URGENT Colorado Advice (TransAm) Salida?

[simplicity]

Hi,

Currently about 2500 miles into a converted E-W TransAm adventure. I now find myself in Colorado and would like to know whether it is worth rerouting for a couple of days from Canon City to Salida? Or just sticking on the route and heading straight to Hartsel from my current location - Canon City.

Looking to leave tomorrow first thing so any prompt advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanking you in advance

 

[John Nelson]

Either way is great.

Canon City to Salida goes up the Arkansas River valley. It's absolutely gorgeous, but the traffic can be heavy. I suggest you divert through Royal Gorge to get off the main road for a while, although it will cost you a Royal Gorge entry fee. On the other hand, you get to ride your bike right across the Royal Gorge bridge.

From Salida, you can shoot up to Buena Vista and Leadville. I think the road has a shoulder most of the way (at least as far as Buena Vista), but again, the traffic can be heavy. You'll be riding right up alongside the collegiate peaks so you have constant spectacular scenery to your left. You might encounter headwinds.

From Leadville, you go over Fremont Pass and drop into Copper Mountain and Frisco and reconnect with the TransAm. (Or, if you want a bit longer route, you can go over Tennessee Pass into Vail and then over Vail Pass to Copper Mountain. The entire route from Vail to Frisco is traffic-free.)

The main TransAm route is pretty lonely from Canon City to Fairplay, over Current Creek Pass. Then you go over spectacular Hoosier Pass into Breckenridge and into Frisco.

Either way is great. The route through Salida adds about 40 miles.

[simplicity]

Do you think the detour out to Salida and over the Royal Gorge is worth the extra mileage? I would thus look to ride on 24 and 285 north to Fairplay from Salida.

Thanks again

[staehpj1]

The main TransAm route is pretty lonely from Canon City to Fairplay, over Current Creek Pass. Then you go over spectacular Hoosier Pass into Breckenridge and into Frisco.

I loved that part, but we were going the other way.  The only thing I disliked was the lousy bike trail on the part near Alma.  We would have used the road there but construction forced to use the bike path.  That was 2007 so I assume the construction is completed.  Also the bike path would be better going west.  The problem with the path was heaved up slabs of concrete that were a problem going down hill.  They wouldn't be as bad at the slower pace of climbing.

[Pat Lamb]

I loved that part, but we were going the other way.  The only thing I disliked was the lousy bike trail on the part near Alma.  We would have used the road there but construction forced to use the bike path.  That was 2007 so I assume the construction is completed.  Also the bike path would be better going west.  The problem with the path was heaved up slabs of concrete that were a problem going down hill.  They wouldn't be as bad at the slower pace of climbing.

That bike path (ghetto) was pretty bad even "climbing" in 2009.  There were rollers near Fairplay; after I hit one of the joints and nearly dislocated my pinkie, we climbed up the hill to the road and had no problems after that.

The south park scenery from Current Creek Pass to Hoosier Pass was the best in Colorado, IMHO.