DataJunkie

My wife's family holds a reunion in Greeley every Memorial Day. Due to the torturous nature of dealing with her family we attend every other year.
2007 is one of the years we attend. To make it more enjoyable I was thinking of riding from Denver to Greeley and meeting up with my wife, son, the car, and bike carrier. This would be a one way cycling trip. Has anyone ridden in that area? Any route suggestions? Looking at the map I see plenty of county roads but wonder if they are passable for a bike. Maybe even if they are paved?

danka

cyccommute 

Here's a couple of routes. This one follows Riverdale Road, which is a really nice morning ride. Here's one that a more direct - straight up I-25 on the frontage road. If you don't like the traffic, going over about a mile will usually get you another road that's quieter.

Hope this helps.

DataJunkie

Much much thanks! That is exactly what I was looking for. Just was not exactly sure if it was doable or not. You just saved me a car trip.
This should be a fun memorial day. Maybe I should ride back and make it my first century. The only issue is all the food we eat. Fuel!

oilfreeandhappy

I rode this last year. Actually I rode round trip from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs and back. Hwy 85 has a nice wide shoulder. Take the Platte River Bike Trail out of Denver to 104th, and go East to Hwy 85. The only problem with 85 is that it's loud. If you can ride on weekend, it will be better, preferrably Sunday. If I remember correctly, this is also the shortest route as the crow flies.

DataJunkie

That is the way we usually drive. I was not exactly sure if it was safe to ride on. Sounds like it is.

cyccommute 

It's safe to ride but not pleasant. Try Riverdale when the glaciers melt. It's a nice quite country lane...for the most part. Shaded with cottonwoods, downhill (pretty fast ) to Brighton. It's still one of my three favorite rides. The other two are Valmont out of Boulder and Easley out of Golden. Cherryvale Road into Boulder is good too but not as shaded.

DataJunkie

I live a couple miles west of Riverdale. After reading a different post of yours that came up in a search I took a spin on it during Thanksgiving. Very nice ride. I headed up to 160th on Riverdale, west to Washington on 160th, south to 120th, and back home. I was a bit disappointed when Riverdale ended. Such a pretty road north of 112th.

cyccommute 

Isn't it? Maybe I'll take you out on Cherryvale and Valmont this summer

DataJunkie

Sounds good to me.
Riding alone constantly is a bit dull. Where is cherryvale and valmont? I am not familiar with that one.

cyccommute 

Cherryvale Road is the first bridge on westbound US36 at the bottom of the big hill outside Louisville. Valmont is on the northside of Boulder, running parallel to Baseline Rd.

DataJunkie

Count me in.

bvfrompc

+1 on Cherryvale and Valmont, I worked in Boulder this summer and that was my lunch route, nice wide shoulders for most of it. Lots of cyclists.

+1 for Easley, I live in Golden and this is a favorite morning loop around N. Table Mesa, not much shoulder but not much traffic.

oilfreeandhappy

I'm planning on riding down from Fort Collins again next summer. Once I get to Brighton at Highway 7, I'll have to cut over to Riverdale. Sounds much nicer for that last stretch, before the Platte River Bike Trail. How is Highway 7 (160th Street) on the stretch between Hwy 85 and Riverdale? Good info!

cyccommute 

It has moderate amounts of traffic but it's very wide with wide shoulders. It's also a pretty short distance (a couple of miles tops). If you come through Ft. Lupton on CO27, turn onto 168th Ave before you get to Brighton and then right on Tucson St. (first right after Hwy 85), if you want a quieter ride.

Sandwarrior

This sounds like a great trip for one of my 3 day weekends. I have always wanted to find a route to Greeley. I would have to take the SandCreek trail over to the Platte, and then turn North. I was really bummed out that the Platte Trail ended at 104th. Have you heard anything about them extending the trail at all?

cyccommute 

There has been talk about extending it towards Brighton but that's been going on for a decade. I haven't been up there in over a year so I don't know about recent construction but it used to end at 104th. Riverdale is a really nice road...a bit more traffic than 15 years ago but still rideable and enjoyable. There's another road on the east side of the Platte (Brighton Road, I think) which is still rideable but it's ugly with a capital UG

Prime Directive

Wow, who knew you guys were riding around my front yard! I've taken Brighton Road down to the Adams County Fairgrounds and (once) back up on Riverdale. I seem to have a difficult time paying attention to the scenery, however, because both roads (for me) have narrow or non-existent shoulders. Brighton Road north of E-470 is in terrible shape right now, partially due to the snowmelt. I've never tried cycling on US 85. CO Highway 27 is too narrow (by my standards) as well.

So, which one of you blew past me north on Riverdale last June?

EWARD

I'm planning to ride from Fort Collins to Denver this weekend. Is anyone familiar with Weld County Roads 19 or 23 between Highway 52 and 160th?

Shimagnolo

I am in Broomfield, and I use home->Ft Collins->home for my "flat century" course.
287 has a wide paved berm which is no problem at all, *except* going through Longmont,
where the streets are narrow and busy, and the sidewalks are crowded (on the weekend).
So in Longmont I detour off the main street until I get to the other end, then return to 287.