Bike Expo For the Win!

Remember when I talked about coopertition last month? It's a real thing: I'm living it right now. The annual bike expo in Denver is, as anticipated, a lovely experience of most things bicycles. Last year was a lot of faster/stronger/farther training focused booths, and this year the e-bikes really stick out (though they were the main view down the row from our booth). While nibbling on delicious flavors of Hope Hummus, we even had the privilege of seeing pros like Dave Weins and Georgia Gould participate in a tire changing competition... blindfolded and handcuffed! At some point there was an acoustic cover of Gangsta's Paradise serenading the beer garden. The whole set up was heavenly.

Colorado Bike Expo 2016

Back up a second - OUR booth? Yup! Leisurely Pedaling and Beer and Bike Tours teamed up to share space, laughter, and overall success of the event with each other. And - you guessed it - we're in coopertition together. We're coopertiving. Something. We were even graced with the ladies who run Experience Plus Bike Tours sharing a corner of our booth for a moment Saturday.

Someone Got Their Hands on Sidewalk Chalk!

This is how it works: Experience Plus has tours all over Europe and beyond as their specialty (they have other tour options as well). They just happen to have their home office in Fort Collins. Win! Beer and Bike Tours specializes in exactly that: breweries, bikes, and enjoying the ride. Their tours span Colorado and portions of the US that are lovely and have delicious beer culture. Leisurely Pedaling specializes in site seeing Fort Collins and the neighboring communities. We all have a little overlap (stellar experiences being offered, funloving guides, endless laughter and joy), though we all have distinctly different personalities.

Thank you so much all who dropped by the Colorado Bike Expo this last weekend. I hope to see you all again next year, and you're always welcome on our tours between times! We've drawn winners from the drawing, and are excited to announce their names in the next newsletters :-)

Cheers for now,

Adventure Jes

We Know How to Have a Good Time!

Raining... Pouring... and Pedaling?

Even in cloud cover: a verdant glow everywhere!

It doesn’t always rain in Northern Colorado. In fact, we average more than 300 days of sunshine every year. Usually, we have amber waves of grain, dusty prairies, and all shades of purple Rocky Mountains.

This spring, however, has taught us all to value our “waterproofs” and provided an opportunity to dust off the thesaurus in describing the lush verdant glow of our surroundings. Starting around tax day (how fitting!) the clouds descended and the rain set in. Our May flowers received a light dusting of snow. The sun shone on Colorado State University’s spring commencement ceremonies, and finally we emerged from this low-pressure stupor for Father’s day.

May 'showers' and flowers!

Riding in the rain is an acquired art: there is no right answer, is rarely universal one day to the next. However, the relaxed explorer would do well to keep the following in mind:

The 'original' waterproof case!

*When in doubt, put your technology in a sealed plastic bag

*Carrying your waterproofs (jackets, pants, etc…) doesn’t ensure you won’t need them

*Bike lights aren’t just for dawn, dusk, and midnight adventures!

*You can keep your feet dry pedaling in up to five inches of gently flowing water

*Bike parking is exceptionally easy… When raining!

To date: no-one has melted due to rain.

We are go for launch - no joke!

Springtime is the embodiment of all that is brand new and full of hope, just like Leisurely Pedaling! March has been quite the whirlwind, and while not the standard interpretation of "in like a lion, out like a lamb" referring to weather... the month proved to be just that. In like a lion: the deafening roar of business deals, purchasing, marketing, coordinating, re-researching, and (finally!) launching. Out like a lamb: now we're in that deceptive lull where the news slowly spreads, grows, and expands into something beautiful, perhaps like the cherry blossoms in Washington DC, or the daffodils hesitantly rising to colorful life in my neighbor's yard.

The Leisurely Pedaling launch party was a smashing success! The Laboratory provided endless plates of delicious delights and a brilliant atmosphere. Akinz, The Parlour, Kilwins, and Old Town Spice Shop donated truly generous and wonderful door prizes embodying the character of Fort Collins. One lucky winner even walked away with a two day tour for two of Fort Collins! In all, about 80 people joined in the festivities, and several friends were showing their support with Leisurely Pedaling T-shirts in Idaho, Washington, and California.

Here are a few fun pictures from the event!