Overview: Visit Colorful Colorado while exploring “Her Purple Mountain Majesty” and the Pikes Peak Region during this 10-day, fixed base tour.  Colorado Springs, sitting at the base of Pikes Peak, offers numerous routes in the surrounding area.  You’ll enjoy opportunities to explore the Olympic Training Center, as well as the new Olympic Museum.  One ride will take us around the challenging but picturesque loop through the Air Force Academy.  Our rides will take us around Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City, through the Garden of the Gods, to the America the Beautiful Park, to the famous and historic Broadmoor Resort and Golf Course, into Cheyenne Canyon, and to the cascading Seven Falls.  One day will feature a shuttle via the Cog Railway in Manitou Springs to the top of Pikes Peak, with a bike ride back to the bottom!

Our host hotel, at the edge of the Garden of the Gods, will be the distinctive and historic Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort (BLBR).  This resort offers unique accommodation geared to the cycling community, as each room is adorned with creative and original bicycle-themed décor.  

Health and Safety: Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

Ride Rating: 1A!. Because this is a fixed base ride, riders have daily options of which routes they choose.  The average of all options is 23 miles and 1330’ of elevation.  The (1) in the rating is to ephasize that the base location is at over 6000’ which can impact riding difficulty.  The only required day will be the Pikes Peak Experience – a cog rail trip up the mountain and a downhill only ride down Pikes Peak Highway; that distance/elevation is not included in the equation.    There are ride options with climbs of 6-10%, as well as some relatively flat rides.  Riders may also choose to combine 2 routes for a longer riding day.   There are sections of some routes that have unpaved surfaces, although they are packed dirt and most road tires size 28 and larger would do fine on these surfaces.   Tandems and e-bikes are welcome, but please contact the ride leader before signing up. This ride is not SAG supported.

All routes will be scouted by bike and/or car prior to the tour.  Having lived in the area for over 25 years, the ride leader is familiar with, and experienced on, most of the routes offered.

Cue sheets, maps, GPS files: Accurate cue sheets and maps of all routes (using Ride with GPS) may be expected by early August 2027.  Riders are expected to come to the ride knowing how to use navigation devices. 

Weather: The weather in Colorado Springs in September is usually pretty ideal, with the exception of brief (but sometimes intense) late afternoon thunderstorms. The average highs are approximately 70, while the morning lows are around 48 degrees.  Daily weather reports will be given at Social Hour meetings and it will be noted if the forecast suggests riders be in by a certain time each afternoon. If the cog up/descent ride down is cancelled due to rain or snow on the Peak, money for that portion of the tour will be refunded.

 Meals, Lodgings, & Happy/Social Hour: The Buffalo Lodge is an historic and charming resort catering to the bicycle community. Receiving a 4.6 rating (of 5), people are impressed with the friendly staff, the lobby bar, the proximity to hiking and biking trails and the character of the uniquely decorated rooms. Bike storage space is built into each room. The Lodge boasts many amenities including continental breakfast, laundry, and Colorado crafted beer in the lobby gathering area. The BLBR offers easy access to many shops and restaurants as it sits between Manitou Springs and  Old Colorado City. It is a short drive/ride to downtown Colorado Springs and the many sites, gathering places, and shops there.

There is an outdoor pavilion where Social Hours will be held, as well as a fire pit and pool. Nightly music and/or karaoke may be an added bonus!  Free WIFI is available, as is a coin-operated laundry, complimentary breakfast and an offering of afternoon beverages/snacks in the lobby bar for purchase.    Free bike box storage will also be available.

A group meal will be held after our social hour/orientation meeting on Sept 6th.  A final group dinner will take place on the 15th after our final day of riding. Social hour with beverages (beer, wine, soda, juices) and light snacks will be held each evening before dinner.  It will be a time to meet and greet, as well as discuss highlights of the days rides or prepare for the next day of activity. Continental breakfast will be available each day at the Lodge. Free parking is available for the duration for the tour.

Logistics: The tour starts and ends in Colorado Springs, CO at the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort (2 El Paso Blvd). Colorado Springs has it’s own airport (COS), or DIA in Denver is about 90 miles away.  (There are over 800 miles of paved bike trails in Denver if you choose to spend more time in Colorado!)  If driving from the north or south, use I-25, or from the east/west, US Hwy 24.  There is  an Airport Shuttle service from DIA to certain Colorado Springs hotels where you could hire an Uber/Lyft ride to the BLBR.   The city to city shuttle cost is between $55-60 per person each way.  Ttransportation from the CS airport could be individually arranged through Uber/Lyft, or a private imo/taxi service.  The BLBR has a van that would be willing to transport a group of riders, if arrangements could be made where enough riders arrived at the same time.  Please contact the ride leader to try to arrange this possible option.

The first Social Hour meeting will be at 4:30 Sept 6 at the pavilion at the BLBS. There will be a group dinner that evening, and another group dinner the final night together on Sept 15. Check out will be the morning of the 16th after breakfast.      

There are several bike shops in the area. Bikes rentals are available at Ted’s Bicycle and Colorado Springs Bike Shop. For more information contact these bike shops.      

Cost & Administration: The tour cost will be $2300 , with a deposit of $1200 due at the time of registration, or within 2 weeks of being accepted onto the ride.  The balance will be due July 1. Tour cost includes 10 nights lodging, 2 group dinners, 10 hotel breakfasts, Social Hour snacks and beverages, Ride with GPS routes, and the ticket for the Pikes Peak Experience (cog up/bike down).  Lunches are on your own, as there will be numerous opportunities to try local eats and treats throughout your days. Also not included are entrance costs for museums and additional individual attractions (like visiting the Olympic Training Center or Seven Falls). 

Singles & Solos Policy: It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single rider without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until July1 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the Solo Supplement and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate,  but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride.

The solo supplement payment of $1135.00 is due by July1 and can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle:

• In your bank’s website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a recipient, with email address: treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org
• Initiate a payment
• In the Message block, enter the name of your ride.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. If you prefer to pay by check, checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

Cancellation Policy: The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

Ride Participant Responsibility: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

Insurance Statement: BAC maintains two insurance policies: a) United States, and b) Foreign (all other countries). Both the U.S. and Foreign policies are considered secondary policies to your personal medical insurance policy. They are subject to a $1000 deductible and may not cover all expenses related to an accident. Copies of the current policies are located under the “Docs” tab on the BAC website.

Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. While touring in the U.S, the BAC insurance includes coverage for injuries due to accidents during the bike trip. Members’ personal insurance will need to cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected illness (i.e .treatment for unexpected illnesses, including Covid, are not covered).

Sign-up: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is an $85.00 domestic ride fee and $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Descripttion.