Dust off the bikes- it's time to cruise!

Spring is near and my heart sings for joy when I embark on leisurely, exploratory rides around town! The last couple months have been devoted to minor maintenance and repairs on the bikes so that all are ready to roll once the snow melts. Oh no, I'm not talking about the Leisurely Pedaling Cruisers for which we have the Fort Collins Bike Library to thank for their rental agreement and partnership (more on that in a future story)...

Yes, I have several bikes and each serves a unique purpose. The mountain bike got a deep cleaning: sure it'll be coated in trail dust within seconds of its first ride, but a well-oiled machine is much more forgiving as I work out my "early season jitters!" The daily commuter has freshly patched tubes, a new squeak-horn, and a "lick and a promise" for replacing the chain and casettes this summer. the Super-fast road bike is currently having its 10,000 mile once-over maintenance visit: the drive train is getting replaced, wheels trued, and brake pads refinished. I can't wait to head outside the city and enjoy the nearby mountain roads with this baby! Finally, the cruiser is getting a bath and some new accessories. I love the cruiser for its around town handy nature. It's too heavy to steal (easily), and it has a very functional basket to carry all my whimsical necessities. Most importantly, this city is flat enough to get away with the single gear on a casual cruise.

From our home base in Old Town North, I can effortlessly cruise over to O'Dells, Funkwerks, and New Belgium breweries... or venture to Blue Sky Winery... or drop in for some spirits at Copper Muse Distillery. Venturing a bit farther and landing in Old Town affords a variety of shopping, people watching, and live music. I can't think of a more relaxing shopping experience!
Most importantly, adventures like these don't require your standard hard-core cycling apparel (which I have plenty and use frequently). A close second in important details: 2-hour parking only applies to cars! *smile* Bike parking is aplenty, and Fort Collins keeps adding innovative and convenient options for avid bike commuters. In fact... I'll finish these thoughts later: the sun is shining and my cruiser is calling!

Designing the Adventures- Leisurely ;-)

Public Art: Andy Warhol, Soup Can

The proposed itineraries are coming together quite nicely, and we cannot wait to have AdventureJes.com ready to handle all the fun! Mapping out points of interest with the limiting criteria including "comfortably bike-able" and "I personally love this spot, and so does everyone who visits me regardless of age, origin, and inclination to travel!!" You'll find everything to be distinctly Colorado in theme and feeling.

For example, Fort Collins is known for Breweries (they're popping up EVERYWHERE!), Bikes (Platinum Bicycle City anyone?), and an Ample Supply of Restaurants (highest number per capita in the US!). What you might not know is the city also houses the broadcasting of the Nation's Atomic Clock, Colorado's only "Wild and Scenic River" as designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Old Town which became the model for Main Street in Disneyland!

Plotting Fort Collins Attractions!

While Loveland is known as one of few access points to Rocky Mountain National Park (and the town of Estes Park), you might not know that Loveland is one of the Nation's top artist communities and boasts more than 200 pieces of public art and the largest outdoor sculpture gallery in the US. As well, the town is proudly "Sweetheard City USA" and you may recall this fun factoid from having a Valentine re-routed through Loveland to be delivered to your sweetheart with an extra-romantic and charming postage cancellation. Who knew snail-mail could be so fun?! Actually we did, so we're sharing with you! ;-)

As you can imagine, even more fun, unique, and inspiring distinctions are true of the rest of Northern Colorado. We can't wait to share what fun, leisurely, and inspiring stories will come to life for you during your leisurely pedaling adventures with us.

Cheers for now,

Adventure Jes