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Best Spring Tailgating

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

From April through closing (usually around July 4), A-Basin proves that life's a beach, even at 10,000 feet above sea level. Memorial Day features theme buffets, live music, dancing, volleyball games, cookouts, snow biking, beachwear and tailgate parties. And because many of the events happen in the parking lot, you don't even have to ski or ride to enjoy the festivities, although it helps.

Best Fishing Hole

Cheesman Canyon

We may live in one of the most populated areas between Chicago and L.A., but we can still cut out of work a couple hours early and hit one of the best trout-fishing streams in the country. Take Santa Fe Boulevard south to Sedalia, go west on Route 67 over the Rampart Range to the South Platte, and head upstream past Deckers to the Cheesman Canyon parking area. As is the case with any outdoor activity close to a city, the number of other people drops off exponentially as you walk farther from your car. Hike toward the dam for about half an hour (there's a parking area at the dam, so don't go too far) for some of the best rainbow- and brown-trout fishing you'll see anywhere. Beadhead Pheasant Tails, RSIIs and Black Beauties should all work fine.

Best Fishing Hole

Cheesman Canyon

We may live in one of the most populated areas between Chicago and L.A., but we can still cut out of work a couple hours early and hit one of the best trout-fishing streams in the country. Take Santa Fe Boulevard south to Sedalia, go west on Route 67 over the Rampart Range to the South Platte, and head upstream past Deckers to the Cheesman Canyon parking area. As is the case with any outdoor activity close to a city, the number of other people drops off exponentially as you walk farther from your car. Hike toward the dam for about half an hour (there's a parking area at the dam, so don't go too far) for some of the best rainbow- and brown-trout fishing you'll see anywhere. Beadhead Pheasant Tails, RSIIs and Black Beauties should all work fine.

Best Water-Skiing School

Soda Lakes Water Ski School

Just off C-470 at Morrison Road are two bodies of water: the Soda Lakes. The larger one is open to all manner of water activities, such as wind surfing and kayaking, but the smaller lake is reserved for one activity: water skiing lessons. For $99 per hour, you can rent skis, towrope, life jackets, lessons and a guy with a boat to tow you around. Chuck Blood is the guy with the boat and the proprietor/instructor of the school; his ski school is a real liquid asset in this land-locked state.

Best Water-Skiing School

Soda Lakes Water Ski School

Just off C-470 at Morrison Road are two bodies of water: the Soda Lakes. The larger one is open to all manner of water activities, such as wind surfing and kayaking, but the smaller lake is reserved for one activity: water skiing lessons. For $99 per hour, you can rent skis, towrope, life jackets, lessons and a guy with a boat to tow you around. Chuck Blood is the guy with the boat and the proprietor/instructor of the school; his ski school is a real liquid asset in this land-locked state.

Best Guess for When Mile High Stadium Will Disappear

From the hearts of Bronco fans, never. From the sportscasters' lips, August 20

Three weeks before the Broncos' first home game of the official NFL season, a month after the 'N Sync gang has left Mile High and about a minute after the Broncos's pre-season face-off against Dallas on August 19, Mayor Wellington Webb will finally relent, acknowledge that Invesco Field at Mile High is as good as finished, and allow the Metropolitan Football Stadium District to demolish Mile High. Just in time, of course, to create plenty of VIP parking for the start of the season -- and prevent any embarrassing remnants of the old stadium from showing up on national TV.

Best Guess for When Mile High Stadium Will Disappear

From the hearts of Bronco fans, never. From the sportscasters' lips, August 20

Three weeks before the Broncos' first home game of the official NFL season, a month after the 'N Sync gang has left Mile High and about a minute after the Broncos's pre-season face-off against Dallas on August 19, Mayor Wellington Webb will finally relent, acknowledge that Invesco Field at Mile High is as good as finished, and allow the Metropolitan Football Stadium District to demolish Mile High. Just in time, of course, to create plenty of VIP parking for the start of the season -- and prevent any embarrassing remnants of the old stadium from showing up on national TV.

Best Local Float Trips

Flexible Flyers Rafting

You don't have to drive hours for a fascinating raft trip. Just sign up for a leisurely float on the South Platte River through the Carson nature preserve with Flexible Flyers Rafting, a Durango-based outfit. The two-and-a-half hour jaunt may not be much in the way of a wild ride, but there's plenty of wildlife: everything from muskrats and beavers to an ever-changing array of birds, aquatic and otherwise. The trips, which start in May, run $40 for adults and $20 for kids twelve and under; they depart from the Union Avenue kayak chutes north of Belleview Avenue in Englewood Park.

Best Local Float Trips

Flexible Flyers Rafting

You don't have to drive hours for a fascinating raft trip. Just sign up for a leisurely float on the South Platte River through the Carson nature preserve with Flexible Flyers Rafting, a Durango-based outfit. The two-and-a-half hour jaunt may not be much in the way of a wild ride, but there's plenty of wildlife: everything from muskrats and beavers to an ever-changing array of birds, aquatic and otherwise. The trips, which start in May, run $40 for adults and $20 for kids twelve and under; they depart from the Union Avenue kayak chutes north of Belleview Avenue in Englewood Park.

Best Rapid

Marcelo Balboa

Soccer's dazzling "bicycle kick" -- a 180-degree flip, with the shot taken as head and foot are absolutely reversed -- is not attempted often and rarely yields results. But on April 22, 2000, in Columbus, Ohio, veteran Colorado Rapids defender Marcelo Balboa scored with it -- and catapulted himself into TV sports highlights around the globe. Aside from that, Balboa played his usual brand of smart, dogged defense all season long and, at the tender age of 33, helped get the Rapids back to the playoffs against eventual MLS champion Kansas City. The Cerritos, California, native is now the only Rapid left from the team's inception in 1996, and last season he was still the best.

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