biking

Belmar Park – Do Yourself a Favor & Get Outside

/ DenverSpeax

If you find yourself in the Lakewood area and are in need of a nice leisurely walk, check out Belmar Park. Not only can you take walks, utilizing the numerous trails throughout the park, but bikes are also allowed. It’s super easy to rack up some miles and get a good sweat with all of the intertwining trails throughout the park.

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Cool trails for walking, running, and biking at Belmar Park. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, 2015.

Full of nature’s life, meandering around the pond and watching the sunset is such a beautiful way to end the day.

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The pond reflects the beauty of this serene sunset. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, 2015.

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A winding path runs through nature, wrapping around the centered pond. Photo Credit: Kirsten Ebey, 2015.

Like a lot of the other parks in the surrounding Denver area, there are nice picnic areas set up for you, your friends, and family to have lunch while you hang out in this gorgeous place. Last but not least, Belmar Park is animal friendly, so make sure you bring your furry friend.

Looking for more parks and trails to visit? Check these out:

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Women Solidarity & Biking: Venus de Miles 2015

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Riding through one of the greatest cities to ever stand – downtown Denver, Colorado. DenverSpeax, 2014.

In order to stay motivated and active, I have signed up for my first Coloradan, non-alleycat bike ride! The Venus de Miles is taking place in Boulder, Colorado, this summer on August 29th, 2015. It’s an all-female ride, created to support women and create sisterhood. Venus de Miles is actually Colorado’s first all-women’s road ride! What an amazing way to come together with other, extraordinary women in the bike community.  Continue reading →

Babes in Bikeland 8 – Denver She Devils Take Minneapolis

/ DenverSpeax

Saturday, September 13th, marked the day of the 8th annual Babes in Bikeland event, bringing over 400 women / transgender / femme bike riders together to roam the streets of Minneapolis.

Take care to note that this was a 20+ mile bike race, the distance depending on the efficiency of your mapped route. With both a manifest of destinations and a time limit provided, how you finished (or mapped your route) was up to you! This is no small feat for even those familiar with the territory of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. So, you may ask, what made so many individuals want to participate in this annual race? What makes this race so special?

The answer to that definitely presented itself before the day of the race. Continue reading →

Denverspeax Top 5: The US Pro Challenge Experience

/ DenverSpeax

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.

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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:

  • 1/2 Fluffy cous cous
  • 1/2 Thai Jasmine fried rice
  • Shredded Chicken
  • Chimichuri Sauce
  • Add veggies

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!

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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? 

 

 

Brews with your fave comrades at Comrade Brewing

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Although there’s no proven science (yet) stating that fermented barley boosts muscle growth, we sure do feel the positive affects of a nice, craft brew after a long bike ride (check out Bicycling.com‘s top picks for Post-Ride Brews).

Bike riding and craft brews go hand-in-hand here in Denver, and it’s no wonder Colorado is ranked 3rd on the list of 10 Best Craft Brew States in America (USA TODAY – 10 best craft brew states in America).

After heading south from Denver on the Cherry Creek Trail via bikes this past holiday weekend, a group of us checked out Comrade Brewing at 7667 E Iliff Ave, a couple blocks west of the trail. Continue reading →

DenverSpeax – A Reminder

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The power of reminder can be very interesting and thought-provoking, to the point of near meditation:

A song comes on the radio, and you’re instantly placed into a time previous of extreme joy, or maybe content, or possibly sadness.

You head west out of Denver to visit the Rockies, and you’re reminded of your first trip to Loveland Pass, or your first drive through the Eisenhower Tunnel.

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View from Arapahoe Basin – Click on the photo to see more beautiful pictures in this area.

These places serve as reminder for us as to why we moved here, and why we started DenverSpeax. It’s important to reflect, and have our reflection over the past (almost) year rejuvenate our spirits and provoke motivation. I thought it would be good to pass this along to you all who have supported us.
The Story:
When we moved here, we had a few friends from back home, but they were fairly new as well. It was difficult to find places to go or see because we didn’t know what we were looking for, per se – try using Yelp to find a restaurant when you’re in the mood for a certain atmosphere, or when you’re trying to make friends – is there a filter for those? Although we believe Yelp is a great application and very helpful, sometimes a star-rating just doesn’t cut it. Sure, there’s another great site called TripAdvisor – we use it when we are traveling…but we weren’t traveling any longer. We weren’t looking for advertised Bed & Breakfasts and their ratings – we were looking to call a place home.

 

The best way to learn and begin to understand a community is by fully emerging yourself. This is what we’ve learned in our various travels domestically and internationally, as well as with this move to Denver. Out of boredom, and lack of known resources within the Denver community & beyond, DenverSpeax was born.

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City Park hosts City Park Jazz for many Sundays each summer. Click on the picture to read more!

We roam around Denver and the surrounding areas looking for what’s good in the community. The good comes in all shapes, sizes, and experiences. We support small, local businesses when we eat out, and prefer to stay local with our purchases as well. Luckily, there are so many festivals, parks, food and beverage, volunteering, and natural beauty here that we’ll never run out of things to write about.

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Walking around on the 16th Street mall can be a ton of fun. Click on the picture to check out more!

DenverSpeax exists to promote positivity within the community, helping out natives and transplants alike with what to do, where to go, and how to experience all of the good that’s so aplenty here. Know someone who’s moving to Denver? Show ’em our website. Ran out of things to do and experience? Look through the site! Planning a trip to Denver and want the real feel of our diverse community? Well, we have a website for that!

Thank you for your endless support. We are devoted to continue to bring you the low down on what’s good in Denver. A few things we’re looking at tackling next:

  • Volunteering – how can we give back to the community we love so much? There are so many ways – we just need to DO IT.
  • Collaboration with other Colorado start-ups that need support with getting noticed in the community.
  • Visiting Bed & Breakfasts local to Denver so that we can provide our visitors with features on great places to stay.

How you can help: Come with us! Or, let us know…

What other features would you like to see on the website?

What is local and positive that you just can’t live without?

For more on what’s good in Denver, follow us in real-time on Facebook, Instagram (@denverspeax), or Twitter (@denverspeax).

 

 

 

 

Gociety – Get Outside with Awesome People

/ DenverSpeax

 

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Gociety hooks you up with people of same outdoor interests – what a great platform to motivate more Coloradans to get outside and mingle with like-minded, awesome people! Check out Gociety on Facebook by clicking on their logo above – Photo Credit: Gociety Facebook Page, April 2014

Gociety is a site we’ve been watching for a while, and for good reason; their concept is fresh and new, and provides a GREAT service to the Colorado community. With Gociety, you can meet people from all over Colorado getting outside and doing what they love!

For example, we are avid bikers and appreciate meeting new people to bike all over Denver with – Gociety is a platform that will help us out with this.

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Road biking lets us exercise and see new parts of town; on Gociety, I can meet new people that love to do the same. Click on the picture above to check out the Gociety Facebook Page. Photo Credit: DenverSpeax Archive, 2013

Creating a Gociety profile is super easy – we just made one! By visiting Gociety, you can join via Facebook profile, OR email. Fill out  info about how you get down in the great outdoors of Colorado, and BOOM! – you have a Discovery Feed outlining multiple outdoor activities in areas all over Colorado. From Cat Skiing to to Fly Fishing to multiple runs and triathlons, there is a TON to do – and what better way to find it than one, organized Discovery Feed via your personal Gociety profile. Search options on the right-hand side make it easy to limit the feed to your interests only.

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Get outside and hike Mount Evans! Photo Credit: DenverSpeax Archive, 2013

 

With an easy-to-use platform, it’s no wonder more and more Coloradans are catching on to Gociety‘s awesome idea. We can’t wait to sign up for a few events (aka, Gocieties) and meet new, awesome people that love getting outside. We’ll be sure to give you an update as well as an inside look of our experience. Stay tuned!

For the meantime, go check Gociety out on the web or on Facebook and see what they’re all about for yourself.

OneSpark 2014 – CitySpeax Project Promo Video

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Thanks to all of our friends and family that have made this trip to OneSpark in Jacksonville tomorrow possible. Watch our brand expansion project’s video – CitySpeax – your city, your love.

Also, please please PLEASE vote for our project to get NOTICED and FUNDED here. “Bookmark” it, and help us rise through the ranks of popularity. Thanks again for your support!

Quick Colfax Pub Crawl: Three Lions, Sancho’s Broken Arrow, and Cheeky Monk

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With the nice weather coming, we feel it’s important to create fun and safe Bicycle Pub Crawls. Yesterday, Jeff and I (Kirsten) set out to visit a few pubs on Colfax, and ended up riding 7 miles round trip while visiting. Check out the highlights of our three stops!

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Jeff representing Detroit underneath the Detroit street sign; first stop was Three Lions on Colfax. Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Mar 2014

Stop #1: The Three Lions: A World Football Pub

We’ve been hooked on this Football (or, soccer) pub since last summer when we experienced a bus trip from the place to see The Colorado Rapids.

Three Lions is all things Football, have a variety of great beers, and some killer appetizers. Bonus, their patio out front sports a few fantastic picnic tables so you can enjoy the sun and your brew simultaneously!

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Stop #2: Sancho’s Broken Arrow on Colfax. Pictured: Jeff & Kirsten (above). Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Mar 2014

Stop #2: Sancho’s Broken Arrow – A Thinking Place

Sancho’s is another place we really enjoy – who can’t with all of the Grateful Dead parafanalia, pool tables, and ridiculous specials. 2 for $3 Coors Light drafts yesterday? Don’t mind if we do! We also made a friend from Wisconsin who had stopped in before going to finish up some errands. There are always friendly people at Sancho’s with interesting stories to tell. Stop in and say hi.

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Jeff introduced me to Kwak at The Cheeky Monk! Pictured: Jeff, Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Mar 2014

Stop #3: The Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Cafe

Yesterday was my first time at the Cheeky Monk. Jeff introduced me to a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Pauwel Kwak. A heavily fruity beer, there was a brief banana after-taste – something new! Try it out – it gets great ratings, and is served all fancy-like. In addition to the Kwak, we also had some tasty frites (fries) served with a garlic aioli as well as delicious pretzel bites served with a spicy mustard. Specific appetizers were half off while we visited – check out the Cheeky Monk online to see when they host happy hour and other specials.

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Delicious garlic frites with a garlic aioli on the side. Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Mar 2014

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Pretzel bites – delicious! Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Mar 2014

There you have it – a mini pub crawl on Colfax Ave with 3 great locations. We look forward to planning more of these epic excursions to explore more brews and good eats around the city.

Where should we go next? Let us know in the comments below, or on our Facebook page!

Colfax Ave’s Goosetown Tavern

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fisheye barview

Watching the game at Goosetown Tavern. Click on the picture to visit their Facebook page! Make sure you like ’em! Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Jan 2014

Last Friday, we stopped into Goosetown Tavern, located in our neighborhood on Colfax. A few of the Denverspeax crew directed us here because of the relaxed atmosphere, great staff, and delicious food. We sat at the bar, watched the New Orleans Saints pound the Philadelphia Eagles, and devoured the most delicious nachos in the universe. Oh, you think I’m joking?

Seriously.

Best. Damn. Nachos. Ever.

But we’ll get to that- let’s talk about the place for a second. Like I mentioned, it’s located on Colfax, between York and Colorado Blvd. Finding parking can be like a scavenger hunt, but because the Cleaners / Laundromat located next door was closed, we decided we more than likely wouldn’t be towed if we parked in their parking lot. Across the street from Goosetown Tavern on Colfax, there’s metered parking, and better luck down the side-streets as well. This will definitely be a location we ride our bikes to once the snow clears up! Goosetown is open 7 days per week, 11 am – 2 am for your visiting pleasure.

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Nice view from in front of the bar. Click on the picture above to be redirected to their website! Credit: Kirsten Ebey, Jan 2014

In addition to a creative, daily Happy Hour, each day having a naming convention inclusive of some fantastic punk band, Goosetown also provides an eclectic menu, trivia night, and random events / parties. Sitting right across the street from the Bluebird Theater, Goosetown is a perfect place to catch a drink and meet up with friends before and after the show. Another plus: pool tables!

Everyone we came into contact with at Goosetown was friendly; it was super easy to hold a conversation with the guys and gals that worked there. We all chatted about football, traveling, music… Not for a second did anyone put off that “I’m cooler than you” vibe. You know the one I’m talking about, right? Everyone’s felt it before. Nope – not at this place!

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Try out the Southern Pork Nachos at Goosetown – click on the picture to see the menu. Credit: Steve Mercer, Jan 2014

Now, let’s get to the food. If you haven’t checked out Goosetown’s menu, please do – there are so many interesting dishes; some of which utilizing home-made sausage! From Potato Cheese Pierogis to Southern Pork Nachos, there are so many good choices that it makes it difficult to order just one thing. We opted for the Southern Pork Nachos, consisting of shredded, barbeque pork atop tri-colored tortilla chips. Add shredded, cheddarjack cheese, fresh jalapeños, and ‘slaw and you’ve got yourself mouth-watering, deliciously-crafted Southern Pork Nachos. Two of us wiped out an order in under 10 minutes, and needed another.

Make sure you visit Goosetown Tavern, a local establishment providing much love to the city of Denver. Great for watching a football game, meeting before/after a show at the Bluebird, or to relax and shoot some pool. Hope to see you there, Denver!

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