Mountain - Plains - Grand Lake Colorado Trip...in June

My wife and I are planning a trip to Colorado late June. We will be staying in a relatives condo in Grand Lake. We will be there 8 days including the fourth of July. I'm making a list of things to do and my google searches are failing me. I want to know about mountain bike rentals and trails, restaurants, brew pubs, beer stores (to pick up some lost abbey and other things not available in MO), and whatever else seems important for a first-timer to know. We plan on driving lots...like to Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. Any advice/tips is greatly appreciated.

Wes

Check out this thread for some other bicycling opportunities in CO

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=486301

Grand Lake is beautiful, If you don't mind driving about 30 miles away is Winter Park/Fraser, Colorado... There is a ton of Mountain Biking there, something like 660 miles of biking. If you want to road ride Grand Lake is right at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park and you can ride Trailridge road.

What kind of rides are you looking for?

I did discuss bringing along our road bikes yesterday, but I'm not sure if that will happen. I plan on only riding, if possible, 1 or 2 days while we are there. I want to take in as much of Colorado as I can in those 8 days. So most likely mountain biking/trail riding if bikes are rentable.

If I could, I would go somewhere else besides grand county. just joking. The 4th will be a busy time of year, so bring patience when driving, waiting for a food, etc..... A few ideas....... beacause there is lots to do. The park is right there, you can drive over to estes park, boulder and back in a very long day trip if you want. As for fun in grand county that doesn't include cowboys.....

try:

epicsingletrack.com for bike info or links
totally wired cyclery is in fraser, they would have nice bike rentals
your staying in the cowboy side of things..... fifteen minutes away is the more liberal areas, wp fraser etc.
winter park has lift service for bikes which can be fun, especially if the alititude is bothering you
goto hot sulfer springs and relax in the hot springs (10min away)
rafting in kremmling on the colo river

Totally Wired Cyclery is a great place is Fraser..... Talk to Doug. They will have the rentals you need. If you are planning on not doing road rides def go to Winter Park/Fraser. On July 4 there is a big party/parade in Grand Lake.. it has been fun in the past.

Here are a few pics of biking Fraser!
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c353/Funrover/Winter%20Park/IMG_9077.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c353/Funrover/Winter%20Park/IMG_9063.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c353/Funrover/Winter%20Park/IMG_9062.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c353/Funrover/Winter%20Park/IMG_9027.jpg

Don't be shocked when you get there and see millions of pine trees that have been killed by pine bark beetle. Here is a picture from 2007. All of the red trees are dead. Eventually the needles fall of and the whole hillside will look grey. Very sad. It is worse now.
http://www.howtoconserve.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/grand-lake-trees.jpg

Be sure to hit Trail Ridge Road while you are there. On a bike? Then be off the higher elevations by 2PM to avoid hail, rain, snow, Lightning bolts . . . If you have time, and lungs, do the ride from Idaho Springs to the summit of Mt. Evans. June might be too early for that though.

Don't be shocked when you get there and see millions of pine trees that have been killed by pine bark beetle. Here is a picture from 2007. All of the red trees are dead. Eventually the needles fall of and the whole hillside will look grey. Very sad. It is worse now.
http://www.howtoconserve.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/grand-lake-trees.jpg

Sad is an understatement, the beetle kill is massive and really ruins the lane... what scares me is if a fire started.

My wife and I are planning a trip to Colorado late June. We will be staying in a relatives condo in Grand Lake. We will be there 8 days including the fourth of July. I'm making a list of things to do and my google searches are failing me. I want to know about mountain bike rentals and trails, restaurants, brew pubs, beer stores (to pick up some lost abbey and other things not available in MO), and whatever else seems important for a first-timer to know. We plan on driving lots...like to Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. Any advice/tips is greatly appreciated.

Wes

Mountain biking: Winter Park is the best bet and easy to get to from Grand Lake. So many trails in the area that you just pick one on the map and go ride it. One of my favorite relatively easy but scenic ride is the old Rollin's Pass rail bed. It's a dead end road now but the views are spectacular. Ride to the top and then go a little further on to Needle's Eye tunnel for breathtaking (literally...at 11600 feet;)) views of King Lake and the Indian Peaks wilderness area. Walk over the Devil's Slide trestles for a scare:eek: You should be able to rent a bike in Winter Park pretty easily.

City riding: Denver has a huge trail system that's a lot of fun to ride. Less altitude (but still high for Missourians:rolleyes:) The Cherry Creek Trail is a relatively mellow ride from the Platte River to Cherry Creek Res. with a little kicker at the end.

Plains trail riding: The Santa Fe Trail out of Colorado Springs through the Air Academy to Palmer Lake is a great ride. Rail bed but kind of soft so it's tough enough. Prettier on the Air Academy end.

Fourth of July activities: On the 3rd, go to the Edgewater's fireworks display at Citizens Park, West 24th Avenue and Chase Street. Brass band music before the display. The fireworks aren't the biggest display you'll find but you are the closest you'll ever be to the mortar pit. The fireworks are set off across the local softball field and explode over your head...or even behind it. The only show that's better in Colorado is the one in Silverton (other corner of the state about 7 hours away). That one is set off in a mountain valley and echos forever in the surrounding mountains.

Food: In Denver, try the Burrito Pablano at Tafolino's on 20th and Youngfield. A very good steak burrito with a great green chili that relatively cheap.

Also try Parisi's (http://www.parisidenver.com/) at 44th and Tennyson. Their sandwiches are excellent for lunch and they have a menu that changes daily for dinner and lunch. Very good, very authentic. Not your Mom and Dad's Italian, however.

Another place to try is Julia Blackbirds in Highlands Square (32nd and Lowell). More New Mexican than Mexican. Try the Navajo stew. While in the area, you could also try Mead Street Station (http://www.meadststation.com/). They have a dried tomato, fontina and onion burger that is excellent!

While up here in the Northwest Denver area, go to the REI flagship store (http://www.rei.com/stores/18) and go to Little Man Ice Cream (http://www.littlemanicecream.com/). Both are must sees.