First of all I must admit that riding wise 2009 was not exactly a stellar year for me. Due to circumstances beyond my control I was not able to do any of the touring trips I had sort of planned for the summer. That being said, it still was a very good year to be riding in Denver.

While I was not able to go away for longer trips I did manage to go on a few SO24s (What’s this you ask? Read more here). I had a blast doing them and also met a bunch of pretty cool folks, so overall I am pretty happy

So what were my riding favorites in 2009?

Platte River Trail

Denver’s back bone of multi-use trails has seen a lot of attention over the last few years. It now stretches pretty much all the way from north to south of Metro Denver and connects to almost every other trail in the city. It can get a bit crowded in certain areas, especially on the weekends, but it is my favorite trail to ride still

More commuters than ever

It is perhaps that I pay more attention these days, but I noticed a much larger number of other riders on their way to work, the store and so forth than in years before. The whole spectrum from carbon-fiber weenies to Hipsters wearing their sister’s pants on their brakeless fixies to guys in business attire on a cruiser. It is a good thing to see

Traffic policy changes

The city of Denver ( as well as the state) have changed their policy regarding bicycles in traffic quite considerably. Good for all of us, even the cagers

Bike shows & Community rides

I attended several bike-related events in 2009 and the were all great. From bike-themed artwork to handmade frame and vintage parts, everything seemed to have its own event last year. Huge numbers of people there and a good atmosphere.

Good bike shops

We are now blessed with a number of shops that are all about bikes and riding. Sure, the despicable chain stores are here as well; but now there’s choices. The fact that my money goes to a local shop rather than a faceless corporation is an additional perk

My friends, riding or not

Going to a time of, well, hardship nothing beats good friends. The amount of support, help and just good company I received from all people I consider close to me was nothing but mind-boggling.

Thank you all so very much for that.