It has been 13 years now since the folks in the small Western Slope farm town of Fruita decided to host their own mountain biking festival, and Thursday through Sunday they are planning to share their good fortune once again at the 13th annual New Belgian Brewing Co. Fruita Fat Tire Festival.
The multiday celebration of singletrack has become a rite of spring for social riders who descend on the eastern portal to Kokopelli’s Trail and the best riding in the Bookcliffs amid a carnival atmosphere that includes live music, beer gardens, a bike industry expo and the always classic Clunker Crit on Saturday at 2 p.m. You bring the bike, and shuttles will be provided to and from the trailheads for festival participants.
If you can’t get your fill this week, stick around for the fourth annual 18 Hours of Fruita endurance race beginning at midnight on May 2-3. An all-singletrack course and camping around Highline Lake State Park qualify this entertaining event among the more rider- friendly on the endurance calendar.
Do it: Registration and information are available at .
