Ride the Rockies

MONTROSE – After two days and 126 grueling miles, Roger Heaton had the best remedy for a peaceful night — sleeping in his own bed.

Heaton is one of 20 residents from Montrose that are partaking on the seven-day 23rd Annual Denver Post Ride the Rockies that started in Durango Sunday and caps off in Breckenridge Saturday.

“It has been a really good ride so far,” Heaton said. “The weather has been great and today was nice. It was mainly all downhill, the only climb was Dallas Divide.”

Montrose was a welcome sight for the local cyclists as they rode through town and were able to enjoy a night in their own homes.

“It’s been fun camping, but it feels so good just to sleep in my own bed,” said Bill Nance, another Montrose resident on the tour.

Arguably the toughest leg of the tour so far for the 2,000 riders was Monday’s climb from Cortez to Telluride. The riders had to stretch over 10,000 feet as they climbed over Lizard Head Pass during the 77-mile journey.

“Yesterday’s Cortez to Telluride journey was by far the toughest,” Nance said. “You have to go up over the Pass and it’s pretty much uphill the entire way. The heat was tough, but we did it.”

For some of the local cyclists it wasn’t their first Ride the Rockies tour.

Greg and Connie Majors participated in the bike tour two years ago and after missing a year, they are back at it again this year.

“So far the ride is going good. The weather has been great, but there is still a lot left to ride,” Connie said.

The couple celebrated their stay at home by having a barbecue with their friends Dick and Linda Rogers from Telluride, who are also on the tour.

“It’s really nice to stay at home and spend time with friends,” Greg said. “It’s tough to pack for a seven-day bike tour and have to wear clothes to go out in and to ride in. Tonight we are just going to relax and enjoy our stay at home.”

It also helps that the two are able to ride together on the tour.

“We are lucky that way,” Greg said. “My wife is a strong woman rider and I am mediocre for men and we ride really well together. We spend a lot of time together and know how each other ride. Some couples aren’t that way.”

None of the local riders simply woke up one day and decided to take part in Ride the Rockies the next. They trained — hard.

Many of riders rode up to the Black Canyon and back as they prepared for the tour. Many logged over 1,500 miles on their bikes in preparation.

“We mostly road up to the Black Canyon and back,” Heaton said. “I rode around the hills around town, mainly all around here.”

The training should help as the cyclists leave today and ride 92 miles to Crested Butte, but the journey is well worth it.

“For anybody that rides it’s a wonderful way to spend the week,” Greg Majors said. “You meet a lot of people and you see some great parts of Colorado.”

The riders also bring a lot of financial help to Montrose. Cyclists spend on average over $1.5 million total at hotels, restaurants and retail businesses over the course of the ride.