Pogwatigue Perambulations: Van Bibber & Back

I hopped back on my bike today, another gorgeous day I might add, for a forty mile ride, the longest yet of the year. My targeted destination was a small park in Arvada, two towns north of Lakewood. There wasn't anything special about the park other than that it's run by the county. I've selected many of my recent hikes from parks run by the same agency. This one is more urban so rather than drive there, I used it as motivation for a bike ride. Along the ride, I also visited two other similar parks also operated by the county, Crown Hill and Welchester Tree Grant.

Crown Hill, about five miles northwest of my rental, was the first notable stop on the ride. After riding around the park's lake, I continued north in search of the Clear Clear Bike Path, which was a tad challenging to find while avoiding the major (i.e. heavily-traffic) roads. For all the sleuthing, I didn't stay on that trail very long. Crossing a very fancy bridge at Gold Strike Park--in 1850 the site of the first gold discovery in Colorado--I turned northwest along the Ralston Creek Bike Path. After four or five miles on that trail, I cut southwest through some neighborhoods to the path that would take me to Van Bibber Park.

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A short ride (1.5 miles) through the park and I was back on surface streets. I toyed with the idea of extending my ride around North Table Mountain, where I went hiking last Sunday. Instead, I wisely decided to start heading back on account of the late hour. As it were, I didn't finish the ride until after dark. The ride took me passed Colorado Mills, a large outlet mall. I was a little worried I would find an easy way to get off the mall's ring road back in the residential neighborhoods, but at the southern end of the property I found a sidewalk that led up a steep terraced embankment to Eighth Street. Not long after that, I reached the highest point on the ride.

Welchester Tree Grant Park was a short, fun ride down Eighth Street from that highpoint. I cut through the park on the paved trail and then continued to find my way east. I expected to ride the rest of the way on roads, but found a surprise trail in Bellows Park that led me to Sunset Park. Though I got there well after sunset, I still enjoyed the view of the silhouetted mountains against the darkening sky. With night well upon me I stuck to neighborhood streets as much as possible for the last few miles of the ride.

Trip Statistics
Length: 41.5 miles
Ride Time: 3 hours 51 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 22 minutes
Avg. Speed: 10.9 MPH
Max. Speed: 33.0 MPH
Total Ascent: 1,650 ft.
Max Elev.: 5,853 ft.

Elevation Profile