Ah, November… by Bike Ambassador Ben Boncella

Ah, November… When you can’t even finish your first cup of coffee before the sun starts setting and it starts getting dark. The extra pounds from too much Halloween candy are still lingering, yet the Holidays (and the countless number of Holiday parties) are right around the corner. We can only dream of those perfect riding days as we layer up before heading out the door now.

I’ve started to really embrace the fall/early winter this year. It’s proven to be my favorite time of year to ride gravel/offroad. There’s something special about riding among the colorful fall foliage and even the barren trees that follow shortly thereafter. And it turns out that leftover Reese pumpkins are an excellent form of on-the-bike calories.

It’s also a great time of year to spend less time on the bike and more time pursuing other activities and interests. You can bust out those running shoes and lace up. Or get your skis prep’d for the upcoming season. Maybe you take your dog out for some longer walks. Or spend more time helping your kids with their school work or projects. Maybe you finally get a chance to read a few of the books on your list. Or start decorating and baking for the holidays.

Whatever you get up to this time of year, enjoy it! I know that for many of us, cycling and endurance sports are a massive part of our life. Enjoy the moments, however fleeting they are now, to pursue some quality training, but also embrace the downtime. Spring and summer will be here before we know it.

Until then, I’ll be using the extra pockets of my jacket for stashing various combinations of chocolate and peanut butter candy :)

How to Feel Like a Kid Again by Bike Ambassador Andrew Phillips

This is a picture of my Grandma Bryant when she was about 14 or 15 years old in 1950.  She had just bought this used bike with her own money and was pretty proud of it.  As the oldest of six growing up in a small farmhouse just outside of Salt Lake City, this bike (like all of our first bikes) meant so much more than just a quick way to get to the school house – it meant freedom.

I can imagine her riding it down the dusty roads to explore creek beds or to visit friends.  Or maybe she rode it just to feel the wind in her hair and to laugh out loud as she whistled some new tune.  She loves whistling still – so it wouldn’t surprise me at all.  I guess it’s easy to imagine what it must have been like for her, because I so vividly remember getting my first bike that belonged only to me (I’m the 2nd of 5) when I was about her age.

When I was 15, we lived about 20 miles from my Grandma Bryant in the panhandle of Northern Idaho along the Pend Orielle River.  It was an absolutely beautiful place that just begged to be explored.  One lazy summer day I convinced my best friend Nick Guenther to ride the 20 miles with me to Grandma’s house and promised she would have something good for us to eat.  The Pend Orielle River is famous among bike packers and we would often see them riding by in the summer.  As we set out, I didn’t think it would take too long to get to Grandma’s given that I had ridden to town about 7 miles away a bunch of times and it never seemed that hard.  As I think back on it, I know it was a mere 20 miles – but holy cow that day seemed endless.  I felt like I could have, and in fact did, ride forever. 

We eventually made it to Grandma’s, had some cookies, went swimming in her creek and fished for trout until the late afternoon until we figured we ought to get back on our bikes and start heading back.  It was an incredible day with Nick and though I’ve lost touch with him over the years, I’m certain he would remember that adventure fondly.  This was all before the days of cell phones, so we were completely on our own.  As I look back on it, I can’t believe our parents let us head out so ill prepared.  It didn’t matter though that we didn’t have a spare tube or nickel between the two of us, we were going to just go and have a great time.  We had no mishaps and pedaled along slowly, stopping whenever we needed to get a drink from some creek or another.  Seriously, I can’t believe I survived my childhood!

I’ve had so many incredible adventures (both big and small) on my bike since then and am so grateful that I learned early in my life what an incredible feeling of satisfaction can come from riding your bike.  I guess that’s one of the reasons I keep riding, I love the adventure so much.  I love seeing, smelling and hearing new places the way you never could if you’re in a car.  I hope you can remember some adventure you had on your bike when you were a kid and know that those same feelings are just a few pedal strokes away even when you’re an adult.   

Time on a Bike, with Friends, Raising Money for Causes by Bike Ambassador Mel Levin

 In last year’s blog, I wrote of how the pandemic isolation and subsequent cancellation of events allowed me to find joy in simply riding a bike, rather than “training.”

This year, I’m happy to say that event riding is B A C K, and I love to do events that are fundraisers for illnesses/institutions I care about. I’ve already done the MS ride, just last weekend, and last year’s lessons were applied to my choice to ride the shorter (34 mile) ride rather than the longer (78 mile) ride because of thunderstorms expected to be in the area before my projected finish time.

The older I get, the more important it is to listen to my body, to give it recovery when needed, and to avoid dangerous conditions like riding in a thunderstorm! Less visibility to automobile drivers! Slicker roads! In years past, I’d have felt compelled to ride the ride I signed up for, but last year’s reminder of the joy in riding a bike, allowed me to step back, to nurse my sore foot (sore from a recent distance trail run), and to ride with my OUTspokin’ teammates. All of them had either initially chosen the shorter ride or stepped down from the 78 to the 34, following my lead of “safety first.” The day couldn’t have been more perfect, and I later learned from a friend of the 20-minute downpour and wet last ten miles. A good decision, a safe decision, had been made. Additionally, I was able to ride a strong pace I was proud of...a strong 34-miler was better than a crappy 78 on that particular day.

On the upcoming Courage Classic, held out of Copper Mountain, I am the team captain for RadioActive, a team of Pediatric Radiology docs and friends/colleagues. The ride has always been a two-day event benefitting Children’s Hospital Colorado, canceled last year due to COVID and shortened to one day only for 2021. I aim to ride the 78-miler over three mountain passes and a mountain that day (the same route as the famed Copper Triangle). I also aim to change my plan if weather is bad, to be an inspiring team captain for my friends and colleagues, and to enjoy the day, whatever happens.

Time on a bike, with friends, raising money for causes I care about, that’s where you’ll find me as long as I’m fit and able.

The Importance of Events and Organized Rides by Bike Ambassador Erin

Are you still of the mindset that bike events, races, and organized rides are just for “hard-core” weekend warriors or elite athletes? While there are plenty of events geared toward these types of cyclists, there are a ton of great events for the average biker - or total newbie - to participate in as well. 

The biggest reason I’m an advocate of signing up for an event is that it creates a sense of urgency and purpose for your training. By registering for an event, you are essentially committing to weekly rides and workouts in order to prepare for the race. This can be particularly helpful if you are new to cycling or tend to get discouraged easily. Knowing you have an event or organized ride can help you stick to your training program despite bad weather, setbacks, busy schedules, or waning motivation. 

I believe these types of events also help break down boundaries and build confidence. Most events are held to raise money for a charity or greater cause and this can help unite people of different backgrounds for a common cause. Charity events bring together riders of various abilities as well and you can always learn something from more experienced cyclists. Further, you will build confidence by setting a goal and achieving it.

There’s no better feeling than crossing the finish line of a century ride or multi-day event for the first time. 

If you still aren’t convinced, consider that they are just plain fun! From bragging rights to cool swag bags to post-race celebrations, organized cycling events offer something for everyone. Grab a friend or two and find a local race in your area. And you’ll have a built-in training partner if you register for an event together. There are so many great ones in Colorado that you won’t have a hard time finding one that works for you.

I like to pick a couple of rides each season to make sure I’m putting in the training miles. This year, I’m doing the FoCo Fondo gravel ride in July, which will be a totally new experience for me since I am new to gravel riding. Several of my fellow Bike Ambassadors will be joining me on this one so it’s sure to be a blast! Two years ago, I did the Venus de Miles ride with a couple of friends and I’m planning to do it again this year at the end of August. Venus de Miles is Colorado’s original and largest all women’s bike ride and benefits Greenhouse Scholars, an education nonprofit that cultivates extraordinary leaders to change low-income families and communities. Great ride for a great cause! Who wants to join me?

“Parks for the People” Rally by Bike Ambassador Melissa Colonno

This year, one of my goals as a Bike Ambassador has been to get more involved in local bike advocacy. I was thrilled to take part in Denver Streets Partnership’s “Advocacy Academy” this spring and learn about different ways I can advocate for better bike infrastructure in my community. As part of my work in this role, I helped organize a “Parks for the People” event in Denver’s City Park in April.

Denver, like many cities across the world, closed several streets to vehicle traffic during the COVID pandemic in order to make more room for people to recreate safely while still distancing themselves from others. In early 2021, Denver reconsidered the role of these streets in our city and parks, and whether or not the closures to cars should be made permanent. Many parks in the city remain closed to vehicle traffic, but the Denver Parks and Recreation Department decided to reopen most of City Park’s roads to cars.

The April “Parks for the People” rally was a family-friendly event celebrating the use of the park by people walking and rolling. The goal was to bring attention to the safety issues of having vehicles in the park, and also to advocate for a car-free route through the park for transportation and recreation. As part of the event, I had the opportunity to lead a group ride through the park. It was my first time leading a ride, and the experience was one I will never forget. So much enthusiasm! 

Participating in the rally was a very educational experience for me, especially because I am newer to advocacy work. More specifically, in this instance I learned a great deal about opposing viewpoints. I firmly believe in the value of car-free spaces, but I now understand better the ways in which decisions like these might have unintended consequences. Change is hard, and Denver is a city where many chose to be or are forced to be car dependent.

Nevertheless, my work in transportation advocacy is bolstered by the support and enthusiasm of the Bike Ambassador group. I look forward to continuing to work to improve the safety and bikeability of Denver’s streets!

Best Advice I Ever Received: Bike Ambassador Blog Post

Best Advice I Ever Received  - by Bike Ambassador Jen Lorenz

I was recently asked about the best advice I received as a new rider. I received a ton of good advice as a new rider ranging from do not wear underwear with your bike shorts to getting a proper bike fit. I now share both pieces of advice with any new rider I meet.  This post reminds me to heed my own advice.

Last summer I purchased a new road bike. I thought I could directly transfer my measurements from my old road bike to my new road bike.  The bikes are completely different brands with completely different geometry.   

After the initial shine and awe of riding a new bike wore off, I started dreading riding my fancy new road bike. I could not figure out what it was about my new bike that I did not like. It was obviously different from my tried-and-true old bike. My old bike was familiar. It was like a limb, and we fit together perfectly.  I convinced myself that riding my new bike would involve an adjustment period. I still needed to get to know my new bike and bond with my new bike- I just needed to give it a chance.

Fast forward 6 months, and I was considering selling my new bike. We were not bonding.  Every ride felt slow and sluggish. When I got off my new bike my knees and back hurt and I felt old.  I do not like things that make me feel old. But, that was the key. As I complained to my husband about how my knees hurt and my back ached, inspiration struck- or, maybe common sense finally kicked in.  If I felt slow and sluggish and my knees hurt, maybe my seat was too low.  My husband is no bike fit expert, but he is pretty smart.  His unaided eye immediately recognized that my seat was in fact too low. If the seat was too low, it was likely other things were off, too. A quick trip to my local bike shop and sage bike fit expert could remedy my problems and save my relationship with my new bike.  Like I had been told years ago - A good bike fit is essential for every single bike in the quiver. My favorite bike fitters are at C3 in Golden - https://c3bikeshop.com

C3 Bike Shop Address:

16035 Table Mountain Parkway

Golden, CO 80403

C3 Phone Number

720-598-5950

Growing Spaces Dome Build

““Ch’ishie,” he says, smiling broadly. “This is what I’m talking about. Ch’ishie. Dirty. Humble. That’s what we’re about.”

It’s one of Thompson’s favorite Navajo words, and it’s why he used the name Ch’ishie Farms for his farm and start-up business to build hoop houses (akin to greenhouses) and advise schools and communities about cooking with fresh vegetables.”

— Source: FoodCorps.Org (article link below)

I’ve just returned from a weekend on the Navajo Reservation, aka “the rez,” located near Leupp, Arizona, where I had the incredible opportunity to help Growing Spaces (a Colorado-based company), build a 26” greenhouse- dome on property owned by a man named Tyrone Thompson— a master gardener, and member of the Navajo Nation. Tyron Thompson wants the Rez to feed itself - - read more here. He is devoted to helping his family and community eat healthier, by giving classes and tours, starting seedlings to distribute, teaching others what he knows about growing and harvesting, and more.

“Once you start growing food and saving seeds, you are no longer reliant on outside sources. We want to model self-sustainability”

— Tyron Thompson, quoted in Grand Canyon Trust (link below)

Growing Spaces believes in the power of good, healthy, organic food - and the company wanted to support Tyrone and his business by increasing his ability to grow… the dome allows year-round growing - regardless of heat or cold!

Grand Canyon Trust article HERE.

Tyrone’s skills and abilities to grow food and create a sustainable garden have become even more important during COVID :

“As we see the shelves emptying of food and toilet paper we kind of reconnect to our roots,” Thompson says. “Some of the tools that were given by our elders and our ancestors — our planting stick and our steering sticks — those are our weapons against hunger and poverty and sickness.”

— Tyron Thompson, quoted in NPR (link below)

Day one (of four): Saturday:

we began with a patch of dirt and finished the day with the dome shell

Day two (of four) Sunday:

we enclosed the shell with panels and installed door frame and lower interior insulation

The Growing Spaces crew continued on for days 3 & 4, building out the interior, which includes vents, wiring, the front door, the tank, and more.

Tyrone and his family treated us to homemade lunches both days, and while we worked alongside one another, we all got to share stories and laughs- despite the masks covering our faces. It was so nice to feel connected to others and to a mission bigger than myself. Those have been hard feelings to come by in 2020. It was also supremely satisfying to be outside, building with our hands and seeing the fruits of our labor.

It was wonderful seeing Tyrone’s 5 kids playing outside and helping us, as well as helping their Mom, Philecia, with the meal preparations, cleanup, and with the family’s animals including dogs, geese, pigs, and sheep! I can’t wait to see the finished dome, and to see how Tyrone uses the dome to grow healthy food and to spread his knowledge and skills with his community. This will make a long-lasting difference for many generations to come and it provides the perfect blend of modern technology with traditions and stories. It marries the significance of food- its importance for our survival and also our connection to the Earth and the many ways it provides for us- with tribal rituals and ancient beliefs and ceremonies. This dome will become a community hub and bastion of hope and health. I am so grateful for this opportunity.

NPR article quoted above, HERE.

More about Growing Spaces:

Growing Spaces doesn’t have a non-profit arm of the operation setup (yet) capable of receiving donations BUT when they do volunteer builds and donate domes, they ask folks who want to support the cause to donate directly TO the non-profit they’re supporting.

We’ll be building another dome here soon in Deckers, CO, supporting a nonprofit called Mattersville Vets. You can donate to them here: https://www.mattersvillevets.org/.

See also- the Grant program HERE: https://growingspaces.com/gardening-grants/

If the domes interest you for your home or property, you can find everything you need to know on their website: https://growingspaces.com/. You can schedule a tour of a dome- there’s one located in downtown Golden for tours so that you can see one in operation before deciding if you’d like to purchase one. I’ve been inside a few of them now and they are incredible -and the plants (since they are able to grow year-round even through Colorado winters!) are HUGE and the fruit and veggie crops are plentiful. It is a game changer for anyone wanting to grow and harvest their own food, especially in places like CO or AZ where the growing seasons can be cut short by snowfalls or extended periods of heat.

Lem Tingley, holding a painting drawn for him by Tyrone’s oldest daugher, Laila

“Growing Spaces Udgar and Puja Parsons, the founders of Growing Spaces had done a lot of work with Navajo Nation in the past. When COVID hit, the reservation was hit hard and had one of the highest per capita COVID rates in the country. This disproportion was featured in a CBS News documentary. Tyrone was featured in the documentary, and he discussed his work in trying to bring farming and sustainable agriculture back to the reservation and get back to their roots of living off the land. We also researched what Tyrone was doing for the reservation and were extremely impressed. We reached out directly, and asked if a Growing Dome could help. ”

— Lem Tingley, owner,