“The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets.” – Christopher Morley
My work commute is so short that using a car seems wasteful, so I got a bicycle. I thought I would have to coax myself into not driving, but the opposite happened–I was hooked from the first ride. I love my bike!
I decided to start exploring my big local network of hike-and-bike trails. With Mahogany enjoying semi-retirement in a big pasture out on the eastern plains, I was open to something that would scratch that “trail ride” itch. The Denver Orbital Trail, or DOT, seemed like a great place to start. It’s a big 177-mile loop that connects sections of existing paths and trails to encircle the Denver Metro area.
The DOT was created by a hiker, and its 28 segments are sized for day-hikes with places to park at the beginning and end of each one. I briefly considered getting a bike rack for my car, but really I prefer not to get the car involved at all. In the end I modified the DOT into a series of longer, bike-length segments that each start and end near a light rail station.
For my first loop–Loop 1 on my list–I jumped onto the High Line Canal Trail in Aurora where it crosses Potomac St and followed it east to where it connects with the DOT about halfway through Segment 15. Then I followed the DOT north through the rest of Segment 15 and about half of Segment 16.
This stretch was a great introduction to the DOT for me. It’s short, easy and scenic, with good views of the front range.
I got barked at by prairie dogs from one end of my ride to the other. I actually love prairie dogs. Their villages are everywhere in Aurora, and sometimes I’ll just sit and watch them going about their business. They remind me of the meerkat village I used to like to visit at the San Diego Zoo.
Also, this majestic fence!
There’s a short path that connects the High Line Canal Trail to the Sand Creek Regional Greenway. I turned off onto it, thinking that I was leaving the DOT to loop back around to Fitzsimmons light rail station. Actually the DOT turns here too. This caused some confusion on my next ride, but that’s on me for not paying closer attention.
The Sand Creek Regional Greenway is a pretty trail.
It passes through Sand Creek Park, which is right next to Fitzsimmons Station.
I took the R Line back to 2nd and Abilene–my “home base” station–to complete Loop 1. Absolutely loved this entire experience!
“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” – Arthur Conan Doyle
After the first ride I mounted a phone holder to my bike, so I could keep an eye on the route as I went along. This turned out to be not as useful as I’d hoped since it’s almost impossible to read the screen in the glare of full sunlight. I also added a proper “bike trunk” that attaches to the rear rack, to carry trail supplies.
A week later I embarked on Loop 2, starting with the R Line from 2nd and Abilene back to Fitzsimmons Station. As I got off the train, I saw pelicans on one of the ponds in Sand Creek Park! I took a detour into the park to get a closer look.
Also ran into some Canada geese with their growing families.
Then I hopped onto the Sand Creek Regional Greenway and headed back to the High Line Canal Trail.
Again, prairie dogs yapped at me all along the trail. I love those little guys.
I got all the way to where the High Line Canal crosses Airport Blvd, checked my route, and realized my mistake about where the DOT left the canal trail.
Backtracked to the cross-path and found the little dirt Creekside Trail that the DOT uses.
If you happen to do this loop on a bike, here’s some advice: just stay on the Sand Creek Regional Trail heading east. The Creekside Trail connects with it anyway a bit farther down, and you’ll save yourself a needless slog through soft dirt and deep sand.
I followed the rest of Segment 16 and all of Segment 17. 17 uses more actual roadways than I would consider ideal, but the front range views are still nice.
At the end of Segment 17 I left the DOT and followed Tower Rd north.
There’s a Corner Bakery Cafe right here, and I almost stopped in to get some lunch. It has a patio, so I could keep an eye on my bike while I ate. I decided against it because at that point I was almost done with the ride and I figured I’d eat when I got home. If I do this loop again, I will stop and eat at the cafe. There was just enough travel left in my loop to give me time to get hungry and a little tired.
Anyway, I took a left on 60th Ave and a right on N Richfield St, which brought me to the 61st and Pena Station on the A Line.
I took the A Line to Peoria Station, and from Peoria Station I took the R Line back to my “home base” station at 2nd and Abilene.
One week later I took that train ride in reverse for Loop 3: home base station to Peoria, Peoria to the 61st and Pena Station. Rode to where Segment 17 meets Segment 18.
The highlight of Segment 18 is that it goes through the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.
Unfortunately, bikes aren’t allowed on some of the trails that the DOT uses. If you do it on a bike, just stay on the Greenway Trail all the way to the Visitor Center. The views are still very nice.
The Visitor Center is the start of Segment 19, a really pleasant stretch that wanders through several lovely parks and quiet neighborhoods.
You really have to keep an eye on the map for this segment, because the DOT jumps unpredictably from trail to path to road to trail. It’s easy to get off the route.
I continued on to Segment 20, which brought me back to the Sand Creek Regional Greenway.
I only followed that a short way. When it turned north I continued south on the trail to Central Park Blvd and Central Park Station.
It’s on the A Line, only one stop away from Peoria Station, so it was a short ride home with one transfer to the R Line.
I’m having so much fun with this. Looking forward to Loop 4, and to all the rest!
An Invincible Summer 