Gears and Girls
The Cycle Effect gets local girls out riding
Local contact:, hbeall@thecycleeffect.org
Don’t be surprised if you see a gaggle of girls out on the trail or gravel road this riding season. It’s just participants in the Cycle Effect, a group whose mission is to empower young women through mountain biking to create brighter futures and build stronger communities. The CycleEffect is a Colorado-based nonprofit that mentors through mountain biking. “It’s an awesome program. We serve adventurous 10- to 18-year-old girls who may not have the opportunity to participate in the sport,” says Cycle Effect Routt County Manager Helen Beall. “Our flexible curriculum provides participants with bikes, equipment, and a diverse coaching staff for little cost.” Donations are used for year-round coaches and mentors; bikes and maintenance; apparel, gear and team uniforms; vehicles, transportation and maintenance; races, events and promotion; fitness equipment, exercise and healthy snacks; outreach and expansion of programming. Info: thecycleeffect.org
SUPs Delivered to Your Door (or River)
Cue The Who’s “Going Mobile.” Because that’s what Paddleboard Adventure Co. is doing this summer. After 10 years of having a retail shop in town, it’s going on the move, delivering SUPs to your door or paddling destination. “We’re still offering the same rentals and services just with a more personal touch,” says owner Danny Tebbenkamp. “When you book your rental, you’ll have the choice to decide where you would like us to meet you with your rentals, whether it’s a put-in on the Yampa, your house, or nearby lake.” About the only place they won’t deliver is Pearl Lake, since they’ll still offer have a rental kiosk and tiki bar there right on the shore, complete with a few live music events scheduled. They’ll also continue to offer shuttles and paddleboard lessons down the Yampa or on Fetcher Pond. Info: paddleboardadventurecompany.com
Craig Corner
Backyard Ultra Endurance Hits Craig
Let’s just call it a hurl fest. A tough race coming to our neighbor to the west. Craig’s Last-man-standing competition will feature 75 runners who have one hour to complete a 4.2-mile loop. At the top of the next hour, racers will line back up and run another lap within the 60-minute limit. This continues until only one runner remains and completes the final lap on time. If that runner can’t, there is no winner. “It comes out to 100 miles in 24 hours,” says race director, Melissa Uchitelle-Rogers, adding the distance got set by Tennessee’s Gary Cantrell, who held the first event in his backyard. The race, also called the Broken Brain Backyard, will be held June 29 from Craig’s Loudy-Simpson Park (a less intense citizen’s race will also be held). The world record is 108 laps, clocking in at 4.5 days covering 450 miles. Uchitelle-Rogers believes some may reach this year’s 24-hour mark. “You have that time from when you finish a lap until the next hour starts to do whatever,” she says. “You can even sleep.” Info: BrokenBrainBackyard.com
Cowabunga!
What’s Up with the Craig Whitewater Park
New surf waves on the Yampa are coming to Craig. The city is knee deep is building its new whitewater park just above the city’s Loudy-Simpson Park, with 70 percent of the instream improvements completed and a scheduled opening in spring 2025, says the Chamber’s Jennifer Holloway. Currently, public access is available at the golf course, with a quick portage to the existing gravel ramp at Loudy-Simpson, where a new cement boat ramp is being built a half-mile below. The whitewater portion of the park, located about a mile downstream of the gold course and two miles above Loudy-Simpson, will include two whitewater drop features built from the removal of an old diversion dam. This fall, the city plans to finish the bankwork and structures, as well as such upland park improvements as adding nature trails and toilets. “It’s coming together and should be a great river park,” she says.
