On Wednesday, June 13th, cyclists participating in this year’s Ride the Rockies will arrive in Grand Lake, after a 94 mile ride from Steamboat Springs, passing through Kremmling, Parshall and Hot Sulphur Springs along the way.

Grand Lake will host the 2,000 riders, their family members, and the tour’s support staff on Wednesday evening at the Grand Lake Center.  They’ve also scheduled an exciting line-up for the riders at Town Square Park. Grand Lake Chamber Executive Director Samantha Bruegger told the Winter Park Times “We are thrilled to have Ride the Rockies back as our guests again. The timing is wonderful, as it coincides with our East Shore Bicycle Trail Project and with the new opening of the Grand Lake Bike Company. Grand Lake is a great spot for cyclists!”

Wednesday Grand Lake Event Schedule:

Town Square Park, 1025 Grand Avenue, featuring the Odell Beer Garden

4 pm  Community Grant Presentation

4:30 pm  Tour Director Route Briefing

5 pm  Cycling Seminar by St. Anthony’s Medical Center

6 pm  Yoga at Grand Lake Town Hall

6:30 pm  Live Music in the park with Martin & Taylor

On Thursday morning, the tour has a more leisurely route, traveling 32 miles from Grand Lake to Winter Park/Fraser, where the riders and entourage will stage at the Grand Park Recreation Center in Fraser. Riders have the option of adding 29 miles to their tour by riding to the top of Berthoud Pass and back. Catherine Ross, Winter Park & Fraser Chamber Executive Director told us she is grateful for the tour’s selecting two Grand County towns as hosts, giving the Towns and Chambers the opportunity to work together on this as well as future endeavors.

Thursday Winter Park/Fraser Event Schedule:

Headquarters (HQ): Grand Park Community Recreation Center, 1 Main St, Fraser

HQ Hours: 9 am – 4:30 pm

Food/Lunch (at HQ): 10 am – 4 pm by Fraser River Valley Lions Club (Grilled items, salad, chips)

Yoga at Grand Park Community Recreation Center

Entertainment: Rendezvous Event Center, 78786 US-40, Winter Park, featuring the Odell Beer Garden (no outside food or drink allowed)

KFFR 88.3 FM will be broadcasting live from 2 – 3:15 pm

2 pm Tour Director Route Briefing

2:30 pm Cycling Seminar: Gravel Panel – “Gravel is the new Black”

3:15 pm Intuit Band

5:15 pm Community Grant Awards

6 pm Gasoline Lollipops

On Friday morning, the riders will depart for their final leg of the ride, back to the tour’s starting point in Breckenridge, traveling 87 miles across Hwy 40 and over Ute Pass.

Drivers should keep these dates in minds when making travel plans for the coming week. Riders will be traveling on Highways 40 and 34, as well as GCR 3. Give the riders plenty of room, and if you have the chance, get to know a rider or two. Their stories are as diverse as the riders themselves.