Fall Blaze and Bikes-N-Bands Bash this Weekend!

This weekend Durango looks forward to the Fall Blaze, the annual cycling event for Fort Lewis cycling. It will actually be a part of the Durango Bikes-n-Bands bash, a day long festival with bike rides and music.

At 8 am, the Blaze race begins. There are three route options for the Fall Blaze: 37, 60, and 100 miles. All riders will ride the Shalona Hill Loop, and the respective longer rides extend the routes. The initial loop takes riders through some of the most beautiful areas in the county—CR 550 and CR 250. The longer rides feature Helen’s Store, and the longest ride features Vallecito and Bayfield, and Florida Mesa. Of course the terrain varies and the elevation changes, so cyclists will have a rewarding challenge upon completing the course.

There will be a Blaze lunch following the ride, with a potato bar and local brews from Ska and Steamworks, as well as Coca Cola drinks. The Bikes and Band bash will have music and festivities through the afternoon; this fundraiser supports the FLC cycling team, Trails 2000, DEVO, and Durango Daybreak Rotary. Other activities include relays, a vintage bike show, a bike toss, and cyclocross races. The Blaze benefits the Cycling Scholarship Fund at Fort Lewis College.

The Fall Blaze and Bikes-n-Bands bash will be a great way to spend a Saturday. Even if you are not up for any of the rides, come check out the music and activities. Events will be held at The Fort Lewis Center for Southwest Studies and Concert Hall portico.