Mt. Evans

Grueling and epic (Mt. Evans was a blast)  Tips: Eat and drink enough on the ride up, approach well rested, pace yourself, pre-acclimate regarding elevation, be careful descending.  The first half of Evan's descent from the summit is painful.  Cracked asphalt, potholes, high-traffic (goat, human, car)  Met majestic mountain goats with babies.  So graceful on the rocks (compared to the greatest athletes, mountain goat mannerism, and skill set remains unparalleled.

Veg Group Ride

I had no idea what to expect.  The pace was moderate, mostly road with a small dirt section.  Many cool bikes (even a steel frame) The ride was 50ish miles where Folsom / Valmont intersect to Rabbit Mountain / back (Whittier) As the "new kid," I'm usually subtle, not asserting dominance.  I try to remain sensitive but show I'm not totally reckless or naive.  Totally heard one of the guys say, "Is this where we drop everyone?" They didn't drop anyone.  After the ride, we received wristbands for free kombucha, smoothies, and gift bags.  A really sweet surprise considering it was Jeff's birthday.         

Arapahoe > Flagstaff > Baseline

I've been wanting to explore Arapahoe AND Baseline. So what better way than take Arapahoe to Flagstaff, hit the Strava segment on Flagstaff, and ride Baseline back.  The road conditions and vehicular traffic taking Arapahoe into Boulder (center) were intense. I'd highly suggest Baseline in either direction. Baseline has a wider shoulder, smoother tarmac, and is full of "sport and commuter" cyclists of all types.
Flagstaff was fun.  Snow-capped mountains, ominous and cloudy Flatirons.  Met a friendly deer and helped her cross the road.  Young kids in sporty cars, flooring it on the straight-away, could've hit her for sure.  The deer aren't shy here.  Brought one metal bottle, refilled it once. First water had electrolyte / hydration powder.  Had a few dark chocolate peanut butter cups.  Even though I don't enjoy chocolate on rides, put myself in a situation where I had no option. I'd rather meditate on chocolate.
Coming back on Baseline was fun.  Got the high / leg chills.  Drafted behind a bus and later behind a confident commuter with a large messenger bag.  Strong rider, nice pace.  Epic road conditions and beautiful rolling hills.  The scenery is amazing here. Everywhere I look is like a landscape painting, stunning and surreal.  Always grateful, it will never get old.