An awesome evening for a fun ride through Red Rocks. We had a great showing with John, Matt, Nico, Tessa, Kevin, Robin, Kimberly and I. Of all the Tuesday gravel rides, I think I prefer this one over the others due to the challenging climbs and the rewarding sweeping single track that brings us back down into Red Rocks. I ended with 20.74 miles, almost 2k ft of climbing and an average of 12.3mi/h. After the ride, most of us hung out at Red Leg and had a cold beverage.
Hello! I grew up as a very active cross-country and track runner with cycling being my true passion. I rediscovered my love for cycling in 2007 and raced crits, road races and time trials from 2007 up until COVID hit. The one great thing about COVID was that it forced me to back away from racing and made me realize how much fun it is to just ride. Don’t get me wrong, I still compete in an occasional race and always strive to be competitive, but mainly like to get as many miles as possible in every year (running and cycling). From gravel, bikepacking, road riding, running and the occasional MTB ride, it’s all fun. I’m extremely excited to be a part of SoCo Velo and I hope to help continue to build on the excellent family atmosphere we already have.
My introduction to cycling began as a means to get together with some friends and do a weekly 20 mile taco ride outside of Omaha, Nebraska. If you ever want to have a few beers in a highschool parking lot then party pace ride to some sub-par tacos, let me know I’ll drop a pin! I ended up doing two RAGBRAIs while in Omaha, but when my wife Erin started to do long-course triathlons I had to get a little more serious about my riding and the maintenance on her bikes… That has since led to a crippling addiction to tinkering with bicycles and a constantly changing fleet. My ideal ride still involves a group of friends on an adventure with a few stops for “Belgian gatorade” along the way. We’re recent imports to Colorado Springs and are excited to get out to find these rides with SOCO Velo!
You can find me on Strava here: https://www.strava.com/athletes/48348375
My exposure to cycling was limited to the occasional spin class at the gym up until the beginning of the pandemic, when I suffered a serious glute injury and wasn’t able to run for over six months. The only outdoor activity that didn’t hurt was biking. A friend gave me her old Cannondale road bike and I was hooked almost immediately. I found SoCo Velo the following summer and have been a member ever since! I still consider myself a newbie at bikes but riding with the group has increased my speed and skills so much. You can find me at rides still on that old green Cannondale (which I intend to ride until it won’t go anymore) or on my gravel bike. When I’m not riding, I’m probably running, backpacking, camping, reading, or doing yoga.
I’m excited to be on the SoCo board and see where the club goes in the coming years!
My first “real bike” was a Peugeot UO 8. I agonized for months trying to decide between it and a Raleigh that was at another bike shop. Ultimately, even though it was not a touring bike (not sure that that category even existed in 1975), I rode that Peugeot on a number of multi-week treks including Seattle to San Francisco (twice), Carmel to Santa Barbara, Calgary to San Francisco and Saint Louis to New Orleans (all done with my mom, who later in life, set a world record for a 60-year old female at the Boston Marathon with a time of 3:14:53). My family moved to Colorado Springs in 1994 and I commuted to work downtown from 2015 until I retired at the end of last year. I currently enjoy road and gravel rides. I look forward to working with the members and the leaders of our club to continue to make SoCoVelo a fun and welcoming entity in the Colorado Springs cycling community.
I’ve been active my whole life (gymnastics as a kid, then volleyball and track through middle school and high school, then rowing in college and after college), but I didn’t really pick up cycling until mid-2020 after moving to Colorado Springs. I had purchased my first road bike about 10 years prior but it mostly just sat in a corner collecting dust (I used it MAYBE once or twice a year). After going on a few rides by myself, I decided to check out some local bike clubs and ended up joining the Buffalo Lodge Bike Tribe. My first ride with them involved going up Woodmen to Blodgett and I thought I was going to die!
I met some wonderful friends there and one of those friends convinced me to join a SoCoVelo Over-the-Hump Day ride in late 2021. The group seemed like a fun bunch, so I joined the club that night and here we are! I love riding on the road and gravel, and I’m planning on checking out some gravel races in 2023! I dabble in mountain biking, but I’m not very good at it yet.
Feel free to follow me on Strava!
My name is Chris Dorsett, and I grew up in Spokane, Washington, where you would likely find me riding my bike for fun or on my paper route. In my early 20’s, I discovered mountain biking in Southern California. I rode many days after work and met friends for weekend rides and bike trips. After my wife and I moved to Colorado in 1997, I began commuting to work on the bike, which I continue doing today; my goal is to keep it up until I retire. After being introduced to Zwift in early 2023, I’m addicted and look forward to every ride. I enjoy group rides and have been on the SOCO Velo board and a ride leader for several years.
I look forward to connecting with you. Come ride and enjoy our social gatherings; they are always fun.
I’ve been riding bikes since I was a kid; but I really started riding when I bought a Specialized bike (before shocks ,1988) when I lived in Mammoth Lakes, California. We rode with a group from our gym from the top of Tioga Pass to Yosemite Valley and I was hooked!
I raced mountain bikes in the 90s and did many marathons. I started road biking and found triathlons culminating in completing an Ironman in 2000.
I had been riding a 6-speed beach cruiser with basket😎 for the last few years until a client gifted me with the LeMond road bike and this year I bought the Trek gravel bike!
I just love the freedom that cycling gives me. I’ve done a few bike tours and would like to do more, which leads me to why I wanted to join the bike club and the SOCO Velo board.
I want to serve and give extra time to a sport that I love and would like to share that with everyone.
I’ve also missed riding with a group that can challenge me and look forward to many rides!
I am passionate about being fit. I am an ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Wellness Coach and love working at Woodland Fitness Center in Woodland Park!
Let’s Ride!
I didn’t start cycling until I was 40, and then discovered an amazing community. Since then, I have moved to several different cities with my career, and the first thing I do is search online for a cycling club in my new city. I have met some lifelong friends by being involved in the different clubs across the US. I love riding my bike, meeting people who also like riding their bikes, and encouraging others to ride bikes. I’m looking forward to doing all of those things with the SOCO Velo members. I am also excited to continue the long history of this integral Colorado Springs club and expand our reach even further in the Colorado Springs community.
Leave a Reply