Monumentally Afflicted

Distance - 16.8 miles Climbing - 1270 feet BGR (Brad's Gravel Rating)  - 35 CRF (Cage Rage Factor)  - medium Scenery - not bad Location  - Monument / Palmer Lake - west of I25 Parking - Sante Fe Trailhead at Baptist Road and Old Denver Highway General Description - A combined gravel / paved ride around the Tri Lakes area. About 75% gravel. Fairly nice mountain and lake scenery with a reasonable amount of climbing,  but nothing sustained. This loop can be started from many different trailheads around the area (Baptist Rd, Mount Herman TH, Palmer Lake TH, 105, etc). Traffic is generally light except through Palmer Lake. Finding your way through the Glen can be a challenge, with a maze of roads (sometimes one way). Detailed Description Park at the trailhead and head north on the Sante Fe Trail. This can be windy and/or sandy depending on conditions. Once you pass Palmer Lake, take a left on County Line Rd and cross the railroad tracks. Take a left on...

Tour de Hood (first installment in a series of gravel ride descriptions)   Distance - 7.2 miles Climbing - 875 feet BGR (Brad's Gravel Rating)  - 28 CRF (Cage Rage Factor)  - low Scenery - meh Location  - west of Monument, near the Mt Herman Preserve Parking - Pothead Corner (Schilling Ave and Lindbergh Rd) General Description - A short 95% dirt road loop through the neighborhood roads near the Mt Herman Preserve. A decent amount of sustained climbing. Plenty of optional detours to explore. Mostly good dirt roads that are sandy and loose in the summer, and sloppy and muddy after snow or heavy rain. Fairly exposed when windy. Detailed route info Park at Pot Corner and head east. At the first intersection, stay right on Schilling. Take first right on Vincent. Take first left on Vandenberg. Veer right onto Doolittle. Hit the pavement (gasp), go left/right (essentially straight) onto Doolittle Take first left onto Rickenbacker and after a s...