It isn’t like I just moved to Breckenridge. I’ve lived in and around Breck since 1992. Granted, that was “back in the day” when the town shut-down for the summer in May. If a person wanted to stay in Breck for the summer, they hunted down a wait-job at one of the three steady restaurant-bars or worked for Town of Breckenridge Public Works. I chose to become a raft guide. With that said, I ditched Breck and headed to a small town near a river and didn’t have a lot of free time to explore Breck in the summer.
I heard a lot about mountain biking in Breckenridge and half thought about buying a new mountain bike, but soon after found myself pregnant and trying to figure that out. Time keeps on moving and ultimately, I found myself exploring trails with a kid on my back and later weekend hikes with my older whiny teenagers. That didn’t last long.
I started trail running and really getting to the know the French Gulch area about 5 years ago. Yes, 5 years ago! I started training for a trail half marathon and was excited to find the network of trails right outside my back door. I knew these trails were just the tip of the iceberg to a county-wide network, but was at a loss as to where to find a ride/run resources, so I just continued running the same trails.
This bit of history is to give all of you mountain bikers out there a sense of how it is possible that someone who has lived in Breck 10, 15 or 20 years may still not be completely dialed into the amazing riding resources available in Breckenridge.
My boyfriend gets all the credit for introducing me to mountain biking. He educated me, with a pick & shovel, on trail maintenance and etiquette; don’t ride on muddy trails and if you must, stay on the trail. He introduced me to more rides just minutes from my house, bike gear & likely adjustments; many whines, laughs and moans of frustration regarding clipless pedals (why are they called clipless? (a blog for another time)) and the amazing Breck mountain biking community.
A while ago, a friend of mine, who has also lived in Breck for many many years said, “ I was just thinking it would be nice to have an online trail conditions report and quick reference ride resource.”
Maybe a website with easy access to ride information & trail conditions? How about a website that has not only trail information, but a list of volunteer opportunities, a resource for mountain bike clinics for riders of all levels and also a tips and fix it resource? All of this at your finger tips! What a concept! It’s here and the Launch is on Friday! Bikenridge.com!