divingtorch

Colorado National Monument is without a doubt one of the most spectacular places in the world to ride a road bike.

The steady climbs between sheer cliff walls, the three short tunnels, the rolling terrain over the top, the snaking switchbacks and the silky smooth road offer cyclists of all abilities a challenge and a reward.

The suffering endured while climbing the east side to Cold Shivers Point is but a remote memory as you cascade down the west side with just a slight flick to the brakes to control your speed.

There is something about the place that is exhilarating and just makes me want to ride. The pain and exhaustion from pushing myself to the limit in a strange way gives me joy and strength and I can’t help but smile when the wind cools me off as I scream back down into the valley on less than a half inch of rubber.

But there is something about riding it at night that is really exciting.

I have been waiting for a warm and clear full moon night since last fall. In May, some friends and I rode in the cold, but we did not see a wisp of the moon and we had to use our lights.

With summer finally here and the forecast calling for clear skies, my excitement level increased. I was able to convince my wife, Mandie, and three buddies to come along with me for this adventure. Actually, my wife insisted and crashed our little boys party.

We loaded the bikes and a cooler of cold beer in the car and drove to the visitors’ center on the west side so we would not have to worry about traffic.

The moon was predicted to rise at about 9:15, but clouds and gale force wind gusts were making it look as though we might get shut out again. We were getting a bit discouraged until we saw a bright light over the eastern horizon.

Someone said, “Is that the moon?”