Fort Collins Visit - Family, Snow day and Cycling

I spied a wonderful Peanuts-themed book box. One afternoon, we made slab pottery at their place.

 I visit our eldest son in Fort Collins every year. My husband drove again, hauling our mountain bikes. This year was extra special because of staying at their first home, a 3-level townhouse, close to Horsetooth Reservoir, foothills trails, and a city park. The location suits them: great for walking, riding trails, and daily walks with their large dog. Their basement alone is good-sized, complete with a large bathroom - a perfect setup for guests. And their garage, well, let's just say they love cycling as much as my husband and I do.

For 10 days, we stayed near Fort Collins in general, this time around. We hung out with old friends one evening, visited a brewery for trivia night, and cycled almost every day except for the day a wild, but beautiful snowstorm dumped 5" of heavy snow, breaking limbs all over the city. We sat in recliners at a cool theater.

 On Mother's Day, we visited an amazing train museum in Greeley, complete with a humongous model train set up - per my request - and it was wonderful. But that's not all, we had lunch nearby at Weldwerks, a recommended brewery, and later my son and I mountain biked in a natural area, then we all had pizza at a low-key spot. It was likely the best Mother's Day ever!

The high desert climate speaks to me. Dry air, abundant sunshine, low-growing cactus, wildflowers, non-poisonous bull snakes, prairie dogs, deer, magpies, open landscape, cliffs, reservoirs, rivers, and canals. It is interesting in an arid climate, how water is captured, contained,  and channeled (sloped sidewalks direct water to street-side catchment areas that drain to canals). I learned that 40% of Fort Collins' water supply comes from the Colorado River! That kind of diversion wouldn't happen today. It makes me wonder how many other communities east of the Rockies rely on the same resource. Even with all that, Fort Collins and the surrounding communities are growing. Unfortunately, drought conditions were abundantly clear - a brown landscape - compared to my last visit.

We cycled most everywhere for groceries and errands. I used my son's Peugeot for city jaunts, and my hardtail on trails. We rode in Hewlett Gulch, Bobcat Ridge Natural Area, and right from their home into the hills. I went by myself a couple of times - my husband had an annoying injury - exploring Spring Creek Trail, Mason Trail, plus discovering more of the foothill network.

I'll be back next year.

The Bike Wishlist: An Orange-Colored Easy-Mount Mini Cargo Bike

Interesting concept: a step-through mini cargo bike. Paint it orange, and I'm in love. Photo credit unavailable.

I've long had a fascination with orange bikes, and I eventually want one. But it's difficult to justify a new purchase when I already own various styles. 

Enter the mini cargo bike idea. I love small-wheel bikes, so why not an orange-painted, easy-mounting, mini-velo-style? Pedal-powered only.

I've been eyeing the Tern Short Haul. On paper, it ticks all the boxes. It can be stored vertically in a garage, tipped onto its back rack. I had the opportunity to inspect one in our local bike shop. In person, the bike, to my eye, is clunky: thick tubing, moto-style tires, and overall, the length is longer than I had anticipated, especially when I sat on the saddle. It felt ungainly.

Tern Short Haul

There is always the Crust Clydesdale Fork or a similar Veloce Pick Up Fork that converts older mountain bikes into bombproof front loaders. I like this option, despite the hefty price, because it opens up various bikes for conversion. Add high-volume rear panniers, like Vincita's Skye Panniers, and, voila, lots of cargo space.

Photo credit: Veloce Pick Up fork.

What makes sense is eventually replacing my step-through commuter bike, or better yet, repainting it orange, because 20" step-throughs are hard to come by. Along with the fork conversion, I'd add Bullmoose-style bars, something else on my wishlist. They're at a similar angle to the Arc bar on my Peugeot commuter, so they'd work.

Whether or not these ideas come to fruition is anyone's guess. And honestly, I don't need a cargo bike - I just want one.

These are the musings that take up brain space. Tell me I'm not the only one.

Ideas for 2026

My goal in 2026 is to keep the cycling momentum by incorporating new trails and routes. Besides the  Colorado trip, I want to complete another weeklong bike tour - last year's was great - where is yet to be determined.

• In March, I'm heading back to the Philly Bike Expo, this time with my husband! I'm excited to meet up with cycling friends, ride with others, attend seminars, and, of course, attend the main event. It's also the 250th anniversary of the US, and we may stumble upon some of Philly's special events.
• Because bike touring in summer's heat was successful, I plan to do it again. It has its merits: cooling off in streams, packing less, and being able to bail on local adventures. Ideas include a 3-day Champlain Islands loop, an upstate New York adventure using the Adirondack Rail Trail, and a one-way journey using Amtrak. So many possibilities!
• With a front rack and comfortable bars installed on the Downtube Dyan, I plan to test its handling capabilities on an overnight. The long-term goal is to lower the gearing and try wider tires for more adventurous multimodal trips, but one step at a time.
• I'm heading back to Colorado, which has now become an annual pilgrimage, visiting family and friends in Fort Collins for more cycling/hiking fun. 
• We'll continue to explore more mountain bike trails. Ideas include Woodstock, Millstone and North Branch, all in VT, and Blueberry Hills in Elizabethtown, NY.

No Surprise that 26" ATBs are Experiencing a Resurgence

My blinged-out Specialized Hard Rock and commuter/winter-ready Peugeot St. Laurent.

The resurgence of 26" ATB bikes has been dominating conversations and predictions in 2026. Due to the rising cost of new bikes, tariff-affected component prices, and weirdly complicated internal routing, electronic shifting - you name it - there's a distinct backlash against new bicycles. Combine that with a demographic shift to Gen Y and Z interest - buying used, like their preference for second-hand clothing - the buzz is centered around taking older bikes and converting them into usable, trendy transportation: think baskets, swoopy handlebars, colored grips, and wider/all-terrain tires. 

In fact, in 2026 there are more 26" tires available than five years ago. 1980-90s bicycles are still found in garage sales, your parents' basement, Ebay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace. The steel rigid mountain bike is easy to work on, upgradeable, accepts fenders, and can be converted to a cargo bike. Bicycle co-ops recondition and resell them for a reason. Our local non-profit, Old Spokes Home, specializes in rigid mountain bikes and will even customize one for you from the frame up, if that's your thing.

This interest is not lost on me, of course. I've owned and toured extensively on a 1986 Trek Antelope, and despite owning several bicycles, I will always prefer the elongated comfort of a sturdy older bike for many types of riding. I now own two!

(And don't get me started on the fiddly Presta valve trend - wish that one would disappear in favor of Schraeder valves for their strength and ease of use.👍)

72 Years Old and First Time on Studded Tires

Studded tires allow an easier transition to winter rides.

 
I've been using studded tires for five years, and I never expected my husband to want to join me this winter on packed snow trails!

Here’s the backstory: My husband suffered a life-altering injury 35 years ago when he fell on ice while riding to work, resulting in a broken hip. That hip troubled him on and off for many years, which is partly why it took me so long to try winter riding myself. His mobility eventually declined until he had a successful hip replacement about three years ago.

Earlier in 2025, I came across an amazing deal on a pair of 26" lightly used 45North studded tires. They were just sitting in the basement, and I thought I might eventually use them or pass them on to our son’s girlfriend. To my surprise, my husband decided to put the tires on his old Bridgestone—a once-loved bicycle that had lost its appeal in favor of his more comfortable hardtail.

So far, we have gone on three outings. He’s gotten the hang of it, and with even better traction than my own tires, he’s considering putting studs on his 29er!

It just goes to show, you're never too old to try something new.

Riding Montreal's South Shore Trails

Eating lunch at Atwater Market, and a view beneath the Champlain Bridge.

For decades, I've been enchanted by pedaling around Montreal - really anywhere in Quebec or the Ottawa environs - due to the region's incredible cycling infrastructure. My friend Adele is another aficionado, as evidenced by our years of adventures, including gastronomic and cultural events. On this August adventure, prompted to visit our number one son at the beginning of his Montreal vacation, I took 3 additional days off so my husband and I could explore on two wheels before our rendezvous.

Earlier in the year, we tented at KOA South Shore. This time, we returned for 3 nights of glamping in their comfortable cabin arrangement. The first evening, we pedaled around St. Philippe's meandering small bike network, veering in and out of neighborhoods. Canadian architecture is oddly appealing: vertical windows, steep-pitched roofs, some with more modern black window frames, like what we're seeing in the US. Many places didn't have garages, and neighborhoods were a mixture of  mobile homes and two-story newer housing. St. Philippe is growing. I presume the attraction is its small-town flavor and nearby train station, and its proximity to Montreal.

The newer Champlain Bridge with the old architecturally beautiful support leftover from the former bridge, in the background (to the left) being renovated into some sort of monument.

We started a few miles from the campground, catching the south shore bike network, pedaling beneath the Champlain Bridge, over the Ice Bridge trail, lunched at Atwater Market, then continued east through Industrial land, before looping back over an island, returning the same way. Construction season is in full swing before the snow flies, so we navigated detours, generally making up the route as we went. Of interest, but not pictured, was riding along the container ship region, boats, cranes, and rusted multistory buildings juxtaposed against downtown's glass towers. 

The second day, we headed a bit west, pedaling both sides of the Beauharnois Canal.

Worth noting was crossing the lesser of two dangerous bridges, first trying to use the "sidewalk" separated by rails, only to discover halfway across, it was too narrow, appearing to be access for bridge workers, and it ended halfway across the span. We hefted our bikes over the rail between waves of traffic to regain the southside trail network.

On the third day, we visited and rode all the lovely trails at Boucherville Islands National Park. The trail network has been on my radar for a while, and I'm delighted we made it happen! Several of the islands are accessible only by foot, bike, boat, and two ferries from both east and west of the Saint Lawrence River. There are campgrounds, hiking-only trails, and lots of wildlife. We flushed a dozen turkeys from their hidden roosting spot.

Canada, we shall return.

Pedaling Around Fort Collins and Beyond

Riding Loveland's Recreation Trail Loop.

My 10-day May vacation in Colorado was primarily visiting our number one son. This year, my husband drove out west, toting our mountain bikes so we could ride easy dirt trails in comfort. I often have problems with elevation, so I gracefully altered intense workouts with Fort Collins's easier and extensive trail network, many along rivers, parks, wetlands, and canals. Like last year, I rode my son's Specialized St. Laurent in the city.

A loop in Red Mountain Open Space. The Ruby Wash (lower right photo) was particularly challenging to navigate deep sand - thankfully, it was downhill, revealing a change in the landscape around each corner.

Springtime in the high desert is stunning. While parched and hot as early as June, I'm glad I came earlier this year. The open spaces steal my heart.

The Dams Loop is a training ground for various organized rides.

Our son mentioned we should ride The Dams Loop early on, but with the elevation gain - especially for flatlanders like us - I wasn't sure I could do it. After several days riding, drinking lots of water, and generally feeling good, I proposed that we should try it. I knew I was the weak link, standing in the pedals, taking breaks along with my husband to catch our breath, and despite the ferocious head and side winds, we made it! What beautiful views!

Curt Gowdy State Park in Wyoming, a real gem of trails snaking through aspen groves, pines, and around smooth granite rock formations. We barely touched the network of available trails. 

One afternoon we went on a bicycle brewery tour, organized by long-time friend, Rich. 

Downtime included relaxing at our son's house, walks, and ball throwing with big dog Doughnut, 

cycling for errands, scoring 12 oz 6-pack of delicious double IPA (bought solely due to the label art), and walking to a Food Truck rally. I helped out by weeding their overgrown front beds while enjoying wild bunnies that graze lawns, and my husband mowed the lawn. I particularly enjoyed long conversations with our niece, who joined their household in December. 3 people (son & girlfriend) plus dog and two cats who don't get along make for a complicated household! My husband and I camped in a nearby KOA.

We connected with cousin Kerry in Boulder, who led a fun-filled tour of Boulder Creek Trail, famed Pearl Street, and climbed to views of the Flatirons mountains. Compared with Fort Collins, Boulder is hilly!

Our accommodations for a week. I slept well!

Oh, Fort Collins and surrounding environs, I love you so...I'll be back.

5 Years after The Pandemic - the Beauty of Exploring

The Trek Marlin 7 continues to provide comfortable meandering on nearby wooded trails. It's a perfect vehicle
for discovering flowers.

Since 2020, I've learned to take nothing for granted, a feeling that still resonates: not our health, our 2020 move to a beautiful location, the ability to travel, or the natural world that continues to provide peace and connection. I have so much to be thankful for. 

Riding with my adventure buddy on the Colchester Causeway; our home and backyard view.

I love to travel by bike, whether driving to ride rail trails or carrying gear for multiday excursions. 

Brewery in North Hampton, NH. Tacos at a food truck in Fort Collins. Real maple creemees only 3 miles from home.

Stops for food and beer are destinations themselves.

Visiting our son in Fort Collins, Colorado, and riding Soapstone Prairie's trails. Riding Pine Creek Trail with my husband in Pennsylvania.

Riding with family is always an opportunity to connect and explore.

After work or on weekends, rides rejuvenate me, whether pedaling along Lake Champlain during daylight or at sunset, even year-round. I frequently visit an icefall to watch its spring-fed metamorphosis. We discovered a local sugar house this spring!

Amtrak fuels adventure opportunities. Take the train to a new locale or use the service one-way and pedal back.

When our axis shifts and world events spiral faster than seems possible, I try not to feel hopeless. In some respects, we've been here before, 5 years ago. Instead, I remind myself, how truly lucky I am.

Riding Packed, Plowed Rail Trails

Last week's 16.5" dump on top of several packed inches plus drifts meant the snowblower had to clear one narrow corridor by shooting snow through the fence onto rail tracks.

It's been a wild one this winter, with regular snowfall and normal below-freezing temperatures. For the past 5 years, I've gotten used to frequent rides on a nearby, plowed rail trail. Until this year, trail coverage was thin or even clear pavement at times during typical globally warmed Vermont winters. This meant easy access with or without a studded tire bike. I could get used to this!

My tires are all over the place in thicker, trodden snow.

It's been tricky even with 1.75" studded tires this year. If the paths aren't cleared close to the surface, my rear tire, especially, fishtails, losing traction. I often need to put a foot down, which is all the more reason I ride a step-through bike. Bike handling is tough: hands loose on the bar, spin in low gears usually gains traction. It takes a toll on my body though. A 10-mile ride is plenty in these conditions and I rest between outings, sometimes for 3 days.

But watching the sunset over Lake Champlain; stars appearing in the sky; and solitude, keep me coming back for more.

The left, ice-lined area had the best traction. Note the ski tracks on the right. Burlington plows half the path in winter to allow other snow sports.

Yesterday's climb into the 30'sF created soft paths. Oddly, I sought out ice-filled lanes! The top layer had just enough grip, but smoother going overall. Go figure.

Often, the bridge connecting Burlington to my Colchester community loses its snow first. I think it's the lack of tree coverage. Note the ski tracks continuing across the bridge.

The Colchester side had the smoothest surface, cropped close to asphalt. There are few riders compared with walkers, so often snow is pockmarked and frozen - terrible to ride!

Is all this worth it? For an avid rider, yes. I like the challenge. The important thing is I'm safe and know my limits.

2024 Rewind

2024 started off well, plunged into winter conditions, easily adapting to riding safely on snowy bike paths. I set my yearly intentions to have something to look forward to - it's the way I roll.

I broke my ribs in late January. Fortunately, it was only a hiccup in my cycling life. I fully recovered in 6 weeks and attended the Philly Bike Expo. The bonus was meeting and riding with online friends! 

I put together these bags for our son the bike mechanic. No two are alike.

On the creative front, I explored gouache painting for the second year for the Coffeenuring Challenge, tried a new stem bag pattern, and later sewed 4 more.

In June, I visited our son in Fort Collins, Colorado, and came home in awe of their cycling infrastructure and surrounding beauty.

Pine Creek Rail Trail in Pennsylvania.

My husband and I purposely sought new local trails in 2024, experiencing the D&H Rail Trail, Adirondack Rail Trail, two trails in New Hampshire, and a weeklong adventure in Pennsylvania. 

I went on solitary Amtrak adventures: riding one-way from Hudson, NY to Saratoga Springs during peak foliage (part one) and finishing a few weeks later, and from Castleton, VT homeward.

It's interesting to see the Monday-Friday progression.

Yearly accounting: I sorted the rack situation between the Rachel and the Hard Rock so both are touring-ready. I made it, finally, to the Philly Bike Expo after several years of trying (the pandemic didn't help). Due to two years of flooding, what's still elusive is riding across Vermont and back. 

I went out of 2024 with a bang, finishing the year with 3532 miles!

Coffeeneuring 2024 - More Gouache Exploration, Rides 5-8

Coffeeneuring #5 - I painted this one with an acrylic gouache (more opaque, sharper edges).

This one is with my typical gouache (softer edges).

Vivid is a large coffee shop (formerly New Moon, with the vertical sign still evident). Without a nearby bike rack, I made do by wrapping my cable lock around a tree. I sat in front of the garage-type window, sipping my first Matcha Latte - wow, delicious!

5. The Place:  Vivid Coffee in Burlington
Date: Wednesday, November 6
Observation: Took the day off for Election fallout and decompression.
Total Miles: 13

Drink: Matcha Latte - my first!

Coffeeneuring #6 at Scout.

The Rose donuts at Scout are sooo good.

Local roaster Scout has a few cafes open later on the weekend, so I went to Winooski's location in a historic building. I am continually impressed with their smooth dark roast. Their cappuccino, once again, was exceptional. And their chewy donut is to die for!

6. The Place: Scout Coffee in Winooski

Date: Sunday, November 10

Drink: Cappuccino
Observation: Warmish and pushing daylight to arrive after 4 pm. Scout's coffee is very smooth, and likely the best brew around.
Total Miles: 15

Coffeeneuring #7 at a Starbucks.

I was away during the final weekend of Coffeenuring (and on a train for most of the day), so I sought out a cafe that would be open late afternoon—Starbucks. What could go wrong? I'll give them kudos for providing a visible bike rack, but the latte was watered out and the barista sheepishly said, "I'm sorry I don't know how to create coffee art." Fortunately, I found out later that the deadline was extended another week!

7. The Place: Starbucks in Troy, NY

Date: Saturday, November 16

Drink: Latte
Observation: low 50s, arrived at dusk, terrible latte for a Starbucks
Total Miles: 16

Coffeeneuring #8, going out with a bang - more delicious matcha

Bonus round thanks to Queen Coffeeneur for graciously extending the deadline.

I headed to downtown Burlington on a weekend, selecting Black Cap for its glass storefront and convenient bike rack. Their matcha was stellar and the flourless chocolate torte was very yummy! I delivered half the dessert to our youngest son, the bike mechanic because I can't treat him well enough for maintaining my bicycles!

8. The Place: Black Cap Coffee in Burlington

Date: Saturday, November 23

Drink: Autumn Harvest Matcha Latte
Observation: Downtown Burlington feels unsafe due to unhoused people yet it's where there's the widest variety of coffee shops. I was delighted to find Black Cap with a bike rack in front.
Total Miles: 17

I learned that I prefer the coffee shop without walls venue versus working around coffee shop hours. I enjoyed painting coffee art plus adding the handwritten details. Who knows, maybe I'm ready to incorporate mini landscapes into next year's coffeeneuring theme?

And like last year, the Coffeeneuring Quilt: