mx_599

I am looking to start a business venture in about 2yrs and need your help. I have not been to many places so please correct me if I am wrong.

Here is my short list:

Grand Junction, CO
Fruita, CO
Rapid City, SD
Loveland, CO
Boulder, CO

It is hard to meet all desirable criteria. Tentatively speaking these would include:

1. Close enough to metro area I would guess >100,000 ; like on the outskirts
2. Trail access from my actual building
3. a trail network that welcomes trail runners, hikers, maybe XC skiing or snow shoeing in winter months
4. a desirable destination for road bikers to park vehicles as a starting point for a ride

anyone have any destinations? I am not even sure mine meet the criteria...help me brainstorm please.

East? Blue Ridge Mtn cities?

thanks!

mx

Dannihilator

Do you mean east as in kingdom trails? May I ask, where in Pa are you?

mx_599

I was thinking like the North Carolina type area. I really do not know, that is why I am asking the forums. I would tend to think it should be an area with mountains...that is how I envision it. What are the Kingdom trails?

I am sort of looking for the "meccas" of outdoor life in the USA I suppose. Ones that might fit some of my criteria.

Dannihilator

East Burke, VT.

https://www.kingdomtrails.org/

Awesome place to ride.

In Pa, you do have some really good riding locations, they just have to be found. I used to go once or twice a summer out to Jim Thorpe, Pa. Last year was the first time in ages that I didn't get out there.

mx_599

Pa is big state, Jim Thorpe is 5 hrs away...no good.

Dannihilator

Was just using Jim Thorpe as an Example.

Moraine State Park probably isn't too far.

Pittsburgh area has some fun stuff, but Best bet would be somewhere south, west of Pa would be best.

mx_599

yeah, but I need something close. it still sux here. At least 24hrs of Big Bear is pretty close!

frankenmike 

Gallup, NM.(like the route 66 song) Lots of desert singletrack accessible from your front door, tons of forest singletrack in the Zuni mountains half an hour from town. Check out galluptrails2010.com

mx_599

thanks! I will look at this. However, from a business standpoint probably not good...correct? If I remember... there is not much there and population kind of low, right?

...but I will look. I appreciate any input

mx_599

Wow! it looks very nice there! I just looked at the pics on the galluptrails web site.

again, my concern would be from a business standpoint, volume of interested people. I have not been to Moab, but even a place like that might not have the population to support a business with some consistency

Do you live in Gallup? Does it draw people from far away? Only a weekend thing?

Makes me want to go there and ride sometime that's for sure

mtnbiker66

Brevard NC.....Pisgah Ntl forest and DuPont St. forest. Asheville pretty close with lots of music and dining options.

mx_599

I added Zuni 100 to future races I want to do

mx_599

okay, do you think that would be best area for eastern cities near mountains with outdoor lifestyles in mind and accessible trails?

thanks

dminor 

Spokane, WA. Trails every direction of the compass right out of the downtown core. Road riding has the paved Centennial Trail and Fish Lake trails. Centennial runs right through the city core along the river and stretches from Nine Mile Falls all the way to Coeur d'Alene, ID (the Ironman uses a portion of the Centennial).

Population fits your size needs but Spokane is a bit odd: being landlocked, it's still a bit provincial; but it is loosening up a lot. Still has a surprisingly small-town feel for a city of its size - - either a blessing or a curse depending on one's personality and perspective.


I was going to suggest Portland, OR - - much hipper, very awesome city; but access to close-by MTBing is more scarce from what I undertsand.

SneakyKing

Fayetteville, wv

fiatjeepdriver

There are quite a few places in Oregon that would fit the build, several areas are rideable year round plus there is skiing, hiking, and a plethora of other outdoor activities available. hell bend even has an indoor mtb park (it should be open now).

mcoine

hmm.. yeah, i've snowboarded once, gone xc skiing twice, and mountain biked numerous times (today even) in the last month here in oregon.. but you want to go east.. yep definitely go to the east coast.

bikinfool

Fairfax, CA but may be too expensive, no winter to speak of (if snow is important to you). Close to SF Bay Area but on the outskirts at same time. Birthplace of mountain biking in some respects (Repack).

Redding, CA if you don't mind summer heat, not much of a winter though snow a relatively short drive away.

dminor 

That would be my usual advice for sure; but MX is on of the good guys.

Hey, MX, did I mention that Portland is just kitty-corner across the river from Washougal?

Daspydyr 

Crested Butte, CO
Farmington, NM
Las Vegas, NV The trials are actually in Blue Diamond, NV @60 miles of trails and Bootleg Canyon, 20 miles S. of Vegas. It is listed by IMBA as an Epic Ride. There are also Old RR track beds with 6 tunnels to ride through. The River Mountain loop is complete, 112 miles of paved and dirt sight seeing around Lake Mead and the Henderson Wetlands. Camping at the Lake, cheap hotels on the Boulder HWY along with $6.99 Prime Rib Dinners (+++) and $2 blackjack.

You can ride here year round, but survival between the months of June and Sept is ????. Check the posted odds before riding.

mx_599

Okay guys, in no particular order here is a new list. I have done no initial screening. (did I hear Washougal?)

1. Blue Diamond, NV
2. Crested Butte, CO
3. Farmington, NM
4. Portland, OR
5. Fairfax, CA
6. Redding, CA
7. Fayetteville, WV
8. Spokane, WA
9. Brevard, NC
10. Asheville, NC
11. Gallup, NM
12. East Burke, VT
13. Anchorage, AK

Now what about my initial list? Were these sort of a given? Would anyone say they are not what I was thinking they would be?

1. Grand Junction, CO
2. Fruita, CO
3. Rapid City, SD
4. Loveland, CO
5. Boulder, CO

thanks!

-_RebelRidin'_-

Thats what I wanted to hear.....
I got Accepted to Duquesne University School Of Nursing, and Univeristy of Pittsburgh (Bradford Campus) Nursing Program, and West Virginia University Nursing Program (only and hour from Pitt) in Morgantown WV.
I was just about to ask about moutain biking in this area... as this is where my family is located around pitt..


MX, have you looked at Alaska at all?

mx_599

I have for other reasons...never thought about it for the purpose of this post. good point.

-_RebelRidin'_-

I lived in Alaska for 14 years.

Anchorage is where more than half of the states population is. States main Business and industrial center, mega tourism as well.

Fairbanks is 400 miles away from the Artic Circle, in the middle of the Interior Alaska area, Mild Summers, mid 70's and 80's.... brutal winters lol.

Denali is a tourist town... During the summer everone comes for fishing, hunting, site seeing, moutain climbing, hiking, white water rafting, etc.... except during the winter it all but shuts down.

-_RebelRidin'_-

I don't know about it from a business standpoint though,
Cost of living is high, 80% of the food is imported lol..
agricultural season is only 100 days long