Coming Full Circle: TCC Returns to Colorado

September 1997

We have finally come full circle! We started our tour in Colorado in March and have driven our trusty Subaru Outback more than 24,000 miles and visited 38 states.

Since we talked last, we have been to Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wyoming -- before returning to IMBA headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. At one point, we followed an incredible storm front from the Wisconsin border to the outskirts of Chicago. All of a sudden, a tornado passed close by. As some other travelers ducked for cover, we flipped on the camcorder and kept driving -- while keeping a safe distance. When you spend as much time in a Subaru as we do, you feel like all-wheel-drive can take you anywhere... well, almost. All-wheel drive breeds confidence behind the wheel, but we were careful.

One thing we'll remember about the Midwest, besides the great hospitality, is the blood-sucking, relentless, carry-you-off mosquitoes that lurk in the trailside vegetation. We did an evening trail work session where the bugs were so bad that everyone had to carry bug spray and continually mist the person in front of them, or they would be eaten alive. It made for really interesting trail work!

We also learned that this is where corn comes from. We're not talkin' about a guy with a pickup on the corner selling a few ears, but feed-the-world-with-room-to-spare, corn. We drove for days through this stuff, that is, until we got to Minneapolis, where the corn ended abruptly and beautiful jagged spires of rock decorated the skyline along the headwaters of the Mississippi. While we were in Minnesota we had the opportunity to ride a wonderful trail that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the '30s and abandoned until last year when it was uncovered by the Winona area mountain bikers club. They were able to clear the brush and dead trees and use the trail with no additional work. This just goes to show that when a trail is properly designed it has the ability to withstand even the test of time and neglect.

On our way back to Colorado we drove through South Dakota and were able to take the Outback on a driving tour of Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore. Even though we have seen many pictures of these places throughout the years, photos just don't reveal the intense beauty of these places.

We also had the pleasure of spending time with lots of great folks from the Subaru family of dealers and company representatives at beautiful Keystone resort in Colorado. Keystone, like many other ski resorts coast to coast, has developed great mountain bike trails that cris-cross its slopes. Let It Ride, for example, is one of the sweetest downhill singletracks we've ridden. And the trip up the gondola was pretty sweet, too.

Until next time, Happy Trails

Mike and Jan

Statistics:
Boxes of Ho Ho's Consumed = 0 (We have overloaded on them and switched to Clif Bars.)
Flat Tires on Bike = 0 (None lately, but I have a feeling that's "fixin" to change.)