Best Of Denver® 2004 Winners
Sports & Recreation
Best Little Parties on the Prairie
Four Mile House Historic Park
Four Mile Historic Park, perched along the Cherry Creek Greenway, is an agrarian jewel, a throwback to earlier times smack-dab in the middle of the city. And it's a heck of a lot better than the rigors of Chuck E. Cheese's for kids' birthday parties. Instead of video games and rides, Four Mile offers horse-drawn wagon rides, pioneer and/or tepee games, cake-baking in an open-fire oven, old-timey crafts, and feeding the farm animals, which include roosters, fat hens, gorgeous screw-horned sheep and a pair of French Percheron horses. It's reasonably priced, more fun than a three-legged race, and there's no mouse telling you what to do.
Best New Slogan for CU Buffs
"Excitements to Match Our Indictments"
Just as Governor Bill "Sparky" Owens was able to turn the fearsome 2002 wildfire season into a national promotion for Centennial State s'mores, surely the University of Colorado and its spin-meisters can capitalize on all of the national press over the recruiting-party sex-assault scandal. Boulder's already given a whole new meaning to the term "student body " -- why not make it part of the Buffs' randy brand?
Best New Slogan for CU Buffs
"Excitements to Match Our Indictments"
Just as Governor Bill "Sparky" Owens was able to turn the fearsome 2002 wildfire season into a national promotion for Centennial State s'mores, surely the University of Colorado and its spin-meisters can capitalize on all of the national press over the recruiting-party sex-assault scandal. Boulder's already given a whole new meaning to the term "student body " -- why not make it part of the Buffs' randy brand?
Best Next Career for John Elway
Very Special Assistant Broncos Car Hiker
We really, really want John to do well at something. Anything, really. After all, he's our icon, our stainless hero. So it'd be nice to have him around for a while longer -- at least until someone better comes along. The problem is figuring out what, exactly, he's good at. He can't start a successful new business (see ya, MVP.com). He's not that good at interpersonal relationships (buh-bye, Janet). He's a better-than-average duffer, but nowhere near professional caliber. In fact, being a retired Elway is not unlike being a retired politician: Everything he's done before has prepared him for nothing after. Our advice? Stick to the two things you know and accept a high-level position with Broncos boss Pat Bowlen: special assistant in charge of acquiring team cars.
Best Next Career for John Elway
Very Special Assistant Broncos Car Hiker
We really, really want John to do well at something. Anything, really. After all, he's our icon, our stainless hero. So it'd be nice to have him around for a while longer -- at least until someone better comes along. The problem is figuring out what, exactly, he's good at. He can't start a successful new business (see ya, MVP.com). He's not that good at interpersonal relationships (buh-bye, Janet). He's a better-than-average duffer, but nowhere near professional caliber. In fact, being a retired Elway is not unlike being a retired politician: Everything he's done before has prepared him for nothing after. Our advice? Stick to the two things you know and accept a high-level position with Broncos boss Pat Bowlen: special assistant in charge of acquiring team cars.
Best Next Career for Gary Barnett
Custodian of the primate house, Denver Zoo
Yes, yes, we know. Not all of the evidence has been collected and analyzed. The strippers have not laid their souls bare. The bills from the liquor store are still coming in. And the regents have not yet admitted that they, too, smoked a little dope in their undergraduate days. Nonetheless, the recruiting, rape and party scandal that has shaken the University of Colorado football program to its foundation has yielded one incontrovertible fact: Whether he was an enabler or not, whether he endorsed the late-night frolicking or he didn't, head football coach Gary Barnett made little effort to grasp what was going on or not going on with his players. And that makes him an ideal guy for a new career mopping out the monkey cages at the zoo. You know: Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
Best Next Career for Gary Barnett
Custodian of the primate house, Denver Zoo
Yes, yes, we know. Not all of the evidence has been collected and analyzed. The strippers have not laid their souls bare. The bills from the liquor store are still coming in. And the regents have not yet admitted that they, too, smoked a little dope in their undergraduate days. Nonetheless, the recruiting, rape and party scandal that has shaken the University of Colorado football program to its foundation has yielded one incontrovertible fact: Whether he was an enabler or not, whether he endorsed the late-night frolicking or he didn't, head football coach Gary Barnett made little effort to grasp what was going on or not going on with his players. And that makes him an ideal guy for a new career mopping out the monkey cages at the zoo. You know: Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
CU football's sex-and-recruiting mess has inspired many a wiseguy's raw humor, but the lantern-jawed host of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno, nailed the thing cold on February 25 during his monologue. To wit: "Today the Taliban denounced the University of Colorado for its treatment of women."
CU football's sex-and-recruiting mess has inspired many a wiseguy's raw humor, but the lantern-jawed host of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno, nailed the thing cold on February 25 during his monologue. To wit: "Today the Taliban denounced the University of Colorado for its treatment of women."
Best Trial in the Court of Public Opinion
Denver Nuggets v. Los Angeles Lakers, January 7, 2004
Say what you will about L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant and that scrape he got into last summer up at Cordillera. Everybody else does. Thousands of Denver Nuggets fans have apparently already reached a verdict in Kobe's rape case, and they aren't afraid to announce it from the cheap seats. When the Lakers visited the Pepsi Center for the first time this season, the Los Angeles hoopster was mercilessly booed and jeered every time he touched the ball, and whenever he stood at the foul line to shoot a free throw, the assembled multitudes chanted at him: "Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!" No one knows how the case will turn out, but for once, Denver won a game against the Lakers. Final score: 113-91.
Best Trial in the Court of Public Opinion
Denver Nuggets v. Los Angeles Lakers, January 7, 2004
Say what you will about L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant and that scrape he got into last summer up at Cordillera. Everybody else does. Thousands of Denver Nuggets fans have apparently already reached a verdict in Kobe's rape case, and they aren't afraid to announce it from the cheap seats. When the Lakers visited the Pepsi Center for the first time this season, the Los Angeles hoopster was mercilessly booed and jeered every time he touched the ball, and whenever he stood at the foul line to shoot a free throw, the assembled multitudes chanted at him: "Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!" No one knows how the case will turn out, but for once, Denver won a game against the Lakers. Final score: 113-91.
It's impossible to know if he was motivated by sincerity, self-interest or an undeniable urge to expand his social life at high altitude, but when embattled L.A. Laker Kobe Bryant was asked in mid-February what teams he might consider signing with should he exercise his options next year as a free agent, the name "Denver Nuggets" immediately sprang to his lips. Really. Truly. Wonder if Stan Kroenke would throw in a furnished condo west of Vail and the phone numbers of some unattached chambermaids?
It's impossible to know if he was motivated by sincerity, self-interest or an undeniable urge to expand his social life at high altitude, but when embattled L.A. Laker Kobe Bryant was asked in mid-February what teams he might consider signing with should he exercise his options next year as a free agent, the name "Denver Nuggets" immediately sprang to his lips. Really. Truly. Wonder if Stan Kroenke would throw in a furnished condo west of Vail and the phone numbers of some unattached chambermaids?
The drama of the Denver Nuggets' sudden rise from the doldrums of incompetence to the heights of playoff contention features rookie sensation Carmelo Anthony as its leading man. After just one glory year at Syracuse (the underdog Orangemen won the NCAA championship), the 6' 8", 220-pound small forward opted for the pros. Now, not only are the hapless Nuggets delighted with their number-three draft pick, but they're counting on him to revivify a franchise that has long been a bad joke. With twenty-something points per game and six-plus rebounds, Anthony compares favorably with the NBA's other star rookie, Cleveland guard LeBron James, and the debate about which team got the better prospect is likely to rage for years. For now, though, light and hope have returned to Nuggetville, and Melo is the smiling, gifted nineteen-year-old who made much of it happen. If that's not sweet enough for you, he's also added his own candy bar, the Melo, to the local scene.
The drama of the Denver Nuggets' sudden rise from the doldrums of incompetence to the heights of playoff contention features rookie sensation Carmelo Anthony as its leading man. After just one glory year at Syracuse (the underdog Orangemen won the NCAA championship), the 6' 8", 220-pound small forward opted for the pros. Now, not only are the hapless Nuggets delighted with their number-three draft pick, but they're counting on him to revivify a franchise that has long been a bad joke. With twenty-something points per game and six-plus rebounds, Anthony compares favorably with the NBA's other star rookie, Cleveland guard LeBron James, and the debate about which team got the better prospect is likely to rage for years. For now, though, light and hope have returned to Nuggetville, and Melo is the smiling, gifted nineteen-year-old who made much of it happen. If that's not sweet enough for you, he's also added his own candy bar, the Melo, to the local scene.
Even last year, when the Denver Nuggets were still an awful mess and the departed Juwan Howard was their only scoring threat, NBA sharpies noticed that coach Jeff Bzdelik was bringing some fierce new attitude and commitment to one of the league's worst teams. This season, the former Miami assistant not only has players with real game -- rookie Carmelo Anthony, a healthy Marcus Camby, a renewed Andre Miller and inspirational leader Earl Boykins, among others -- but he's gotten them to buy into a system built on relentless speed and dogged hard work. Anthony may be the team's future, but the guy they call Buzz is its vivid present. If the Nugs don't make the playoffs this year, it will be a big disappointment, but the mood on Chopper Circle is buoyant, thanks to a head coach with an unshakable belief that all things are possible -- especially when you're wearing a new color scheme of baby blue and Melo Yellow.
Even last year, when the Denver Nuggets were still an awful mess and the departed Juwan Howard was their only scoring threat, NBA sharpies noticed that coach Jeff Bzdelik was bringing some fierce new attitude and commitment to one of the league's worst teams. This season, the former Miami assistant not only has players with real game -- rookie Carmelo Anthony, a healthy Marcus Camby, a renewed Andre Miller and inspirational leader Earl Boykins, among others -- but he's gotten them to buy into a system built on relentless speed and dogged hard work. Anthony may be the team's future, but the guy they call Buzz is its vivid present. If the Nugs don't make the playoffs this year, it will be a big disappointment, but the mood on Chopper Circle is buoyant, thanks to a head coach with an unshakable belief that all things are possible -- especially when you're wearing a new color scheme of baby blue and Melo Yellow.
Call it the House That Hanzlik Built. Ex-Nugget Bill Hanzlik, who co-founded the Gold Crown Foundation in 1986, is justly proud of the Gold Crown Fieldhouse, which opened last fall in Lakewood. Most weekends, its six gyms runneth over with Gold Crown youth basketball teams. The courts are also available to those hardcourt-starved squads that don't have anywhere to practice, thanks to shortsighted budget-cutting by school boards. Fat kids? Not here.
Call it the House That Hanzlik Built. Ex-Nugget Bill Hanzlik, who co-founded the Gold Crown Foundation in 1986, is justly proud of the Gold Crown Fieldhouse, which opened last fall in Lakewood. Most weekends, its six gyms runneth over with Gold Crown youth basketball teams. The courts are also available to those hardcourt-starved squads that don't have anywhere to practice, thanks to shortsighted budget-cutting by school boards. Fat kids? Not here.
When the Police Athletic League sixth-grade championship series was played recently at the Hiawatha Davis rec center, the Colorado Hawks were guaranteed a winner. That's because the two finalists were the Hawks' fifth- and sixth-grade teams. Since George Williams started the Denver-based nonprofit in 1997, the traveling youth hoopsters -- whose players range in age from ten to seventeen -- have set the standard for local competition. Organizers say that five of the top ten scorers in this year's 5A boys' category are affiliated with the club, and the teams' reputation extends well beyond state lines. Now, if only the Hawks (which stands for "Hard At Work Kids") had their own gym . . .
When the Police Athletic League sixth-grade championship series was played recently at the Hiawatha Davis rec center, the Colorado Hawks were guaranteed a winner. That's because the two finalists were the Hawks' fifth- and sixth-grade teams. Since George Williams started the Denver-based nonprofit in 1997, the traveling youth hoopsters -- whose players range in age from ten to seventeen -- have set the standard for local competition. Organizers say that five of the top ten scorers in this year's 5A boys' category are affiliated with the club, and the teams' reputation extends well beyond state lines. Now, if only the Hawks (which stands for "Hard At Work Kids") had their own gym . . .
It's pretty difficult to improve on perfection, so Arvada West senior wrestler Kyle Sand earns this year's designation as best high school jock. All the shaggy-headed Sand did is finish his wrestling career without once losing a match: 125-0, with four state titles, the last one at 189 pounds. Anyone who knows anything about wrestling -- where a momentary lapse in concentration or effort can land you on your back -- will attest to what an astonishing feat Sand has accomplished. In fact, when Sand bested his final opponent at the state championships last month, he became the first Colorado schoolboy ever -- and the 35th in the country -- to finish undefeated with four titles.
It's pretty difficult to improve on perfection, so Arvada West senior wrestler Kyle Sand earns this year's designation as best high school jock. All the shaggy-headed Sand did is finish his wrestling career without once losing a match: 125-0, with four state titles, the last one at 189 pounds. Anyone who knows anything about wrestling -- where a momentary lapse in concentration or effort can land you on your back -- will attest to what an astonishing feat Sand has accomplished. In fact, when Sand bested his final opponent at the state championships last month, he became the first Colorado schoolboy ever -- and the 35th in the country -- to finish undefeated with four titles.
Now that Ed McCaffrey has retired and Shannon Sharpe could well spend next season with his mouth in front of a microphone, the Broncos' receiving corps will be anchored by tireless team leader Rod Smith, the ten-year veteran out of Missouri Southern who holds Broncos franchise records for career receiving yards and touchdown catches. Come to think of it, he's always the anchor. A master of the downfield double move, this winner of two Super Bowl rings in the John Elway glory years remains one of the NFL's craftiest receivers. Woe unto the cornerback who loses track of Smith on third and seven, and woe unto any teammate who gives less than his best on Sunday afternoon. The ultimate professional, Smith was voted the Broncos' offensive captain last season, and quarterback Jake Plummer, still trying to get his bearings in Shanny Land, will be delighted to see Number 80 in the huddle again this year.
Now that Ed McCaffrey has retired and Shannon Sharpe could well spend next season with his mouth in front of a microphone, the Broncos' receiving corps will be anchored by tireless team leader Rod Smith, the ten-year veteran out of Missouri Southern who holds Broncos franchise records for career receiving yards and touchdown catches. Come to think of it, he's always the anchor. A master of the downfield double move, this winner of two Super Bowl rings in the John Elway glory years remains one of the NFL's craftiest receivers. Woe unto the cornerback who loses track of Smith on third and seven, and woe unto any teammate who gives less than his best on Sunday afternoon. The ultimate professional, Smith was voted the Broncos' offensive captain last season, and quarterback Jake Plummer, still trying to get his bearings in Shanny Land, will be delighted to see Number 80 in the huddle again this year.
After a year in which Daryl Gardener went from presumptive defensive superstar with a seven-year, $39 million deal to an offensive-name caller who played in a total of five games, the only question was how the Broncs would disappear his 300 pounds of petulance. After a final spat over the pancake-house-brawling lug's $3 million signing bonus, Coach Mike Shanahan suddenly shook hands with his former antagonist on March 11. The team agreed to release the end on June 2, allowing him to start shopping for a new team in the meantime. In return, the Donks get back a portion of Gardener's bonus. Maybe they can use it to buy some egg-remover for their faces.
After a year in which Daryl Gardener went from presumptive defensive superstar with a seven-year, $39 million deal to an offensive-name caller who played in a total of five games, the only question was how the Broncs would disappear his 300 pounds of petulance. After a final spat over the pancake-house-brawling lug's $3 million signing bonus, Coach Mike Shanahan suddenly shook hands with his former antagonist on March 11. The team agreed to release the end on June 2, allowing him to start shopping for a new team in the meantime. In return, the Donks get back a portion of Gardener's bonus. Maybe they can use it to buy some egg-remover for their faces.
See it in this light: Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan is so good at developing running backs (good morning, Terrell, how's the leg?) and working them into the West Coast offense that he could probably pluck a 160-pounder out of junior college and turn him into an all-pro. By contrast, Shanny's had bad luck with cornerbacks (Dale Carter, Willie Middlebrooks, et al.). So when the Washington Redskins said they'd part with the best CB in the biz, Champ Bailey, Shanahan was willing to sacrifice his 1,500-yard-per-season ball carrier, Clinton Portis. If all goes well, Bailey will greatly relieve the pressure on Denver's harried secondary and make a few grabs at the depleted wide-receiver spot, too. Meanwhile, ex-Marine Mike Anderson will be trying so hard to get out of the coach's doghouse that he'll re-emerge from his cloud of pot smoke as a solid backup. That's our theory, anyway.
See it in this light: Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan is so good at developing running backs (good morning, Terrell, how's the leg?) and working them into the West Coast offense that he could probably pluck a 160-pounder out of junior college and turn him into an all-pro. By contrast, Shanny's had bad luck with cornerbacks (Dale Carter, Willie Middlebrooks, et al.). So when the Washington Redskins said they'd part with the best CB in the biz, Champ Bailey, Shanahan was willing to sacrifice his 1,500-yard-per-season ball carrier, Clinton Portis. If all goes well, Bailey will greatly relieve the pressure on Denver's harried secondary and make a few grabs at the depleted wide-receiver spot, too. Meanwhile, ex-Marine Mike Anderson will be trying so hard to get out of the coach's doghouse that he'll re-emerge from his cloud of pot smoke as a solid backup. That's our theory, anyway.
He'll turn 37 on April 5, but Colorado Mammoth lacrosse star Gary Gait is still the league standard, the Michael Jordan of his sport. Last year, the 6' 2", 210-pound forward out of Syracuse broke his own National Lacrosse League single-season scoring record with 58 goals and once more became a first-team NLL All-Pro -- something he's done every year since he began playing pro lacrosse back in 1991. Tough, smart and relentless, Gait led three Syracuse teams to NCAA championships, and he's a five-time most valuable player in two pro lacrosse leagues -- not least because he holds the league records for goals, assists, points and shots. Amid the raucous theater that is a Mammoth game, Gait is the rock star who commands the most attention.
He'll turn 37 on April 5, but Colorado Mammoth lacrosse star Gary Gait is still the league standard, the Michael Jordan of his sport. Last year, the 6' 2", 210-pound forward out of Syracuse broke his own National Lacrosse League single-season scoring record with 58 goals and once more became a first-team NLL All-Pro -- something he's done every year since he began playing pro lacrosse back in 1991. Tough, smart and relentless, Gait led three Syracuse teams to NCAA championships, and he's a five-time most valuable player in two pro lacrosse leagues -- not least because he holds the league records for goals, assists, points and shots. Amid the raucous theater that is a Mammoth game, Gait is the rock star who commands the most attention.
No one else comes close. In his eighth season with Colorado, Todd Helton, the rock of the Rockies, remains the team's most consistent hitter and a Gold Glove candidate at first base. When he batted .358 last year with 33 home runs and 117 runs driven in, he became just the second player in big-league history to hit at least .315 with 25 homers and 95 RBIs in each of his first six full seasons. The other player? Guy by the name of Joe DiMaggio. Helton's lifetime average of .337 is the best in both leagues, and his .616 slugging percentage leads all players who've gone to the plate at least 3,000 times. Rox general manager Dan O'Dowd keeps experimenting with the secondary parts on the team's faulty baseball machine, but he never messes with the engine: Number 17, Todd Helton. To watch the perennial All-Star and sometime NL batting champ play is a privilege Rockies fans savor even as the team flounders summer after summer.
No one else comes close. In his eighth season with Colorado, Todd Helton, the rock of the Rockies, remains the team's most consistent hitter and a Gold Glove candidate at first base. When he batted .358 last year with 33 home runs and 117 runs driven in, he became just the second player in big-league history to hit at least .315 with 25 homers and 95 RBIs in each of his first six full seasons. The other player? Guy by the name of Joe DiMaggio. Helton's lifetime average of .337 is the best in both leagues, and his .616 slugging percentage leads all players who've gone to the plate at least 3,000 times. Rox general manager Dan O'Dowd keeps experimenting with the secondary parts on the team's faulty baseball machine, but he never messes with the engine: Number 17, Todd Helton. To watch the perennial All-Star and sometime NL batting champ play is a privilege Rockies fans savor even as the team flounders summer after summer.
Like the team itself, the Colorado Avalanche's staunch captain, center Joe Sakic, has had his ups and downs this season. But as the playoffs approach and coach Tony Granato's much-battered troops try to get past the Steve Moore/Todd Bertuzzi trauma, put Peter Forsberg and Alex Tanguay back together again and prepare for battle with the NHL's top teams, it is their 34-year-old leader who has emerged as their most consistent, fiercest competitor. Thanks to an incredible scoring surge in mid-March, Sakic could win his first-ever league scoring title. To be sure, the Art Ross Trophy would look good next to Sakic's pair of Stanley Cup rings, his world and Olympic gold medals and his other NHL trophies -- the Hart, the Byng, the Patrick and the Conn Smythe. Sakic is the oldest player on the team, and he remains its heart and soul come crunch time.
Like the team itself, the Colorado Avalanche's staunch captain, center Joe Sakic, has had his ups and downs this season. But as the playoffs approach and coach Tony Granato's much-battered troops try to get past the Steve Moore/Todd Bertuzzi trauma, put Peter Forsberg and Alex Tanguay back together again and prepare for battle with the NHL's top teams, it is their 34-year-old leader who has emerged as their most consistent, fiercest competitor. Thanks to an incredible scoring surge in mid-March, Sakic could win his first-ever league scoring title. To be sure, the Art Ross Trophy would look good next to Sakic's pair of Stanley Cup rings, his world and Olympic gold medals and his other NHL trophies -- the Hart, the Byng, the Patrick and the Conn Smythe. Sakic is the oldest player on the team, and he remains its heart and soul come crunch time.
Ralph Backstrom, the ex-Montreal Canadiens great and former coach of the DU Pioneers, has enjoyed great success in his first year as principal owner of the Colorado Eagles, the new minor-league hockey team that plays at the Budweiser Events Center (aka the Bud Barn) near Loveland. For every game, the arena is packed, the hockey is relentlessly rough-and-tumble, and the mascot is perfect. Meet Slapshot, a huge, yellow-beaked Eagle with compact-car-sized feet and claws Godzilla would envy. The big fellow is not always surefooted out there on the ice -- he's taken a couple of falls and had a time of it getting back up -- but the kids adore his goofy, large-scale pranks. So do we.
Ralph Backstrom, the ex-Montreal Canadiens great and former coach of the DU Pioneers, has enjoyed great success in his first year as principal owner of the Colorado Eagles, the new minor-league hockey team that plays at the Budweiser Events Center (aka the Bud Barn) near Loveland. For every game, the arena is packed, the hockey is relentlessly rough-and-tumble, and the mascot is perfect. Meet Slapshot, a huge, yellow-beaked Eagle with compact-car-sized feet and claws Godzilla would envy. The big fellow is not always surefooted out there on the ice -- he's taken a couple of falls and had a time of it getting back up -- but the kids adore his goofy, large-scale pranks. So do we.
Listen, people, Carmelo or no Carmelo, you can still pay less than face value for Denver Nuggets tickets. True, the days of the ten- dollar, weeknight, center-court, lower-level NBA ticket are over (at least for this season), but Willie still can hook you up. He's the ringmaster of the ticket-scalping circus happening outside the Pepsi Center before and during the first quarter/period of Nuggets and Avalanche games. You can't miss him: He's an African-American gentleman, about 6' 3", who usually wears a long leather coat with a faux-fur collar. He's also the guy shouting, "Yeah, what?" to all the other scalpers crying out, "Hey, Willie!" For the Nuggets, pay no more than $30 for lower-level corner seats, $60 for centers. That's still about fifteen to thirty bucks less than face. Buying tickets for the Avalanche on the street is a different game entirely, however. You may have to actually pay more than face value, which is illegal in Denver, but, hey, it's a thrill. And you should always go to Willie: He bargains fast and hard, but he's the fairest of the lot.
Listen, people, Carmelo or no Carmelo, you can still pay less than face value for Denver Nuggets tickets. True, the days of the ten- dollar, weeknight, center-court, lower-level NBA ticket are over (at least for this season), but Willie still can hook you up. He's the ringmaster of the ticket-scalping circus happening outside the Pepsi Center before and during the first quarter/period of Nuggets and Avalanche games. You can't miss him: He's an African-American gentleman, about 6' 3", who usually wears a long leather coat with a faux-fur collar. He's also the guy shouting, "Yeah, what?" to all the other scalpers crying out, "Hey, Willie!" For the Nuggets, pay no more than $30 for lower-level corner seats, $60 for centers. That's still about fifteen to thirty bucks less than face. Buying tickets for the Avalanche on the street is a different game entirely, however. You may have to actually pay more than face value, which is illegal in Denver, but, hey, it's a thrill. And you should always go to Willie: He bargains fast and hard, but he's the fairest of the lot.
CEO John Elway's struggling arena football team managed to win just two of sixteen games in its first year (neither of them at the Pepsi Center), and halfway through the debacle, you half expected old Number 7 to suit up and spark a couple of comebacks himself. But this season, the Colorado Crush has gotten off to a sparkling 5-2 start, thanks to new coach Mike Dailey and a welcome return to form by veteran quarterback John Dutton, who had led the San Jose SaberCats to an ArenaBowl championship in 2002 and picked up MVP honors in the big game. A record-setter at the University of Nevada, Dutton was originally drafted by the NFL's Miami Dolphins in 1998, and he had cups of coffee with the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns. For better or worse, the 29-year-old finally found himself in the pass-happy, touchdown-crazy indoor game, where his 6' 4" height, quick release and dead-on short-throw accuracy became matchless assets. So far this season, he's tossed 22 touchdowns.
CEO John Elway's struggling arena football team managed to win just two of sixteen games in its first year (neither of them at the Pepsi Center), and halfway through the debacle, you half expected old Number 7 to suit up and spark a couple of comebacks himself. But this season, the Colorado Crush has gotten off to a sparkling 5-2 start, thanks to new coach Mike Dailey and a welcome return to form by veteran quarterback John Dutton, who had led the San Jose SaberCats to an ArenaBowl championship in 2002 and picked up MVP honors in the big game. A record-setter at the University of Nevada, Dutton was originally drafted by the NFL's Miami Dolphins in 1998, and he had cups of coffee with the Atlanta Falcons and the Cleveland Browns. For better or worse, the 29-year-old finally found himself in the pass-happy, touchdown-crazy indoor game, where his 6' 4" height, quick release and dead-on short-throw accuracy became matchless assets. So far this season, he's tossed 22 touchdowns.
Now in his third year with the Colorado Rapids, defense-obsessed mid-fielder Pablo Mastroeni has revealed a new taste for attack, but there's no one better in Major League Soccer as a stopper. Just 5' 9" and 150 pounds, the Argentine native moved to Phoenix when he was four and played college soccer at North Carolina State. Those who previously didn't know him -- or the game itself -- took notice in 2002, when Mastroeni became a vital part of the U.S. National Team that shocked perennial powers like Portugal and Mexico at the World Cup before that tough loss to the Germans. Once again, National coach Bruce Arena has picked Mastroeni (and Rapids teammate Ritchie Kotschau) for his roster, but Rapids fans will get to watch the feisty, dogged defender all season long at Invesco Field.
Now in his third year with the Colorado Rapids, defense-obsessed mid-fielder Pablo Mastroeni has revealed a new taste for attack, but there's no one better in Major League Soccer as a stopper. Just 5' 9" and 150 pounds, the Argentine native moved to Phoenix when he was four and played college soccer at North Carolina State. Those who previously didn't know him -- or the game itself -- took notice in 2002, when Mastroeni became a vital part of the U.S. National Team that shocked perennial powers like Portugal and Mexico at the World Cup before that tough loss to the Germans. Once again, National coach Bruce Arena has picked Mastroeni (and Rapids teammate Ritchie Kotschau) for his roster, but Rapids fans will get to watch the feisty, dogged defender all season long at Invesco Field.
Best Fan Promotion
Hot-tubbing with models, Colorado Mammoth
Sure, it's swell to nab a T-shirt at a Nuggets game or pick up the latest bobblehead doll. But for sheer feel-good, trouser-tightening reward, nothing beats the Colorado Mammoth's promotion of letting some lucky fan (in one instance, volunteers were asked to race across the field in swimming flippers, honors to the winner) sit and stew field-side with swimsuit-clad hotties from Donna Baldwin Talent, a modeling agency. The view is awesome -- and you can almost see most of the lacrosse field, too. Hot tub by Cal-Spa, if you care.
Best Fan Promotion
Hot-tubbing with models, Colorado Mammoth
Sure, it's swell to nab a T-shirt at a Nuggets game or pick up the latest bobblehead doll. But for sheer feel-good, trouser-tightening reward, nothing beats the Colorado Mammoth's promotion of letting some lucky fan (in one instance, volunteers were asked to race across the field in swimming flippers, honors to the winner) sit and stew field-side with swimsuit-clad hotties from Donna Baldwin Talent, a modeling agency. The view is awesome -- and you can almost see most of the lacrosse field, too. Hot tub by Cal-Spa, if you care.
He's seven feet tall and his skills look a bit raw, but sometimes he handles the ball with amazing grace, and the minute you see him work his way into the paint, you see he's one of the strongest, most instinctual centers in college basketball. Without David Harrison, their junior redwood from Nashville, Tennessee, the Colorado Buffs might be an ordinary also-ran in the tough Big 12 Conference. With him, they're a tournament contender and an upset threat to the big dogs of the league, including vaunted Kansas. Harrison completed the regular 2003-04 season averaging seventeen points, nine rebounds and almost three blocked shots per game -- team highs all -- and coach Ricardo Patton has counted on him to give the Buffs muscle and the power of intimidation. That could end soon: At last report, Harrison was considering forgoing his senior year in Boulder for the NBA draft.
He's seven feet tall and his skills look a bit raw, but sometimes he handles the ball with amazing grace, and the minute you see him work his way into the paint, you see he's one of the strongest, most instinctual centers in college basketball. Without David Harrison, their junior redwood from Nashville, Tennessee, the Colorado Buffs might be an ordinary also-ran in the tough Big 12 Conference. With him, they're a tournament contender and an upset threat to the big dogs of the league, including vaunted Kansas. Harrison completed the regular 2003-04 season averaging seventeen points, nine rebounds and almost three blocked shots per game -- team highs all -- and coach Ricardo Patton has counted on him to give the Buffs muscle and the power of intimidation. That could end soon: At last report, Harrison was considering forgoing his senior year in Boulder for the NBA draft.
Look out, Tiger. Put a three-iron in Nolan Martin's hands and he'll inevitably knock it stiff. Last fall, the Colorado State senior from Colorado Springs led the Rams golf team to the best single season in school history. They played six tournaments (against multiple schools) and finished in the top four five times. Individually, Martin became just the third CSU player to win two tournaments outright: the Fresno Lexus Classic and the Ron Moore Invitational. In two other events, he finished third. Martin's per-round average of 69.52 strokes was one of the best in the nation, and as the fall season closed, Golfweek magazine ranked him eleventh among U.S. collegiate players. The spring college golf season has just started, and Martin is already shooting low almost every week. Watch for him sometime soon on the PGA Tour.
Look out, Tiger. Put a three-iron in Nolan Martin's hands and he'll inevitably knock it stiff. Last fall, the Colorado State senior from Colorado Springs led the Rams golf team to the best single season in school history. They played six tournaments (against multiple schools) and finished in the top four five times. Individually, Martin became just the third CSU player to win two tournaments outright: the Fresno Lexus Classic and the Ron Moore Invitational. In two other events, he finished third. Martin's per-round average of 69.52 strokes was one of the best in the nation, and as the fall season closed, Golfweek magazine ranked him eleventh among U.S. collegiate players. The spring college golf season has just started, and Martin is already shooting low almost every week. Watch for him sometime soon on the PGA Tour.
He's had his moments of self-doubt this season, and when the University of Denver Pioneers hockey team went 3-4-1 in January while getting outscored 16-22, senior goaltender Adam Berkhoel knew he wasn't playing up to form. But then the team put together a nine-game unbeaten streak that propelled them into the post-season. Berkhoel had turned into a brick wall, astonishing teammates with his athletic play and evincing praise from coach George Gwozdecky. "He'll make saves that, for a lot of people, seem unbelievable," Gwozdecky said. "But for Adam, he does it on a regular basis." A 190-pounder from Woodbury, Minnesota, Berkhoel began his DU career in 2001 as half of the famous "two-headed" goalie (the other head belonged to Wade Dubielewicz) that shut down the top shooters in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Berkhoel started going it alone last season, and upon his shoulders rest the Pioneers' tournament hopes.
He's had his moments of self-doubt this season, and when the University of Denver Pioneers hockey team went 3-4-1 in January while getting outscored 16-22, senior goaltender Adam Berkhoel knew he wasn't playing up to form. But then the team put together a nine-game unbeaten streak that propelled them into the post-season. Berkhoel had turned into a brick wall, astonishing teammates with his athletic play and evincing praise from coach George Gwozdecky. "He'll make saves that, for a lot of people, seem unbelievable," Gwozdecky said. "But for Adam, he does it on a regular basis." A 190-pounder from Woodbury, Minnesota, Berkhoel began his DU career in 2001 as half of the famous "two-headed" goalie (the other head belonged to Wade Dubielewicz) that shut down the top shooters in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Berkhoel started going it alone last season, and upon his shoulders rest the Pioneers' tournament hopes.
Best College Coach
Mike Dunlap, Metropolitan State College of Denver
When a couple of big-deal basketball schools came calling, Metro State hoops coach Mike Dunlap politely said no and got back to the business of keeping his Roadrunners at the top of the Division II game. Since 1997, Dunlap has won a pair of national championships for the big commuter school on the Auraria campus, and the 2003-04 'Runners finished the regular season with a 25-2 record and won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament, earning them another number-one national ranking and a big shot at a third D-2 title. An undersized Alaskan with the will of a bulldog, Dunlap recruits everywhere from Australia to Eastern Europe. He also torments his players with verbal harangues, early-morning practices and motivational ploys ranging from cajolery to outright insult. But there's no one they'd rather play for -- or learn from.
Best College Coach
Mike Dunlap, Metropolitan State College of Denver
When a couple of big-deal basketball schools came calling, Metro State hoops coach Mike Dunlap politely said no and got back to the business of keeping his Roadrunners at the top of the Division II game. Since 1997, Dunlap has won a pair of national championships for the big commuter school on the Auraria campus, and the 2003-04 'Runners finished the regular season with a 25-2 record and won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament, earning them another number-one national ranking and a big shot at a third D-2 title. An undersized Alaskan with the will of a bulldog, Dunlap recruits everywhere from Australia to Eastern Europe. He also torments his players with verbal harangues, early-morning practices and motivational ploys ranging from cajolery to outright insult. But there's no one they'd rather play for -- or learn from.
Best Individual College Athletic Performance
Dathan Ritzenhein
When Dathan Ritzenhein came to CU two years ago from Michigan, he was one of the most highly touted prospects to arrive at the Boulder campus in any sport. But the first-ever winner of two consecutive Foot Locker cross-country championships was kept out of the running last year with an early stress fracture of his leg. This time around, though, the red-shirt sophomore made up for lost time. In November he ran away with the NCAA Division I cross-country championships, blistering through the 6.2-mile course at a pace of 4:43 per mile. Bonus points: Ritzenhein was the second Buff in a row to win the race. Last year, senior harrier Jorge Torres finished on top.
Best Individual College Athletic Performance
Dathan Ritzenhein
When Dathan Ritzenhein came to CU two years ago from Michigan, he was one of the most highly touted prospects to arrive at the Boulder campus in any sport. But the first-ever winner of two consecutive Foot Locker cross-country championships was kept out of the running last year with an early stress fracture of his leg. This time around, though, the red-shirt sophomore made up for lost time. In November he ran away with the NCAA Division I cross-country championships, blistering through the 6.2-mile course at a pace of 4:43 per mile. Bonus points: Ritzenhein was the second Buff in a row to win the race. Last year, senior harrier Jorge Torres finished on top.
Best Sports Team -- College
Air Force Academy Men's Basketball
The Falcons may not get the big ink, but this year there was no better Colorado-based team sports story -- that didn't appear in the crime blotter, at least -- than Air Force basketball. Credit coach Joe Scott. First as a player, then as an assistant coach under the masterful Pete Carril, Scott was schooled in the disciplined Princeton University version of controlled, team-centric roundball. In 2000, the first year he arrived in Colorado Springs, the Falcons went 8-21. The next year, they went 9-19, and by 2002-03, the team had improved to 12-16. Even so, this year the Falcons, who'd never finished better than sixth-best in the Mountain West Conference, were the pre-season favorite to finish dead last. Instead, Scott's men -- none of whom is taller than an average NBA guard -- went 22-5, walking away with the MWC title and a top seeding in the conference tournament. They also earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Make no mistake: The Falcons soared.
Best Sports Team -- College
Air Force Academy Men's Basketball
The Falcons may not get the big ink, but this year there was no better Colorado-based team sports story -- that didn't appear in the crime blotter, at least -- than Air Force basketball. Credit coach Joe Scott. First as a player, then as an assistant coach under the masterful Pete Carril, Scott was schooled in the disciplined Princeton University version of controlled, team-centric roundball. In 2000, the first year he arrived in Colorado Springs, the Falcons went 8-21. The next year, they went 9-19, and by 2002-03, the team had improved to 12-16. Even so, this year the Falcons, who'd never finished better than sixth-best in the Mountain West Conference, were the pre-season favorite to finish dead last. Instead, Scott's men -- none of whom is taller than an average NBA guard -- went 22-5, walking away with the MWC title and a top seeding in the conference tournament. They also earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Make no mistake: The Falcons soared.
All right, so the Avalanche has been in a swoon of late. Even the Zamboni drivers have heard the rumors about coach Tony Granato's departure, and some Avs veterans have questioned their teammates' work ethic as the NHL playoffs draw near. Still, the two-time Stanley Cup champions remain a scary power to all of the top teams in the league -- especially if the great center Peter Forsberg can avoid more injury and star free agents Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya get their acts together in time to knock heads with the Red Wings, Canucks and Sharks at Cup Crazy time. Don't worry about Alex Tanguay and Joe Sakic: These two scoring machines never shut down for repairs. Meanwhile, the smartest executive in hockey, GM Pierre Lacroix, may have a few more late-season tricks up his sleeve. Even amid a shocking slump, the Avs loom as a grave threat to grab up Lord Stanley's funny-looking trophy for the third time in nine years.
All right, so the Avalanche has been in a swoon of late. Even the Zamboni drivers have heard the rumors about coach Tony Granato's departure, and some Avs veterans have questioned their teammates' work ethic as the NHL playoffs draw near. Still, the two-time Stanley Cup champions remain a scary power to all of the top teams in the league -- especially if the great center Peter Forsberg can avoid more injury and star free agents Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya get their acts together in time to knock heads with the Red Wings, Canucks and Sharks at Cup Crazy time. Don't worry about Alex Tanguay and Joe Sakic: These two scoring machines never shut down for repairs. Meanwhile, the smartest executive in hockey, GM Pierre Lacroix, may have a few more late-season tricks up his sleeve. Even amid a shocking slump, the Avs loom as a grave threat to grab up Lord Stanley's funny-looking trophy for the third time in nine years.
Best Race-Car Driver
Jerry Robertson, Colorado National Speedway
The three-eighths-mile ovals of the world -- paved and dirt -- will never get the ink or the airtime accorded the big super-speedways, and the drivers who spend their Saturday nights careening around these circuits don't get any Jeff Gordon-style endorsement contracts. But they are the lifeblood of U.S. stock-car racing, and Arvada's Jerry Robertson is one of the best of the bunch. Last summer at Colorado National Speedway, just south of Dacono, Robertson took home his second late-model season title in four years when he piloted his number 75 Chevrolet to an amazing eleven victories in eighteen races (and sixteen top-five finishes). That was also good enough to win the Northwest Regional title in NASCAR's Dodge Weekly Series, contested by drivers in six western states. Way to go, Leadfoot.
Best Race-Car Driver
Jerry Robertson, Colorado National Speedway
The three-eighths-mile ovals of the world -- paved and dirt -- will never get the ink or the airtime accorded the big super-speedways, and the drivers who spend their Saturday nights careening around these circuits don't get any Jeff Gordon-style endorsement contracts. But they are the lifeblood of U.S. stock-car racing, and Arvada's Jerry Robertson is one of the best of the bunch. Last summer at Colorado National Speedway, just south of Dacono, Robertson took home his second late-model season title in four years when he piloted his number 75 Chevrolet to an amazing eleven victories in eighteen races (and sixteen top-five finishes). That was also good enough to win the Northwest Regional title in NASCAR's Dodge Weekly Series, contested by drivers in six western states. Way to go, Leadfoot.
Best Place to Release Your Inner Earnhardt
Denver Indoor Kart Racing
The track at Denver Indoor Kart Racing isn't one of those wussy kids' tracks with accelerator regulators and lanes that are too narrow to pass in. This is the real deal -- and worth the hunt to find the obscure warehouse just north of I-70. Helmets are required -- yes, the carts can spin out -- but the front desk sells head socks so you don't have to swap sweat with strangers. For first-timers, a good trip around the quarter-mile track is 27 seconds, but pros can whittle it down to a mere 21 seconds. Anyone taller than 4' 8" can drive the adult cars, but the year-and-a-half-old facility also has a corral of junior carts on hand so that the whole family can compete against each other. Gentlemen, start your engines.
Best Place to Release Your Inner Earnhardt
Denver Indoor Kart Racing
The track at Denver Indoor Kart Racing isn't one of those wussy kids' tracks with accelerator regulators and lanes that are too narrow to pass in. This is the real deal -- and worth the hunt to find the obscure warehouse just north of I-70. Helmets are required -- yes, the carts can spin out -- but the front desk sells head socks so you don't have to swap sweat with strangers. For first-timers, a good trip around the quarter-mile track is 27 seconds, but pros can whittle it down to a mere 21 seconds. Anyone taller than 4' 8" can drive the adult cars, but the year-and-a-half-old facility also has a corral of junior carts on hand so that the whole family can compete against each other. Gentlemen, start your engines.
We've heard of men changing genders and then competing in women's events, and even of women switching teams to compete. Michael Jordan changed sports, and boxer Roy Jones Jr. juggles weight divisions so often you never know where he'll end up. But there's only one athlete we know of who went from being an excellent, able-bodied outdoorsman to a one-armed top jock over the course of a couple of bloody hours. A four-limbed climber of some renown around his home of Aspen, Aron Ralston famously hacked off his own wing with a pocket knife after finding himself trapped under a rock during a solo climb. These days, the tri-limbed Ralston is concentrating on adventure racing. It's unknown if team members permit him to carry his own blade.
We've heard of men changing genders and then competing in women's events, and even of women switching teams to compete. Michael Jordan changed sports, and boxer Roy Jones Jr. juggles weight divisions so often you never know where he'll end up. But there's only one athlete we know of who went from being an excellent, able-bodied outdoorsman to a one-armed top jock over the course of a couple of bloody hours. A four-limbed climber of some renown around his home of Aspen, Aron Ralston famously hacked off his own wing with a pocket knife after finding himself trapped under a rock during a solo climb. These days, the tri-limbed Ralston is concentrating on adventure racing. It's unknown if team members permit him to carry his own blade.
You think Patrick Roy had an illustrious career? Ha! While Roy hung up his pads last year, Larry Imperiale, the king of freestyle Frisbee, is still hucking disc with the best of them. The software developer, who lives in the foothills west of Denver, has been finishing on top of 'bee tournaments for four decades, and he's won major titles in three of them. The easiest way to tell he's a legend? A freestyle move, the Laerbs Kick, is named after him (Laerbs is his nickname). For anyone who's on the far side of forty and still harbors dreams of athletic grandeur, pay attention: The Kick involves keeping the Frisbee spinning and aloft by brushing the rim every few seconds -- with your foot.
You think Patrick Roy had an illustrious career? Ha! While Roy hung up his pads last year, Larry Imperiale, the king of freestyle Frisbee, is still hucking disc with the best of them. The software developer, who lives in the foothills west of Denver, has been finishing on top of 'bee tournaments for four decades, and he's won major titles in three of them. The easiest way to tell he's a legend? A freestyle move, the Laerbs Kick, is named after him (Laerbs is his nickname). For anyone who's on the far side of forty and still harbors dreams of athletic grandeur, pay attention: The Kick involves keeping the Frisbee spinning and aloft by brushing the rim every few seconds -- with your foot.
The wait for machines and the posturing at those big fitness centers is enough reason to skip the gym altogether. And the steam-room culture -- and price -- of Denver's elite clubs isn't much better. But at Dumbbells, $50 a month for singles and $80 for couples buys you access to a clean, well-maintained weight room with little to no wait (except during lunch), yoga and aerobics classes, locker rooms fully stocked with lotions, potions and hairdryers, a juice bar, and a staff that's excited about fitness -- not just about getting your money. Plus, there's the "Just Show Up" incentive: Come fifteen times in the first six weeks of membership, and the club will refund you $25. Sure, you'll have to skip the steam room, but Dumbbells makes up for it with an even more rare amenity: free two-hour parking in the Tabor Center garage.
The wait for machines and the posturing at those big fitness centers is enough reason to skip the gym altogether. And the steam-room culture -- and price -- of Denver's elite clubs isn't much better. But at Dumbbells, $50 a month for singles and $80 for couples buys you access to a clean, well-maintained weight room with little to no wait (except during lunch), yoga and aerobics classes, locker rooms fully stocked with lotions, potions and hairdryers, a juice bar, and a staff that's excited about fitness -- not just about getting your money. Plus, there's the "Just Show Up" incentive: Come fifteen times in the first six weeks of membership, and the club will refund you $25. Sure, you'll have to skip the steam room, but Dumbbells makes up for it with an even more rare amenity: free two-hour parking in the Tabor Center garage.
There are yoga studios and yoga styles to suit almost any practitioner -- but not just any budget: A serious yogi is looking at dropping $120 a month for a class card at most studios. At the Oxford Club, $50 a month ($600 a year) buys yoga seven days a week, plus access to the work-out facilities -- weights, free weights, treadmills, bikes -- and locker rooms stocked with Aveda products. But just because the price is low doesn't mean the studio is some dank, second-rate space. It's light, airy and big enough to spread out in. To sweeten the deal, membership includes twelve free-valet vouchers and discounts at McCormick's restaurant and on spa services and nights in the Oxford Hotel. Om.
There are yoga studios and yoga styles to suit almost any practitioner -- but not just any budget: A serious yogi is looking at dropping $120 a month for a class card at most studios. At the Oxford Club, $50 a month ($600 a year) buys yoga seven days a week, plus access to the work-out facilities -- weights, free weights, treadmills, bikes -- and locker rooms stocked with Aveda products. But just because the price is low doesn't mean the studio is some dank, second-rate space. It's light, airy and big enough to spread out in. To sweeten the deal, membership includes twelve free-valet vouchers and discounts at McCormick's restaurant and on spa services and nights in the Oxford Hotel. Om.
Okay, okay: Jillian's isn't one of those smoky, spit-scarred old pool halls that have earned top honors in the past. But let's remember that pool is a social event as well as a sport. So it's about time we paid homage to a company (yes, Jillian's is part of a chain) founded on the pool-as-entertainment theme. And how's this for entertainment? At the Colorado Mills Jillian's, the twelve felt-covered tables in the main section come complete with views of more sports on nearby TVs. And although private rooms are available for the true aficionado, this family-friendly place is designed more for the Huxtables than the Hustler. Because the service is friendly, the equipment superb and the wait never too long for a table, Jillian's has racked up this honor. Just bring your own grit.
Okay, okay: Jillian's isn't one of those smoky, spit-scarred old pool halls that have earned top honors in the past. But let's remember that pool is a social event as well as a sport. So it's about time we paid homage to a company (yes, Jillian's is part of a chain) founded on the pool-as-entertainment theme. And how's this for entertainment? At the Colorado Mills Jillian's, the twelve felt-covered tables in the main section come complete with views of more sports on nearby TVs. And although private rooms are available for the true aficionado, this family-friendly place is designed more for the Huxtables than the Hustler. Because the service is friendly, the equipment superb and the wait never too long for a table, Jillian's has racked up this honor. Just bring your own grit.
Ding! Ding-ding! (Bump.) Ding! Ding-ding! If you ever walked into a pinball arcade going full-bore in the late '70s, you'd know the sound immediately, because there's nothing like it. Unlike the robotic Pacman and its cavalcade of increasingly sophisticated computerized offspring, pinball is a game rooted in physicality: You grind your hips into the machine, play rough with it, guide it with your hands like a horse, moving the silver ball -- ding, ding-ding -- from bumper to bumper, watching it elide like quicksilver through a mysterious maze, points amassing. The epitome of the age came on the edge of pinball's ruin: Bally's Xenon, a liquid being who cooed at you -- "Xenon" -- in a whispery, come-hither female voice, staring at you coldly yet salaciously from her bitchin' black-glass frame. Oh, to have her back again. The hell of it is, you can: Lyons pinball freaks Kevin and Carole Carroll have thirty pinball machines, including Xenon, at your disposal on any given Saturday night at their Lyons Classic Pinball, a smoke-free throwback arcade where you can share your memories with a new crop of kids -- your own. Unglue yourself from that computer screen and try it sometime. Bring quarters and an urge to get physical.
Ding! Ding-ding! (Bump.) Ding! Ding-ding! If you ever walked into a pinball arcade going full-bore in the late '70s, you'd know the sound immediately, because there's nothing like it. Unlike the robotic Pacman and its cavalcade of increasingly sophisticated computerized offspring, pinball is a game rooted in physicality: You grind your hips into the machine, play rough with it, guide it with your hands like a horse, moving the silver ball -- ding, ding-ding -- from bumper to bumper, watching it elide like quicksilver through a mysterious maze, points amassing. The epitome of the age came on the edge of pinball's ruin: Bally's Xenon, a liquid being who cooed at you -- "Xenon" -- in a whispery, come-hither female voice, staring at you coldly yet salaciously from her bitchin' black-glass frame. Oh, to have her back again. The hell of it is, you can: Lyons pinball freaks Kevin and Carole Carroll have thirty pinball machines, including Xenon, at your disposal on any given Saturday night at their Lyons Classic Pinball, a smoke-free throwback arcade where you can share your memories with a new crop of kids -- your own. Unglue yourself from that computer screen and try it sometime. Bring quarters and an urge to get physical.
Sure, the front of the Climax Lounge is one of Denver's finest black-box live-music venues, but the vintage video arcade in the back lounge is where we like to spend our spare change. The selection of early- to mid-1980s games is truly a hall of fame: Donkey Kong, Pac Man, Centipede, Galaga, Qix, Tempest, Gorf and Tron (light cycles rock, dude!), all for just a quarter a play. If only they had Dig-Dug, we'd be in retro-vidiot heaven.
Sure, the front of the Climax Lounge is one of Denver's finest black-box live-music venues, but the vintage video arcade in the back lounge is where we like to spend our spare change. The selection of early- to mid-1980s games is truly a hall of fame: Donkey Kong, Pac Man, Centipede, Galaga, Qix, Tempest, Gorf and Tron (light cycles rock, dude!), all for just a quarter a play. If only they had Dig-Dug, we'd be in retro-vidiot heaven.
At the Candle Light Tavern, bar games are taken seriously. And while the dart boards, pool tables, foosball and Golden Tee Golf games are always popular, the kick-ass shuffleboard table is where the serious action happens. The long wooden table is covered with plenty of smooth sand, and an electronic score board hangs above center court; fifty cents is the going rate per game. And while the Candle Light is revered for its laid-back atmosphere, shuffleboard challenges are battled to the last hanging puck. This West Washington Park dive packs 'em in nightly, so hit it early to stake your claim.
At the Candle Light Tavern, bar games are taken seriously. And while the dart boards, pool tables, foosball and Golden Tee Golf games are always popular, the kick-ass shuffleboard table is where the serious action happens. The long wooden table is covered with plenty of smooth sand, and an electronic score board hangs above center court; fifty cents is the going rate per game. And while the Candle Light is revered for its laid-back atmosphere, shuffleboard challenges are battled to the last hanging puck. This West Washington Park dive packs 'em in nightly, so hit it early to stake your claim.
Monopoly is not a game of speed. And whether you prefer to be the cannon, the dog, the top hat or the thimble, there is a built-in Monopoly board in a booth at the Recovery Room that is just waiting for challengers to cover its Park Place and Marvin Gardens with houses and hotels. And this dark, narrow neighborhood tavern is the perfect place to waste an afternoon becoming a wealthy land baron or a pauper, as it opens daily at 2 p.m. and serves drinks at happy-hour prices until 8 p.m. Consider this your "get out of work free" card: Do not pass Go -- just head straight for the Recovery Room.
Monopoly is not a game of speed. And whether you prefer to be the cannon, the dog, the top hat or the thimble, there is a built-in Monopoly board in a booth at the Recovery Room that is just waiting for challengers to cover its Park Place and Marvin Gardens with houses and hotels. And this dark, narrow neighborhood tavern is the perfect place to waste an afternoon becoming a wealthy land baron or a pauper, as it opens daily at 2 p.m. and serves drinks at happy-hour prices until 8 p.m. Consider this your "get out of work free" card: Do not pass Go -- just head straight for the Recovery Room.
Now more than ever, people are traveling with their dogs. Leave it to someone in this hound-huggin' state to come up with a better way to do it. Boulder pet-supply retailer Alex Teller decided last year to organize adventure travel packages tailored especially for shared human/canine enjoyment. Trips range from winter skijoring clinics to summer tubing excursions and backpacking expeditions; particularly poochy perks include everything from doggie massages to all-natural goody bags provided by Teller's staff. The days of kennel confinement are over. Here, boy!
Now more than ever, people are traveling with their dogs. Leave it to someone in this hound-huggin' state to come up with a better way to do it. Boulder pet-supply retailer Alex Teller decided last year to organize adventure travel packages tailored especially for shared human/canine enjoyment. Trips range from winter skijoring clinics to summer tubing excursions and backpacking expeditions; particularly poochy perks include everything from doggie massages to all-natural goody bags provided by Teller's staff. The days of kennel confinement are over. Here, boy!
Littleton mother of two and former teacher Alison Weems noticed how hard it was to keep up with local children's events, despite the fact that there were plenty of them to choose from. Unfortunately, she found, you needed a stack of newspapers and magazines, a strong word-of-mouth network and a cast-iron memory to even know about them all, let alone remember their dates, times and places from week to week. So she did something about it: For a minimal annual fee, Weems sends subscribing parents weekly e-mails from her Cruisin' Kids website, which overflows with day-by-day information about everything from play groups to toy stores. And to say that Weems's listings are comprehensive would be an understatement: If you can't find an activity your kids like here, it simply doesn't exist.
Littleton mother of two and former teacher Alison Weems noticed how hard it was to keep up with local children's events, despite the fact that there were plenty of them to choose from. Unfortunately, she found, you needed a stack of newspapers and magazines, a strong word-of-mouth network and a cast-iron memory to even know about them all, let alone remember their dates, times and places from week to week. So she did something about it: For a minimal annual fee, Weems sends subscribing parents weekly e-mails from her Cruisin' Kids website, which overflows with day-by-day information about everything from play groups to toy stores. And to say that Weems's listings are comprehensive would be an understatement: If you can't find an activity your kids like here, it simply doesn't exist.
Aw, go take a hike! For a mournful pooch accustomed to being locked up all day with nothing to keep him company but destructible furniture, the context is anything but negative. After all, what hound wouldn't rather go for a walk? Save your sofa: Denver Hound Hikers provides various dog-walking services, from a standard midday fifteen-minute walk around the block or dog-park visit to the more rigorous two-hour "Hound Hike," a supervised outdoor excursion with everything provided (water, snack, towels, cleanup). And just so you know Fido's been having a great time, every Hound Hikers package includes a personalized, Internet-accessible Doggie Diary and digital photo of your four-legged friend having the time of his or her life. It's the paws that refreshes your pooch.
Aw, go take a hike! For a mournful pooch accustomed to being locked up all day with nothing to keep him company but destructible furniture, the context is anything but negative. After all, what hound wouldn't rather go for a walk? Save your sofa: Denver Hound Hikers provides various dog-walking services, from a standard midday fifteen-minute walk around the block or dog-park visit to the more rigorous two-hour "Hound Hike," a supervised outdoor excursion with everything provided (water, snack, towels, cleanup). And just so you know Fido's been having a great time, every Hound Hikers package includes a personalized, Internet-accessible Doggie Diary and digital photo of your four-legged friend having the time of his or her life. It's the paws that refreshes your pooch.
Altair playground, which opened nearly a year ago near Park Meadows mall, is out of this world, and that's all part of the plan: In addition to its picnic shelter and spanking-new toddler-friendly equipment geared to the two-to-five set, Altair's centerpiece is a literal wreck -- an alien ship crashed into a rock that beckons kids to come climb all over it. Well-placed for emergency pre- or post-shopping recreation, this playground's a blast!
Altair playground, which opened nearly a year ago near Park Meadows mall, is out of this world, and that's all part of the plan: In addition to its picnic shelter and spanking-new toddler-friendly equipment geared to the two-to-five set, Altair's centerpiece is a literal wreck -- an alien ship crashed into a rock that beckons kids to come climb all over it. Well-placed for emergency pre- or post-shopping recreation, this playground's a blast!
The Golden Community Center's got it all under one roof: a six-lane lap pool, a therapy pool and an awesome kids' pool designed to provide a great swimming experience for all, regardless of age or level of water wisdom. Babies in swim diapers are in their element in gradually graded shallows that mimic the seashore, while older kids can romp through everything from fountains and waterfalls to a challenging floating bridge and a gigantic, 150-foot water slide. But the GCC really makes a splash with its birthday parties. Packages include all of the above plus a large private party room. And because everything's indoors, the parties are perfect in any season.
The Golden Community Center's got it all under one roof: a six-lane lap pool, a therapy pool and an awesome kids' pool designed to provide a great swimming experience for all, regardless of age or level of water wisdom. Babies in swim diapers are in their element in gradually graded shallows that mimic the seashore, while older kids can romp through everything from fountains and waterfalls to a challenging floating bridge and a gigantic, 150-foot water slide. But the GCC really makes a splash with its birthday parties. Packages include all of the above plus a large private party room. And because everything's indoors, the parties are perfect in any season.
Best Little Parties on the Prairie
Four Mile House Historic Park
Four Mile Historic Park, perched along the Cherry Creek Greenway, is an agrarian jewel, a throwback to earlier times smack-dab in the middle of the city. And it's a heck of a lot better than the rigors of Chuck E. Cheese's for kids' birthday parties. Instead of video games and rides, Four Mile offers horse-drawn wagon rides, pioneer and/or tepee games, cake-baking in an open-fire oven, old-timey crafts, and feeding the farm animals, which include roosters, fat hens, gorgeous screw-horned sheep and a pair of French Percheron horses. It's reasonably priced, more fun than a three-legged race, and there's no mouse telling you what to do.
Best Tennis Court -- Urban
Blake Street Bath and Racquet Club
Few people know it, but deepest concrete LoDo boasts its own tennis court. Available by invitation only, the Blake Street Bath and Racquet Club was built as part of a condo project in the 1970s. Now surrounded by new lofts with iron-fenced balconies, the court is just barely visible from the street. "There is more playing space on the ends and sides than most urban residential courts, but sharply angled volleys and serves still produce excitement and results," a tennis historian wrote about it a couple years back in Colorado Tennis.
Best Tennis Court -- Urban
Blake Street Bath and Racquet Club
Few people know it, but deepest concrete LoDo boasts its own tennis court. Available by invitation only, the Blake Street Bath and Racquet Club was built as part of a condo project in the 1970s. Now surrounded by new lofts with iron-fenced balconies, the court is just barely visible from the street. "There is more playing space on the ends and sides than most urban residential courts, but sharply angled volleys and serves still produce excitement and results," a tennis historian wrote about it a couple years back in Colorado Tennis.
If you're looking for perfect bounces and ideal lighting, the solitary, hidden tennis court at 10th Avenue and Olive Street might not be for you. But if you want atmosphere, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better place to play a few sets. Encased by beautiful mature, ivy-covered fences, the court was built by the grandfather of Denver tennis doyenne Mary Silverstein in 1891. For the next half-century, the family used it as a private court, as well as a bike-riding training ground and an ice-skating rink. Today it's known to only a handful of locals, most of whom use its undulating surface to ride skateboards and bicycles. Still, if you can find it, it's worthwhile to stop and hit a few strokes, just for the quiet history.
If you're looking for perfect bounces and ideal lighting, the solitary, hidden tennis court at 10th Avenue and Olive Street might not be for you. But if you want atmosphere, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better place to play a few sets. Encased by beautiful mature, ivy-covered fences, the court was built by the grandfather of Denver tennis doyenne Mary Silverstein in 1891. For the next half-century, the family used it as a private court, as well as a bike-riding training ground and an ice-skating rink. Today it's known to only a handful of locals, most of whom use its undulating surface to ride skateboards and bicycles. Still, if you can find it, it's worthwhile to stop and hit a few strokes, just for the quiet history.
Plenty of new tennis courts have sprung up around the metro area as wealthy residents have pushed into the suburbs. But after a layer of Har-Tru and a chain-link fence, what really distinguishes one place from another? The answer is feel and tradition; after all, Wimbledon without history is just another place for Brits to frolic on the lawn. For this reason, the Denver Tennis Club's dozen courts (two of them clay) get the nod. This past year, the club celebrated its 75th anniversary. Since 1928, the Denver City Open has been held there every year except 1950, when a spat among members temporarily forced the tennis tournament back to City Park. The only downside to the place? No lights -- and the cost of joining has climbed somewhat since the first $5 initiation and $15 annual fees were levied. Today it'll cost you $675 to sign on and $465 per year for membership.
Plenty of new tennis courts have sprung up around the metro area as wealthy residents have pushed into the suburbs. But after a layer of Har-Tru and a chain-link fence, what really distinguishes one place from another? The answer is feel and tradition; after all, Wimbledon without history is just another place for Brits to frolic on the lawn. For this reason, the Denver Tennis Club's dozen courts (two of them clay) get the nod. This past year, the club celebrated its 75th anniversary. Since 1928, the Denver City Open has been held there every year except 1950, when a spat among members temporarily forced the tennis tournament back to City Park. The only downside to the place? No lights -- and the cost of joining has climbed somewhat since the first $5 initiation and $15 annual fees were levied. Today it'll cost you $675 to sign on and $465 per year for membership.
Let's just agree that any golfing experience is enhanced by the presence of a genuine triceratops footprint etched into the rocks dotted about the course. This summer will mark the first anniversary of the opening of Fossil Trace, the city of Golden's entrance into the lucrative business of civic golf. The public course ($36 per eighteen holes for Golden residents, $41 for Jeffco residents, $46 for everyone else) has garnered numerous awards for its unique setting and use of local features. Most notable: the twenty-foot high sandstone rock formations pocked with fossils that ring the twelfth hole.
Let's just agree that any golfing experience is enhanced by the presence of a genuine triceratops footprint etched into the rocks dotted about the course. This summer will mark the first anniversary of the opening of Fossil Trace, the city of Golden's entrance into the lucrative business of civic golf. The public course ($36 per eighteen holes for Golden residents, $41 for Jeffco residents, $46 for everyone else) has garnered numerous awards for its unique setting and use of local features. Most notable: the twenty-foot high sandstone rock formations pocked with fossils that ring the twelfth hole.
Hate to be obvious, but as the city boasts, the Denver Skatepark is the largest free public skate facility in the nation. With over 50,000 square feet full of planters, curbs, rails and a half-pipe, the park was envisioned and designed as a way to lure away the hordes of young skaters who descended on the 16th Street Mall and other city streets every day looking for a fee-free place to grind. It's lit, so the park is open from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. every day of the year. Heck, someone else might even cite it at the next HUD gathering: Best Solution to an Urban Problem That Has Actually Worked.
Hate to be obvious, but as the city boasts, the Denver Skatepark is the largest free public skate facility in the nation. With over 50,000 square feet full of planters, curbs, rails and a half-pipe, the park was envisioned and designed as a way to lure away the hordes of young skaters who descended on the 16th Street Mall and other city streets every day looking for a fee-free place to grind. It's lit, so the park is open from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. every day of the year. Heck, someone else might even cite it at the next HUD gathering: Best Solution to an Urban Problem That Has Actually Worked.
Tired of guiding your old nag around and around the indoor arena? Then ride him like he was meant to be ridden -- hurtling across field and stream alongside a pack of baying hounds in search of a varmint to shred. Most weekends from October to April, as well as on the occasional Wednesday, the Arapahoe Hunt pursues coyotes across a 22,000-acre spread on the site of the old Lowry bombing range. Now in its 75th year, the hunt is one of the oldest in the West. It was started in 1907, took a short break during World War I, but resumed coyote-terrorizing operations in 1929 and has been going full gallop ever since. Anyone with a horse can join in the fun, as long as he's willing to ride well and follow local customs.
Tired of guiding your old nag around and around the indoor arena? Then ride him like he was meant to be ridden -- hurtling across field and stream alongside a pack of baying hounds in search of a varmint to shred. Most weekends from October to April, as well as on the occasional Wednesday, the Arapahoe Hunt pursues coyotes across a 22,000-acre spread on the site of the old Lowry bombing range. Now in its 75th year, the hunt is one of the oldest in the West. It was started in 1907, took a short break during World War I, but resumed coyote-terrorizing operations in 1929 and has been going full gallop ever since. Anyone with a horse can join in the fun, as long as he's willing to ride well and follow local customs.
Best Private Wildlife Sanctuary
Karin Heine property , Wheat Ridge
This one's for the birds. That's who Wheat Ridge resident and nature-lover Karen Heine had in mind (along with the foxes, squirrels and occasional deer wandering through) as she worked to create a woodland paradise on undeveloped land she purchased expressly for that purpose. Located off 44th Avenue between Parfet and Oak streets, the vacant parcel of land was a trash heap when Heine first bought it; now, after adding hundreds of plants, an irrigation system, sheltering rocks, bird feeders, Girl Scout-built bluebird houses and even a water hole, it's a tiny northwest-metro treasure where Heine conducts tours for schoolchildren. The pice de résistance? Last spring, Heine worked to have the plot designated a Wheat Ridge conservation zone, thereby ensuring its existence for years to come.
Best Private Wildlife Sanctuary
Karin Heine property , Wheat Ridge
This one's for the birds. That's who Wheat Ridge resident and nature-lover Karen Heine had in mind (along with the foxes, squirrels and occasional deer wandering through) as she worked to create a woodland paradise on undeveloped land she purchased expressly for that purpose. Located off 44th Avenue between Parfet and Oak streets, the vacant parcel of land was a trash heap when Heine first bought it; now, after adding hundreds of plants, an irrigation system, sheltering rocks, bird feeders, Girl Scout-built bluebird houses and even a water hole, it's a tiny northwest-metro treasure where Heine conducts tours for schoolchildren. The pice de résistance? Last spring, Heine worked to have the plot designated a Wheat Ridge conservation zone, thereby ensuring its existence for years to come.
When Douglas County and Great Outdoors Colorado purchased a conservation easement on this 577-acre property in December, they acquired the final piece of a twelve-mile-long stretch of open space along I-25 south of Castle Rock. More than 30,000 acres are now preserved on both sides of the interstate, creating a permanent buffer between metro Denver and Colorado Springs. The land is owned by the Colorado Baptist General Convention, which will continue to use it as a camp, but development will be forever precluded. Public access to the property is available during monthly hikes guided by county staff, but the land will continue to be a home to elk, mountain lions, bears and one of two bighorn sheep herds know to live east of the interstate.
When Douglas County and Great Outdoors Colorado purchased a conservation easement on this 577-acre property in December, they acquired the final piece of a twelve-mile-long stretch of open space along I-25 south of Castle Rock. More than 30,000 acres are now preserved on both sides of the interstate, creating a permanent buffer between metro Denver and Colorado Springs. The land is owned by the Colorado Baptist General Convention, which will continue to use it as a camp, but development will be forever precluded. Public access to the property is available during monthly hikes guided by county staff, but the land will continue to be a home to elk, mountain lions, bears and one of two bighorn sheep herds know to live east of the interstate.
Opened four years ago, the Shootist stands out for several reasons. For one, the ten 75-yard lanes are situated underground, so the place stays cool, even in the summer. It's also well-lit, and because the owners used to be in the heating and air-conditioning business, the ventilation is top-notch -- not a small concern when you're burning through hundreds of .357 rounds. Pistols and .22-caliber rifles only; $9 if you buy your ammo there, $13 otherwise.
Opened four years ago, the Shootist stands out for several reasons. For one, the ten 75-yard lanes are situated underground, so the place stays cool, even in the summer. It's also well-lit, and because the owners used to be in the heating and air-conditioning business, the ventilation is top-notch -- not a small concern when you're burning through hundreds of .357 rounds. Pistols and .22-caliber rifles only; $9 if you buy your ammo there, $13 otherwise.
Best Outdoor Shooting Range
Cherry Creek State Park Shooting Center and Range
The more Denver grows, the harder it is to find a place to bust up a few clays, sight in your rifle prior to hunting season, or just make a lot of noise with your gun collection. Legally, anyway. Fortunately, there is the four-decade-old shooting center in Cherry Creek State Park. There, within sight of Denver's tallest buildings and its south suburbs' fast-growing developments, city-dwelling gun enthusiasts can discharge almost anything they can buy -- pistols, rifles (25-, 50- and 100-yard ranges) and shotguns, including trap, skeet and sporting clays. The range is open Thursday through Sunday; ten bucks will get you a gun to use, and another ten will cover the fee.
Best Outdoor Shooting Range
Cherry Creek State Park Shooting Center and Range
The more Denver grows, the harder it is to find a place to bust up a few clays, sight in your rifle prior to hunting season, or just make a lot of noise with your gun collection. Legally, anyway. Fortunately, there is the four-decade-old shooting center in Cherry Creek State Park. There, within sight of Denver's tallest buildings and its south suburbs' fast-growing developments, city-dwelling gun enthusiasts can discharge almost anything they can buy -- pistols, rifles (25-, 50- and 100-yard ranges) and shotguns, including trap, skeet and sporting clays. The range is open Thursday through Sunday; ten bucks will get you a gun to use, and another ten will cover the fee.
Want to be ready to make your homeland really secure? Then join the camo crowd that gathers on Saturdays and Sundays on a 110-acre outdoor site near Sedalia. Paintball Adventures divides folks up and then lets the paintballs fly -- as God and referees sort out the casualties. With a number of different terrains and a bunker-filled speedball site, this place gives those who like the sound of splat a chance to exercise their right to fight.
Want to be ready to make your homeland really secure? Then join the camo crowd that gathers on Saturdays and Sundays on a 110-acre outdoor site near Sedalia. Paintball Adventures divides folks up and then lets the paintballs fly -- as God and referees sort out the casualties. With a number of different terrains and a bunker-filled speedball site, this place gives those who like the sound of splat a chance to exercise their right to fight.
Road-ride organizer of the killer Triple Bypass, Team Evergreen has begun offering kinder, gentler mountain-bike rides. While some can be challenging, others serve merely as an excuse for socializing while rock-hopping. Check the team's website (www.teamevergreen.org) for upcoming events, then get ready to roll.
Road-ride organizer of the killer Triple Bypass, Team Evergreen has begun offering kinder, gentler mountain-bike rides. While some can be challenging, others serve merely as an excuse for socializing while rock-hopping. Check the team's website (www.teamevergreen.org) for upcoming events, then get ready to roll.
Best Getaway From 1.5 Million Chatfield Park Visitors
Waterton Canyon
While nearby Chatfield draws millions, Waterton Canyon, on Denver Water Board land just south of the popular recreation mecca, allows cyclists, hikers and trout-killers a chance to get away from it all -- and them all -- along the South Platte River. On the wide bike trails, you can quickly escape urban life; the only other soul you may encounter on your ride is a bighorn sheep. Of course, there are civilizing touches here, including picnic tables and outhouses along the service road that flows into the Colorado Trail. Open from sunrise to sunset.
Best Getaway From 1.5 Million Chatfield Park Visitors
Waterton Canyon
While nearby Chatfield draws millions, Waterton Canyon, on Denver Water Board land just south of the popular recreation mecca, allows cyclists, hikers and trout-killers a chance to get away from it all -- and them all -- along the South Platte River. On the wide bike trails, you can quickly escape urban life; the only other soul you may encounter on your ride is a bighorn sheep. Of course, there are civilizing touches here, including picnic tables and outhouses along the service road that flows into the Colorado Trail. Open from sunrise to sunset.
Best Camping Spot With Maroon Bells Access
Silver Campgrounds, Aspen
The Maroon Bells outside of Aspen have long been considered one of the most stunning sights in a state full of eye-poppers. But folks were loving them to death, so in July 2000, traffic access was closed to most vehicles, and tour buses began running sightseers from Aspen Highlands to the trailheads. With one exception: The campgrounds -- Silver Bell, Bar and Queen -- along the road to the Bells not only boast decent campsites, but they let cars in, too. The Silver Campgrounds allow Maroon lovers to rough it -- without getting too rough.
Best Camping Spot With Maroon Bells Access
Silver Campgrounds, Aspen
The Maroon Bells outside of Aspen have long been considered one of the most stunning sights in a state full of eye-poppers. But folks were loving them to death, so in July 2000, traffic access was closed to most vehicles, and tour buses began running sightseers from Aspen Highlands to the trailheads. With one exception: The campgrounds -- Silver Bell, Bar and Queen -- along the road to the Bells not only boast decent campsites, but they let cars in, too. The Silver Campgrounds allow Maroon lovers to rough it -- without getting too rough.
Best Scenic Snowshoe Dash
Screamin' Snowman, Eldora Mountain Resort
Gone are the days when folks donned snowshoes for a leisurely stroll through the wilderness. Today's fanatics can't get enough of charging through the powder and breaking a big sweat. And that's where the Screamin' Snowman comes in. For the past several years, hard-core harriers have gathered on the slopes overlooking Nederland, then charged off on 5K or 10K races in what organizer Darrin Eisman humbly calls "the most spectacular course" in the state. Maybe the world.
Best Scenic Snowshoe Dash
Screamin' Snowman, Eldora Mountain Resort
Gone are the days when folks donned snowshoes for a leisurely stroll through the wilderness. Today's fanatics can't get enough of charging through the powder and breaking a big sweat. And that's where the Screamin' Snowman comes in. For the past several years, hard-core harriers have gathered on the slopes overlooking Nederland, then charged off on 5K or 10K races in what organizer Darrin Eisman humbly calls "the most spectacular course" in the state. Maybe the world.
Best Reason to Stay Out of Gangs and Shred
Snowboard Outreach Society
Some anti-gang programs send kids door-to-door selling candy bars. Others stress the importance of education. But the Snowboard Outreach Society's message is as clear as it is radical: Ride to live! The ten-year-old Avon-based organization introduces at-risk kids to the joys of shredding -- ride-bys instead of drive-bys. Along with advice on how to carve and achieve big air, SOS stresses five core values: Courage, discipline, integrity, wisdom and compassion. As the vision statement says: "Be honest, take responsibility and live the dream." Dude! Better shred than dead!
Best Reason to Stay Out of Gangs and Shred
Snowboard Outreach Society
Some anti-gang programs send kids door-to-door selling candy bars. Others stress the importance of education. But the Snowboard Outreach Society's message is as clear as it is radical: Ride to live! The ten-year-old Avon-based organization introduces at-risk kids to the joys of shredding -- ride-bys instead of drive-bys. Along with advice on how to carve and achieve big air, SOS stresses five core values: Courage, discipline, integrity, wisdom and compassion. As the vision statement says: "Be honest, take responsibility and live the dream." Dude! Better shred than dead!
Set at the bottom of Peak 8, Freeway is the consensus winner among serious riders. With its wide variety of jumps, funboxes and rails, and its nearly twenty-foot superpipe -- not to mention a blasting digital satellite sound system -- Freeway has it all. And unlike some terrain parks, Breckenridge caters to shredders of all abilities, from novice to expert. Even better, if you stick around long enough, you're likely to see a few of the local professional riders stop by to practice their competition moves.
Set at the bottom of Peak 8, Freeway is the consensus winner among serious riders. With its wide variety of jumps, funboxes and rails, and its nearly twenty-foot superpipe -- not to mention a blasting digital satellite sound system -- Freeway has it all. And unlike some terrain parks, Breckenridge caters to shredders of all abilities, from novice to expert. Even better, if you stick around long enough, you're likely to see a few of the local professional riders stop by to practice their competition moves.
There are plenty of stops on the secret snowrider's expressway, where the general public doesn't even know you can get on board. And we're not just talking about hills at traditional resorts, where you have to hike off the trail in order to drop through some trees. No, we're talking about the special places that windburned vets in tuning shops talk about in hushed tones and never broadcast in public. But let's just say that if you pay the $10-per-person toll to drive the nineteen miles to the top of Pikes Peak (America's most visited mountain!) during prime days in spring, you might find some very happy riders using this 14,110-foot icon as their own private run. And if you did, you might find that those riders have a wide variety of abilities -- from fairly novice to way experienced -- but all are ready to ride.
There are plenty of stops on the secret snowrider's expressway, where the general public doesn't even know you can get on board. And we're not just talking about hills at traditional resorts, where you have to hike off the trail in order to drop through some trees. No, we're talking about the special places that windburned vets in tuning shops talk about in hushed tones and never broadcast in public. But let's just say that if you pay the $10-per-person toll to drive the nineteen miles to the top of Pikes Peak (America's most visited mountain!) during prime days in spring, you might find some very happy riders using this 14,110-foot icon as their own private run. And if you did, you might find that those riders have a wide variety of abilities -- from fairly novice to way experienced -- but all are ready to ride.
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