A once in a lifetime event deserves a momentous ride. Bring whatever bike you want, pick whatever route suits your fancy and pedal your freedom loving soul into blissful oblivion.
This isn’t a race, it’s a ride. This is for the people willing to lay it on the line for freedom.
250 years ago, a groupetto of patriots took on the strongest military in the world because they believed in the right of self determination. 150 years the great state of Colorado came into existence for slightly less optimal ideals but became one of the finest assortment of places and peoples the world has ever seen.
To celebrate that, we put together a cycling adventure like no other. In honor of our ancestors, you are free to pick your distance, free to pick your discipline, free to pick the way you want to ride it.
Three different distances (150km, 250km/150 miles, 250 miles) in three different disciplines (road, gravel, mountain bike) each with their own unique route. It all starts in Crown Mountain Park at 7am, on the Fourth of July and ends when you return. Everyone rides out together, up the El Jebel hill, into Missouri Heights and spilts off into their own worlds along Cottonwood Pass.
Still not a race, but you can ride it as fast or as slow as you’d like. Ride it solo, bring a crew, join in any way you’d like. Feed zones and support will be up to the participants, encouraged to include as many as possible, collaborating because it’s the right thing to do. Bring your bike packing gear if you like and enjoy two days for the price of one (except that this doesn’t cost anything to do any of the rides).
Go fast, go long, go free.
Road bikes will be the easiest way to navigate the routes since pavement is faster than dirt.
The “easiest” of all the routes will be the one that local roadies know the best- this classic takes in Missouri Heights before crossing the Valley and coming back up via Dry Park and the Creeks (Prince, Sopris, Snowmass, Owl) to Aspen and a glorious cruise back down the Rio Grande Trail to Crown Mountain Park. Expect some dirt sections that will be ideal for 32 mm tires. 152km/94.5 miles, 8355’ Route here
The “Queen” road route has many similarities to easy street but adds in all the climbs that the easy way passes by. Missouri Heights the challenging way, Sunlight before finding Dry Park and Prince Creek, to the monastery before going over Snowmass and Owl Creek, with the bonus of the Bells before heading for the barn. Same amount of dirt as the easy way, 32mm. 248km/154 miles, 15,010’ Route Here
Because this is still America, we felt obligated to add in a 250 mile ride for each discipline. We don’t expect huge numbers for these distances, but know that if you go, you have our total respect. On the road, this ride will be similar to the shorter versions, with every climb in the Valley thrown in (except Independence Pass— on the 4th, that seems even more dangerous than charging the red coats’ lines singlehandedly). Over Cottonwood Pass, down Glenwood Canyon, then into Missouri Heights, back around to Glenwood (watch out for that Hwy. 82 crossing!) and up to Sunlight, Dry Park, eop at Thompson Creek, Prince Creek, Sopris Creek, then eop at Capitol Creek, Snowmass, Owl then both Bells and Ashcroft before topping it all off in Lenado, and your fabulous cruise down and back to the Park. A little more dirt, but still good with 32mm. 253.3 miles, 21,622’ Route Here
Gravel bikes are great fun and can go anywhere, so we kinda did that here: there’s pavement, gravel (smooth and rough), and singletrack (never too rowdy, if you want that, do the mountain bike rides).
The “easy” gravel ride is the classic gravel ride in the Valley; some people call it the best ride in Colorado — but you be that judge. Over Cottonwood Pass to Gypsum Creek Road, rise and fall to Sylvan Lake, climb to Crooked Creek Pass and descend into glory past Lime Creek, up a bit, down a lot, and one more push to the top of Ruedi Reservoir before cruising down 20+ miles of pavement to Crown Mountain Park. Gravel bike with 45’s will do you right. 148km/92 miles, 8919’ Route Here
The “Queen” gravel ride will follow the easy way for the first 92 miles, then heads off on an adventure. Up to Lenado, then singletrack to four corners, zoom down into Aspen, singletrack through Sky Mountain Park, then one last big climb up Divide Road before flinging yourself down Snowmass Creek Road with one tiny bump to navigate before finding the festivities at Crown Mountain Park. Gravel bike with 45-50mm tires. 240km/149 miles, 14,898’ Route Here
The Big Dog Gravel Ride is going to be legendary soon, because you guys are going to put it on the map. Because, it’s that good. Tag along with the masses on gravel bikes for the first 92 miles, but instead of following the queens up to Lenado, set your own course for Crested Butte, via Express Creek and Taylor Pass. Trundle down through Taylor Park and Taylor River to the Butte, climb up and over Kebler Pass then McClure Pass before descending down to Carbondale and an easy cruise up the Rio Grande to return to the Park amid great fanfare from all the dog walkers. 2.2” tires for Taylor Pass, 45-50mm for everything else. 259 miles, 21’158’ Route Here
Mountain biking in this valley is otherworldly, but you get to earn it the whole way. This is by far the hardest discipline and even the easy route is a monster.
The easy way takes in several trail networks and links things together in ways they were never intended. Start with the curly bar people and climb up to the top on Cottonwood Pass before going your dirty way: little known Lone Pine Trail connects Red Table Road to Basalt Mountain before cutting across the Heights to Fisher Creek, then the sublimity of the singletrack on Sutey Ranch and Mushroom Rocks. The Crown is your playgound for the final leg, start on the Prince Creek side, Innie and Outie to Buckhorn, and climb up Imperial Gardens for the final plunge down Crown Royale and the Park. 153km/95 miles, 13,956’ Route Here
The “Queen” mtb ride is a doozy. Follow the easy route to Prince Creek, then set sail up Valley with a bit of road to take you to Government Trail, into Aspen, up Smuggler to four corners before the real fun begins- the Arbaney Kittel trail is the only thing between you and the Park. 248km/154 miles, 23,240’ Route Here
Um, it’s kinda hard to talk about this ride. It’s a lot, brings some serious sass and is almost impossible to envision finishing in even 36 hours, so be awesome, or better yet, legendary. You start the same as the other two mtb routes but everything changes when you reach Carbondale- climb up through Thompson Creek to Middle Thompson Trail, wander across the top of the Mesa to the Clearfork Trail and find yourself at the base of Mcclure Pass. The good news is that there are only two more hills between you and the 401 Trail and the trip through CB. Aim for the top of Taylor Pass, the direct way, before rolling down Richmond Ridge to Aspen to join the Queen’s route for the finish down Arbaney-Kittel. Take the day off work on Monday, we can write you a note. 236 miles, 36,526’ Route Here