SBT GRVL given permit for cycling event

June 4, 2024 Shannon Lukens

By Shannon Lukens.

The Large Event Permit for the SBT GRVL Bike Race has been approved for this year, by Routt County Commissioners. The hearing room was packed Tuesday with many rural residents who have expressed frustration with having a bike race with 3,000 riders in it, on the county roads in front of their properties.

Link to Hearing Agenda with documents

Commissioners heard comments from residents in favor of the race, and those against. Here’s co-founder of the race, Amy Charity.

“I thought it was a really good discussion. We are still listening. We know that our work is really cut out for us. We are committed to building this partnership with the rural community. We know we have a lot of work in front of us and we’re really happy that there’s so much engagement on how we can make improvements.”

Commissioners approved the Sunday event, which is the day of the big ride. But they have not yet approved the “Shakeout” or “Hangover” rides. Those are the casual rides on county roads in the days before the race, and the day after. One Shakeout ride on Saturday morning has 800 people in it. Commissioners will revisit whether those will be allowed at a public hearing on June 18.

One issue discussed is that someone has been hired specifically to talk to riders in those shakeout rides and how they will be enforced. They are avoiding RCR 44. Everyone in the ride has to sign a waiver.

The SBT GRVL ride is Aug. 14-18. There are 3,000 participants in the main event on that Sunday, Aug. 18. They have four options of rides, from 37 miles to 125 miles. Maps are below.

Co-founder Amy Charity says the event was envisioned in 2018 with co-founder Mark Satkiewicz, who died in 2020 at age 51. The first year of the SBT GRVL was 2019, and it sold out with 1,500 riders. It was virtual in 2020 during COVID. In 2021, there were 2,000 riders. In 2022, there were 2,500 riders. It was capped at 3,000 in 2023, so that, “Riders can have a good experience and we can manage it.”

Charity says the race has donated $105,000 to local nonprofits and community partners since 2019.

Race organizers say the race brings in $4.5m in direct spending during SBT GRVL week, from lodging, restaurants, shopping, and transportation.

Charity said they have learned a lot in the past nine months on how to make this week. “We want this to work for all of you in this room.” She added that the suggestions are excellent and, “We are listening.”

“The only way these things came work is to respect the community.”

Changes this year include a new route and no 2-way traffic. That’s one thing that caused frustration for rural residents on county roads. They had a hard time getting through.

There will be more police/sheriff presence and more help from Colorado State Patrol to control the pack of riders. There will be more trash receptacles and more porta-potties. All riders and race participants are being sent messaging to “Respect the Routt.” They will start the race earlier in the morning so that riders are off the roads sooner.

Charity said the Routt County Fair and the SBT GRVL will no longer be on the same day, after this year. She said they can’t change the dates for this year, but they will for 2025.

A Race Command Center will be set up this year with three people in there at all times, answering phones. They’ll be tracking everything that is happening to keep the event safe. Representatives from the county are also invited to be there if they’d like.

Many rural property owners spoke, asking commissioners to deny the Large Event Permit to SBT GRVL.

Brent Romick said taxpayers are being ignored and that 3,000 is probably too many. But he added, “Let’s see how it goes this year.”

Krista Monger said she measured the width of her road on 44, which is 19’ and 21’ feet. She said her equipment is 12’ wide. She asked, “Who is liable when they run into my equipment?” She said they are actively haying during the month of August with equipment on both sides of the county road. Monger was also concerned about hearing the phrase, “As we grow,” from race organizers, asking, “What does that mean?”

Chuck Vale lives just west of Clark. He said, “Our county roads are not designed for the local tourist and 3,000 bikes.” He asked how race organizers plan to enforce single-file riding. “This is simply unsafe on our county road system and the application should not be approved.”

Mary Kurtz was concerned about a sense of entitlement by race organizers and a “blatant disregard for our county government.” She mentioned tour groups that have been forming to lead gravel rides.

Christy Belton is on 52E on a conservation ranch. “Why is any race allowed on our winding gravel roads? It’s a head scratcher to me.” She was concerned about her animals getting out and asked if the county can indemnify the land owners and livestock owners. She also quested the alternate courses listed and what are the details on that and how are those chosen.

Here’s what Nancy Mucklow said. She lives at 23470 County Road 56 near Clark.

There’s a quote from Maya Angelou:

When someone shows you who they are, Believe them the 1^st time.

As rural citizens, we’ve had many years of SBT GRVL. Initially, true to form, rural citizens welcomed these folks and thought we could share with them a taste of our rural lifestyle. For years, we were hopeful. We let it slip by, even though we kept seeing their true colors. In 2023, we reached a tipping point with SBT GRVL. Thousands of riders on public roads that showed no respect for our rural citizens. No respect for our wildlife, no respect for our livestock and the placid existence they are accustomed to. No respect for our personal space, no respect for our personal property and no respect for the industries and lifestyles that use our County Roads every day to conduct our livelihoods.

Thanks are owed to our commissioners for realizing there is a need to come together NOW to avoid the divisiveness, to bridge the gap on large events that invade the rural spaces of Routt County. We feel disrespected by the dictated “listening sessions” held during work hours in bedroom communities where folks are still trying to get home from work so they couldn’t possibly attend to share their thoughts. Disingenuous “sponsorships” and alliances with community partners who have waved goodbye are still claimed by GRVL even after the relationship has endured an unfortunate divorce per se.

Let’s be clear: This particular event at hand invades the rural lifestyle over a long period of time, this year proposed from August 14-18 right over the top of Fair week. Invasion includes racing bicycles and all the accompanying spectators who seem to forget they are pooping in someone’s front yard. Invasion includes cowbells, lack of respect for rights of way that are used daily by people who live in that space, not just visiting to garner a medal or a place on a roster or possibly some big bucks. This RACE inundates the rural spaces of our County for days, with little regard for the rural lifestyle, one where we wave at folks on the road, where we are considerate and where we leave a place better than we found it, even if it’s all 150 or so miles of a private race on public roads that we didn’t want but will clean up after because we care about litter in our neighborhoods! Rural Routt folks know the precious gem we hold dear and we love to share it, share it with others who also respect it.

Let’s be wise with this resource we call home. Inviting all the world in when there is little respect endangers this gem with its 59-day growing season, with its sudden summer grandeur, with its long held custom of respect and gratitude. Let’s realize there is a tipping point and we are there right now. Large events must be held with thoughtful boundaries for the respect of our citizens, for the respect for our natural resources and for the longterm health of our citizens. I encourage you, Commissioners Corrigan, Redmond and Macys, to be sensitive to all we call home and keep it rural, keep it Routt County. Say No to SBT GRVL. They’ve shown us their true colors for years now. We should have believed them the 1^st time.

Brent Whittington is with Moots. He encouraged commissioners to find a way to get through this together.,

Patrick Delaney from Hayden is 5^th generation Routt County on RCR 80 with a business in Hayden. He has participated in the SBT GRVL and has been a volunteer. He thanked race organizers for listening and addressing all concerns. He asked that the permit be approved.

Another local cyclist named Carl says that within the cycling community, people value and respect the land, and that all are dedicated to removing the negativity. He said they’ll take care of the roads and community and leave them better than when they started.

Tony Rosso said, “You’re not welcome. We don’t want it.”

Amy Satkiewicz spoke. Her late husband was a co-founder. She said, “He didn’t want to harm anyone,” and she apologized to everyone for causing problems or concerns. “Hopefully we can collaborate together.” She added that amazing things have come out of this race.

Luther David Wallace was in full support of the race, and the changes in place for this year.

Steve Gadbois lives in Hayden and is a member of the SBT GRVL Senior Staff. He helps with volunteers. He said race organizers have “done nothing TO this community. They’ve done it FOR this community.”

Rebecca Grabowski from North Routt said it is a 7,000 person event with 3,000 cyclists.

Others joined the meeting online to speak of the benefits of coming to the race.

A rancher named Andy on RCR 129 was concerned about the congestion on the road and possible loss of life. “When does recreation take precedence over residents who want good quality of life? When is enough enough?”

Erika Murphy said the race is just shifting to another part of the county. “County Road 29 is equally as treacherous, basically a jeep road.” She is concerned about accountability and who is liable for equipment, livestock, and people. “We need to preserve our heritage.”

David May spoke of his family moving to Routt County in 1901. “It’s not fit for cyclists and vehicle traffic let alone folks hauling equipment.”

Chase Lovins is a co-owner of Seedhouse Coffee. He said the work alongside SBT GRVL. He asked how everyone can work together. “There are ways we can continue to improve the race as a collaborative community.”

Another man spoke of how he moved to Routt County because of cycling. He was a former Army Ranger, serving in Afghanistan. He is concerned about a growing anti-cycling sentiment, and he encouraged collaboration. “Let’s cherish, support, and celebrate SBT GRVL.”

Sue Orton on RCR 29 near Cow Crick says her cattle are on Open Range BLM land. She’ll have to ride up and down the road on horses to keep their cows off the road and the race course.

Nathaniel Spitzley asked about the cows and wildlife. “This race is too big for what it is.”

Marsha Daughenbaugh is concerned about the county roads becoming thoroughfares when it is traditional just for agriculture. She’s on RCR 44. She said the roads are too difficult when you throw in bikers, hikers, and dogs, especially with the week of shakeout rides before the Sunday event. “Please do something so we’re all safe out there. This just feels like we’re being pushed too far.”

All three commissioners voted in favor of the permit, even though, as Commissioner Tim Corrigan said, “3,000 people may be incompatible with the rural Routt County agriculture community.” He wants to look again at the county road event permits to find a way to make it compatible.

He said it would be “disingenuous to say we’ve changed our mind,” and that it will be a discussion for next year, adding that the “Rural agricultural heritage absolutely needs to be protected.”

Commissioner Tim Redmond said how we all love the rural aspects of Routt County and that’s why the bike riders want to come here, but there needs to be respect for each other. “Rural Routt County – These are people who are trying to make a living.”

He said the timing needs to change of when the event is held. He said the race needs to be acceptable to the entire community. He said, “It may be a benefit to the community, but not a benefit to them,” pointing to the rural residents in the room.

“As we move forward, there is some work to be done,” said Redmond, adding, “Cooperation and coordination with this community is huge.” He suggested race organizers start their outreach immediately after the race.

Commissioner Sonja Macys said the timing is not good because of the Routt County fair happening at the same time. “We need to stop doing events that conflict with the fair.” She asked about what needs to be changed for next year’s event and what does it look like for future years. She was also concerned that the permit is for a one-day event but it is actually a week-long event.

2024 SBT GRVL Courses—Sunday August 18 (3000 riders total)

Tentative Courses and start times leaving from Yampa Street:

Black Course (6:15am): https://www.strava.com/routes/3149819250622308620
Red Course(6:45am): https://www.strava.com/routes/3149415114755469580
Green Course (7:15am): https://www.strava.com/routes/3188599485491178742 (same course as 2023)
BlueC ourse (8:00am): https://www.strava.com/routes/3149132016481295150

Rain course for alternate black course (in case of too much rain and CR 56 is impassable)

Black course backup: https://www.strava.com/routes/3203099523062083712

Alternate courses for Black, Red and Blue using North Routt (means more traffic majority of day in North Routt but doesn’t use CR 56 over Wolf Mtn or CR 52 down to SR 40)

Black course: https://www.strava.com/routes/3179874225157687396
Blue Course: https://www.strava.com/routes/3179870876210841418
Red Course: https://www.strava.com/routes/3207733275201632752

SBT GRVL 2024 Action Plan