sanator. It was once a regular stop on the rail line where a very large tuberculosis Sanatorium was located. You can see a picture of the sanatorium across the bottom of the sign.

Other locations still had the telegraph (not telephone) lines that paralleled the rail line. Mines, ranches and small communities were also frequent sights along the trail.

I have included the following video just to give you an idea of what it is like for hours at a time. I’m doing about 10 miles per hour and holding the camera in one hand.


The pictures included are not in any particular order except for the one of me at the start of ride # 1. All the pictures are available on my Facebook account. See the link later in the Blog.

There are frequent tunnels of green and deep cuts through the rock. As the trail exits the Black Hills, near the end of my 35 mile ride, you will notice the absence of trees and see that the cuts are now through dirt rather than rock. There the trail passes through large ranches with cattle and horses.

I ran across this relic, about my age, lying alongside the trail.

On the second ride, in order to see more wildlife, I took it much slower, and quieter. Consequently I rode past a small herd of deer that did not spook, but rather just stared at me curiously.

The trail passes many mines of everything from gold to pegmatite and mica.

The trail also passes through a few town including Hill City, Custer, and Edgemont.

I recommend this trail to riders of all skill levels. But note that the trail map comes with an elevation profile of the trail for a reason. This is a mountainous area and the trail is rarely flat. It you don’t choose wisely, you can be pulling a hill for more than 20 miles. I chose segments that were, on the average, downhill and I still had to climb hills of 2 to 3 miles in length.

One pays a fee to ride the Mickelson. It is three dollars for a day or fifteen dollars for an annual pass. Day passes may be purchased at most trailheads and the annual pass may be ordered on their website. Copies of the Mickelson Map are also usually available at each trailhead.

If you want to see all of the photos I took, click HERE to go to my Facebook album of this trip.

Or, better, click HERE to see them in my Google Picasa album.

Or here is a slide show with all the pictures:


I will go back and finish the trail at some point in the future.

Clear Creek Trail - Springtime

Quick Ride Summary: May 30th, 2009. 36.43 miles round trip. Elevation change 502 feet each direction. Most of that elevation change comes in the last 3 miles as you approach Golden. Weather: sunny, temp. mid 70's, wind 5-10mph from the east. Trail surface is mostly smooth concrete with some sections in Wheat Ridge well maintained blacktop.

Double Clicking a graphic will usually render it full sized. Then use the back arrow on your browser to return to the blog.

Trail Notes: No construction on the trail. The trail section adjacent to Highway 58 is entirely complete. Normal maintenance is a regular activity (mowing, patching etc.) At two points the trail still spills onto streets. One, only about 250 yards long in a neighborhood and the other about a mile long to access a secondary trail in order to get under Kipling street.







Misc Info: Expect to encounter horses and lamas in the Wheat Ridge area.

Trail Tale: On almost every ride something interesting happens. Only a few miles into this ride I came upon an older man (older than me) who was leaning against his bike with his head down. I stopped and inquired about his condition. He said his shoulder hurt and he didn't know why. Upon examination, his arm (of the sore shoulder side) was all scraped up and bleeding. I got him off the trail and administered first aid. He had undoubtedly fallen but did not remember it. He would not permit me to call paramedics or relatives. He was wearing a helmet and appeared to be otherwise OK. Soon, he was on his way and so was I.


I started on the Platte River Trail at 70th Street and the river. Riding 2 tenths of a mile south brings you to the Clear Creek trail head. At mile 1.3 you come to the first of 11 overpasses which include 2 normal roads, 3 major freeways and miscellaneous on ramps, flyovers, etc.

At the end of another mile you come out of the underpasses and reach Twin Lakes (where I usually start my Clear Creek Rides)

The spring runoff is underway and Clear Creek is running much fuller than usual. Some of the underpasses are closed due to high water and so street level crossings are sometimes necessary.

Here is a video of what the creek looks like at about mile 5.

Most of the ride is very pleasant. As the trees and bushes fill out they screen off many of the offending sights and sounds (freeways and junkyards and the like). Here is what the trail looks like at mile 8.

At mile 13 the trail exits onto streets in order to access a trail that goes under Kipling Street. I usually take this opportunity to visit my favorite health food establishment, Winchell's Donuts. I scored a chocolate covered cruller and a custard filled round thingy. My diabetes thanks me for the glucose.

Just west of Wadsworth the trail pass a small isolated park that is had to find from the road and thus is not overrun with people. The area has some mature trees and is quite nice. Mature trees are uncommon on today's Clear Creek. Most were cut down by the gold rushers for fuel, sluices, and shelters.

This section is very popular for obvious reasons.

And, as mentioned earlier, a popular area for horseback riding.

At mile 14.5 the trail passes under I70 and heads to Golden on a course parallel to highway 58. Much of this portion of the trail has been relocated and is new. The lush trees are left behind and the flora more grassy.



The trail begins some serious climbing and in about 3 miles tops out where I took this picture.


Then it is downhill into Golden. The trail reaches Washington Street where this sign greets you.















Now, I turn the trike around and do it all again, seeing all of the green from the other direction. It was a great ride in both directions. I end this with a couple of pictures for those of you who might have wondered how I get my trike from place to place to make all these great rides.

Poudre River Trail

Quick Ride Summary: May 6th, 2009. 40.35miles round trip. Elevation change 200 feet each direction. For a 20 mile trail, that is virtually flat. Weather sunny, temp. mid 70's, wind 10-12mph from the west and then the southwest. Trail surface is smooth concrete; much of it brand new.

The trail travels through extremes. In some portions you are isolated and riding through remote ranch lands and in others you are riding on the sidewalks of subdivisions.

The website for the Poudre River Trail may be accessed by clicking the title of this article. The trail website indicates that the trail is still under construction, but that is no longer true. The trail is complete.

As usual, pictures may be double-clicked to see larger copies.

(Editor's note: Actually I tested this feature and found that not all pictures could be expanded. It appears to be because I added some of the pictures in groups rather than individually and this disabled the links. I won't make that mistake in the future)

I started on the east end of the trail in Greeley, Colorado at the Island Grove Regional Park. The park is located at 11th and D streets in Greeley. With some exceptions, the trail follows the Cache La Poudre River, a primary source of water for the ranches, farms and cities of northern Colorado.

The first mile or so, the trail and river move through an industrial area on the south bank. Many trail users avoid this section by parking at one of the upstream access points.

At mile 2 the trail moves through a series of lakes. Most have been created by sand and gravel operations which continue at various points along the river creating sites for future lakes.

At mile 4.2 is a railroad crossing. Although trains are not frequent, this is not a spur or siding.

The railroad crossing is immediately followed by two the five cattle guards installed on the trail. As you can see from the picture, there are narrow areas made for dogs and bikes to cross but are too narrow for trikes. I usually walk the trike across these because riding across at any speed breaks spokes on my wheels.

Cell service is very good in this area. This rancher has obviously upgraded from his travel trailer to a motor home with the proceeds from the Cell Tower in his yard.

There is also a popular dog training area in this section of the trail.

The further west you travel the larger the river gets. Even with spring runoff, much of the water is siphoned off for irrigation and other water needs all along its length.

Mile 7.2 brings a welcome sight. A toilet.

These northern Colorado trails also have another amenity that I have not found anywhere else. Solar powered air stations. You push a button and the compressor comes to life and you can air up a soft tire, etc. Very Nice! One thing that is not found for long stretches of the trail is water. So bring plenty to drink.

Mile 8 brings warnings of poison ivy and also areas of falling rock. This is an area with residential developments to the south, but still very picturesque.

The Poudre Learing Center is at about mile 9. Besides the buildings, the center stretches over many acres where groups are taken around the area and introduced to the flora and fona of the region by the trained staff. It seems to be a popular destination.

This portion is in ranch country and the trail cuts through the middle of the Orr Ranch. Riding through the ranch I came across a young cow that had managed to get out ot the ranchland and onto the trail and was desperately trying to get back into the fields. I called the ranch management folks and they sent a cowboy to return the cow to the herd; I rode on.

Miles 11 through about 13 pass through and along the edge of land owned by the Eastman Kodak Company. They have several large facilities that cover most of a mile and are major contributors of parks and trails in the Windsor area. During this section of the ride I came across a small snake crossing the trail. I mention this because I do not like snakes and tend to measure all rides in the number of snake sightings. This was only a One Snake Ride.

At mile 15 the trail leaves the river (a golf course is in the way) and goes through Windsor residential neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are all around lakes. The area is called Pelican Lakes and may pelicans were on the water and in the air.

Mile 16.25 brings you to the Eastman Pavillion, a park, playground and picnic facility where I usually take a break. Restrooms, water and electricity are among the amenities. I will have my lunch here on the way back.

At about mile 17.5 the trail passes though an active mining operation and the trail is appropriately signed.

This is followed by more lakes and some medium to upscale neighborhoods.

Finally the trail becames rural again and at mile 20.35 the trail deadends into a fence. Perched on top of one of the fence posts is a wooden owl.

It is the tradition of the Poudre River Trail to pat the owl on the head before turning around and heading back down the trail. I did so, and then rode the 20+ miles in the reverse order.

Barr Lake: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Quick Ride Summary: Date - April, 30 2009. Nine miles around the lake. Elevation change near zero. Weather sunny, temp. 60, wind 4-6mph from the west. Trail surface included gravel, dirt, mud, ruts, and other.

As always, double-clicking a picture will render it full sized in your browser.

This morning I did a 15 mile training ride and thought that since I had never done the Barr Lake ride it would make a nice afternoon outing and an interesting write-up for this blog.

I parked at the Barr State Park Nature Center at about 2:00p.m., unloaded and began the circuit of the lake in a clockwise direction. The trail was crushed rock but not particularly well maintained. In the first mile or so there were very nice blinds for watching wildlife, Boardwalks out into the wetlands and the lake (one with a gazebo).


At about mile two I saw a sizable snake crossing the trail (my first of the season). He was 6 or seven feet long and not quite as big around as my forearm. I was glad to put him behind me. A little further along I saw a herd of Mule Deer. Some were lying down and some walking around. You can tell by their ears why they are called Mule Deer.

There was an abundance of waterfowl; ducks, geese, blue herons and others I didn't know the names of. I didn't take any pictures of them.

At about mile 2.5 the trail began to deteriorate to dirt and sand ruts. That might be OK for a bike but is a disaster for a trike. The ranger had told me the trail was crushed gravel so I thought this was a temporary problem.

WRONG! The condition of the trail continued to deteriorate and at one point actually ran along the railroad track easement. It was so rough that one of my fender broke loose from its mounting and I had to use electrical tape to re-afix it temporarily. So on the west side of the lake the view is mostly of a giant concrete slag heap, the railroad, some cattle, and other uninteresting stuff.

Once I crossed the dam and re-entered the actual state park property the trail again became crushed rock, but I was long passed being interested in anything except getting off that damned trail.

I do not recommend this ride, even for mountain bikes as at least 5 miles of it are just plain ugly.