Fourteen club members ventured out for a chilly 1st outdoor gravel ride of 2024 up to Palmer Lake and back.  The temperatures were much colder than anticipated with a start in the high 30s.  We stopped at Ice Lake for a quick nature break and then proceeded up to Palmer Lake regrouping on several occasions.  At Palmer Lake, several members expressed interest in stopping at a local cafe while others wished to make the return trip back to Criterium Bike Shop so we split the group to accommodate everyone's wishes.  The trail was in pretty good shape with the exception of some ruts between Monument and Palmer Lake.  Unfortunately, this caught one of our riders off-guard and they had a tumble.  Luckily, the rider's spouse was in the area and picked up the rider to ensure proper medical checks were conducted.  The rest of us proceeded back to Colorado Springs on the Santa Fe (fighting the wind the whole way).  

It was a great group of riders and, as always, it was nice catching up with everyone's stories, checking out new bikes and gear, and just sharing laughs along the way.  I can't wait for many more of these rides in 2024!