Eric Mills

Last weekend I went on a bicycle ride along the peak to peak highway in Colorado. The old scenic bypass is a great north-south route between Black Hawk and Estes Park, and it offers great views of Long’s Peak and surrounding beauties. I was fortunate enough to acquire a new(er) road bike for bike season 2007: a Lemond Alpe D’Huez. After a few rides up the local hill, I thought this baby was light enough and I had legs enough to take the Triple Bypass.

The Peak to Peak Highway told me a different story, a short story, a one-word story: NO. To make a short story long, then, tonight a good friend and I, using a 14 inch 3 pound framing hammer and a slotted screwdriver, changed out the bottom bracket and added a triple chainring to the Lemond. 10,000 feet of lung busting elevation gain? Here I come!

I thought I was cool when I would hang my flip-phone over my belt. Here’s a great hands-free method whilst cycling down the street, leisurely, I would assume. This is my friend Red Pants. We traveled around Europe together in 2002. She wore red pants every day for 6 weeks straight, hence the nickname.

P.S., don’t use my trick, it broke my phone. They make those belt clip things for a reason. I just thought they were too yuppie. I’m a yuppie in training, I suppose you have to start somewhere.