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Pecos

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(104th to Downtown Denver) (No map since it is just a straight line!)

Rating: Nice Ride

Short Description: Good route to get from the Northwest Metro area to downtown Denver.  Most of the route has a parking lane and large gutters; sidewalks and bikeways are also available when needed.  It can get a bit "fumy" when a clump of traffic goes by.

Detailed Description: The North end of Pecos dead-ends at 104th.  To get on it, you have to get to the South side of 104th at one of the lights or play chicken with a good deal of fast traffic.  Once on Pecos and heading south, you will be in a residential section with mild traffic.  Around 95th, the road has some traffic obstacles to slow people down that limits the amount of road available.  Otherwise, it is a typical ride through a bunch of houses until you get to WaterWorld.

WaterWorld has ten-foot bikeways in front and a 15-foot shoulder so there is plenty of room to ride.  You also get to start a long downhill ride - open up if you want.  Around 65th, you will cross the Clear-Creek trail which connects to the Platte River.  Past Clear Creek, you go under I76.  Sidewalks and crossing lights will get you through that stretch fairly easily.  The whole area has an industrial flavor and the shoulder is a bit sketchy but there is plenty of road as long as no construction interferes with it.

As you approach I70, the area is more commercial.  A Safeway is on the east side if you need some food.  You go over I70 using a convoluted intersection.  If you can figure out which light to follow, it isn't bad.  The you head through more residential with a bit of commercial area until you get to 38th.  At 38th, the street losses most of a lane and gets pretty tight.  However, a sidewalk runs along the west side to use going up the hill and if you are going down the hill, you can keep up with traffic (which is light through here.) 

At 32cd, Pecos makes a sharp turn to the west and becomes 32cd.  This is rather discerning if you have looked at the map and know you need to use 20th to get across I25.  Upon closer inspection of the map, you will discover that 32cd is an avenue and the 20th you need is a street.  And to further help you along, signs direct bikes to the sidewalk to the east which leads to crosswalks to get you onto 20th Street.  The signs also inform you that you are on something called trail D4.

When you are across I25, you will be overlooking the new skatepark.  Cool site - I need to get a skateboard again!  You can also see the Platte River Trail system.  To get to it, follow the bike path to south around Madcap Engines.  To get downtown, stay on 20th until you get just past Coor's Field.  Turn south at Wazee and go back one block to the west to get to Wynkoop.  Wynkoop has bike lanes on both sides.

Heading north is just about the opposite.  The only problem are at I70 and around 70th.  The I70 crosswalk goes through a couple of lanes and motorists turning across them won't see you.  Around 70th, the shoulder is ripped up for some construction.