USA PRO CYCLING / Silver Queen Stage

UPCC Podium in Aspen. 8/24/11Gunnison to Aspen.  131 miles.  Up and over two 12,000 foot mountain passes.  The USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC) rolled into Aspen on Wednesday to the delight of 25,000+ spectators and a world-wide TV audience on Versus.  A huge travelling bike expo, sponsor's row and a 3-day Pro Women's Stage Race with a criterium through town completed the scene.

The Silver Queen stage is the "highest, longest and hardest" stage of the entire race according to the UPCC Media Guide.  A dirt road ascent up Cottonwood pass to the highest point in the 7-day event was followed by a grueling climb up Independence Pass. Then a nerve rattling decent on the rain-slicked, swithchbacks on highway 82 into the jam packed streets of Aspen. These guys were cruising down Independence Pass a 60 MPH on 1 inch thick tires. 

 SEE OUR PHOTOS     Aspen Bike Circus  and SPINNING Aspen

The entire Aspen Core was buzzing with excitement although strict street crossing regulations inhibited any kind of travel through town. Wagner Park was swag central and filled to capacity with vendor booths and sponsor tents. The $750 per person VIP tent was packed with well heeled supporters, many wearing bike jersey's. The entire Aspen City Council and the all the Pitkin County Commissioners were visible fans.   An entire downtown block was loaded with satellite trucks making cell service a little more dicey than normal.  The media pit was a multi-national festival of fun.  Apparently bicycle racing is the second most popular televised sport in the world, with soccer being #1.  Aspen Spin didn't get up the pass, but all the podium finishers mentioned that the festive crowd at the top of Independence provided them with extra motivation.   Part-Time Aspenite and current owner of the yellow jersey TeJay Van Garderen joked that "it took balls" to ride the rain slicked "sketchy" decent.  Stage winner George Hincapie concluded the day by saying " it was nice to finish in this beautiful city, with my hands in the air". 

The whole thing happens again in Vail tomorrow.

The Results:

Stage 2 Top-3

• First – George Hincapie (USA) of BMC Racing Team
• Second – Tejay Van Garderen (USA) of HTC-Highroad
• Third –  Tom Danielson (USA) of Garmin-Cervelo

Jersey Winners

• Quiznos Leader Jersey – Tejay Van Garderen (USA) of HTC-Highroad
• Nissan King of the Mountain (KOM) Jersey – Walter Pedraza Morales (COL) of UNE-EPM
• Smashburger Sprint Jersey – Levi Leipheimer (USA) of Team RadioShack
• Sheets Best Young Rider’s Jersey – Tejay Van Garderen (USA) of HTC-Highroad

• Exergy Most Aggressive Jersey – Andre Steensen (DEN) of Saxo Bank SunGard

We topped off the night at the Bicycles for Humanity event at Belly Up.  Bicycles for Humanity has recently opened a Aspen-Roaring Fork Chapter to raise money and to collect used bikes to send them to Uganda.  The fundraiser with celebrity hosts Paul Sherwen and Phil Liggett.

Click our pix  ASPEN BIKE CIRCUS   and  SPINNING Aspen

UPCC from high atop Indenpendence Pass. Proud to be a Coloradan. Photo: AspenSnowmass

Inside the Peloton on the streets of Aspen. Click for more pix Rowdy cycling fans were lining the streets of Aspen.

Levi Leipheimer gets the treatment from the Podium Girls after winning the Smashburger Sprint JerseyThe Bass Boyz were everywhere at UPCC in Aspen.

The Aspen Flow

Summer in Aspen is not quite over yet.  The action in Aspen is non-stop. AspenSpin has been working overtime in our first week back from ski-hab.  While the pay is not great, the life-style and the perks are phenomenal. 

Click THE ASPEN FLOW to see a few photos from around town.

Today is the 2nd stage of the of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. The world's best cyclists will be testing themselves at elevation over 7 days in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.  The Silver Queen Stage is a grueling 131 mile ride from Gunnison to Aspen crossing over two different 12,000 foot passes. In addition to the race, the entire town will be turned into a bike expo with sponsor tents, food vendors and a VIP experience.  Click USA PRO for all the info.

Thursday begins the 3rd annual Mountain Summit Film Festival, a collaboration between Telluride's Mountain Film and Aspen's Wheeler Opera House.   Mountain Summit is 4 days of award winning documentary films focused on activisim and adventure.  Real People...Unreal Stories.   This is one of AspenSpin's favorite events of the year as many of the filmmakers attend the festival to discuss their work, interact with the attendees and generally celebrate filmmaking.  See the schedule and buy tickets by clicking MOUNTAIN SUMMIT.

Saturday is the first ever Aspen Backcountry Marathon. Imagine running  26.2 miles on high country dirt trails through the woods, on the ridges with ascents and decents and incredible views.  If you are a highly trained mountain athlete, this race is for you. Click for info:  ASPEN BACKCOUNTRY MARATHON.

Sunday is the Power of Four Mountain Bike race.   A super-rad single track ride that goes up and down all four of Aspen's ski hills.   Aspen Skiing Company is sponsoring this killer event, click their site for more info.

See ASPENSPIN photos, click:  THE ASPEN FLOW.

Aspen's famous Dancing Fountain.Pick a Line. Aspen Highlands Bowl.

Eye Candy is part of the scenery in Aspen 

Aspen goes GREEN for AREDay.

AREDay 2011 in Aspen with Ted Turner. Click for more pixThe 8th annual AREDay Summit and Expo took place in Aspen, Colorado this past weekend. The theme for  AREDAY 2011  (American Renewable Energy) is Putting the GREEN back in GREEN: Monetizing carbon in the Global Economy. Over 100 environmentally savvy speaker, presenters and panelists discussed a wide variety of topics at the historic Hotel Jerome.   There was not a plastic bottle in site as environmental visionaries, educators, politicians and business leaders gathered to address the world-wide problem of climate change and America's dependency on foreign sovereignties for our energy. 

See pix ASPEN GOES GREEN

This was AspenSpin's inaugural coverage of ARE Day and the message being sent from the conference is staggering.  The environmental issues that face the world today have reached the point of crises.  AREDay was founded to promote leadership and cross-sector collaborations and there were plenty of tremendous ideas exchanged.  Big name AREDay supporters like TED TURNER, T. BOONE PICKENS,  Gen (ret.) WESLEY CLARK, Actress DARYL HANNAH and former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter addressed the eclectic, but obviously passionate crowd.

The planet's environmental issues present a complex set of problems and encompass a myriad of public and private agendas.  With no clear leadership, the pro-earth message often gets jumbled.  It's difficult for regular people to understand what the real facts are.  Attempting to grasp the conundrum at hand AspenSpin will attempt to present a simple set of take home points.  

Click for pix.  ASPEN GOES GREEN

AREDay 2011. It's a battle for planet earth. Click for pix.We are experiencing a WORLDWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISES.  This is not a blip on the radar.  Abuse of our earth and it's natural resources cannot continue at the current pace or we will lose our environment. According to Ted Turner..."when we lose the natural world we've lost everything".  For those that don't believe there is a climate problem...have you noticed the surge in natural disasters?  Did you know that nearly 250,000 people died from weather related events in 2010.  Losing people to "freak storms" is not a good way to combat overpopulation...which is part of the problem for the 7 billion citizens of Earth.

We must ACT LOCALLY and Regionally to fight climate change.  This was a new revelation for us, but it makes perfect sense.  Citizens of the world must protect their own.  There is no centralized organization that is implementing an effective plan for environmental improvements.  Federal Governments (including the U.S.) are not successfully battling climate change.  We must do it ourselves to protect what is ours.  Grassroots programs at the local and regional level must continue.  In Aspen, we are fiercely proud and protective of our home.  Kansas may have a different set of environmental issues... each region must protect their own...worldwide.

We must ACT NOW.  Climate change, over population, dependency on fossil based fuels...these are real problems that are effecting the way our Earth functions.  This is bigger than politics, bigger than the economic crises, bigger than Jersey Shore...and its real...real serious.  We must make drastic changes immediately or the environmental health of the world will be in critical condition...soon.

Every little bit helps. AREDay 2011 in Aspen.FOLLOW the MONEY.  Investments are being made in renewable energy, conservation efforts, green technology and more that can help reverse our world's decline.  Getting Wall Street and the Venture Capitalists behind the green movement is imperative.  Not only can big business help protect our natural world, they can create jobs, earn profits and satisfy shareholders.  Efforts are being made by the business community...let's hope it's not to little to late.

It's a sports analogy, but it rings very true here.  TEAMWORK WINS GAMES.  All earthlings must work together to effect worldwide change, and leadership is crucial.  Somehow all of us who reside on earth must find a way to rally around our environment if the world as we know it is to be saved.  That sounds drastic, but unfortunately it's true.   We all need to join forces ASAP.  Forget party afflation, forget your country of origin, we've all got to band together and work towards a common goal...or the natural world as we know it will be gone.

We hate to say it, but TALK is CHEAP.  The time for talk is over.  Action is required, from everyone. AREDay speakers are preaching to the choir.  We need to expand our efforts...every one of us.   It's easy to bounce ideas around a ballroom full of interested dilettantes with the A/C blasting and their private jets idling.  WE NEED ACTION and we need it now.  So find a way to pitch in.

AREDay was informative, educational, interesting and provocative, but most of all it was scary.   We all must act now and act together before it's to late.   Our consumption based society cannot continue at it's current pace or else we'll lose everything.  Your children and your children's children will not be safe.  As an individual its very difficult to know what steps to take.  The problems are complex, the facts unclear, the message is mixed and the ultimate solutions are not yet formed...but we must band together and work diligently or else all will be lost.  If this sounds drastic or alarming...coming from a ski bum /blogger...it is.  Every one of us must find a way to pitch in to SAVE the ENVIRONMENT before its to late.  It's a fight that the human race cannot afford to lose. 

Click for Pix ASPEN GOES GREEN

Go Green...or Die. Thats the message that AspenSpin took home from AREDay

Ocean Dog / Mountain Dog

Ocean Dog / Mountain Dog Click to enlarge.Carmelo is a Mountain Dog, digging the POW as much as her old man, but she's also an Ocean Dog.

The best part about spending the summer in Southern California is the early morning walks on a deserted Windansea Beach with my dog.  Carmelo and I have settled into a daily routine that we both enjoy immensely.  You may have heard that costal California is densely populated...that's very true, but we love to get up early to enjoy the freedom and independence of an empty beach. Iconic Surf Shack at Windansea.

Dogs are only allowed at Windansea before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. and according to the numerous signs, leashes are ALWAYS required.  This may surprise a few people...but we regularly break the rules.  The lifeguards begin their morning patrol around 7...so we've made it our practice to get out there around 6 a.m.  Our beach is not wide open like some you've been to.  It's not like Santa Monica or Del Mar with a wide flat expanse of sand.  Windansea is famous for it's picturesque rock formations, it's intimate coves and it's pounding surf.  When the tide is up there is only a very narrow strip of sand to work with, but that doesn't bother us, getting wet is part of our program.   Carmelo and I have traversed every nook and cranny at Windansea, we've learned all the secret paths through the rocks and climbed on every bit of the awesome sandstone architecture that is continually re- shaped by the pacific.Windansea can get crowded.

Carmelo and I are both quite aquatic and very comfortable in the Ocean, but we've both learned that Windansea is a heavy wave that rolls in from the deep sea. Windansea is not the most user friendly beach...plenty of rips and crazy currents exist and the aforementioned rocks can make getting in and out of the water a dicey proposition.  Carmelo has gotten completely rolled by unexpected "big ones"  crashing into the shore.  She has learned to pick her spots when swimming.   Given Carmelo's propensity to sniff EVERYTHING we have discovered all kinds of wildlife.  Snails, crabs, urchins, starfish and more.  

We play ball together, we chase seagulls together, we run barefoot in the sand and we love the quiet time alone on the coastline before the beach comes alive with tourists, surfers, joggers and fisherman.

Zuke's dog Treats. Fuel the Love.Ironically we always bring a little bit of Colorado with us to the beach... and it's absolutely Carmelo's favorite part.  I always carry a supply of ZUKE's Mini Naturals when we go rogue (off-leash).  Zuke's is based in Durango, Co. and they make a full line of all-natural dog and cat treats that are sold nationally at better pet stores. Click the logo/link to save $$.   I use mini naturals as a reward and sometimes as a necessary enticement for Carmelo to behave. Fuel the Love as the Zuke's package says.  The moist and healthy mini's are my secret weapon...she loves them.  It's amazing how obedient Carmelo becomes when I have a fresh supply of Salmon mini's at the ready.  With Zuke's on board...all I have to do is make a move towards my pocket and Carmelo is sitting, shaking and laying down like nobody's business.  Zuke's treats have come in handy a few times when Carmelo is running around like crazy and I see the lifeguard approaching in the distance.  With a $250 ticket at risk, the Zuke's are like daddy's little helper;  hand-in-pocket results in dog-on-leash. 

Windansea Beach at Golden Hour. La Jolla, California.

Early Morning is the best.High Tide at Windansea

Sweet Home Colorado

My name is AspenSpin and I'm a ski-a-holic.  It's been 120 days since my last confession. 

Southern California has plenty of positives, but soon the A-Spin mothership will be packing up and heading back to Colorado to prepare for the upcoming ski season.   Summer has flown by.  Aspen Spin's self imposed ski-hab visit to La Jolla is almost over. 

We look forward to returning to Aspen.  The Rocky Mountains, the roaring rivers, the lush greenery, the crisp alpine air, the wide open spaces, the crystal clear bluebird skies and even the afternoon showers.  While Summer is waning, it's not over yet and we are gonna get our Ya Ya's out at 3 HUGE events coming up in Aspen.

USA PRO CYLING CHALLENGE. 

128 of the world's best pro riders will be tooling through Colorado for 6 stages of racing. The second stage, the Silver Queen Stage...will finish in Aspen on August 24 after 131 miles and a vertical rise of more than 9700 feet. You can watch live TV coverage on Versus and NBC..but there's nothing like being there in person to see the peloton thunder through town.  There are plenty of activities, parties and events planned around the Challenge.

 Click to learn more about the USA PRO CYCLING CHALLANGE

MOUNTAIN SUMMIT. 

One of our favorite events of the year.  The 3rd annual Mountain Summit Film Festival is a unique collaboration between Teluride's Mountainfilm and Aspen's historic Wheeler Opera House.  Four days of painstakingly selected films that reflect Adventuring and Advocacy. These films are passionate stories that don't show up at the multi-plex.  It's an intimate festival with many of the filmmakers in attendance and free coffee talks and sessions relating to the films.  Do not miss Mountain Summit.

 Save the dates August 25-28.  Click for schedule and tickets;   MOUNTAIN SUMMIT

JAZZ ASPEN/SNOWMASS.

3 days of fun and music, and nothing but fun and music...."yeah New York stay thruway is closed man"....ooops wrong festival....and it's 2011, so join thouands at the Snowmass Town Park for 3 days of fun and music at Jazz Aspen/Snowmass's annual Labor Day Festival on Sept 2,3,4.   Big names on the docket include Thievery Corporation, Steely Dan and The Zac Brown Band. 

Click for LINEUP and Ticket info.  JAZZ ASPEN/SNOWMASS