JT's Courage Classic blog

Famous!

2010-05-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

This is the home page of the Courage Classic, and the main photo position includes a shot taken at the Copper Mountain Center Village finish line. That's my family in the photo, cheering on a cyclist who has just finished the day's ride. The photo in that spot of the home pages changes every few seconds.

Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska

2009-06-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

FIVE DOLLARS, 60 PEOPLE

2009-04-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

That's my fundraising goal for 2009. sixsty individuals, each pledging just $5 toward my 6th ride in the Courage Classic.

Here's the URL to the page where you can pledge your support:

http://www.couragetours.com/2009/jeffthomas

As soon as the weather finally lets go of winter, I'll start training for the 162-mile ride.

Please join my 100 supporters, and pledge your $5 at the URL above. Thank you!

Note: I wanted to make my fundraising goal "$3, One Hundred people," but the minimum donation accepted at the web page linked above is $5.

UPDATE, 6/5: Thanks to several generous supporters, I'm one-third of the way to my goal! Now it's "Five dollars, 40 people."

Why you should wear a helmet

2008-07-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

Because if you don't, this could be your skull:

On the way to Breck, I was zipping through the woods on the bike path at a good clip, probably about 17-20 mph. Whatever the speed was, it was too fast, because when the path curved left, I was unable to turn sharply enough. My bike drifted off the right side of the path, the front wheel sunk into the soft gravel, and the bike nosed down and flipped over on its left side, throwing me to the ground.

The damage: a separated left shoulder, an acre of road rash, and one shattered helmet. The bike, amazingly, came out of it in pretty good shape.

In the midst of the blackness and disorientation of the crash, I recall the impact of the helmet on the asphalt. If not for the lid, I wouldn't be remembering anything right now.

Sunday morning

2008-07-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

After a 7-mile coast down the bike path from Copper to Frisco, I headed out to the Dillon Dam aid station, then doubled back to rejoin the path to Breckenridge. On the way back, the route traverses this elevated path that spans a wide wetlands area.

2008-07-29T16:25:00.000-07:00

We climbed 8 miles up the Vail Valley, below, just to get to the start of the 8-mile final assault on the Vail Summit:

From this point onward, the climb looked like this:

The final 5 miles of the ascent went through an icy rain, but at the top, it was relatively dry:

Born 18 years ago small enough to fit in one hand, Evan is now conquering mountain passes, thanks to the docs and nurses whose work is supported by the Childrens' Hospital Foundation. By riding in the Courage Classic, each of us is helping provide that kind of care to Colorado kids who need it.

You can help by clicking here, and clicking on my name.

Bad News

2008-07-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

How this happened remains a mystery:

. . . but Evan was nearly to the top of Battle Mountain when his derailleur twisted sideways and curled into his spokes. Having worked to climb to the top, he then got a sag-wagon ride down the mountain to the lunch aid station, where he could have a bike mechanic try to fix it.

For a while, it didn't look good.

The mechanic got out his biggest wrench and forcibly straightened the frame just below the dropout, where the derailleur hanger bolt screws into the frame.

Then he took the derailleur into his hands and mashed it back into rough alignment.

. . . and surprising even himself, the mechanic got Evan's bike back into riding condition.

The time spent under repair put us behind schedule. We started the long climb to the top of Vail Pass as the clouds began to build.

Looking back

2008-07-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Halfway up Battle mountain, you can look back down the valley and see how far you've come.

Battle Mountain

2008-07-29T15:47:00.001-07:00

Crossing the Eagle River, right, and sizing up the climb to Battle Mountain, below.

Camp Hale

2008-07-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

This is where the 10th Mountain Division was based during WWII. It's a relatively flat, and very scenic, stretch of the tour on Day 1.

Motivational message

2008-07-29T15:38:00.000-07:00

whatever gets you to the top!

Tennessee Pass

2008-07-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

Evan making it up the last 100 yards to the summit

Tenessee Pass is the site of the 10th Mountain Division memorial.

ET at the top -- pass number one for the tour -- and fueling up for the upcoming climbs.

Starting line: Leadville

2008-07-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

A ride of 157 miles begins at the beginning. Today's route: Leadville . . . Tennessee Pass . . . Battle Mountain . . . Vail Pass . . . Copper Mountain.

Help me help Childrens' Hospital. Click here and click on my name.