At least once per day, I think about Summer Camp growing up.
I went to Summer Camp every summer in New Orleans, LA, as both of my parents worked. My younger sister, Cat (pictured with me below), older brother, Walker, and I (Kirsten) hung out at Little Farms Day Camp in River Ridge, Louisiana, for nearly three months every summer for about a little over half of a decade. Continue reading
Oh,… you haven’t heard of Perrin Brewing, you Colorado hipsters? That’s because it’s that Michigander brew… that great mitten state style! Remember, once upon a time, we lived there – have to give credit where credit’s due! And, amazingly enough, Grand Rapids, MI, is a huuuuuge Craft Beer city. Continue reading
SPRING IS HERE, and we’ve got patios on the brain. Here’s a list of a few of our faves and where in Denver you can find them.
Denver Bike Cafe. DenverSpeax, Spring 2014.
#1. Denver Bike Cafe – 1308 E 17th Ave, Denver, CO
We often hang out at DBC to study, meet with Denverspeax partners, and simply relax. They serve coffee, brews, and food with a smile on their faces and rad music playing. Check out DBC for their beer & cheese tastings that they hold out on the patio in the summer, too – they’re big supporters of local businesses and hosting local events spotlighting them. Also, hooray for picnic table seating! Click here to read more about this cool place on DenverSpeax. Continue reading
“Hipster Speedball”. Well, that immediately sounds drug related. No worries – it’s not. Just a new, funny nickname for a beer combination I had this afternoon at the delightful Denver Bicycle Cafe.
Thanks, Denver Bike Cafe, for the great brew! I feel accomplished and relaxed. Goal achieved. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, 2014.
1 part Wynkoop Cow Town Milk Stout & 1 part espresso, the Hipster Speedball is the perfect craft brew choice for the student trying to hammer out some work. Visit Denver Bike Cafe today to party with them on their 3rd birthday! Cake at 7 pm MST sharp. Don’t be late.
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After last year’s craziness, we can’t wait for this year’s Zombie Crawl. More info coming soon, but to get registered right away, click here.
Here’s the tentative agenda for the day, October 18th:
For more info, visit the official site to look into “Killer Deal” wrist bands (totally getting these this year for deals on food & beer!) and other info regarding the after parties. Zombie Prom, anyone?! Yes, please!
DenverSpeax hopes to have a big crew there, so please don’t be shy and contact us if you’d like to hang! Let’s get a big group together and have a blast at this *FREE* event. Maybe include a little bike riding action in our sweet get ups?!
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Taking a trip to the Denver Botanic Gardens not only revitalizes your mind and spirit, but can also help with reconnection for different levels of relationships. It’s not hard to relax and admire the beauty surrounding you with someone else!
We last saw the Chihuly Exhibit a few years ago in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park; when we heard it was coming to Denver, we could hardly wait, remembering how beautiful it was in one of our home towns.
As an added bonus, from now until November 30th, you can check out the amazing Chihuly exhibit at our very own Denver Botanic Gardens.
Chihuly Exhibit. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Sept 2014
This past Sunday, the US Pro Challenge provided a front-row seat to those in Denver. The streets we ride everyday suddenly became very important routes while cowbells and cheers echoed throughout the streets.
Living in Cap Hill, multiple chunks of this epic race were only BLOCKS away, and easily accessible for spectators. From a Denverspeax perspective, here are the Top 5 Reasons that the US Pro Challenge rocks (outside of the race itself, of course):
#1: Sponsored Bike Corrals
Thanks, Denver Bicycle Cafe! There’s nothing like being able to walk around the US Pro Challenge knowing that your bike is safe and sound.
For more on the Denver Bike Cafe, click on the picture! Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Aug 2014.
#2: Food Trucks and Big Screens
Kudos to the Crock Spot for dishing up deliciousness in Civic Center alongside other Denver Food Trucks. Our “Build Your Own” dish we opted for below included the following:
Crock Spot is most definitely social media stalk-worthy, voted #1 by 5280 Magazine in 2013.
Smashburger provided the hugest screen we’ve ever seen for race coverage. This was invaluable as it was nearly impossible to get back to the Center once you joined in spectating on the streets of the actual routes.
Big screens, soft grass to sit down on, and delicious food? Fantastic!
Mmmm…. delicious! Filling, but not stuffing – Crock Spot is where it’s at! Click on this picture to visit their website and check out the menu. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Aug 2014
#3. Awesome Vendors with Awesome Schwag!
Pictured below, Primal provides the best cycling apparel in town, making any team look like a million bucks. Make sure you check out their custom work as well by visiting their site. Thanks for the cool draw-string bags, guys!
Other vendors, like Clif Bar and Sierra Nevada, also made their presence known by filling every square inch of sidewalk surrounding Civic Center Park.
Click on the picture to check out all the goodness that Primal Wear has to offer! Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Aug 2014
#4. Hanging with Friends
The US Pro Challenge is a celebration in Denver, and who better to celebrate with than your buds?! At an event like this, it isn’t difficult to run into many people you know and love.
Awesome time hanging with friends at the US Pro Challenge. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Aug 2014
#5. Viewing Colorado’s Capitol building in the background the whoooole time
What’s cooler than seeing that beautiful, shiny, golden top wave at you all day while you enjoy one of the best bike races in the world?
What a beautiful day in the Capitol! Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Aug 2014.
Not much, my friends. Not much.
Next year, we’ve decided that we need to have a party pre-US Pro Challenge. Maybe set up right on the route! Luckily, next year, we’ll have all of the cowbells we collected from this year to help cheer on all of the riders!
Share your favorite Pro Challenge memories below – what were your Top 5 favorite things?
Denverspeax archive: Kirsten’s first bike race. Photo Credit: July 2013.
Yes, we know that May is supposed to be super-duper, special Bike Month, but here at DenverSpeax, we want to make the next month dedicated to ALL THINGS BIKING. We can’t wait around until May 2015.
Grabbing ice cream and riding bikes – tough life. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Summer 2014
And, when we say “all things biking” we really mean it.
Check out these upcoming events, and feel free to participate:
Thursday, August 28th, 2014 – Bike Denver‘s Cycle In Cinema
7:30 PM REI Denver Parking Lot
We will ride from Cap Hill to Denver’s REI Parking Lot to watch
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure on the Big Screen outside!
(Event is *FREE* with a Bike Denver membership)
Friday, August 29th, 2014 – Denver She Devils Babes in Bikeland Fundraiser
7:00 PM Denver Bicycle Cafe
Auction, fundraiser, raffles, and give-aways of sweet BIKE THINGS
to raise money for the Denver She Devils’ trip to Minneapolis’ Babes in Bikeland Alleycat race.
(Event is *FREE*, however donations gladly appreciated)
Saturday, September 6th, 2014 – New Belgium’s Tour de Fat
Registration: 10:00 AM
Bike Parade: 11 – 12 PM
Party in City Park West with New Belgium: 12 – 5 PM
Costumes are strongly encouraged for the parade!
(Admission is *FREE*, registration required, all proceeds at party benefitting Bike Denver & Denver Cruisers)
Saturday, September 13th, 2014 – Babes in Bikeland Alleycat Race
Cheer on your Denver She Devils that will be riding their hearts out
on an approximately 30 mile Alleycat race in Minneapolis, MN.
(If you are interested in participating in this race with the She Devils, please get in contact with either
The Denver She Devils or Denverspeax).
Filming the video for CitySpeax. Denverspeax archive: May 2014.
As additional events pop up, we will be sure to let you all know. Rides, bike-friendly hangouts, etc – we’re excited to show you all what biking really means in Denver.
Make sure you add us on Instagram and Twitter (@denverspeax) and follow us on Facebook for the most updated information.
As part of the June Hike Challenge, we’ve been scouring the area for hikes that are both challenging and beautiful. Windy Saddle is a part of the Jefferson County in Lookout Mountain. It takes about 35 minutes to get there from downtown Denver after rush hour has past (this is when we went for cooler temperatures, and great sunset shots!).
Also connecting with Windy Saddle is Buffalo Bill Trail as well as Lookout Mountain Trail. The park provides hikes of all skill levels, and includes some pretty spectacular views at approximately 7200 feet. Here are some of our favorite shots from the few times we’ve visited Windy Saddle in the last 2 weeks:
Looking down at how far we had come. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014.
Exploring Windy Saddle Park. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014.
Try taking different trails and paths for different perspectives and views. Also, give your body a great workout by stepping it up to trail running.
Check out this cool mule deer that was hanging out by the Windy Saddle Park parking lot. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
The wildlife and plantlife are aplenty! We saw this mule deer leaving the park one night after a 3 mile loop. Wildflowers have bloomed all over the trails in an array of colors.
Make sure you know ahead of time when the sun will be setting; make smart decisions, regardless of your skill level. We made sure we were in the parking lot or extremely close for each sunset. Here are our favorite shots of the beautiful sunsets from Windy Saddle Park:
Lookout Mountain Sunset. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Lookout Mountain Sunset. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Lookout Mountain Sunset. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Lookout Mountain Sunset. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
For more great photos, check out DenverSpeax on Instagram & Facebook. Happy trails, friends.
Denver….er, well, Colorado’s weather hasn’t been cooperating much as of late. Tornados, hail, rain, thunderstorms, you name it. It’s making it pretty hard for us to conquer the remaining miles in the June Hike Challenge.
Planning hikes and then having the weather screw up your plans is not only frustrating, but can cost you gas money, time, and energy. For these reasons, plus not wanting to let another day go by sans hiking, Moguls and I set out on an Urban Hiking Adventure around the capitol this afternoon and knocked two more miles off of our 50 mile goal. 45 more miles to go!
Take a look at our journey!
When life gives you rain, bring an umbrella. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Have you ever noticed the paintings inside the archways in and around Civic Center? Beautiful work. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Swimming, anyone? Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Urban hiking is actually a real thing – people document their urban hikes throughout cities, including cool quirks like staircase connections, unseen walkways, and much more. Moguls and I kept to the sidewalks and walkways of the different parks, but look forward to finding interesting, less-traveled parts of Denver on our upcoming excursions.
Urban hiking is not only less costly then driving somewhere to hike, but it’s also good for the environment.
Halfway through our Urban Hike, the sun started to shine again! Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Love the contrasts of all of the different colors, shapes, and sizes of the buildings downtown. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
There’s artwork all around – go walk around and snap some shots. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
More amazing artwork around Denver. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Moguls’ favorite part – the fountains! Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Get out there, Denver. Urban Hike! Get to know your city using the power of your own body.
Our favorite shots from the Urban Hike. Get outside and check out your own city! What new things will you find when you’re face-to-face? Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, June 2014
Check out more hiking adventures on our Facebook Page.
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