Steamboat Springs cycling: What would Lance Armstrong do?

Road biking is popular around Steamboat Springs

Perhaps you would be more interested in the ride that Lance Armstrong would NOT do. It is spring after all, and we need to get in biking shape.

I mention Lance Armstrong since he just became an owner in a favorite local Steamboat product: Honey Stinger!

Founded in 2002 by local “athletic entrepreneur” Bill Gamber, Honey Stinger offers a variety of all-natural energy foods with the signature ingredient: honey. Bill once told me that old school cyclists used to put honey in their water to give them an energy boost. No wonder Lance likes the stuff!

Lance Armstrong likes these

You can read the story yourself, about how Lance and Honey Stinger came together. Here in the office I just did a quick poll:

Elisabeth’s favorite Honey Stinger product is the Peanut Butter N Honey bar, Alex prefers the Organic Energy Chews, which are also my favorite. For long rides, I also do the old school honey in the water trick. I like the strawberry flavored honey best.

Back to Steamboat Springs road biking… I reckon Lance could hop on his road bike and spin around one of our 60-mile or even 100-mile loops without breaking a sweat. We’ll get to that later this summer. In the spring I like to start with an in-town ride that is scenic and incorporates some climbing.

There are some mostly flat valley rides

Since many of our vacation homes are located in the mountain base area, I will start there.  View the map for a visual.

Starting at Burgess Creek Road and Mt. Werner Circle: Take a right onto Mt. Werner Circle and merge right onto Mt. Werner Road. Take the next right: Steamboat Blvd.

This will take you up a hill gradually. You will pass by the Rolling Stone Golf Club and enter into the Sanctuary neighborhood. The hill will crest and you will get a bit of a downhill before your next short climb. As soon as you cross over Fish Creek, you are entering your next climb, a short one. Once you reach the crest of this hill, you are about to leave the Sanctuary. Stay on Steamboat Blvd.

The speed you obtain from the downhill will carry you up a good portion of the next hill. After a couple curves you will reach Fish Creek Falls Road. Take a left down the hill. You will have a short downhill followed by a quick uphill before entering a long descent into downtown Steamboat Springs. Fish Creek Falls Road turns into Oak Street, ride up to 5th Street and take a left. Cross Lincoln Avenue and Yampa Street over the Yampa River and the railroad tracks and take a left. Now you are on Howelsen Parkway which soon turns into River Road.

You will take River Road through the Brooklyn neighborhood and then along the Yampa River heading south. River Road is also County Road 14. Take this to the Dakota Ridge neighborhood and take a right onto Aspen Ridge Road.

This is a hilly neighborhood with great views of the valley. You will climb for a bit gaining more views as you go. Take a left the first change you get and begin descending. Go straight past the intersection up a short hill and then you will descend again. When you reach the next intersection, take a left. You will loop back to the previous intersection you passed. Take a right and climb the way you came down. Then trace your ride back to County Road 14 and take a left. Ride to Mt. Werner Road, your first right, which takes you back over the railroad tracks and the Yampa River, under HWY 40 and back toward the mountain area.