The Colorado Rockies

Photo by http://img.webring.com/r/c/coloradorockies/logo

The Colorado Rockies baseball team are 18-28 this season, with plenty more games to play and chances to win and take a victory. Their home games take place at Coors Field in the Downtown Denver area. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or at the box office right outside the stadium.

For those who are on a tight budget but would still like to enjoy a summers day watching a baseball game, there are "rockpile" tickets available. If these are purchased in advance they are only a mere $4. Club level seating, season tickets, and standard ticketswhere you may choose the area you would like to be seated are some of the other options when purchasing tickets.

For huge fans of the Rockies team, there are countless blogs that cover all the latest news of the players, stats, and such day to day. A popular site like this is called Purple Row, and it is updated almost every day with detailed and precise news about almost anything realted to the team.

Noon Toons in Boulder

Beginning June 8th, a series of local music will be playing right outside the Boulder County Courthouse, located at 1300 Pearl Street. This fresh entertainment is held Friday at Noon throughout the summer weeks, up until the last day which is August 24th.

The music is spread over many genres including bluegrass, folk, rock, and classical. A few of the bands that will be playing over the couple weeks include Soul Sacrifice, Mojomama, Felonious Smith, and Lorrie Singer & Bradley Kopp.

There are many tasty restaraunts located on the nearby block that have outside seating so you may enjoy great food and music all in one. Fransca Food and Wine offers American and seafood, Sunflower is a good choice if you are looking for vegan or vegetarian choices, and the California Pizza Kitchen has a wide variety of delicious pizza creations.

If the lunch hour is booked up for you and nightlife is more appealing, take a look at Bands on the Bricks which is Wednesday nights from 7 to 9pm. This event also goes all summer long and also includes a schedule of many talented bands to play.

FoCo Biking

Avid bicycle riders of Fort Collins, Colorado have probably already noticed the newly installed bike racks throughout the downtown areas. This project was funded by the New Belgium Brewing Company , and was aimed at lessening the congestion problem on downtown sidewalks.

For those who would prefer taking a bike ride on an actual trail around town or up to Horsetooh Reservoir, there are countless trails available which all twist and turn through beautiful scenery. These trails are all sustained year round by the City, including even the winter season when the snow is removed.

If you are looking to rent a bicycle and take a short day trip or even a long weekender, there are an assortment of locations carrying bicycles that will allow you to do just that. New World Sports
is just one of these places which permits you to not only rent a bicycle and all the gear to wear while riding, but they offer guided tours and shuttle services asl well.

Another popular bike rental spot is located in the heart of downtown Fort Collins, right in the square. The Fort Collins Bike Library is a free service to locals, students, and even visitors. They are open Thursday through Sunday, from Noon to 6pm. So don't hesitate to jump on a bike and take advantage of the easy exercise and exciting trails that Fort Collins has to offer.

Water Parks and more

With swimming pools and water parks finally opening up for the summer season, many are struggling to meet the new drainage laws that were put into place just last December. These laws call for the installation of a specific drain system that prevents hair, body parts, and jewelry getting trapped in the drain.

Water World in Denver, a main attraction for many residents of Northern Colorado, opened on May 23rd. Their operating hours are from 10am to 6pm, depending upon weather conditions. Today though, May 25th, they were closed due to cool temperatures and stormy weather conditions but anticipate opening at normal time tomorrow morning.

The ticket prices for a day of fun in the sun varies depending upon age, half day or full day, and if you present coupons. Although Water World is offering a great season pass deal this year, especially for families who plan on purchasing 4 or more passes. Along with the season pass, it includes free day tickets for friends, 20% savings on food and merchandise, and much more.

Elitch Gardens Theme Park is another exciting attraction that brings huge crowds to Denver. Not only does this theme park have a wide array of thrill rides and rollercoasters, they also have a water park, and host dozens of concerts each summer which all take place at 7pm. Also, with the purchase of one day admission ticket into Elitch Gardens, you get to attend the concert for FREE, which is a great incentive for those who are looking to get more for their dollar.

Elitch Gardens Concert Line-Up
May 9th- The Charlie Daniels Band
May 16th- Grand Funk Railroad
May 23rd-Conjunto Atardecer
May 30th- Little Big Town
June 6th- Relient K
June 13th- Nat and Alex Wolff
June 20th- Lee Ann Womack
June 27th- Loverboy

For people who would rather just head to their neighborhood pool and not fight the crowds at a theme park, be aware of the new drainage laws that were put into place just last December. These laws call for the installation of a specific drain system that prevents hair, body parts, and jewelry getting trapped in the drain. So be sure that either that if you have your own backyard pool, you are aware of the hazards of not abiding by the drainage laws.

Red Rocks Concerts

Red Rocks Amphitheatre has a great line-up of bands and artists scheduled to perform throughout the next few months. Tickets for most of the shows can be purchased online at Ticketmaster. Otherwise, the box office is located at Entrance 2 of Red Rocks Road, and is open 2 hours prior to every show for tickets to be purchased there as well. The following list includes all of the shows at Red Rocks for May, June and July:

MAY
28- Punk Rocks 2009 @ 6pm
29- TECH N9NE @ 7pm
30- The Disco Biscuits @ 5pm
31- REO Speedwagon @ 7pm

JUNE
2- Leonard Cohen World Tour 2009 @ 8pm
5- O.A.R. @ 8pm
6- Big Head Todd and the Monsters @ 7:30pm
11- Rise Against @ 7pm
12- 311 Unity Tour 09’ @ 7pm
13- John Prine @ 7:30pm
20- David Byrne @ 7:30pm
27- John Denver @ 8pm
29- Mormon Tabernacle Choir @ 7:30pm

JULY
1&2- Celtic Woman @ 8pm
3- Wilco @ 8pm
5- Symphony on the Rocks @ 7:30pm
14- Death Cab for Cutie @ 7pm
15- Blazed and Confused Tour/Slightly Stoopid/Snoop Dogg @ 6:30pm
18- Global Dance Festival @ 5pm
21- Journey @ 7:30pm
23- ABBA The Tribute @ 8pm
25- STS9 @ 4pm
26- Lyle Lovett and his Large Band @ 7:30pm
29- Counting Crows @ 7pm
30&31- Phish @ 7:30pm

Take a Splash in the Poudre River

Since early April the Poudre River, formally known as the Cache La Poudre, officially opened its waters to tourists from all over to come and enjoy. Some of the extreme activities that take place on the river include rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and even tubing. If you’re looking for a summer that is full of intensity, thrills, and wild fun, then these white water activities are the answer. Whether you have never stepped foot near a mountainous river, or consider yourself a skilled kayaker, there are programs and lessons available to meet your specific needs.

Mountain Whitewater Descents Inc. is just one of the numerous places that provides lessons, guides, rentals, and much more for all of the river activities. They offer half-day and full-day trips, all of the rental gear and boats one could possibly want, and even offer catered BBQ lunches outside in the scenic terrain. The prices really vary depending upon what you are wanting to do or rent, but they usually offer a special package that is discounted in some way.

Another place to get everything you need to take on the Poudre is A Wanderlust Adventure. What sets them apart from all of the other rafting places is that they offer the free use of paddle jackets, fleece sweaters, wetsuit rentals, and more. Their season begins May 15th and goes until August 31st, allowing ages 7 and up to experience the river, and have various different river trips to choose from.

Keep in mind though, that floating down the river on a raft, even with an experienced guide by your side, still carries its dangers. As stated by the Larimer County Sheriff's Office Emergency Services in the Fort Collins Coloradoan, the water in the Poudre has been rapidly rising this season. Therefore, people who are planning to use the river this summer should be sure to use caution.

Mountain Resort Fun

In the winter season, people from all over the world travel to the Colorado Rockies to ski and snowboard on one or even all of the many infamous slopes located there. Areas such as Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Winter Park, and Copper are flooded with snow bums throughout the snowy months of the year, but don't think for one second that they slow down during the summer.

Keystone is famous for its' golf courses, Vail holds music festivals almost every weekend during the summer months, Winter Park has over 600 miles of rugged mountain biking trails, and a few years ago Copper added a zip line that allows guests to soar through the trees. Each resort offers scenic chair-lift rides, and some of them even allow guests to enjoy a scrumptious lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants sitting atop the mountain. Keystone for example, has a well-known gourmet restaurant atop their North Peak where guests may enjoy specialties such as fondue and seafood along with live entertainment.

Below is a list of some of the major events coming up in the month of June:

- Mountain Bike Series @ Vail/Beaver Creek
- Teva Mountain Games @ Vail
- King of the Mountain @ Vail
- Bud Light Hot Summer Nights @ Vail
- Trestle Bike Park Opening @ Winter Park
- 5.3 mile hill climb @ Winter Park
- Family Plaza Palooza @ Winter Park
- 5th Annual Trout Cook-off @ Keystone
- Avon Walk for Breast Cancer @ Keystone
- World Music Festival @ Keystone
- Life Off: Summer (Opening Weekend) @ Copper
- 3Ring Weekend @ Copper
- Copper Triangle Bicycle Tour @ Copper

Vail/Keystone/Winter Park/Copper

Stampede Days

Photo found at:
www.kwalicia.com/Default.aspx
While the Greeley Stampede is not coming up for another month and a half ( June 25th-July 5th), it is important to take notice ahead of time at which events most interest you. They offer a Firework show, Demolition Derby, Arts show, a Parade, and much more. If you are a big fan of rodeos, or just might want to experience one for the first time, take a look at the rodeo schedule.

Along with these exciting activities, every year they have an awesome lineup of music artists that will be performing during the couple weeks of fun. More detail about the dates and times of the concerts can be found at the Greeley Stampede website. If you are one of those people who like to be the early bird at events such as these, be sure to take a walk through of the carnival that is just outside of the Stampede arena. They have rows of booths where you can win prizes, rollercoasters, and other rides which you might want to think twice about hopping on if you're prone to motion sickness or scared of heights!

Overall, the Greeley Stampede is a great place to bring the whole family, your boyfriend or girlfriend, or even to take a day on your own and witness some of the diverse talent and activities that are offered.