GPS Kids | Ben and Edge were ready for spring thaw

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Edge 705 bike computer and Garmin Connect.

Over the past couple of weeks, Colorado Springs was hit repeatedly with snowstorms. I’m not particularly brave when it comes to cycling in the snow, so I did a good amount of my training indoors. Then when I saw that the sun was going to stop being so timid this week, I started planning my first springtime adventure.

There’s a road in Colorado Springs called Gold Camp that climbs up into the mountains. After a few miles, the pavement ends and the road turns to dirt. The climb features views of Pikes Peak and a bunch of mountains that are less famous, but once I hit the muddy road I was more focused on keeping my bike upright than watching the scenery. I did stop a few times for pictures – what’s an adventure without some pictures? The road passes through two tunnels, lined with mud and void of light, then continues upward where it finally meets up with the top of Cheyenne Canyon – a paved road that provides a safe descent for cyclists (like myself) with bald, narrow tires.

I used my Garmin Edge 705 on the ride, which was great because I had no idea how to get back to where I started without the mapping on the 705. Check it out in Garmin Connect. The Edge 705 also tells me that I climbed 1,888 feet, but once I hit the dirt road my power output and heart rate went way up while my speed dropped – even though the % grade stayed nearly constant. The data from adventures like this are way more fun to analyze than the data I’ve been collecting on the trainer for the past two months. Thank goodness for spring!

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Email Address(required)

Website