In January, John Klever, Leslie Sutton, and I rode the Carter Lake Cakewalk 206k permanent on a mild and sunny day. The Cakewalk features a foothills-skirting route punctuated by small climbs.
Leslie and John climb to Eldorado Springs on the first leg ...
... and fly back down, aided by the usual tailwind:
The idea behind the Cakewalk is that in winter, it can sometimes be warmer (though windier!) closer to the foothills vs. further out on the Plains. That and the short but stiff climbs remind you and your legs about climbing ... without resorting to the icebox-cold canyons.
Leslie reaches the rock cut on the Rabbit Mountain climb:
... with John Klever close behind.
The switchbacks up to Carter Lake bring you to a serene, recreation-traffic-free winter experience (although less ice cover on this day than at some times).
There's no telling what you'll see on a permanent like the Cakewalk.
Here's a controlled burn near Masonville ...
... and a bald eagle having a snack at the Boulder/Larimer county line:
Think about the Carter Lake Cakewalk for a bit of spice on your winter / spring conditioning rides!
-jle
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