Blog Posts From Active Expert: Gale Bernhardt Tagged With elk

Estes Park or Bust Challenge – What Drives People to Participate?

guest — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:31:58 GMT

Elk Turd Trophies.

While the highly sought after lacquered elk turd trophies are certainly a big bonus, most people aim to be a member of this group because the trophy represents a goal that isn’t easy, yet it’s not impossible. This is true for every level of endurance athlete.

The minimum distance to achieve the goal is roughly 21miles, nearly all of which is uphill. For those with loads of endurance and riding from the nearby city of Fort Collins, the round trip is more like 70 to 80 miles.

For the 2012 award cycle, 15 people earned (or will soon earn) their 12-consecutive-months-ride-to-Estes-Park trophy. Over the years, I’ve asked people what drives them to aim for the turd trophy goal. Here are some of the comments:

I knew someone else that achieved the goal and I was inspired.
A friend talked me into doing it. Without a buddy, I wouldn’t have made it that first year.
It seemed like a worthy challenge – not too easy, yet not impossibly hard.
It's just fun.
It helps me keep a longer ride in my training through winter.
All the cool people have elk turd trophies.
It motivates me ride outdoors in the winter. Without this goal, I wouldn’t be riding outside at all.
Once I started doing the ride, I became addicted.
Even though I seldom ride with others aiming for the same goal, I still feel like I’m part of the team or the group. I know others are out there rooting for me and doing the ride as well.
I like the ride memories created from some ofthe tough conditions. And, suffering is best done with others.

This isn’t an all-inclusive list by any means. If you’re having trouble keeping on track for your fitness goals, perhaps something in this list or in a past Estes blog will inspire you?

Loveland Cake Guy Chris Brown crafted the party cake.

Bill Frielingsdorf (L) wins the creative cycling outfit award. Kevin McSweeney, I suspect, is envious.

Party attendees Scott Ellis, Chris Brown, Gale Bernhardt, Pam Leamons, Bill Frielingsdorf, Lee Rhodes, Ron Kennedy, Jerry Nicholes, Kevin McSweeney, Brandy Staves, Todd Singiser and Peter Stackhouse. (The background model is not an elk, but a deer. Just in case you were wondering.)

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The Coveted Turd Trophy Awards – dried, lacquered and glued

guest — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:37:01 GMT

I’ve written about the Estes Park Challenge in past blogs and the Challenge was in a column that discussed how to set good, challenging goals.

To achieve 12 consecutive months of riding from Loveland, Colorado to the mountain town of Estes Park is not an easy accomplishment. There is often wind, rain, snow,more snow, rain mixed with snow and a shortage of time due to life that can get in your way.

Left to right: Lou Keen, Mike Keen, Bruce Runnels, Lee Rhodes, Scott Ellis, Sherri Goering, Pam Leamons, Brandy Staves, Darcy Tigis, Ron Kennedy, Peter Stackhouse (event host) and Jerry Nichols. MIA: Dennis Andersen, Kathy Forbes, Kirk Leamons, Todd Singiser and me.

For this year’s awards, 17 people achieved the goal by December of 2011 and one person will score a solid 12 in April. This year Jerry Nichols made the awards and they were stunning – a big, big improvement from year one when my artistic talent with poo proved to be lame.

As with every year the dried, lacquered and glued elk poo was part of the coveted Turd Trophy. Jerry took that theme, added cycling chain and a collage photo of all the riders to make the great awards. He cleverly included a box of Elk Duds with each award, stating that extra poo was collected. (He was kidding and the caramel duds could be consumed by humans.)

Anyone living near Loveland is welcome to participate. Below are the basic rules.

Estes or Bust

Rules to achieve the world famousTurd Trophy Award

Ride toEstes Park once per month for 12 consecutive months.
The starting point can be from anywhere in Loveland, Ft. Collins or Windsor and no further west than the Big Thompson Elementary School.
Either route, Highway 34 or via Devil's Gulch Road (Larimer County Road 43 known as the Glen Haven route), is acceptable. If you ride via Highway 34, you must ride west to at least the Estes Park city limit sign near the Olympus Lodge. If you ride via Glen Haven you must ride west to at least the top of the switchbacks where you can see Longs Peak.
A return trip sans car and via bike back to Loveland is not mandatory, but encouraged when conditions are safe and fitness allows. (This means you only have to rideup (one way) to have the trip count towards your trophy goal.)
Riding from Loveland to Lyons to Estes Park via either Highway 7 or 36 counts. This ride can be one way just to Estes or round trip back to Loveland.
The honor system is strictly enforced - ride with or without the group, with a buddy or solo.
You can start any month of the year and go for 12 consecutive months or begin in January and go for a calendar year.

Rule clarification questions or rule change requests can be sent to gale@galebernhardt.com. The Rules Committee will review change requests.

Ride on!

Wild Turkey and Elk Sightings, Collecting Poo for Award Assembly

guest — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:41:59 GMT

My brother-in-law, Farron, is in town visiting for a few days and he requested a trip to Estes Park. He wanted to have breakfast in the mountain town and take a chance on seeing some wildlife. Below is Farron at the overlook spot just before dropping into Estes. Today it was rather cold and windy in the mountains. (Note the snow blowing across the road.)

After enjoying breakfast at the Notchtop Café, we drove north of the city and spotted five bull elk. They were about 100 yards off the road, in someone’s back yard. The fellow laying on the ground looking at me is a beautiful six-point.

When we drove further up the road to turn around, luck was on our side and we spotted a couple of wild turkeys.

Before heading back down the mountain, I needed to collect some elk droppings for this year’s trophy assembly. Though I only needed enough specimens to make 15 awards, it seems I couldn’t decide on which ones to take…so I gathered half a bag of them. Then, with more material than I needed, I found the best poo pile of the day. I couldn’t pass it up.

With my keen eye for collecting fine specimens, more than one person has suggested that I turn it into a business. I wonder if there is good market demand for elk poo knickknacks?