Being someone who has spent numerous years in the service/retail industry, I’ve developed a great appreciation for service with a smile. As a new snowboarder, I knew I was going to be doing some serious shopping for new snow gear. Not totally familiar with the area, I was directed to a sporting goods store called Venture Sports. At Venture Sports in Avon, they truly embody what it means to value excellent customer service.

As soon as I entered, I was warmly welcomed and asked if I needed assistance with anything. I was in the market for some new gloves and a helmet, but I decided to take some time to myself just to browse and see what else they had to offer. I quickly realized that I had no idea what I was looking at so I asked for some assistance. Though there were other guests in the store, they were never too busy to answer a quick question about recommended gloves or share their specials and sales with me.

Overall, I walked out of the store with a new pair of quality gloves and a solid new helmet. I was ready to get out on the mountain. Before leaving, I took some extra time to browse and I noticed some sick looking bikes mounted to their ceiling. During the summer they become a full service bike shop, tune shop, and tour operator. Covering cycling from very high-end road and mountain bikes to base model serious bikes. If you aren’t sure about your purchase, they feature try before you buy. What more can you ask? Venture Sports is truly a one stop shop where you develop a trusting and lasting relationship as well as superior customer service.

One of the best things about living in the Rocky Mountains is also one of the most overlooked. We all know about the majestic snow capped peaks just waiting to be skied and the gorgeous back country scenery perfect for a relaxing hike. Go ahead and take in the crisp mountain air, but don’t let the fall season in Colorado pass you by. The picturesque views and the crunching of dead leaves beneath your feet, not to mention that distinct Autumn smell, bring you a sense of calm and clarity that seems to come only with life above 8,000 feet.

The changing of the leaves is one of the most beautiful sites to see in a land that is known for its unbelievable views. I have been to New England in the fall and the entire feeling is just amazing, but when it’s that time of year in the Rockies, the mountains are on fire, figuratively speaking, of course.

So, grab yourself a mug of hot cocoa or, better yet, apple cider, and breathe in: The smell, the green and golden laden views, the gentle sounds of leaves falling and rustling, the sunny warming days, and the cool nights – it all comes together in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Life was meant to be enjoyed – what better place is there to do just that?

While the changing of the leaves and just the overall feeling of being in the Rockies during this special time of year should be enough to lure you to the mountains for at least a weekend getaway, the pot is sweetened when you take into account the fact that you can view all of this in breathtaking fashion by visiting Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Aspen, and many of the other destinations that Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals offers. It’s no secret that Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals provides unrivaled service in premier destinations throughout Colorado and the rest of the Rocky Mountains, and the fall is no exception. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to enjoy peacoat weather in the Rockies for affordable off-season rates. Visit Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals or call 1-888-866-2305 now to enjoy the fall foliage.

Episode VII

Welcome to the weekly blog that reports my adventures throughout the general area of the Vail Valley.  I am recently new to Vail and have a passion for exploring the beautiful nature while also informing anyone planning to visit the Valley, or even current locals, of the incredible activities the Valley has to offer.  Every week I plan on going somewhere remote to experience the Rocky Mountains by participating in activities including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, rock climbing, kayaking, rafting, tubing, cliff diving, and whatever else I can think of.  During these activities I will be capturing the nature around me with my camera to produce breathtaking photos and informative videos if possible.

Recently, I decided it was time to venture to other areas of the Rocky Mountains to expand my knowledge of the beautiful state of Colorado.  The destination I had in mind I had passed through a few times, but had never had the opportunity to do proper exploring during the summer months.  This destination is the beautiful Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where I decided to do some mountain biking in Strawberry Park Hot Springs.  Strawberry Park Hot Springs has to be one of the most surreal natural landscapes I have ever seen.  Though the Hot Springs are known as a lodging destination, I found great trails in Strawberry Park leading into Routt National Forest.

To get to Strawberry Park Hot Springs from Denver, hop onto I-70 West to Exit 205 merging onto CO-9 N towards Silverthorne.  Take CO-9 N towards Kremmling then take a left at US-40/Park Ave.  Continue on US-40 until reaching Elk River Road.  There will be a few trails on this road, any of which are good for a daily hike or bike ride, but the Hot Springs particularly are located on USFS Trail 1100.  Personally, I had to take in the beauty first before I exerted any energy.  This trail is very popular for locals and you will other mountain bikers as well as casual runners with their dogs; be sure to be courteous of everyone on the trail.

I headed up the somewhat steep beginning of the trail and ventured far into the wilderness.  On the journey, I stumbled upon many places to utilize as a pit stop to enjoy the beauty and catch my breath.  These pit stops included a great river with plenty of boulders to walk along the river, an old historical barn you can go inside of and imagine the life of an old pioneer, and an area with  cows we saw hanging out on the trail.  Cows are great animals to stumble upon in the wilderness as they are very calm and will cause you no harm and will eventually get out of your way; or you can just go around them.  Coming back was an intense experience, as the majority of the trail was downhill; screaming, brakes clutched, hoping my bike didn’t fall apart underneath me, I made my final decent back to my vehicle.  Good news: I made it and my bike is still in decent condition.

This adventure was so much fun and the natural scenery was incredible.  I recommend this trail to all, as it has something for everyone: different levels of trails, plenty of great scenery, the option of taking a dip in the hot springs, or simply enjoying the town—it’s a full experience, no matter which option you take.  Steamboat Springs has an all-around friendly atmosphere with great dining and shopping opportunities for a great vacation or just an enjoyable daytrip.  If you are planning on visiting the Rocky Mountain area make sure to book your trip through Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, your friendly, knowledgeable locals.  Call us at 1-888-866-2305 to reserve your lodging today!

With the summer drawing to an end, the weather is cooling down, meaning great conditions for biking.  The League of American Bicyclists made its way through Breckenridge in 2009 to award the town the silver-level award, allowing them to join honors with other Colorado towns including Colorado Springs, Durango, and Steamboat Springs. Breckenridge has been working hard to achieve a higher level ever since.  Many bike lanes and shared lane markings have been or will be striped to navigate bicyclists safely throughout town.  In other efforts, parking on Main Street is now only available on one side of the road, leaving more room for bicyclists.

The League offers four levels of awards; Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.  Each level represents the efforts made to make each town bicyclist-friendly.  Eleven Colorado towns have been recognized by the League, making Colorado the 14^th most bicycle-friendly state.  Boulder, CO was the second of only three towns to ever receive a platinum award.  If more Colorado towns can join this list, the state might have a shot at taking the top spot over the three-year-running most Bicycle Friendly state, Washington.

So grab your bicycles and come down to Breckenridge to enjoy their improved bike lanes and trails.  Awareness is the first step to greater improvement.  When you are in Breckenridge cycling through the town, make sure you have a great place to lay your head at night by calling Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals at 1-888-866-2305.

As it snows I’m thinking about all the bike and trail riding out there in the Vail Valley. Just two days ago, the beautiful weather brought out all the bikers soaking up the sun.  Today it rains and snow… For the roadies you should check out the Vail Pass Trail that is mostly paved and runs from Edwards all the way up Vail pass to Copper and Breckenridge.  The best part about riding the Vail Pass Trail is that it is far from the road, offering science views throughout.  Here are some good hiking and biking trails.

• Mesa Cortina
• Bighorn
• Lost Lake
• Booth Falls

Trails.com has some great info on these and other trails, or you could always blaze your own!

And if you’re planning to come out for the Teva Mountain Games check out Venture Sports for bike rentals….  Two years ago at the Teva Games they had Giant Bikes available for Demo, Hopefully they do that again, Nothing like Riding a $4500 Dowhnill Bike around the Village, But be sure to abide by Municipal Ordinance  for dismounting your bicycle on stairs even though the Giant Glory eats them up!

The Teva Mountain Games will take place in just two weeks! Colorado’s fickle weather always surprises….  I’ll just hope we have sunshine June 3-6, for the Teva Games and the Mud Run I’ll be competing in!