Whoa! Check out the River.... this is why it's named the Colorado - the Red River, the Mighty Muddy of the western U.S.
Runoff is in full swing, about three weeks early. Rafters are having a gas, but it's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Now is not the time to be playing along side the rushing river. However, it's a great time to ride your bicycle along the Colorado Riverfront Trail.

Daughter Bridgette and I rode our bicycles from the east entrance of the Colorado National Monument down Monument Road to Broadway, then hopped onto the Riverfront Trail at Riverside, and rode all the way to Corn Lake at 32 Road. The return trip gave us a 22.5 mile ride for the day, and it was gorgeous and cool along the river.

If you're not familiar with this area, this ride basically takes you through the middle of town – but along the banks of the mighty Colorado that few people see from their car windows.

In fact, Bridgette was born here 22 years ago and she said, “Wow, I never knew this was here.”

Well, the Colorado River has been here for eons, so I guess I'm a poor dad not to have shown her what's in her own backyard. Also, she's s been away from school for the past few years, but still...

There are numerous places to pick up the Riverfront Trail here in town, but I think the absolute best place is at the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens at 7^th Street and the Riverside Parkway. You can pedal up or down river from here, it's a great central location to meet other friends, and you can also check out the only Botanical Garden and Butterfly House on the entire Colorado Plateau.

If it rains, there are plenty of places to pull off. It it's hot, this ride will cool you down.

Happy Trails!