Lake Colorado City Bike Ride

May 3, 2008
Colorado City, Texas


Lake Colorado City Bike Tour
By Roy and Christine Jones

Saturday May 3 was a chilly and windy day as participants in San Angelo’s Spillway Duathlon can attest. Colorado City was in the low 60’s with a 14 mile an hour wind coming at us from the usual three different directions. When the guys and gals with matching shirts and shorts are wearing their cold weather leg warmers we should have taken the hint and worn ours. We didn’t warm up until the drive home.

Other than the weather, one could not ask for a better ride. It had a 9, 22, and 42 mile ride. The 22 was from town, around Lake Colorado City, and back into town. The 42 was twice around the lake. The ride is a great one for beginner riders and provides a fast “race” for the other riders. Cyclists from the Midland/Odessa and Abilene areas composed most of the riders.

The ride has only two challenging hills. Most of the course is gently rolling or flatish. There were no small-chain-ring hills so beginner/intermediate riders need not be intimidated by this ride. The challenge for the racers (isn’t it always) is who comes in first. There was no traffic to speak of until the last leg along business 20, but it was patient and polite. Support was sparse as there were several activities going on at the same time as the ride this year--among the events was the dedication and opening of Colorado City's new fire house. (Don’t you just love small Texas towns?)

There were plenty of yellow and white wild flowers but only one patch of bluebonnets. The lake was muddy from run-off of recent rains. Roads were good.

Now for the part that is worth the trip even if you don’t ride, like to travel, or experience a small community with a lot of spirit--the BBQ brisket and sausage lunch (part of the registration fee)rivals any BBQ restaurant you can think of. The meal was just as good as we remembered from last year. You can’t ask for a better way to end a pleasant ride.

Lake Colorado City Bike Tour is the first Saturday in May each year so mark your calendar if you are a beginner/intermediate, or if you want to see if you can beat the Midland/Odessa/Abilene crews.