The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic started as a contest between two brothers, Tom and Jim Mayer. Jim, Tom’s older brother, was a train engineer on the iron horse. Everyday when the train which Jim was conducting passed their home, Tom would jump on his 10 speed bike and pedal 50 miles over the two mountain passes in an effort to beat this brother. As the train pulled into the Silverton station one day in 1971, Jim’s young brother was waiting his arrival – sweating and smiling. The following year, Tom and friend, Ed Zink along with 36 cyclists joined the contest which today is called the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.
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Today the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is a huge name in biking! Each year the race grows and always sells out months in advance. The 2012 race was sold out in December, meaning there are lots of bikers looking forward to Memorial day weekend in Durango! If you're not already registered we hope you can make it out to Durango to cheer on all the hard work these bikers have put into this year's Iron Horse Bicycle Classic. Check out the Iron Horse training schedule. This year we're looking for an Iron Horse participant to share their training story and race weekend experience on the Durango.com blog! If you are interested, please let us know!
Visitors enjoy Durango, Colorado as a wonderful vacation destination. The Huffington Post recently wrote an article on the top 10 places around the world for the adventure and adrenaline junkie. Among these places were skydiving in New Zealand, paragliding in Turkey, and ziplining in our very own Durango, Colorado! [ Blog ]
No matter what you choose to do while visiting Durango, you will find the atmosphere to be warm, friendly and authentic. Durango.com is your guide to the city and the adventures that await you. Today over 2000 cyclists enter this race which is one of the largest bikes races held in the United States. The 47-mile, 5,550 feet climb is scheduled each year for Memorial Day weekend. For more in-depth information and registration, visit http://www.ironhorsebicycleclassic.com
From the world's best single track mountain biking and road biking to down hill riding, and fat tire fun, Durango, Colorado has over 2,000 miles of trails and hundreds of miles of road for your riding pleasure. There are plenty of things to do and outdoor adventures in this outdoorsy town, and every season has its highlights! From a spring mountain bike ride or hike through the beautiful San Juans to biking the Iron Horse Classic Memorial Day weekend spring is a beautiful time to enjoy the great outdoors of Durango. The summertime activities switch to fly fishing the Animas and rafting the Piedra, you could even do a little rock climbing while you’re here.
