Winter Ralleye #2: Pennock Pass Pedalin’ Powwow is Sunday
There’s probably little to no snow over the pass this year and no snow in the forecast.
Meet 6:30am at the Bean Cycle in FoCo.
I’m going to be in beautifulhorrible Delaware 
Looking forward to the campout next month though. Maybe I’ll have a hunter/gatherer for it.
Barring a new Endpoint, would you reccomend:
a 29x3 tire mountain bike
or
byways on the grando
For the campout? It’s all paved, we just ride up CO 14. Just take the bike that hauls your shit the best.
Perfect.
Thinking of making a trip to Boulder with sup in September.
There is a conference at CU Boulder last weekend, and I may use that as my main academic trip instead of Reno in November. Always wanted the university to pay for my bike trip, but our locations/times of main conferences usually don’t allow that. Looks like bike parks are usually open until Oct 1, so that should be cool. Plus other trails hopefully clear for some fun.
Will post again when actually closer to it becoming a reality.
Oh yeah, you will have a lot of riding options available in September. There are a couple of good mtb trails in Boulder, but a majority of them are in Denver’s front range area, which are 30 minutes or less from Boulder. Going beyond the front range trails will be a little questionable at the end of September, it really just depends on the snowfall.
Looks like me, ladybiek, and our friend Eric are in for cold toes next weekend. Probably just drive up to FoCo earlier in the morning since we really haven’t spent too much time up there. I might have a couple others coming up with, but they’re all “but i’d rather go skiing instead”
what the hell is wrong with people.
Co0l!
Logistical considerations to maximize your enjoyment:
Meet at Swing Station at noon for social hour, or hour and a half.
There is a pizza place across the street, some people grab a pizza, eat some for lunch, and take the rest with them. Across the other street is a grocery store if you’re into midwestern hot bar selections, except their krautburgers are totally bogus.
Eventually ride up the canyon, frequent “safety checks”.
The campsite is closed for the winter, so the water pump is disabled and the bathrooms are locked.
Sometimes we can get the hand pump to work however, and the campsite is right on the Poudre so there’s water to filter/boil.
The next campsite up the highway (150 feet or so) is technically open and the bathrooms are unlocked
There is a fire pit and a big stack of pallets we be magically waiting for us.
Usually the river is frozen, and the afternoon activities are crossing the river and scrambling up in the rocks. There is hidden waterfall to ogle. Appropriate footwear may wisely influence your bike choice.
On the way up the canyon there is a little Kamping convenience store should you need to fine-tune lite beer supplies
A little bit further past the campground is the Mishawaka, if you want to continue drinking in a bar setting or need a cheeseburger. There often is an nightcap expedition to the Mish so bring lights if you’re not dynolyfing.
In the morning Colin usually brings bacon and eggs for sharing. Some people head up to the Mish for breakfast.
If you’re on fat tires, you can take a side trip (out and back lollipop) on the Hewlett Gulch trail on the way back.
Also on the way back is Vern’s in Laporte if you want a big hunter’s breakfast.
I’m most likely going to swap the pedals out on the grando to those sweet imrider flats, so that I can wear my winter boots. I do not want cold toes.
The Drifter’s Cookhouse on the other side of the pass is owned by my family
I spent a summer rebuilding the kitchen from studs and replumbing the whole thing when my Uncle first bought it
Google maps says permanently closed 
Doc, what’s the water situation up there? Should I bring a filter? Do you think the spigot might work?
I don’t want to haul several liters of water up there if I can help it. Look for LB and me on white somas, and my buddy on some colnago crossbike thing. I was gonna leave Denver around 10am or so.
I saw Steamboat mentioned earlier and it’s fantastic. Great spot in the winter, even better in the summer.
I’ll be out there visiting family mid Feb if anyone makes it out that way
I hear strawberry hot springs is rad as fuck, and I’ve got the coordinates for a primitive spring just south of Kremmling if it’s not snowed in.
[quote=kmcdon]Doc, what’s the water situation up there? Should I bring a filter? Do you think the spigot might work?
I don’t want to haul several liters of water up there if I can help it. Look for LB and me on white somas, and my buddy on some colnago crossbike thing. I was gonna leave Denver around 10am or so.[/quote]
The Forest Service takes the handle off of the pump when they close the campground for the winter. The rest of the mechanism still can be cycled, it’s just not as easy. But I don’t know if there are other circumstances that keep it from working this year. Colin should be hauling up pallets today, I’ll ask him to look.
The one in the next campground up might work though, I’ve never gone and looked. And if you plan to go to the Mish you could fill up on water there and haul it downhill.
I’m not sure about snow to melt, they’re supposed to get some today. If you don’t want to haul, you should probably bring the filter to use river water.
Weather is looking perfect, tight temp range and not too cold.
Are you thinking that slicks might be a liability in this case?
[quote=kmcdon]
Are you thinking that slicks might be a liability in this case?[/quote]
I don’t think so, the forecast isn’t for much and the road gets enough traffic, but if I hear otherwise I’ll PM you.
Report is the water pump was winterized so it’s haul, boil, or filter.
frig
Cinnamon Roller route has changed. Colorado State Patrol wanted $2500 to watch us cross Hwy 287. So the new route stays in the plains. ~55 miles, no long climbs other than some rollers. No cinnamon rolls.