The reason that I headed out on the Colorado Trail by bike is not purely because I wanted to. I'd rather walk it I think, or maybe do another trail altogether. But the CT and I have unfinished business...
In June of 2021, a bunch of my cycling buddies and I decided that we should all ride the Colorado Trail together. My girlfriend and I decided to ride a tandem. Unfortunately, we bit off a bit more than we could chew.
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| Our bikes staged for our ride in Durango, CO |
To start with, there were 11 of us. If you've ever been on a trip with more than a few people, you know that as the amount of people increases, logistics get exponentially harder, and efficiency pretty much goes out the window. When coupled with poor planning, improper equipment, and general naivety, things did not go very well.
4 of the 11 that started the trail completed it, myself excluded. I was extremely impressed with the tenacity and strength of the riders that made it all the way to Denver. However, it never quite sat right with me that I bailed on that ride.
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| Me and Jackie and our loaded tandem |
Fast forward to September of 2025. I've ridden thousands of miles and camped more than a hundred nights in the backcountry since my initial attempt. I have more proper equipment and the means to obtain what I don't have. I have the foresight to know that going alone will make things much, much easier. And most importantly, my expectations for the difficulty of the Colorado Trail have been properly calibrated.
On Monday, September 15th 2025, I began my second attempt at the Colorado Trail, this time headed southbound. Stay tuned for the report on how the ride unfolded...
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