Not sure I'm gonna make it to NAFO but I thought I'd mention a few things based on 30+ years of riding, hiking, dirt biking and climbing in CO.
Many of you have experience riding in the mountains so none of this will be new to you, but for those making there first trip perhaps it will be useful, as some of our conditions can be surprising.
1) altitude sickness - already discussed clicky to discussion
2) sunburn - our clear skies and high altitude mean that you should plan on covering up unless you're already tanned. You can get a pretty good burn on anything that is exposed in a couple of hours and never notice it while riding. Not much of a problem if you're wearing the right gear except maybe on the back of the neck. Baldies like me take note for off-bike activities.
3) rain - the last half of the summer can have torrential, but usually brief, rainstorms, usually headed West to East. But sometimes they just park in one spot for a few hours. Bring quality rain gear.
4) thunder and lightning - those rainstorms are often accompanied by violent but usually brief, lightning displays. Rain doesn't bother me, but lightning scares the hell out of me. I try to avoid riding or playing golf or other outside activities during these. Note that at least where I am (south central mountains) the usual pattern is 1/2 hour of hard rain with lightning, then then lightning mostly goes away, but the rain stays for an hour or two. Just use some common sense.
5) temp - in the morning in can be surprisingly cool in the mountains, like as low as the fifties around 7 am (mountains only though). And if it rains it can be COLD, like hypothermia cold, if you get wet. Gear up appropriately.
Many of you have experience riding in the mountains so none of this will be new to you, but for those making there first trip perhaps it will be useful, as some of our conditions can be surprising.
1) altitude sickness - already discussed clicky to discussion
2) sunburn - our clear skies and high altitude mean that you should plan on covering up unless you're already tanned. You can get a pretty good burn on anything that is exposed in a couple of hours and never notice it while riding. Not much of a problem if you're wearing the right gear except maybe on the back of the neck. Baldies like me take note for off-bike activities.
3) rain - the last half of the summer can have torrential, but usually brief, rainstorms, usually headed West to East. But sometimes they just park in one spot for a few hours. Bring quality rain gear.
4) thunder and lightning - those rainstorms are often accompanied by violent but usually brief, lightning displays. Rain doesn't bother me, but lightning scares the hell out of me. I try to avoid riding or playing golf or other outside activities during these. Note that at least where I am (south central mountains) the usual pattern is 1/2 hour of hard rain with lightning, then then lightning mostly goes away, but the rain stays for an hour or two. Just use some common sense.
5) temp - in the morning in can be surprisingly cool in the mountains, like as low as the fifties around 7 am (mountains only though). And if it rains it can be COLD, like hypothermia cold, if you get wet. Gear up appropriately.
