Update 7-18-17

Route TCX and GPX files can be found here: dropbox

Update 7-17-17

Things to add to your packing list:

Long pants, long top (such as a hoodie) to keep mosquitos at bay while camping
Please keep in mind that space will be tight in the support van so don’t pack luxury style, pack minimalist and thoughtful.
Headlamp for around camp at night.

There are warm showers and electricity at Trapper’s Lake Lodge until 7pm. There are cold showers once the hot water runs out. On the 2nd night there is a lake to rinse off in.

We’re revising the meal on Saturday morning to be a lodge meal. This is due to space and logistics. Carrying the extra gear and cooking that morning would be a big challenge and the morning will be a lot more relaxed if we just eat in the lodge. They serve breakfast and it will cost approx $10. (reminder, be sure to have extra cash anyway). If you want to cook your own breakfast on Saturday morning over a campfire you certainly can, just let us know that you are opting out of lodge breakfast so we don’t reserve a meal for you there.

Traditionally an organized Rodeo ride is a Rodeo Rally, but for 2017 we want to do a couple of longer, more adventurous multi day events. Thus, the term Rodeo Roundup has been coined. A Roundup is intended to share the beauty of our state and build community.

Registration for Flat Tops Roundup has closed. Information posted here is for registrants. We will have 20 riders along for the weekend and 5 non riders along as well. Old friends and new. Cheerio!

Nitty Gritty:

We’re sorry that it’s taken a bit to update everyone on the details of the event but full disclosure in case you didn’t already know it: Rodeo is very small and this year has been a major hustle so we’ve been hard pressed to keep up.

That said, it’s Roundup time and it’s time to make sure that everybody is prepared.

As a general and over arching statement Roundup will be very challenging. We did not design the ride or courses to break people’s spirit and leave them in the sag wagon, but we didn’t tone this one down in order to make accessible to all. A solid, solid level of base

fitness will be required to complete the three days. You won’t have to ride fast. This isn’t a race. But you will have to be willing to just keep pedaling until the finish line each day.

Colorado will throw a lot at us and make us earn her sights and experiences. The weather and conditions will be unpredictable. Summer is generally really great in this area, but wind, storms, rain, thunder, lightning, sleet, and even snow COULD happen without much warning. It’s up to all of us to be big kids out there and be prepared with good gear and good attitudes.

Generally speaking this ride will be more difficult that you expect, not easier. Plan accordingly.

We will have a main gear van supporting the ride and hauling our gear for each of the three days of the ride but it will not be possible for the van to be at all places at all times so generally speaking you should be self sufficient with food, clothes, and hydration for long periods of the day. The van will stop at pre-determined lunch and refueling stops so that we can take a break out on the road and refuel without much stress. Generally that refueling stop will be about halfway along each day’s route.

Meals:

Day 1.

Breakfast: Eat before you arrive at the starting line
Lunch: Mile 52 at the summit of the day’s first big climb. Out on the road at a refueling stop. We’ll provide SIMPLE lunch food for people to eat. Think sandwich food, snacks, Trailnuggets, etc. We will also stock the van with Coke for people that need go-go juice. There will always be water in the van. We will also provide coolers with ice and places to store YOUR OWN food if you want to bring things that you’d like to eat. We encourage this strongly because keeping 25 people with different diets happy out on the road could be a challenge. Label your stuff if you are worried about people raiding it. We will need people to pitch in on coolers. We have a few good size ones but we will probably need a few extras. If you can bring a cooler with some ice in it to the start please let us know.
Dinner: Trapper’s Lake Lodge is our day one destination and they have Mexican food on the menu for the night of our arrival. I’ve advised them that we will be hungry. We didn’t include dinner in the registration cost but plan around $10-$15 for dinner. Bring extra (cash) just in case. You never know.

Day 2.

Breakfast: Simple. We will bring things like tortillas, eggs, and some veggies for breakfast tacos but we do have some (2?) Vegans in the mix so we’re open to suggestions on Vegan alternates. Shoot an email to educate us. Also on the planned menu are pancakes, maple syrup, and coffee. If you have a French Press or portable coffee making device and can bring it let us know. We’ll boil water on the camp fire and we’ll provide the beans.
Lunch: There is a store in Buford about 25 miles into the ride where people can grab some food for lunch right before the day’s climbing begins. We will have the van waiting at the top of the first big climb of the day (mile 40) with simple lunch food like Day 1, and if you chose to stash lunch supplies in the van you can grab it there.
Dinner: Oh man. This is where it gets good! For Dinner we will meet up with The Cyclist’s Menu at Deep Lake Campground where they will have gone ahead and prepared a bit of a feast for us. This is included in the registration fee. This will no doubt be the culinary highlight of the entire weekend. Be sure to get in touch by no later than 7-14 (Friday) with dietary restrictions so they can plan around them.

Day 3.

Breakfast: The Cyclist Menu is also making ‘breffast for us! Bonus! And coffee! Life is good.
Lunch: We will have the van waiting at mile 50 in Yampa before the day’s climb. Same menu as day 1 and day 2. #vanlife
Dinner: We’ll be back in Steamboat for dinner. Many folks may be hurrying back to Denver, but for those sticking around a bit we’re working on a central rallying point for a final dinner together.

Routes:

BRING A GPS DEVICE (like a Garmin). Know how to use it to load a route. Know how to follow the route. The routes won’t be marked. We won’t be baby sitting anyone at the turns. If you get lost because you can’t follow the route then it is your responsibility to get yourself un-lost. We will not have cell service for large parts of the weekend and we can’t guarantee that we can find or rescue you if you stray from the route.

Consider bringing your phone and downloading the Google Maps app. Google Maps now lets you download maps for defined areas and you can download highly detailed maps to your phone as a backup for the weekend.

On the first night we will have electricity at the lodge until 7PM so you can charge your GPS when you arrive. Consider bringing a backup battery for your GPS just in case. Your GPS is your lifeline out there. Don’t let the batteries run out. If you are worried about it then consider bringing maps or cue sheets, the latter of which can be printed on Black River via the links below.

We’re kicking off Day 1 at 7:30 AM at Moots Cycles in Steamboat Springs, CO. We’ll have three guests from Moots along and they’ve pitched in with route curation and advice. Be sure to tell them Thank You for the local knowledge! If there is time we may even be able to sneak a factory tour in but no guarantees on that because of the early start.

For parking, Moots recommends the transit center/stock bridge on the west side of town. Long term parking there is fine, and it’s totally safe, only a mile from Moots.

GET THERE EARLY. We need to load your gear into the van so please arrive around 6:45 at the latest. If you delay the start and we get caught in hot weather or afternoon thunderstorms we’re all going be murmuring in your direction all day long.

Download the routes via these links below:

Recommended gear:

Adventure steed (bike). We’ve decided that the ideal bike for this trip is a drop bar adventure bike with 40mm multi surface tires. A hardtail MTB with similar tires would also be sufficient. We aren’t going to tell you which bike to ride, but don’t bring a road bike, don’t bring a dual suspension MTB, and don’t bring tires smaller than 35mm. We will encounter ALL types of terrain from pavement to gravel to jeep trails to rocky sections to hero dirt. Be smart. Bring a good bike.
GEARING NOTES: You should have no less than a 34 (front) 32 (rear) gear ratio. That is the minimum. Better climbing gears are strongly recommended and will make the weekend much more fun. Ideal 1x gearing is probably 38 + 10-42. Ideal 2x gearing would be compact (34/50) + 11-40. There are many gradual climbs on the route but there are some steep punchy technical climbs on day 2 as well. Be prepared!
Helmet
Bike Shoes
Backpack with hydration bladder.
Handlebar bag for carrying extra gear if desired.
Consider bringing a life straw or water purification tablets. Be prepared!
MOSQUITO / BUG REPELLENT.
Sun Screen
Lip Balm
Mini multi tools. (We will have main tools in the van but be prepared!)
Chain tool.
Extra Link or Missing Link chain links.
Minimum 2 tubes (just in case both of your tubeless tires go flat) and a patch kit (just in case your tubes get holes). We will have Stans in the van but if you want to bring a 2oz mini shot of Stans with you it isn’t a bad idea.
Clothing for 3 days and all conditions (sun, rain, and even late July snow is possible!). You can probably do some manual laundry on day 2 if needed…maybe… drying it might be a trick. Example. 2-3 pairs of cycling shorts 2-3 short sleeve jerseys. 1 long sleeve jersey. 1 vest. 1-2 base layers. 1 wind / rain jacket. 3-4 pairs of cycling socks. 1-2 cycling caps. Arm warmers, leg warmers are another idea.
Please try to limit things to 1 large duffel bag per rider please including your bike gear and hang out gear.
Sunglasses.
Rider specific food / bars. We will supply Trailnuggets and carry water in the support vehicles but if you like sports drinks or specific snacks, bars, etc then be sure to bring them and LABEL YOUR FOOD BAG.
Riders with specific diets may want to bring specialty food. Riders with dietary restrictions may be able to be accommodated at dinners but we will need advance notice.
Tent for night 2. Please consider sharing a 2 man tent in order to save space. We can help coordinate if people need to pair up.
Sleeping bag / pad for night 2.
Lights (front and rear) just in case you get caught out after dark
Maps of the route / cue sheets (we will provide downloadable cue sheets)
GPS / Garmin /etc with routes loaded. Recharging will be available the first night (until 7pm!) but on night 2 you may need a personal recharging strategy or 2nd Garmin, etc.
Camera! Batteries? Memory Card?
Notepad? Small Journal?
If you have a camp chair that could be great for campfires both nights.
Money. Cash. Card.

Expect updates to this page as we refine.

Giddyup!

-Rodeo

Photos from day 2 route showing various conditions of route surface: