In the Media

What do the Air Force Academy, RAGBRAI, and a 350-mile ride honoring wounded service members have in common? A passion for cycling, service, and community! On this episode of Pedal the Springs, host Torie Giffin welcomes two inspiring military leaders and fellow cyclists: Lt. Col. Gail Smicklas and Retired Brigadier General Robert “Surf” Beletic. Together, we explore cycling at the Air Force Academy, the Air Force and Space Force Cycling Teams’ incredible support of riders at RAGBRAI, and how cycling builds camaraderie, leadership, resilience, and lifelong friendships. Having shared miles with both guests at RAGBRAI, Torie brings her own experiences to this conversation about serving others, supporting fellow riders, and finding community on two wheels. Host: Torie Giffin – Host of Pedal the Springs Podcast and Owner of Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort Guests: Lt. Col. Gail Smicklas – Leadership professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy and Academy Cycling Club Coach. Retired Brigadier General Robert “Surf” Beletic – Former fighter pilot and founder of the annual Memorial to Memorial (M2M) Ride, a four-day, 350-mile cycling journey from the Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina to the Air Force Memorial near Washington, D.C., honoring wounded service members. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort https://www.bicycleresort.com Air Force Academy https://www.usafa.af.mil/ Air Force Academy Cycling Team https://afcycling.com/ M2M Ride https://www.afa.org/memorial-to-memorial-ride/ RAGBRAI https://ragbrai.com/ PEDAL THE SPRINGS Hosted by Torie Giffin, owner of Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, Pedal the Springs shares the people, places, organizations and stories that make Colorado Springs an incredible place to ride. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves cycling, community, and making Colorado Springs an even better place to live and ride. Pedal the Springs is produced by Studio809 Podcasts from the NextUs in Downtown Colorado Springs and presented by the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, the only bicycle-themed lodging and must-stay for cyclists coming to Colorado. Check us out at bicycleresort.com for more information. #PedalTheSprings #CyclingCommunity #ColoradoSprings #bicycleresort #BikeLife #BuffaloLodge #RideTogether #AirForceAcademy #AFCycling

Colorado Springs Velodrome: Not Just for Olympians Ever driven past that big white dome in Memorial Park and wondered what happens inside? It’s home to Olympians, Paralympians, national and world champions — but you can ride there too! On this episode of Pedal the Springs, host Torie Giffin sits down with track cyclists Chris Murphy and Andrea Villaroman Murphy to talk about one of Colorado Springs’ coolest cycling assets. We talk about what it’s like to ride the 32-degree bank, Learn the Velo classes, racing with no brakes or gears, youth programs with Kids on Bikes, para-cycling and why anybody — and any body — can give track cycling a try. You can also come out and watch the racing! The athletes say one of the best ways to support our local velodrome is simply to show up, watch and cheer. And stick around until the end to hear how Chris and Andrea found love at the track and got married! Host: Torie Giffin, Host of Pedal the Springs Podcast and Owner of Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort Guests: Chris Murphy, Paralympic track cyclist, world champion, world-record holder and coach at the Velodrome. Andrea Villaroman Murphy, COS Racing track cyclist, current Masters National Champion Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort https://www.bicycleresort.com Colorado Springs Velodrome https://www.coloradospringsvelodrome.org COS Racing https://cosracing.wildapricot.org Kids on Bikes https://kidsonbikes.net USA Cycling https://usacycling.org U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center https://www.usopc.org/training-centers/colorado-springs/velodrome PEDAL THE SPRINGS Hosted by Torie Giffin, owner of Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, Pedal the Springs shares the people, places, organizations and stories that make Colorado Springs an incredible place to ride. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves cycling, community, and making Colorado Springs an even better place to live and ride. Pedal the Springs is produced by Studio809 Podcasts from the NextUs in Downtown Colorado Springs and presented by the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, the only bicycle-themed lodging and must-stay for cyclists coming to Colorado. Check us out at bicycleresort.com for more information. #PedalTheSprings #CyclingCommunity #ColoradoSprings #bicycleresort #BikeLife #BuffaloLodge #RideTogether #Velodrome

We’re celebrating the 50th episode of Pedal the Springs with a LIVE audience and one of the things we love most about cycling — COMMUNITY! We kicked things off with a multi-club ride from Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, then brought five local bike club leaders together to talk about how to find the group that’s right for you. Whether you’re looking for road, mountain or gravel rides, new friends, local trail knowledge, gear tips or riders who will inspire you to level up, there’s a bike community waiting for you in Colorado Springs. And e-bike riders — don’t miss the end! We ask our clubs whether their rides are e-bike friendly. Host: Torie Giffin, Host of Pedal the Springs Podcast and Owner of Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort Co-Host for this episode: Terry Lyons, SOCO Velo bike club & Pedal the Springs podcast super fan Guests: Del Hokanson, Founder & Leader of Manitou Spokes Michael Rosell, Leader of the Buffalo Lodge Bike Tribe Morgan Chapman, President of SOCO Velo Rich Heitman, President of Colorado Springs Cycling Terry Lott, Sponsorship Coordinator & Member COS Racing Learn More: Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort www.bicycleresort.com Buffalo Lodge Bike Tribe Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/129303757785031/ Meetup: www.meetup.com/buffalo-lodge-bike-tribe/ Colorado Springs Cycling www.bikesprings.org Colorado Springs Mountain Biking — Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/COSmountainbiking COS Racing cosracing.wildapricot.org EON Studios — Colorado Springs www.eonscreenprint.com Front Rangers Junior Cycling www.frontrangers.org Highlanders High School Composite Mountain Bike Team www.frontrangers.org Kids on Bikes www.kidsonbikes.net Manitou Spokes Email: peteanddel@gmail.com Oakley www.oakley.com Pactimo www.pactimo.com RAGBRAI www.ragbrai.com Ride of Silence — Colorado Springs www.bikesprings.org SOCO Velo — Southern Colorado Velo www.socovelo.com The Wednesday Ride — Lincoln Center www.bikecoloradosprings.org Westside Bicycle Service https://www.facebook.com/p/Westside-Bicycle-Service-61558619482773/?checkpoint_src=any Women’s Mountain Biking Association of Colorado Springs (WMBA) www.wmbacos.org 🎧 Pedal the Springs — connecting you to the people, places and stories that make Colorado Springs such an incredible place to ride. Get out there, find your bike tribe and we’ll see you on the trail! 🚲 If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves cycling, community, and making Colorado Springs an even better place to live and ride. Pedal the Springs is produced by Studio809 Podcasts from the NextUs in Downtown Colorado Springs and presented by the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, the only bicycle-themed lodging and must-stay for cyclists coming to Colorado. Check us out at bicycleresort.com for more information.

What does it take to create, protect and maintain the trails we love? In this episode of Pedal the Springs, we sit down with Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates (MedWheel) to talk about their history, the story behind their name, and more than three decades of trail building, maintenance, advocacy and stewardship throughout the Pikes Peak Region. From Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Lake Moraine and Pikes Peak to Blodgett Open Space, Forest Lakes and Pikeview Quarry, we hear what it takes to turn trail ideas into reality. We also talk about working with different land users, the future of mountain biking and bicycle tourism in Colorado Springs, and MedWheel’s philosophy: “Trails heal us. We heal the trails.” Want to help? Join, volunteer and “create the world you want to live" Host: Torie Giffin, Host of Pedal the Springs Podcast and Owner of Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort Guests: Cory Sutella, Executive Director Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates Lezlie McKenna, Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates Board Treasurer Shayne McCormick, Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates Board LINKS & THINGS MENTIONED Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates / MedWheel medwheel.org Hivepass App — MedWheel membership, events & volunteer opportunities Search Hivepass in the Apple App Store or Google Play Bicycle Colorado bicyclecolorado.org Bike Clinic Too https://upadowna.org/bike-clinic-too Bike Colorado Springs bikecoloradosprings.org Colorado Mountain Bike Coalition (COMTB) comtb.org Colorado Parks & Wildlife cpw.state.co.us Colorado’s Ride — Bill Plock coloradosride.com COTREX - Colorado Trail Explorer by Colorado Parks & Wildlife https://trails.colorado.gov/ Give Pikes Peak givepikespeak.org Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) goco.org International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) https://www.imba.com/ Ostroy https://www.ostroy.com/ Pedestrian & Cycle Manitou Springs (PaCMan) pacmanitou.org Pikes Peak Outdoors pikespeakoutdoors.org Pikeview Quarry Bike Park pikeview.org Routes Outfitter routesoutfitter.com Trailforks trailforks.com Trails & projects mentioned: Lake Moraine Trail, Pikes Peak Plummet, Spring Creek, Stephanie’s Trail, Upper Codell Trail at Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Fountain Valley School race trail, Forest Lakes–715 Connector, Mt. Herman Trail Network, Blodgett Open Space, the North and South Slopes of Pikes Peak and Pikeview Quarry Bike Park. Pedal the Springs — sharing the people, places, organizations and stories that make the Pikes Peak Region an incredible place to ride. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves cycling, community, and making the Pikes Peak Region an even better place to live and ride. Pedal the Springs is produced by Studio809 Podcasts from The Next Us in Downtown Colorado Springs and presented by the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, the only bicycle-themed lodging and must-stay for cyclists coming to Colorado. Check us out at bicycleresort.com for more information. #PedalTheSprings #CyclingCommunity #bicycleresort #BikeLife #BuffaloLodge #RideTogether

What if every bike ride became a game—and the goal wasn’t just speed or distance, but exploring somewhere new? On this episode of Pedal the Springs, longtime friend and local cyclist Michael Watry introduces us to Wandrer, a worldwide exploration game where every new mile earns a point and taking the road less traveled can lead to unexpected scenery, hidden neighborhoods, trails and adventures. Michael shares how Wandrer has changed the way he rides at home and while traveling, his adventures with SOCO Velo and the Buffalo Lodge Bike Tribe, and some of the cycling challenges he’s taken on over the years. We also talk about his life beyond the bike as a musician and how he and his wife, watercolor artist Lorraine Watry, are embracing their empty-nester years with new adventures and creative pursuits. And stick around—Michael gives a sample of his music at the end. Host: Torie Giffin, Host of Pedal the Springs Podcast and Owner of Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort Guest: Michael Watry, longtime friend and Wandrer Learn More: Bear Creek Canyon https://trailsandopenspaces.org/open-space/bear-creek-canon-park/ Black Rose Acoustic Society⁠ https://www.blackroseacoustic.org Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort⁠ https://www.bicycleresort.com Cheyenne Mountain State Park https://cpw.state.co.us/state-parks/cheyenne-mountain-state-park Colorado's Ride https://coloradosride.com Criterium Bicycles⁠ https://www.criterium.com Lorraine Watry Studio⁠ https://www.lorrainewatrystudio.com/artwork Make-A-Wish Colorado⁠https://wish.org/colorado OpenStreetMap⁠ https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=3/38.01/-95.84 Red Rock Canyon Open Space https://coloradosprings.gov/redrockcanyon Ride with GPS⁠ https://www.strava.com SOCO Velo⁠ https://socovelo.com Squad Rats https://squadrats.com Strava⁠ https://www.strava.com Triple Bypass⁠ https://www.triplebypass.org Wandrer⁠ https://wandrer.earth/dashboard If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves cycling, community, and making Colorado Springs an even better place to live and ride. Pedal the Springs is produced by Studio809 Podcasts from The Next Us in Downtown Colorado Springs and presented by the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, the only bicycle-themed lodging and must-stay for cyclists coming to Colorado. Check us out at bicycleresort.com for more information. #PedalTheSprings #CyclingCommunity #ColoradoSprings #bicycleresort #BikeLife #BuffaloLodge #RideTogether

Promoting confidence, independence, as well as mental and physical health by teaching kids how to safely ride a bike. Local non-profit Kids on Bikes, introduces kids to cycling through summer camps and earn-a-bike programs in the Pikes Peak region. In this episode of Pedal the Springs, Torie sits down with Daniel and Aspen from Kids on Bikes about the positive impact of cycling for children, families, and the Colorado Springs community. And celebrate 10 years of the Pedal Station, and how this program supports local cyclists and the Kids on Bikes mission. If you are a parent, grandparent, or if you simply believe every child deserves to thrive, then this episode is for you! Host: Torie Giffin, Host of Pedal the Springs Podcast and Owner of Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort Guests: Daniel Byrd, Executive Director of Kids on Bikes Aspen Saren, Development Director Learn More: Summer Bike Camps - sign up early in January! - kidsonbikes.net/camps Earn a Bike Program - After School Curriculum Program- kidsonbikes.net/programs Pedal Station Community Bike Center - kidsonbikes.net/pedal-station Chasing & Cycling Santa Toy Drive- bicycleresort.com/cyclingsanta Community Events: Popcycle Ride - family friendly ride - kidsonbikes.net/event/we-all-ride-popcycle-ride-3/ Upcoming Fundraisers: Kids on Bikes Luncheon - https://kidsonbikes.net/event/2026-annual-fundraiser-luncheon/ 12 Hour Trainer Challenge Fundraiser - Dec 5 - 7 am to 7 pm - peer to peer fundraiser - kidsonbikes.net/event/12-hour-trainer-challenge Links: Kids on Bikes - kidsonbikes.net Pedal Station - kidsonbikes.net/pedal-station Mountain Equipment Recyclers -merecyclers.com Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort - bicycleresort.com If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves cycling, community, and making Colorado Springs an even better place to live and ride. Pedal the Springs is produced by Studio809 Podcasts from the NextUs in Downtown Colorado Springs and presented by the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, the only bicycle-themed lodging and must-stay for cyclists coming to Colorado. Check us out at bicycleresort.com for more information. #PedalTheSprings #CyclingCommunity #ColoradoSprings #KidsOnBikes #bicycleresort #CommunityChange #PedalStation #BikeLife #BuffaloLodge #RideTogether