ERock Final Edition

Sunday dawned dark but warm. Dark because it was only 4 a.m. which is when cyclists spring out of bed on event days. And Sunday was a special event for sure as it was the final edition of the Elephant Rock ride. 

We arrived at the Douglas County Fairgrounds as the sun peeked above the eastern horizon. Already the parking lots were filling up. Yawning cyclists with hands wrapped around their coffee slowly made their way with their trusty two-wheeled steeds towards the start line. The 100 mile route set off at 5:30 and by the time we got all of our stuff together there was a long stream of cyclists heading out on the Sunday-quiet streets of Castle Rock. My wife was set to do the 45 mile ride while I was doing the 'metric century' of 62 miles. This was our first organized bike event post-COVID and we were more than a little nervous as we clicked into our pedals and took the first couple of pedal revolutions. All three routes started with a nice climb up and out of Castle Rock which was a good way to get warmed up and to wish that we had done a tad more hill climbing during Spring training rides. 

The Elephant Rock ride started in 1987 and has sent cyclists hither and yon, up hill and down dale, for 35  years. The only gap was in 2020 due to the pandemic. Back in '87 Castle Rock was a quiet little town which is clearly not the case today which is why, sadly, the Elephant Rock will be no more due to safety concerns that come along with a small town now all grown up.

Out on the road the day was spectacular - warm, dry, not too windy, with a sky as clear and blue as could be. To the south Pikes Peak was majestic in its snowcapped splendor. The infamous Roller Coaster Road lived up to its name (yup, more hills) but the mood was light as we were all out here by choice. Traffic was light and for the most part tolerant of all these crazy cyclists. For a couple of hours bicycles outnumbered cars by a hundred to one. 

The rest area crews were as friendly as ever and seemed in especially good spirits probably because their nether regions were not sore like those of us who had been perched on a saddle for the last couple of hours. Bananas and oranges there were aplenty along with Gorp, Oreos, and peanut butter. And while the rest stops were a pleasant respite, woe to the cyclist who tarries too long. Muscles quickly tighten up making it hard to get going again so for most it was but a brief stop before heading back out on the road. One final climb (Tomah Road) reared up before the finish but soon enough the weary stream of cyclists descended the last winding hill and back into town to be greeted by friends and family anxiously awaiting us at the finish line. Some cyclists strive for personal bests but I'd hazard a guess that for most of us finishing was reward enough and smiles were in abundance as folks spun their pedals for the last time before dismounting into the arms of loved ones.

The Elephant Rock will be missed. The Front Range of Colorado is growing so exponentially that there are fewer and fewer nice (and safe) places to ride. Denver may have plans to subsidize EBikes for its citizens but the hard fact is that cyclists (yeah, and motorists too) take their life in their hands whenever they set out on the the roads we call home.

Still, on special days like Sunday the long hours of training bear fruit and for a couple of hours we remember why we love this sport after all. Here are some highlights of the final edition 2022 ERock. And Thank You Elephant Rock, It truly has been one heck of a ride.