USA Pro Challenge

[ilanarama]

Durango's been all abuzz for months about the USA Pro Challenge, a cycling stage race across the pretty part of Colorado that this year (its second) was to start here in town. We got a new piece of public art, a road through our college that was to be part of the course was repaved, and all kinds of events were scheduled for the several days before the start of the race.

Britt and I participated in a 'bike parade' from a downtown park to one of our local brewpubs just south of town - it was supposed to be a costume event with everyone wearing tutus, but we just showed up in normal clothes as did about half the other riders. It was great fun, though, with about 300 riders including the city manager (in a tutu) and several of our city council members, and we got to drink beer and listen to music at the end!

On Sunday there was a citizen's ride that happened to go on the same country road I was doing my 18-mile run on. It was nifty to see all the cyclists, probably more than I had ever seen around here at one time.

And then Monday morning the race began. I staked out a switchback on the hill going up to the college, and then after the riders went by I ran down a seekrit ditch trail that goes right to my house and came out on the course again to watch them go by again (right by my house!). And then they went through the rest of town and on to Telluride. Bye-bye, bicycles!






Eight total on Flickr.