Sunday, May 8, 2016

Midland Rail Update

Dear Friends of The Midland Rail, We are less than a week out until the ride, and the weather is as unpredictable as we expected. There is still new snow on the Mesa and Lands End road is only partially open. So here is the plan as it sits. We will meet at Main St Bagels in Grand Junction at 7:30am on Saturday the 14th. Here we can load any gear in our gracious photographer's van. He will haul everyone's gear up to the camp. Some time around 8am we will roll out riding along the bike path and out to 32rd, we will join hwy 50 and ride a short distance to Reeder Mesa Road. Reeder Mesa will climb up to Lands End Road. We will climb as far as we can that day to a camp on the side of the Grand Mesa. Here we can have a cookout and a bonfire and share the tales of the day. In the morning I will be cooking breakfast and we will continue to climb past the closed gate until we can ride no further due to the snow. Here we can appease Ullr and dance and play in the snow before we ride back down to the warmth of the valley. There will be no charge for this event, but donations will be accepted to cover food and the sag support. This is a vintage bike ride and no bikes newer than 1985 will be permitted to ride. Dress and ride to impress, at camp we will have awards for the best costume, the best bike, and strongest climber. Bring warm gear and tents. The weather on the Grand Mesa will be cold and unpredictable in May. If you have a spouse or friend that wants to bring a camper up to our camp spot that is all right. Not all of us like to "rough it" Most important, let's have fun riding old bikes up and down the side of a mountain. The views will be incredible. Come join us on May 14-15, sign up here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-midland-rail-2016-tickets-22516493438

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

May 14-15

The ride is right around the corner on May 14-15 and the Mesa still has snow, but I am positive that this will be a good time no matter the weather. Come join in the adventure. copy this into your browser https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-midland-rail-2016-tickets-22516493438

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Conversations about the pre-85 rule

I have had a couple of nice conversations over the last few days about the "pre 85" rule. I realize not everyone has an old bike laying around. Not everyone can be Christopher Brown and show up on a late 19th century gem. The spirit of this ride is to dig a little deeper, try a little harder and maybe find some simple pleasure of cycling that sometimes gets buried beneath the latest wheel size of the month and layers of carbon fiber, a time that we rode steel, wore wool, and sat on leather saddles.

I'm not the fun police, I'm not gonna be checking serial numbers of your steed. Have a 90s lugged Rivendale? Ride it. Or maybe one of these modern wonder Eroica bikes? Bring it on. I'm looking for down tube shifters, leather saddles, mustache bars, chrome and colorful paint. Let's have some fun!

Here is a modern bike that captures the right spirit
Bianchi Eroica


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

The Midland Rail May 14th - 15th

The Midland Rail is back on May 14-15 2016 and offers new adventure. I am proud to introduce The Lands End Route to the L'Eroica/Midland Rail family. This new route will begin and end in Grand Junction climbing almost 5000 feet from the valley floor to the top of the Grand Mesa. Once there we will overnight in the tall pines at Miss Prissy's Stop and Flop. All the finest of city living will be available, cold beer, warm whiskey, charred meat, BB gun shooting, ax throwing, a string band round the fire. We will meet at Main St Bagels in Grand Junction at 7am for a riders meeting, we will have an opportunity to load gear in the sag vehicle, rolling out at 8am. We will then ride 50 miles or so up Lands End Road to the top of the Grand Mesa. Once there we will spend the night, leaving in the morning to finish the loop descending back to Grand Junction going through the town of Mesa and Palisade. Total miles will hover right around 100. There will be no charge for this event, but donations will be accepted to cover food and the sag support. This is a vintage bike ride and no bikes newer than 1985 will be permitted to ride. Dress and ride to impress, at camp we will have awards for the best costume, the best bike, and strongest climber. If possible bring food to share at camp, a pot luck keeps all our cost down and the food coma high. Bring warm gear and tents. The weather on the Grand Mesa will be cold and unpredictable in May. If you have a spouse or friend that wants to bring a camper up to our camp spot that is all right. Not all of us like to "rough it" Most important, let's have fun riding old bikes up and down the side of a mountain. The views will be incredible. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-midland-rail-2016-tickets-22516493438