Ride the Rockies cyclists detoured due to weather along iconic Trail Ridge Road
One of Colorado's most challenging yet popular cycling events had to take a sudden turn due to weather in the high country. Ride the Rockies, an annual cycling event, takes riders through hundreds of miles of Colorado's most beautiful towns and forests. However, one of its most popular stretches was cancelled due to wind and snow.
Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved roadway in the country, was supposed to host the riders on Tuesday. However, Rocky Mountain National Park rangers advised against the ride due to inclement weather.
"(Ride the Rockies) keeps me in shape. It keeps me coming around," said Steve McGervey, a cyclist.
McGervey has done the event for two decades. He said he loves all of the routes they typically take, but was a little caught off guard by the sudden change from Trail Ridge Road to riding from Estes Park to Nederland.
"This one has been quite challenging itself. It is a good little makeup ride. But still not the park with all the elk and all the scenery you get there," McGervey said.
Many cyclists from around the country and world flock to Colorado for the event each year.
Mike Kirsch and Alexi Wacquez traveled from Indiana just for the third day of the ride with the sole purpose of riding in RMNP.
"We drove all the way out here for trail ridge road," Kirsch said.
"I heard it is one of the best rides to do. Obviously a bit disappointed we didn't get to do it today. But at the same time, safety first. The conditions were horrendous up there," Wacquez said.
Those riding the leg said they were pleased with Ride the Rockies' ability to quickly pivot and facilitate another fun and challenging course.
"The Ride the Rockies group was able to put together a pretty good ride for today. A good challenging ride for people from Indiana," Kirsch said.
"With this kind of weather I think it was a good call," one cyclist said.
Those CBS News Colorado spoke with said they look forward to returning another year, or another time this season, to complete Trail Ridge Road.
"I'm just going to have to work it into a later day in the season," one cyclist said.
"I'm going to have to come back and do the whole week next time," Wacquez said.
Those who completed the third day of the ride were then bussed to Grand Lake where they were scheduled to cycle to Winter Park on Wednesday.
