GOLDEN — I’ve blasted through the city of Golden a hundred times, usually driving to or from the mountains or Red Rocks Amphitheatre, sometimes wondering what I was missing in this original Colorado gold-rush town. So, on a recent Saturday morning, I turned off U.S. 93, parked by Clear Creek and started to wander.
The first thing I found was Golden’s newest library, a one-room shed behind the Golden Visitors Center. … But it didn’t have a single book. Rather, the will allow visitors to “check out” a bike and tool around town. Amazingly, the first two hours are free, and itap only $10 if you want to keep the bike all day.
The new program, which is funded through a federal grant, opened June 22 in conjunction with Bike to Work Day. Golden’s bike library was modeled after the lending program in Fort Collins but adapted for a smaller population. It is different from Boulder and Denver’s B-cycle programs in several ways: For one, those first two hours are free. Also, Golden has a handful of children’s bikes and relatively light-weight geared bikes, so you’re not limited to heavy cruisers — important when tackling some of Golden’s hills.
The Golden Bike Library is located right on the Clear Creek bike path, which connects to most of the town’s main attractions, including historical sites, the Golden Farmer’s Market and various hiking trailheads around town. Maps and self-guided tour suggestions are available inside the Visitor’s Center, where you check in at a special desk before claiming your ride. You can also do your own brewery tour — believe it or not, there is more than the Coors Brewery in town, which offers daily tours and free tastings. You can bike to a handful of craft breweries as well, and there’s even a gluten-free brewery, , which opens at 11 a.m. on weekends.
On this day, the bikes weren’t ready yet, so I joined the crowds streaming along the path. I passed people returning from the Golden Farmer’s Market, cradling overflowing plastic bags of veggies, family stroller excursions and around the bend, a group of firefighters in dry suits were practicing swiftwater rescues in the creek.
And there was me, poking around, crossing the creek and looking for a sandwich. I settled on a Rodeo Reuben at the , a family-friendly joint on one end of Golden’s welcome arch, which I carried back to the creek’s edge. I enjoyed my lunch in the shade of a snowing cottonwood tree, while continuing to watch the parade of people. Next time, I thought, I’d grab a free bike and venture a bit further downstream.
If you go
The Bike Library and Golden Visitor’s Center are located at 1010 Washington Ave. Users can check-out bikes Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a key drop box allows bikes to be returned after hours. Bikes come equipped with a lock and helmet; riders also get a reusable water bottle and a coupon booklet for nearby businesses and restaurants. For more information, visit www.goldenbikelibrary.com.
