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Where the West rides!
Bike Cruise participants saddle up for fun summertime rides
BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Goldenites were back in the saddle again June 27, as they donned their cowboy hats, untied their steeds from the hitching posts, and rode o into the sunset.
Hundreds of locals saddled up for the “Cowboys & Cowgirls”-themed Golden Bike Cruise, a summertime staple that fundraises for local nonpro ts.
e event, which is the last Tuesday of the month May through September, starts at the Armory parking garage and loops through north Golden before returning downtown.
e bike cruise also features music by a local band, Golden-based food and beer vendors, and other local sponsors.
Golden Community Commons, a subset of Calvary Church, hosts the event and partners with a di erent nonpro t each month to share revenues. For June 27, it was the Rotary Club of Golden.
e cruises, which started about e event also has a di erent theme each month, except for the September ride, which is always zombie-themed.
16 years ago, raises about $3,000 a year for Golden Community Commons and about $600 each for ve nonpro ts, organizers explained.
Organizers Peter Ewers and Jill Powers said June’s “Cowboys & Cowgirls” theme was coincidental, but saw how it aligned with Golden’s history and Old West feel.
“We are where the West lives,” Ewers said, referring to Golden’s iconic arch. “It’s a good way to harken to the past, as we enjoy today and look to the future.”
Rides can draw anywhere from 150-300 participants depending on the month and the weather. e May 30 event started with ominous clouds overhead, which Ewers and
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Powers said might have warded o some riders, but it ended up being a nice evening.
Overall, though, the Golden Bike Cruise is truly a homegrown event, drawing mostly locals for quality community time each summer, Ewers described.
Joe and Cristin Lasser, for instance, have been bringing their kids since 10-year-old Ezra was a baby. ey’ve also started a tradition of celebrating Ayla’s birthday at the June bike cruise, and brought a cake and decorations for her fth birthday to the June 27 event.
