Death Ride Day 3 - Durango to Silverton - 48.3 miles

Known as the Iron Horse Classic Ride

Downtown Durango

Iron Horse Classic information supplied from: www.ironhorsebicycleclassic.com

The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is head annually on Memorial Day weekend.

How the Iron Horse was Conceived

The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic was the brain child of Tom Mayer and his older brother Jim. Jim worked as a brakeman on the D & R G W railroad which had run the steam powered locomotive between Durango and Silverton since the 1880's. Tom was a young bicycle enthusiast who grew up alongside the tracks to Silverton. Tom challenged Jim to a race to Silverton. As the train came by the house, the steam whistle screamed and Tom climbed on his trusty steel framed 10 speed and pedaled up over the rim of the old volcano and descended into the caldera to the mining town of Silverton. The train takes a shorter and easier route, but with limited speed, so it is truly a race between man and machine. When Tom became strong enough to win, the bragging rights were his, and the whole town knew it.

The First Iron Horse

In 1972 a group of 36 riders decided to celebrate the first run of the train in the spring by accepting the challenge. It's been all up hill since then. In 37 years the Iron Horse has become one of the classic bicycle events in the West. Durango is centrally located between Denver, Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. The Iron Horse is an ideal early summer meeting of the riders from each of these cycling centers as they attempt to bring home the glory to their own communities. In recent years the participants have come from every state and many foreign countries to ride the famed Iron Horse course. Each year hundreds of riders will feel the thrill of descending into Silverton and looking to see if the train has arrived. And familiar faces will be there, as many people come back year after year to the "best race we have around."

Day three will start at the Doubletree Hotel. This is the toughest day of the tour taking on the last two passes, Coal Bank Pass ( Elevation 10,640 ft) and Molas Pass (Elevation 10,910 ft). The day starts off with a nice easy 16 miles along the river trail, then through some beautiful woods stopping for a break at Baker’s Bridge. This site was used in the filming of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

It is approximately 20 miles of climbing from the Baker’s Bridge to the top of Coal Bank Pass. After 2 ½ days of riding more than 200 miles, knowing that you have only one pass remaining, you will certainly be happy to decend into Silverton after achieveing Molas Pass.

There is no better feeling than hoisting your bike as your vickory celebration for reaching the top of the last pass on the last day.

With or without your bike - it really doesn't matter.

Now isn’t that nice…











After conquering Molas Pass, it's a short decent back to Silverton.

The final mile back into Silverton after 3 days, 230 miles and 15,000 feet of climbing. Mission accomplished – well until next year. Now it’s time for fun and relaxation again with a DEATH RIDE Tour barbecue at the Wyman Hotel hosted by Wyman Owner – Roger Wrublik and presentation of your DEATH RIDE Tour participation Medal.

Sunday night is another evening for fun, refreshments and relaxation now that your quest has been completed.

 

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