Ride the
ROCKIES
JUNE 13 - 18, 2021 RIDETHEROCKIES.COM
A LEGENDARY RIDE RETURNS TO DURANGO by Margaret Hedderman
Photos courtesy of Ryan Muncy
When Don Richards first pedaled across the state with Ride the Rockies, he rode a “stump jumper” and wore gym shorts with tennis shoes. To register for the crossstate bicycle tour, he waited in a line that spilled out of the Denver Sports Castle and wrapped around the block. That was in 1987—before high-tech, moisture-wicking materials and online registration—and since then, the annual ride has become a Colorado tradition for cyclists. “That’s one of the things we do with Ride the Rockies is show people our state,” says Tour Director Deirdre Moynihan.
The annual Ride the Rockies bicycle tour returns to Durango, where nearly 2,000 cyclists will embark on a six-day, 418-mile ride through the San Juan Mountains. Organized by The Denver Post, the fully supported tour attracts riders from across the country.
“Durango has been one of the most welcoming communities,” says Moynihan. “It’s such a big cycling community, and that’s a big draw.” Last year’s event, which was slated to begin in Durango, was canceled due to COVID-19. Moynihan says this summer’s ride will follow the same route, but new safety protocols will be in place for riders. The route will take riders on a circuit from Durango through Cortez, Ridgway, and Ouray before dropping back into town via the Million Dollar Highway. For anyone familiar with the San Juan Mountains, it’s clear the route is no joke. Over six days, riders will climb up and down several major mountain passes, equating to 28,484 feet in elevation gain. Tour directors strive never to repeat the same route twice—quite the accomplishment
18 Durango Magazine Summer/Fall
in a 35-year history; however, it does inevitably visit many of the same hot spots. To keep it fresh, Moynihan looks for creative solutions to introduce riders to new byways and rural communities off the beaten path. “I looked at [where] we can get some crusher days,” she says, “but also really get those more quiet days, where they get to explore.” In addition to a new loop through Ignacio and Vallecito, Ride the Rockies will incorporate a selection of dirt roads near Telluride. “The beauty of dirt roads is that they take you places that are further from traffic and closer to nature,” says Nick Legan of Rambleur, a gravel-bike coaching and consulting firm. “If you haven’t experienced a well-maintained dirt road in Colorado,” Legan says, “ it can be as smooth as pavement.”
“You go up Norwood Hill and all of a sudden there’s this amazing mesa,” Moynihan says. “Nobody knows it’s there. They all focus on Telluride.” While Colorado’s bucket-list destinations are on full display during the event,
