I guess he'd rather be in Colorado

Some of you may consider John Denver that sappy '70s guy but hey, if you've ever spent any time in Colorado with your eyes open, the title of the song speaks for itself. Especially when it comes to cycling. First of all, I've recently been in touch with the author of one of my favorite books, Road Biking Colorado: The Statewide Guide. Michael Seeberg is as cool, and as pumped about life and cycling in his state, as his prose suggests. The photo included with this post (near the top of Trail Ridge Road) is one of a few that he took for the book that he was generous enough to share with me. Having actually e-mailed this man and received a response is one of the highlights of, at least, my cycling life.

Seeberg is the man who exclaimed about Rist Canyon, "Near the top, you'll ride 12-percent grades!" As it turns out cyclists are invited to join the exclamation June 21-22 on the Ride de Rist, which is for everyone from pros to, well, dorks. The idea of being able to wheelsuck my way up Rist Canyon is remarkably compelling. Instead I will probably spend those days crunching my way through the hinterlands of Chatham County not far from my current home. My Rist ride will most likely wait until September.

As much as I enjoy and respect Rist Canyon, Independence Pass is a whole other kettle of fish. Independence Pass peaks at more than 12,000 feet and is one of the few (shit, maybe the only) roads that I'm scared to drive dry and in the light. I've gone over Trail Ridge Road (even confiding to some that I had "crushed it" and I plan to go over again during this year's annual Colorado Cycletacular), which Seeberg rates as even more difficult than Independence Pass, but I still believe Independence Pass takes more rider than I can offer. But here we have video of people apparently cheerfully racing up. Note the depth of the snow on the roadside and that most of the guys you see are in shorts. No doubt it's a ride that'll warm you up. Fun fact about Seeberg: he's gone over Independence Pass "some 50 or 60 times." Talk about separating the sheep from the goats.