Final Tune-Up: Golden’s Greatest Hits

Saturday marked my final training ride before The Hundo in Bailey, Colorado. Tyler joined me for a big day on the mountain bikes as we linked together many of Golden’s classic trail systems. While I was using the ride as one last test before race day, Tyler was simply along for the adventure, which made for good company and plenty of conversation throughout the miles.

Our plan was simple: ride over 30 miles, stack some climbing, and enjoy a full day on the trails without doing anything reckless a week before the race.

We followed Clear Creek west before turning onto Chimney Gulch. It didn’t take long to realize that Chimney Gulch is far better suited as a descent than a climb. The steep grades and loose terrain quickly had us questioning our life choices. When we reached the Lookout Mountain Road junction, we made an executive decision and abandoned the trail climb in favor of pavement.

It was absolutely the right call.

With a long day ahead, neither of us wanted to burn all our matches in the first hour. Lookout Mountain is never easy, but the steady grade allowed us to settle into a rhythm and enjoy the climb rather than suffer through it. The views over Golden widened with every switchback as the morning sun began warming the Front Range.

From the top we traversed the ridgeline toward Apex Park and dropped into Enchanted Forest. Fortunately, it was a bike-only day. Apex operates on an alternating-use schedule to reduce trail conflicts between hikers and bikers, and anyone who has flown down Enchanted Forest understands why. The descent is fast, technical, and one of the most enjoyable stretches of trail in the foothills.

Of course, there is always someone who misses the signs.

Partway down we encountered a hiker making her way uphill on the bike-only descent. We stopped, explained the trail schedule, and continued on, hoping she would make it safely back to the trailhead before the next wave of riders came through.

At the bottom of Apex, we refilled bottles, used the facilities, and pointed the bikes south toward Matthews/Winters. The trail system flowed beautifully beneath the red sandstone cliffs as we skirted the edge of Red Rocks and began climbing toward Dakota Ridge.

The miles were starting to add up.

After crossing Dakota Ridge, we descended to Rooney Valley Trailhead for another water stop and snack break before beginning our final objective of the day: Green Mountain.

By now the morning coolness had disappeared. The sun was high, the temperatures were climbing, and every pedal stroke felt a little heavier. We worked our way around the western slopes before grinding up the final climb to the mesa top. Sweat dripped from our helmets as we crawled upward, knowing this would be the last significant effort of the ride.

Once on top, the reward was immediate.

Green Mountain offers some of the best views in the Denver metro area. To the west, the Front Range rose sharply into the high country. To the east, the city stretched endlessly across the plains. We followed the ridgeline trail across the mesa before plunging down Box O’ Rocks toward Golden.

The rocky descent felt like the perfect finale.

Back in town, we linked together a series of lesser-known connectors and neighborhood trails before rejoining the Clear Creek path. After hours of dirt, climbing, and exposure, the bike lanes of Golden felt strangely civilized.

By the time we rolled back to the truck, we had logged more than 31 miles and nearly 4,800 feet of elevation gain. More importantly, the ride accomplished exactly what it needed to accomplish. My training block for The Hundo was complete. The fitness was there. The work was done. All that remained was recovery and trusting the process.

We locked the bikes up like Fort Knox and walked over to the Golden Mill for some well-earned refreshments. Sitting in the afternoon sun, replaying the day’s climbs and descents, there was a shared sense of satisfaction.

For me, the ride represented the closing chapter of months of preparation. For Tyler, it was simply another great day on the bike. Either way, we had spent nearly four hours exploring some of the best trails along the Front Range, and that’s never a bad way to spend a Saturday.

The starting line in Bailey is now just days away.