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40 Comments

1. Excellent review/guide, I’m going to give this a shot this weekend or next. I think I’ll try platte river down, I live near DU so its only about 15 or so miles for me I think.

   Comment by Mike — June 10, 2008 @ 8:30 am

2. Yeah, this shouldn’t be too bad from DU. Enjoy the ride. It is lots of fun.

   Comment by rich — June 10, 2008 @ 8:57 am

3. We did this ride last weekend with a friend from Denver. We live in New Mexico and do quite a bit of climbing on a regular basis. The description above is perfect! We were not quite prepared for the 14 mile climb and it is truly that! This is a wonderful ride and the second half is quite rewarding after the initial climb. It was amusing that, once we were into the latter portion of the ride short, steep climbs seemed more challenging than the initial portion. We were fortunate in that we rode the same weekend as the Triple Bypass and, therefore, the rode was less populated. Though the cars were respectful, the early portion has NO shoulder and you must be very aware of traffic. Thanks for the review!

   Comment by Susie MacLean — July 17, 2008 @ 4:27 am

4. We pay taxes to support trails…use those, not our roadways. It’s our home, not your playground. Cars, respectful…please ~ it’s time for the cyclists to show a little respect….stop peeing in our yards, fixing tires in the middle of lanes, flipping us off when we honk our horns to warn you of our approach, standing in the roadway at the Grange, using the Grange when it has been reserved…nothing like walking out of your wedding amidst spandexed cyclists.

   Comment by Resident — April 2, 2009 @ 9:59 am

5. There is no trail up Deer Creek Canyon road, cyclists pay taxes too. On the bikes we purchase, the equipment, clothing, food, etc. Not only that most cyclists have a car, and most of the cyclists going up Deer Creek canyon drove there with their bikes. What cyclist is going to challenge a multi-ton vehicle, we will always pull to the side. Would you honk at a rider and horse? Don’t honk at cyclists. We know you’re there, we have ears. If there isn’t enough room to pass be patient. Its not like we cyclists are picking the busiest most packed roads to ride on. Next time you plan a wedding think before you reserve something as public accessible as the grange. Thats like having a wedding in a public park. Of course people are going to be there.

   Comment by Mike — April 2, 2009 @ 11:17 am

6. Just noticed the comment by Resident above. Mike’s response is a good one. I will add that roads are public places and cyclists have a right to them by law. Cyclists do have as much obligation to be respectful of others as motorists do. It is unfortunate if some behave badly (peeing in yards), but if you want to avoid us, you need to stay on private property.

   The Grange chooses to maintain the cyclist rest area and they make a decent amount of money off the donation tube.

   Comment by rich — May 2, 2009 @ 9:14 am

7. Excellent and accurate review of this spectacular ride. Thank you for posting this!

   Comment by Jeff — May 23, 2009 @ 3:38 pm

8. High grade is a great ride. Thanks for the review and instructions.

   Comment by Chris — June 20, 2009 @ 11:25 pm

9. Mike and Rich are ignorant…stay on private property ~ how am I to get groceries or help stimulate my local economy if I can’t leave property to do so. As for taxes, I’m talking property taxes going to maintain our roads, not sales tax you dolt. How many of you ‘flatlanders’ are paying JeffCo property taxes? And as for knowing we are there…can’t hear much over your iPods. And the horse comment…they are residents of our community and abide by the rules of the road, you cyclists do not. Just yesterday I encountered not 1, not 2, but 3 pairs of cyclists riding side by side (breaking the law) and did not fall back after I waited. Just yesterday my husband almost hit a cyclist hauling down the canyon and crossing the yellow line (breaking 2 laws). Today I had to stop because some cyclist decided to stop and fix his bike in the middle of the road, in front of the grange. Also today a cyclist blew through the stop sign at 285 & Pleasant Park Rd (breaking the law) and was almost hit by the car coming off of 285, who had the right of way. How is this ok? Where is the common sense? We are tired of accomodating cyclists! Residents trying to get to appointments, work, social activities are continually hindered by you! The recent BCC meeting and denial of the Deer Creek Challenge should tell you how residents and local businesses feel about your presence. Just this morning there was a horrible accident by Lockheed. I don’t want to say I hope a cyclist parished, but I do hope this will bring about changes. There is talk of banning cyclists in the canyon due to safety concerns, if the residents have their way it will pass and it will be a day to celebrate!

   Comment by Resident — July 8, 2009 @ 1:24 pm

10. Resident, there is no need to argue ad hominem by calling others ignorant when you leave yourself open to personal attack with poor spelling, grammar, and lack of cohesive argument. That said…

    If we want to discuss facts, that is fine. The roads in Deer Creek Canyon are part of Jefferson County. In the 2009 county budget, Jefferson County allocated $9.3 million for bridge and infrastructure improvement, but some of that was to projects with matching funds like the realignment of Jefferson County Parkway, part of the RTD project.

    So where do you get the remaining budget to maintain your roads? From the state Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF). 26% of that fund is distributed to counties for maintenance of local roads. The funds are primarily from fuel taxes and vehicle registrations across the state. If Jefferson County wants to pass laws contrary to state laws, such as forbidding cyclists on roads, they will need to forfeit allocations from this fund. Good luck with that.

    Now, for the issues you cite. Many are violations of the law, as you have stated, and they can and should be corrected. There are regular patrols by the Jefferson County Sheriffs in the canyon and I have seen them pull over motorists and cyclists alike. You can’t punish everyone for the transgressions of the few. I see lots of cars roll through the stop sign in front of my house, but I am not petitioning the city to ban cars on my street.

    Finally, let’s talk about this society we all live in. Public is public. As a Denver resident, I might be bothered by the many suburbanites who flock into the city to party on the weekends. To them this is just a place to get drunk and to puke and urinate on the sidewalks (and believe me, JeffCo sends their share of drunks). However, I am not arguing that bars, restaurants, and sporting events should be for city residents only, even though my tax dollars are going to policing the suburban drunks. How about those of you who commute into Denver to work? You use our roads, pollute our air with your cars, and make the city more congested overall, but that is the way things work. People from the suburbs come into the city to work and play and people from the city go out to work and play.

    You need to realize that you live bound by a social contract and to behave as if you do. If you see illegal activity by cyclists, report it just as I do when I am illegally harassed by motorists while on my bike, but stop griping about whole groups of people, most of whom are within the law and their rights as citizens.

    Comment by rich — July 8, 2009 @ 4:27 pm

11. +1 Perfect argument Rich and excellent information.

    I can’t speak for the other cyclists but when I ride it is single file when there is traffic. If I am behind and a car rolls up I will yell “car back” to any cyclist ahead of me. If I’m listening to music it is not loud enough that I cannot hear traffic and I use one ear bud. All of this I learned from other cyclists so I find this to be the norm.

    Comment by Mike — July 9, 2009 @ 8:52 am

12. Clearly you need a definition for your latin phrase…”replying to an argument or factual claim by attacking or appealing to a characteristic or belief of the person making the argument or claim, rather than by addressing the substance of the argument or producing evidence against the claim.” I believe I was very clear in my argument and did not attack you. Maybe you do need a dictionary as ignorant = unschooled or not knowledgable; I didn’t call you stupid. As for poor spelling and grammar, Mr. Overpunctuation, hmm…guess my Master’s in English is a fluke.

    Your arguments are weak. You seriously believe that banning cyclists on narrow, winding, mountain roads in the name of safety will make us have to sacrifice funding? How many bikes do you see on I-70? Are you then saying that since bicycles aren’t allowed on it that the highway uses private funding for improvements? Along those lines, last I checked the state speed limit says 65, yet residential areas are 35…oh no, the county is passing speed limit laws contrary to the state set laws now my roads won’t be maintained! Please, think your arguments through.

    As for Suburbanites, they are contributing to the Denver economy by frequenting restaurants, bars, sporting events, museums and the zoo and are helping to support the city. Take the non-Denver city/county residents out of the equation and let’s see how well the city sustains itself. Cyclists go into our local businesses to use their facilities and fill up their water bottles without ever purchasing anything ~ just taking, most times without even asking. It was a commonality with all business owners protesting the Deer Creek Challenge the the BCC meeting on 6/16 and 6/30 (yes, two whole meetings filled with community members protesting the proposed event…why? Because THE MANY ruin it for THE FEW). Take the non-residents out of this equation and the only impact is less hassle ~ I don’t have to pass 140 bikes on my way to the store, of which maybe half are abiding by the laws and not impeding traffic (and that is not an exaggeration!).

    As for reporting illegal behavior…what do we say? “Mr. Red Spandex on the black bike, the one who looks like he’s trying to be Superman, just blew through the stop sign.” Then have the officer try to hunt him down amongst the 50 pseudo-Supermen? If a cyclist is harassed, he can take a vehicle description and license plate. Maybe that’s it, maybe road cyclists need to licensed and insured.

    It’s elitist attitudes like poster KirkB here: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12728061?source=bb that results in actions like this: http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?036+article+News+20090707036000997.

    So enjoy your rides in my neighborhood, as it appears they may be numbered!

    Comment by Resident — July 9, 2009 @ 10:27 am

13. Resident is nuts. I live in Deer Creek Canyon and I pay taxes here. One of the reasons I moved here was to be closer to riding. Same goes for many of my neighbors. I also commute to Denver on my bike. If they banned bikes in the canyon, I would be among the first to sue the county.

    Comment by taxpayer — July 9, 2009 @ 12:11 pm

14. Resident, that Latin phrase is a logical fallacy. To say “you are ignorant” is a personal attack and a sweeping generalization. To say you are ignorant of the facts in this matter” is acceptable if you can provide the facts. Yes, I did teach my share of college English, including logic and rhetoric, before changing professions.

    I am not sure that I want to continue this debate here, but since this page is a top Google hit on the cycling route, I will either refute or lock comments all together. In this case, you are providing valuable evidence that can be used to show that this is not a matter of inherent safety of certain roads, but more a matter of convenience to residents. Your posts might be valuable if this ever gets in front of the legislature. Since we are discussing facts, let me assert that I provided the Colorado statute that designates the funding and I confirmed it with the State Treasurer’s Office. This is not my belief, as you assume it to be; it is state law. You back up your assertion by asking me if I think that bicycles are allowed on I-70? Why, in fact they are allowed on I-70 in Colorado with two exceptions: the Eisenhower Tunnel (they need to take Loveland Pass) and Vail Pass (there is a bike route along the interstate). How can you say my arguments are weak when you can’t be bothered to research your statements before submitting them? There are limits to the laws that states can pass regarding interstates while still receiving funding under the Federal Aid Funding Act of 1952 and its subsequent amendments. Th same approach is used for Colorado’s HUTF. You can’t make all your own rules and still accept the money, unless state legislature grants you the right.

    You also say that the Colorado state speed limit is 65. You didn’t even bother to read the law, which you could look up here. Colorado uses a “reasonable and prudent” blanket law and defines limits for certain conditions such as “winding, narrow mountain roads” or “central business districts,” but I will let you read those on your own.

    On to the issue…

    The link you post states that the county attorney is drafting legislation and “will try to get a legislator to sponsor it in the 2010 legislative session.” The linked article acknowledges that the county does not have the authority to legislate the issue under current law and that it must go to the state legislature. That is far from a done deal and don’t forget that there is strong bicycle lobby in this state. There is nothing happening in Deer Creek Canyon that can’t be addressed by existing laws. The proposed law is designed to suit the convenience of the residents, not the safety of cyclists or motorists. Even the Jefferson County Sherriff is quoted as saying that he is not aware of accidents between cyclists and motorists in the canyon. If those roads were deemed unsafe for cyclists, most of the state would need to be.

    Comment by rich — July 9, 2009 @ 1:43 pm

15. You called us cyclists supermen, that’s sweet. It is impossible for you to have a degree in english, let alone a masters.

    Comment by Mike — July 9, 2009 @ 1:50 pm

16. To Resident:

    I’m actually responding to your post from Western Oregon, and want to agree with you in a way. We Oregonians do not want people from Colorado, with your Hummers, F350′s and Suburbans to visit our state. We pay taxes here, need to go to appointments, and you hold us up while you try to figure out where the heck you are going. Stay the ***** home and off the streets and roads that WE pay for. So if you live in Jeff County, stay home, don’t come here, we’ll honk you off the road, that you don’t belong on anyway.

    Bike riders from Colorado are welcome, you don’t clog up our roads like the Hummer crowd, and you are nice, unlike the Deer Creek redneck crowd.

    Comment by Western — July 9, 2009 @ 8:13 pm

17. Resident,

    Some of your points — that bicyclists should not pee in yards, fix tires in the middle of lanes, flip people off, ride abreast, stand in the roadway, wear headphones giving the impression of not being able to hear, or use headphones such that they actually cannot hear — are reasonable and valid. Such actions are illegal, dangerous, or discourteous, and no one should partake in them. Most of your comments, however, degrade into rudeness, rambling, and irrationality. My rebuttals:

    • The Grange welcomes cyclists with its rest stop and does not post “Not Welcome” signs during particular events. The Grange, like the Denver Botanic Garden, can be reserved for weddings, and at both, other members of the public might be nearby. Accepting that is part of the social contract. If you wish cyclists to cease resting at the stop, I suggest you ask the Grange to stop offering services (but I doubt that it would act on a suggestion that would deprive it of significant revenue).

    • I grant that bicyclists might cause you inconvenience, but I do not accept that you “can’t leave [your] property” because of them. Sharing a public roadway is, again, part of the social contract.

    • Horses and bicyclists are residents of the community and should abide by the rules of the road. Some bicyclists might neither reside nor abide where and as you prefer, but your blanket implication that “cyclists do not” is too broad to be credible.

    • You say that “banning cyclists … will … sacrifice funding” is a weak argument, yet Rich had already pointed out that if JeffCo “wants to pass laws contrary to state laws, such as forbidding cyclists on roads, [it] will need to forfeit allocations from [funds primarily from fuel taxes and vehicle registrations across the state].” He showed that the HUTF is state policy, not merely his personal belief, and would have to be changed at the state, not the county or neighborhood, level.

    • You call Rich “Mr. Overpunctuation” but you do not support your epithet with examples. Here’s mine: In the post’s second paragraph, Rich sets off a phrase (“but fairly populated”) with commas that are not rigorously necessary. He employs them to emphasize a point — interestingly, the very point here under contention. His optional (but not hypernecessary) commas aid readability and suit his conversational tone.

    • Whether or not you possess a master’s in English, you demonstrate less respect for and facility with the language than you imply Rich does when you do not bother to capitalize a proper adjective (“latin phrase”). Or to spell “accommodate” correctly or to select the right near-homophone (“perish” not “parish”).

    • “Mike and Rich are ignorant.” You employ a logical fallacy that dismisses an argument not because of its lack of merit but instead based on its speaker.

    • You call Rich a dolt but deny calling him stupid. Perhaps you had forgotten the content of your earlier (07/08/09, 13:24) comment when you typed a third (07/09/09, 10:27)? A man is not a dolt who does not accept a line of thought that meanders as much as yours does. Your pejorative belies the weakness of your stance; a strong argument need not resort to one.

    • You called KirkB’s attitude (http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12728061?source=bb) “elitist.” I read both of his comments to that article and did not perceive any elitism. Defiance and perhaps poor judgment, yes, but not elitism.

    • You state that “THE MANY ruin it for THE FEW.” In a democracy, the many do overrule the few. Perhaps you meant that the few ruin it for the many? I am no more certain about that than I am about much you submitted. You “believe [you were] very clear in [your] argument” but you were not. Rest assured that at least your hostility is clear and your hysteria undeniable.

    • Lastly, you welcome cyclists to “enjoy rides in [your] neighborhood.” Thank you, we will! And most of us will do so while desisting from illegal or antisocial behavior.

    Comment by Lisa — July 9, 2009 @ 8:24 pm

18. There’s no doubt that there’s enough law breaking and unsafe behavior being conducted by both cyclists and drivers

    I can understand why JeffCo residents may not want to permit for an event that could bring upwards of 3,000 bicycles through the canyon. Perhaps the organizers of the event need to do a better job of presenting what they’ll do to safely accommodate such an influx of traffic in the canyon. But to ban bicycles altogether on an every day basis…please.

    Excuse me while I put on my rose colored glasses : ) , but instead of looking for confrontation w/ cyclists and looking to ban them from “their” roads why cant’ people look to work w/ them instead? I propose that part of the proceeds of such an event go toward a charity/cause that directly benefits the residents of JeffCo. Heck, maybe even as a result of this both cyclists and drivers will actually realize that BOTH parties are generally good, respectful, safety conscious people… imagine that.

    Growing up in a part of upstate NY that would make JeffCo look like a megalopolis my (non-cycling) parents, neighbors, etc never had problems when bike races (the NY State Road Race Championship literally passed by right in front of our home) and events traveled through “their” roads. The winding, hilly, roads running through wooded rural areas were well traveled by cyclists and I can NEVER recall any animosity being generated between residents and cyclists – people just took the 5 seconds out of their (oh so) busy and important travels to allow fellow citizens safe passage through “their” roads. I’m sure that the majority of JeffCo residents do the same thing and I’m also sure that the majority of cyclists don’t urinate on people’s yards, fix flat tires in the middle of the road, etc.

    Comment by Taxpayer, Driver, Cyclist, Citizen, Resident, etc... — July 10, 2009 @ 10:49 am

19. Resident You must be of the latest crop of the urbanites that move to the foothills and think the rest of the world needs to stay away.

    You self entitled elitist are in such a rush to speed up the mountain instead of looking at the beauty in the area. You are probably of the same ilk that don’t care about ice or wildlife on the roads and tailgate other motorist that also live up there. Back in the day it was the Hampden 500. Now it is Deer Creek Canyon that is the racetrack.

    Your roads you say, I can let you in on a little secret I lived up from 72-87 and my parents still live up there. As a grade school kid I would wait at the intersection of City View dr and Horizon View drive to catch the school bus to go to school. As a young kid we would ride with our friends from the top of the mountain to Tiny Town and back on single speed BMX bikes. Of course doing that now would be considered suicide with the way you former urbanites drive up there.

    I probably shouldn’t mention this but I am going to anyway. Those roads up there used to all be dirt until you urbaintes whined and complaind until they were paved. If you would have slowed down then you wouldn’t have as many bicycles on them now.

    Since tax money was spent to pave them I would say that those roads belong to all of us. I must say it is a rather pleasant ride to vist my mom and dad even though some of you other residents are so impatient on the road.

    Comment by Gmule — July 12, 2009 @ 3:23 pm

20. Maybe …just maybe the high din of this dialogue holds a silver lining.

    Clearly there’s a problem. Both cyclists and motorists should have undisturbed access to roadways. I suggest that the problem is not either type of user. The problem is that the current infrastructure doesn’t adequately provide for concurrent usage by both types of users.

    Let’s move forward. Let’s be good neighbors. Let’s embrace human powered locomotion. Let’s recognize the need for autos. We Colorado residents should take this opportunity to modify our roadways so that both types of users can utilize CO roadways in harmony.

    Wider shoulders would be a great start towards solving this problem.

    We’re a state that relys heavily on tourism for state revenue. I would suggest that the ROI of this and other types of infrastructure modifications that ease the concurrent usage of our roadways by both motorists and cyclists would reap great returns in tourism dollars. Our state could be viewed by other states as a leader of change. The Deer Creek Canyon dilema could become a catalyst to progress. Given the current state of the economy, I would say that promoting progress would be a good thing.

    We can bridge this gap. We can solve this problem. We can realize the silver lining.

    Comment by Nick — July 13, 2009 @ 12:13 pm

21. I misspelled relies as relys …but my intentions are good, yes?

    Comment by Nick — July 13, 2009 @ 3:35 pm

22. I stumbled across this website and post this morning while I was searching for more information on one of my favorite rides… Deer Creek and High Grade.

    As an opening statement, I just want to say it saddens me to read all of the emotional negativity on both sides of the issue at hand. It also seems there are both right and wrong arguments/reactions on both sides.

    First, I must admit to receiving my first and only bicycle infraction ticket on this ride two weeks ago. My track stand stop did not qualify as a complete stop and was so issued a ticket. I am not one to argue and compliantly took and paid the ticket. Speaking of tickets, I have had only one driving infraction ticket in the last 10+ years.

    That being said, those two infractions are not the only times I have not ridden or driven incorrectly in my life… much like most, if not all, of those reading this post and living and/or riding in the Deer Creek area. So, just like on the rest of the roads we drive and ride on, we are part of, and surrounded by, constant minor infractions (knowingly or unknowingly committed), and sometimes flagrant abuses and violations.

    When a particularly abused section of road becomes a safety issue (or obvious revenue stream) the local and state police increase their presence and hand out tickets as appropriate. Still, I am sure most of you have been passed exceedingly fast by some flagrant violator and have all asked “Where’s a cop when you need one?!”

    The cost of living in a “Free” country is that not all violations are caught, or prosecuted. We are all expected to live in a manner that upholds the laws and regulations that we pass collectively as a society. And with that must come some tolerance and faith in the system, that it will correct widespread abuses.

    I have been riding the Deer Creek area for 12+ years at this point and, for the most part, I believe that the majority of cyclists follow the rules and laws of the road. But just like in everyday driving, there are constant minor infractions, which are typically self-corrected, and some major violations that put the rider and others at risk. It is true that the few can ruin it for the many… as an increase in these major infractions will, because of increased police presence, ensure that more minor infractions will be ticketed, too. Overall, the result should be a safer riding and driving environment.

    With the years of riding in this area, one thing I have seen first hand, yet very little commentary on, is the increase in speed and volume of motorcyclists and sports cars (typically in groups) up and down the canyons. If I were a resident in this area, this is where my safety concerns would be focused on. It certainly is from a cyclist’s perspective.

    A resident of any neighborhood in this great country must understand that any and all public and community areas are open to the public and community for all sorts of uses, activities and events. A homeowner can buy a piece of property for the location, the view, or the perceived solitude… but, you can’t choose your neighbors or how public areas are utilized (and by whom). I bought a house that backs to 40 acres of open space for the view and perceived solitude… then the grass fields were converted to soccer fields and every Saturday and Sunday we are greeted with hoards of parents screaming at their wee ones to kick the ball! Of course there is no safety issue here, but it sure is irritating. However, I am not heading to the HOA to get soccer banned from public parks.

    On the topic of the denial of the Deer Creek Challenge… no group can force their way into a community for an activity that would require the resources and support of the local police, fire, or medical groups, including even minor traffic directing, without a permit being granted and issued. If the community and local government does not want to support and/or expend resources to support the event then they have every right to not grant the permit. Shame on those individual cyclists for taking an entitled position and attempting to convince others to ride in mass as a protest! You are the few that cause problems for the many.

    Yes, the Deer Creek area is a great place to ride, and yes, a sponsored, supported ride would be fun and exciting, but if the community can’t or won’t support a large organized ride then we can only enjoy it as individuals, as tax payers, as respectful and law abiding citizens and be happy and grateful we have the opportunity to do so.

    Frankly, I believe that we can all live and utilized the wonderful areas of our state without infringing on anyone’s rights, being disrespectful, or creating undue safety issues.

    Comment by Rob — July 13, 2009 @ 3:55 pm

23. Thank you, Rob. I have been riding (and living) in the Deer Creek Canyon area for 11 years. When I moved here, neighbors warned me of double- and triple-file cyclists obstructing the road. I quickly found out they weren’t exaggerating. As a cyclist myself, I always ride single-file, no headphones, etc.

    Unfortunately, on my trips down and back up the canyon, I ALWAYS see cyclists riding with no regard for any other road users. This is what the problem really is about; despite the ranting and raving by some residents who probably do hate cyclists in general, most of us are willing to accommodate cycling on these roads…as long as the cyclists ride like intelligent adults rather than whiny spoiled brats. These roads are not your personal playground. “Share The Road” goes both ways. The spoiled brats truly do ruin it for everybody.

    I have had a cyclist who was riding near the shoulder look back at my vehicle and suddenly swerve in front of me to ride directly in front of my grille, in the center of the lane. I could have safely passed him, until he did that. Aside from the fact that such behavior is incredibly dangerous, it only makes the driver decide that banning cyclists from the roads might not be such a bad idea after all.

    A little background for you: back in 1998 or 1999 there was already talk of banning cycling on these roads. At the time, I was opposed to such a ban and I wrote to the County explaining why. I pointed out that the problem was not cycling per se, but obstruction by a significant minority of selfish, rude cyclists who chose to ride double- or triple-file or hog the entire lane despite going much slower than most traffic. The County put up signs reminding everybody that these roads were SINGLE FILE ONLY. The County also obtained a promise (from Bike Jeffco?) that there would be NO organized bike events or group rides to take place.

    A few years later, we residents also voted in favor of adding wider shoulders where possible. After many months of lane closures and other road work that affected OUR working lives (but not cyclists’ play time), the shoulders finally were done. For a while, it looked like most cyclists were using them as intended. I certainly did.

    But it didn’t take long before the abuse of privileges resumed. Soon cyclists were riding two or three abreast, with only one in the shoulder area. We went right back to the original problem.

    It also became clear that a lot of club rides were taking place, which just comes across as another case of reneging on the promises made by the cycling contingent.

    The spoiled brats’ refusal to take NO for an answer will backfire on them. Although I was not one of the residents who participated in the meetings that resulted in denial of the permit for 2009′s event, I will definitely add my NO vote in any future such meetings, and my spouse has also made the same decision. Until this particular subset of spoiled-brat recreationists grows up, they will not be welcome here at all. Mind you, this is coming from someone who really does not want to have cycling banned on any roads, but the entitlement attitude (perfect term for it, Rob) is making me feel like I have no choice but to join the “anti” side.

    Comment by Another Resident — August 8, 2009 @ 9:04 pm

24. Here, here: well spoken. I am a resident and a cyclist as well. When I first started riding in Deer Creek Canyon, it was pretty clear to me that some residents had issues with cyclists. So I made sure to follow the rules and be respectful and not speak loudly when riding with others. But when I moved up here, I was surprised and disapointed to find that despite the signs saying to ride single file, the lack of shoulder, and many residents polite (and at times more “direct) reminders to ride single file that many cylists continued to ignore the signs. It’s too bad that all of us can’t simply be respectful, cyclists and drivers alike. But then there wouldn’t be anything to complain about, and we could all just enjoy this beautiful canyon

    Comment by Another resident/cyclist — August 12, 2009 @ 10:15 am

25. I just rode this on saturday morning and didn’t run into issues with drivers or cyclists. There weren’t a whole lot of cars on the road though. I think I saw about 10 cars total, up and down and probably about 30-40 cyclists.

    Comment by Mike — August 12, 2009 @ 1:53 pm

26. Maybe what is needed here is some kind of event where cyclist can show their appreciation/respect for the residents of the Deer Creek Canyon/High Grade area. I understand how resident feels. In my neighborhood the problem is all of the people going to work or somewhere else through my neighborhood. Now I don’t have a problem with motorists going to work but when they speed though my neighborhood or illegally pass, I have a problem with that. My kids ride their bikes in this neighborhood. I run and ride through this neighborhood. When they break the laws of the road in my neighborhood, I feel offended and disrespected by these people. I think Resident feels very much the same way.

    Even though I hate the fact that these people do this, I sometimes catch myself doing the same thing in other people’s neighborhoods if I’m in a hurry or whatever. I sometimes think, how would I feel if the tables were turned.

    So what needs to happen here is a showing of respect. A respect for the residents and a respect for the other vehicles on the road, motorized and non-motorized. We all have the right to be on the road. But there’s an old saying. Your rights end where mine begin. The moment you overstep your bounds and take “your rights” too far, that is the exact moment when my rights start to be violated.

    I hope that we can solve our differences by talking about them and coming to an understanding instead of fighting.

    One more thing, I’ll try not to speed through your neighborhood if you try to not speed through mine.

    Thanks.

    Comment by A resident, of another place — September 24, 2009 @ 9:36 am

27. As a long time resident, former professional cyclist and avid sports car and motorcycle devotee I would like to chime in. I remember the days when polite cyclists who did not number in the hundreds would kindly ride single file bordering the shoulder knowing that the road is first and foremost intended as a passage for citizens to reach their homes in their automobiles. Those days seem to be gone and in their place have risen the days where hundreds of rude cyclists seem to think that the road was built for their recreation where they are free to do as they please. This seems to get worse when riders ride as a team, When I was racing and riding as a team many years ago we had a paceline in which we always rode single file for specific reasons, but I think we were better than most Sunday peddlers. Over the years it has grown worse and the cyclists egos have grown with the popularity of my home. I don’t mind the sports cars as they typically use their head and don’t drive fast in heavily populated areas, the VW club, 300zx club, ferrari, viper and cobra clubs which I see on a regular basis are very respectful and know where they need to slow down. The harley riders other than the noise pose no significant danger as they ride slow. The cyclist who pee in my yard and decide it’s ok to congregate by my driveway and leave litter and yell down the canyon are the ones who impose on my quality of life and get annoying. It’s not just a few of them either, it’s a lot. They have hundreds of bike paths for a reason. Use them.

    Comment by Hunter — January 4, 2010 @ 8:50 pm

28. You’re obviously lying about cycling professionally because you would know there is absolutely no way someone can train on a MUP. There are too many joggers and slower cyclists you have to avoid to do any sort of serious training.

    Anyway, the point has been made. cyclists should never ride on the road because they pee in peoples yard and sports car drivers that are always extremely professional – and in no way bought a $150k sports car to open her up and careen through narrow turns – are always respectful of cyclists and other drivers on the road.

    You are correct though, ALL cyclists, not just pro, should ride single file. I got caught by some guys training and they were great. We had a group of 4 for about 3/4 of the climb until 2 of us got dropped by the guys in team jerseys. the whole time we yelled car back to each other and road single file. However, I’m sure other cyclists are nto as polite and do as they please despite the risk of being killed. Sorry about that.

    As for cyclists peeing in your yard. Pick their peckers off with a bb gun. that’s f’d up.

    Comment by Mike — January 5, 2010 @ 9:17 am

29. Hunter, if you were really a pro cyclist, you know that you cannot train on bike paths. There are low speed limits and most of them are on the flats.

    That said, no one is saying that the misbehaving cyclists are in the right. My point here is that we all have rights to the road and if some are abusing the rights, punish the abusers, not everyone. When I ride in your area, I am either solo or with one other rider. We ride single file and only take our “rest breaks” at the appropriate places.

    There are a lot of opinions here, but then there are laws and rights. Cyclists also have rights to the roads. They do not have rights to break laws. When they are within the law, deal with it. We live in a society.

    Comment by rich — January 5, 2010 @ 1:24 pm

30. I raced mountain bikes professionally for quite a few years. I often trained at bear creek lake on the paths, when I did ride on the streets our paceline was always single file. When I do take my cars or motorcycles out the majority of my drives are leisurely. I open them up at 2am or at the track, a few of my neighbors do the same.

    Comment by Hunter — January 6, 2010 @ 7:37 pm

31. Thank god that’s over…..

    Comment by Scott — April 14, 2010 @ 4:04 pm

32. Reasonably fit men and women ride this road in spandex- who could have a problem with that? I will tell you who- angry, angry, angry, frigid, bad karma fools. cbass

    Comment by cbass — May 9, 2010 @ 2:54 pm

33. Maybe the cars that are having a hard time with cyclist on the road should get themselves on a bike and try it.. maybe they would fall in love with another way to enjoy our country side. And maybe it will give them a better understanding and respect of the cyclist .. I have never tried this particular ride up the canyon .. But I have been invited so I will see you all up there.

    From the cyclist that is not going to disappear…

    Comment by Sheila — June 2, 2010 @ 4:56 pm

34. Is the ride definitely happening in 2010? Yes. The course was approved by Jefferson County Commissioners on March 16, 2010. This, our inaugural ride, is on!

    Comment by Approved — July 1, 2010 @ 6:56 pm

35. I just came across this site and thought I’d add my two cents.

    I live in the area, east of Wadsworth, and I’ve been riding Deer Creek Canyon off and on for 29 years now. This year, for the first time, I think I’m starting to see signs of some potentially serious road rage. Twice in the past month I’ve apparently made the mistake of staying as far to the right as reasonably possible on the High Grade road. Then I get passed by a SUV within less than a foot. The car then crosses right in front of me crossing the white line into the 6 inches or so of shoulder.

    No riding side-by-side since I’m riding alone – a relatively straight section of road – no other cars in sight in either direction.

    So yeah, this road is starting to make me a little nervous.

    Comment by Greg — July 5, 2010 @ 3:07 pm

36. Great post I am going to ride Deer Creek today and I don’t think I would have found it without this. I am really looking forward to peeing in “resident” yard. Just kidding about that last part.

    Thx again for taking the time to write this it seems very helpful

    Comment by Joohn Rove — July 19, 2010 @ 8:30 am

37. Cry me a river…. :’( Deer Creek Canyon and HighGrade are both amazing places to ride. For those who want to complain about cyclists, get over it. Boo hoo, you loose maybe a few seconds behind a bike, at most a minute or so(highly doubtful). As for safety, if a cyclist isn’t following the “rules of the road”, then yes they should be punished, but honestly I highly doubt that is the concern of all the complainers wanting to get rid of a highly fun, healthy, and rewarding sport.

    Comment by T — July 24, 2010 @ 1:12 pm

38. I wonder how pissed the residents are about this?

    http://www.deercreekchallenge.com/

    Good thing deer creek isn’t near blackhawk.

    Comment by Mike — August 2, 2010 @ 3:01 pm

39. I stumbled accros this post and I would like to contribute my comments as well. I am new to riding my bike in Deer Creek Canyon. It is truely a beautiful area and serves as a gateway to many other (South and North Turkey Creek, City Vew, etc) popolar areas as well. Where else can you gain access into such an incredible area and have a place to refill water bottles and get an energy bar? Thank you Grange!

    As much as I like riding this area, I only ride it on Sundays. If I can get on the road by 6:30am, I will be done with my ride by 10:30am. I figure this is the safest time to ride, and I will be the least disruptive to commerce and local traffic. I prefer to ride alone. If I find myself in a group, I will drop off the back so that I can resume riding alone. Why? Because motorists can pass a single cyclist much easier. I ride as far over to the right as I can, and I do not listen to an ipod.

    I have also driven this area in my F150. I find that if I go the speed limit, I can safely navigate my way around cylists on the road. Sometimes I have to slow down and stay behind the cyclists until it is safe to pass. Is this any different than having to slow down behind an RV? If the motorists go the speed limit and if the cyclists ride single file, there should be no conflict. Wider shoulders would help.

    I hope nobody gets hurt up there. I feel a lot of road rage building on the road and in these posts. Everyone needs to chill out and take a few deep breaths.

    kevin

    Comment by Kevin Kane — August 30, 2010 @ 6:53 am

40. Good comment Kevin. I’m still wondering how the residents reacted to the deer creek challenge.

    Comment by Mike — August 30, 2010 @ 9:43 am

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