ON THE ROCKS PRESENTS

GOLDEN GEOHISTORY BICYCLE TOUR

October 1, 2023

Trip Leader: Dr. Donna Anderson

Have you ever wondered how the landscape around the City of Golden came to be? Why are North and South Table Mountains so flat? What’s up with all those rock fins on the back-nine at Fossil Trace Golf Course? What are those white stripes along the sharp ridge west of State Hwy-93 to Boulder? Were there ever any dinosaurs in Golden? Where did those round rocks in the Armory Building come from? Did anyone ever find any gold in Golden? Did you know that Golden was a mining town from 1870 through the 1950s? And, that most of the public open space in and around Golden has its roots in mining? What was mined here?

This trip will address these questions and more by unraveling the tapestry of the Golden landscape. You will discover the origins of what you are walking or cycling by, driving across, golfing over, or simply just seeing every day when you walk out of your home. You will learn the story behind Golden’s good drinking water. You will learn how Golden’s early settlers used their local rock materials to build Golden and Denver, a legacy that still provokes controversy.

Logistics Summary:

The group will assemble and be ready to start the trip at 9:00 am on Sunday morning, October 1st, parking on the street along Shelton Road close to the intersection with Eagle Ridge Drive in Golden. This will be an approximately 5-mile long bicycle tour, mostly downhill, along mostly paved bike paths, with stops at outcrops and other sites of interest. Bikes will go through two tunnels (underpasses) and will be walked over gravel trails on two occasions. The return trip to the cars will be largely uphill, and is also approximately 5 miles. The bike path will be open to the public, so participants are expected to follow safe cycling practices – announce your presence when passing slower riders or pedestrians, do not speed out of control, be aware of other participants and trail users, and park off to the side of the trail when stopped. Participants are required to wear cycling helmets for their own safety; taillights are recommended. This will NOT be a difficult bike ride, as the bikes are for transportation more than exercise in this case. The pace will be slow enabling the leader to stop to discuss items of interest and to keep the group together. Participants are responsible for bringing their own lunches, which will be enjoyed at a stop in new Loveland Mine Park. The trip will officially end at a stop along Clear Creek, after which participants are invited to join in an adult beverage (perhaps at Golden City Brewery), a coffee, or can ride back to the cars.

Download Trip Details and Logistics

Cost

• $20 Members
• $25 Non-Members (not a member? Join Today!)

Refunds for the Golden GeoHistory Bicycle Tour are available until September 18th. After September 18th, if you can no longer attend you can transfer your registration to another attendee or forfeit the trip costs.