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CHASING GOLD: CLASSIC COLORADO MOUNTAIN BIKING IN THE FALL
A few weeks ago our friend, and local photographer, Reilly Kaczmarek and some buddies got out for a rad autumnal mission on two wheels. We asked him to bring the camera along & jot down some words summarizing their trip so that we could feel like we were right there - keeping rubber-side-down of course - alongside them. We'll let Reilly take it from here...
Hey all, Reilly here with a trip rundown from our latest adventure.
Picture this: the once-vibrant green leaves are turning into those iconic fall golds and reds, and suddenly, mountain bikers everywhere are in a collective panic, realizing their summer mileage fell a bit short of the dream. We weren’t immune to this panic either, so we packed up and headed to the Elk Mountains in Colorado to stretch our legs and burn our lungs at a cozy 10,000 feet.
Meet the crew:
Luc Roux – All-mountain badass, part of CU’s downhill bike team, and a Specialized athlete. This guy is faster than the wind and lighter than a whisper on two wheels, only slowed by the occasional trail donut or midday siesta. You’ll find him bombing downhills with at least one tire in the air. When he’s not shredding trails, he’s deep in the books studying mechanical engineering at CU Boulder.
Sam Blakeslee – cycling coach extraordinaire and Roaring Fork Valley trail wizard. He’s shaping the next generation of riders, showing teens how to shred and keep the rubber side down. When he’s not coaching, Sam’s building the biggest singletrack network on the Western Slope with RFMBA. Oh, and did I mention he’s also raced the BME and REV Enduro circuits? The guy’s a machine.
Reilly Kaczmarek (me) – I can’t exactly call myself a cycling extraordinaire, and honestly, even putting my name next to Luc and Sam feels like a slight to their mythic status. But hey, what I lack in bike skills, I make up for by turning my friends’ legendary skills into photographic art. Sure, my hardtail and handling might not keep pace with these two, but I know they’re happy to stop and wait to make sure the camera is always out for the best of runs (plus, I’m pretty sure I’m the only one in the group with official medical training, so there’s that).
We originally planned to hit up Crested Butte, but Sam made a last-minute call and scored us a cozy cabin near Aspen (location top-secret) to switch things up. So, Aspen trails it was!
Like all good trips, it started in the cabin with celebratory beers, stoked high-fives, and plenty of chatter about the next day’s ride after a 5-hour haul from Boulder.
An early wake-up, a questionable banana breakfast, and we were off. Thanks to the cabin’s location, we could shuttle most of the trails, serving up a buffet of downhill goodness.
From my photographer’s lens, the golden glow of the newly yellowed aspens was —chef’s kiss— perfect for showing off the riders. From a rider’s perspective? These trails are pure bliss. The fallen leaves made the dirt just slick enough to throw the bike sideways like spreading butter on warm pancakes. And with all the pops, jumps, and berms, the emancipated pedal pony got a full workout.
After 24 miles, 3 Aspen falafels, and an obscene number of hoots and hollers, the sun finally called it a day. We spent the night stargazing and resting up for another round.
The next morning, that ambitious sunrise ride? Yeah, we nixed that in favor of staying cozy under blankets, opting instead for an easy morning of chopping wood, breakfast burritos, and basking in good vibes. No regrets.
Once the breakfast burritos kicked in, we hit the trails one last time. A quick 3-mile loop took us back to a favorite spot from the day before: two big lines—one filled with berms for cornering heaven, and the other a straight drop with a soft loamy landing. After an hour of photo ops, high-fives, and quad-burning laps, we called it. And while I can neither confirm nor deny the use of a drone for the final shot, I will say it was epic.
Local beta: Aspen in the fall is the place to be for mountain biking. While I can’t spill the details on the exact trails (because we’re keeping our hut location top-secret), trust me, just ride as much as humanly possible. You’re guaranteed to find something great, and while your lungs might curse you in the moment, your memories will thank you forever.
Unitl next time,
- Reilly Kaczmarek
Keep up with Reilly @reilly_kaczmarek on Instagram.
Gear seen in this write-up: Ramble sunglasses, Ramble Speed sunglasses, Stash sunglasses, Westslope sunglasses, Freestone sunglasses, Townie sunglasses, & Burro helmets.
