road routes?

[jessmarimba]

Anyone in the Denver area have any recommended routes for a road ride near(ish) to town? Too much traffic scares the bejesus out of me but I'm not too enthralled with bike paths anymore. I'm thinking maybe 30ish miles?

(Just please don't send me down I-70 in this traffic...otherwise I'd consider the bike path over Vail)

Thanks!

[amb]

I have not done it but apparently you can ride 32nd all the way to Golden. The few times I have ridden to Golden has been on the Clear Creek trail which I kind of like (way less crowded than Cherry Creek). Just a thought....I ride mostly North of Denver so I'm not much help.

[jessmarimba]

I don't mind heading north! I'll have to look into 32nd. The route I used to go, up Rooney Rd to the west, has been missing a chunk of bike path since they started working on the Jeffco municipal buildings eons ago. I don't know the detour around that, though I've taken Heritage to a PT appointment and I presume you could keep going across 6 and hook onto the path somewhere there.

I just have 3 days with nothing to do b/c of the holiday, so I was looking for something to ride that didn't require exploring first

[Kathi]

At the intersection of 6 and Johnson Rd, just go down Johnson Rd to the circle then the bike lane into Golden starts again. We did it 2 weeks ago when they had the Golden Arts Fair and there was very little traffic.

Another ride I love, but you do use the Bear Creek Bike path, is to ride up to Fox Hollow Golf course and then ride up and over Mt Carbon (the road not the bike path) down into Bear Creek park. I follow the road around to the horse stables, then turn around ride the road backwards up and over Mt Carbon and back down the trail to the Stone House and back up Garrison.

Tomorrow, Idaho Springs would be a good ride. I'd not do it on Monday as you may have too much traffic detouring to avoid backups on. I would also avoid Vail Pass this weekend, it's pretty crowded up here in Summit but Montezuma Rd out of Keystone would be a good option or Ute Pass, both good climbs. Also, Heeney Road is a wonderful road ride but I'm afraid there might be too much boat traffic.

A ride we haven't done yet is from Georgetown to Loveland ski area. There is a new bike path so you no longer have to ride on 70. I seriously doubt it will be crowded.

I find the Clear Creek to be a lot less crowded but a couple of months ago there was a detour due to bridge construction. The detour took us past Rocky's Auto, not sure where we were but it wasn't much fun. I would think the bridge is finished by now but check to see if the construction is complete and the trail is open.

[amb]

That detour recently opened up I'm almost certain. I went up onto the road the other day and then realized the detour signs were finally gone.

[jessmarimba]

I don't think it's gone - the area I'm talking about is through a construction zone, where you'd come from the 470/Rooney Rd path to turn west and follow 6. I think they're putting in a parking deck or something. I was at Golden Bike Shop last Monday and it still looked like a disaster.

I'll have to go up there sometime when there isn't much traffic and see if I can figure it out. I don't even like that intersection in a car. It's too bad there's no up-to-date info on the city website!

[amb]

I was referring to the Clear Creek trail at Pecos/64th-ish. That was detoured for about 2+ months. Sorry for the confusion.

I think I'm going to head that was this morning. So glad for a cool morning, with little wind!

[Kathi]

Oh, good. I've been avoiding the Clear Creek for that reason.

Jessmarimba, we use the crosswalk signals to cross the intersection. Cars have always been courteous. If you don't want to go to the circle, I hate using it when traffic is there, you can turn left at 10th street off Johnson road and pick up the bike trail there.

Do you have a Denver Bicycle Touring Club map? It shows all the bike routes in the Denver area. If not, they are available at bike shops and REI.

[jessmarimba]

I have the map, but it seems somewhat less than accurate. Shows bike lanes on roads that don't have them (or even sharrows, for that matter), doesn't differentiate what side of roads some of the bike paths are on, etc. Then add in all the construction (Alameda at Santa Fe, Federal at Alameda) and "disappeared" paths from the light rail construction and I pretty much just give up. It's so exasperating to map out how to get somewhere and find out that the safe options are gone, especially since I'm crossing through so many municipalities and there's no central communication.


So from Rooney, cross Colfax to the bike path, then I guess just cross at the crosswalk at 6th, then cross Johnson and ride down it? You're talking about connecting to the path beside S. Golden Road? Or am I missing a step to get to the path beside 6? I'm zooming in on Google Earth and I still don't see any way to get there now.

[Kathi]

Yes, cross Colfax to the bike path, at 6 cross at the crosswalk, this requires
(2 crossings) then ride down Johnson Rd to 10th St., at the stop light. Take a left onto 10th, basically it's the NW corner of the Taj Mahal, and follow
10th, it takes you right to the bike path. My map shows this. I've ridden that way but I've done it from Golden not towards Golden. I love riding straight down Johnson to S. Golden Rd to the traffic circle, that's the route we take.

Do you have the new 4 color map? It has the code 4c11. There was a mistake on the 05 map, the city of Denver had designated Alameda between Sheridan and the Platte River Trail as a bike path. The bike path was never put in. Lakewood did theirs but I understand it's not the best. I have the 08 map and it routes you off Alameda at Harlan to 1st and then onto some streets I can't read because I think I need my eye prescription changed.

The volunteers who create the map try to ride as many routes as they can but they rely on information from the municipalities and it may not always be correct. My experience has been that when a designated bike route has construction a detour is provided around the construction if at all possible. The routes are recommended routes that may or may not have sharrows or bike lanes. The 2011 map is out but we haven't bought is yet.

BTW, check your tires after you ride the bike trail off Colfax. Two weeks ago I picked up a Goathead there and had a flat tire.

Hope this helps.

[teame143]

I have never been to the Rocky Mountains! I wanna go, do you think its worth it?! What areas are the best? Time of year etc

[TsPoet]

I really like ridewithgps. You can go in there and put in your zip, then ask it for people's routes.
You could also map out the routes you have been recommended here and see them or even download to a gps device.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes