497 Denver Bike Adventures

By Jason Keglovitz from Bike Streets

You’ve probably considered the geography of Denver in terms of highways, neighborhoods, or marquee parks. You might think of long rides as bound to the popular trails: Cherry Creek, South Platte, High Line Canal. Maybe you keep close to home or stick to the routes you know so you can easily get to work, the gym, school, or meet a friend for coffee.

I had a different mission to ride this summer. I helped build the Explorer’s Map for the Bike Streets App in late July. To do it, we covered the entire Denver map with almost 500 hexagons. Bike Streets members can now see which “hexes” they’ve visited while riding with the app and which ones they haven’t explored and remain under the “Fog of War.”

For me, it was a quest to complete; a total invitation to discover the parts of Denver I had never seen.

I’ve now ridden my bike to all 497 hexes of the Explorer’s Map. I rode on weekends and weeknights, sometimes alone, and sometimes with my wife along for the ride while I was “hex hunting.” Here’s what the Explorer’s Map looks when it’s 100% complete:

I’ve chatted with other riders on the elevator crossing the pedestrian bridge at 40th and Fox. I’ve met a couple walking the Barnum Community Garden goats on the Weir Gulch Trail.

I’ve taken dozens of photos of eye-catching street art and over-the-top yard decorations all over the city. I’ve discovered so many new places I love to ride. From Green Valley Ranch, Regis, Fort Logan, Kennedy, and everywhere in between I’ve seen at least a small part of what each area brings to Denver.

I’m thinking of starting an Explorer’s Series soon to ride it all again, but this time with a small regular group interested in a community of discovery. It’s all about finding out what’s in that next hexagon.