Ride the Rockies Premiere Party

More than 250 attended the 4th Annual Ride the Rockies Route Premiere Party featuring live music, cocktails and a silent auction at the Denver Center for Performing Arts Seawell Grand Ballroom, Saturday, February 7. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2015, this year’s event will once again take cyclists on a challenging and picturesque tour through unique small town Colorado.

Held annually in June Ride The Rockies is a non-competitive event open to cyclists of all ages that takes riders–ages 10 to 70–through some of Colorado’s most scenic and historic areas. Cyclists typically ride 70 miles daily through some of Colorado’s most panoramic towns and communities with more than 100 volunteers supporting participants through the challenging course.

The Premiere Party provides an opportunity for sponsors, participants, cyclists and their friends and families to preview the route and share stories of cycling exploits. The route changes annually so many guests stopped by the Route Guessing Station where Denver Post Business Reporter Steve Raabe took $5 donations per guess.

Ride the Rockies Tour Director Chandler Smith, Community Relations Director Renee Wheelock, Event Coordinator Liz Brown, and Denver Post representatives ensured that guests enjoyed the evening. Presenting sponsor Suncor and Product Sponsors Odell Brewing, Colterris Wine and Maggiano’s provided silent auction items, food and drink for the crowd.

After the cocktail reception and silent auction guests entered the ballroom to hear Wheelock call out raffle ticket numbers and silent auction winners. Tour Director Chandler Smith provided a historic event overview filled with anecdotes covering three decades. Suncor representative Lisha Burnett described her company’s commitment to Colorado communities in conjunction with The Denver Post Community Foundation.

Each year host towns and communities provide alternative lodging, inexpensive community meals and entertainment for riders. Representatives from each of the seven 2015 community hosts that help support and promote this event this year were: Barb Bowman of Grand Junction; Carrie Yantzer of Hotchkiss; Tammy Scott of Gunnison; Eliza Cress of Crested Butte; Brandy Coscarella of Salida; Lisa Hyams of Cañon City; and Rene Smith of Westcliffe.

The secret route for this June’s Ride the Rockies bike tour remained a secret until it was unveiled around 8:30 p.m. on two large ballroom screens. The event ended with Himani Williams taking home a high-end bicycle from Wheat Ridge Cyclery purchased by Suncor.

Registration for Ride the Rockies Applications will be accepted through March 1st at 5PM MST. All proceeds from Ride The Rockies go to The Denver Post Community Foundation (DPCF) which distributes funds to dozens of Colorado non-profits in the areas of arts, youth, education and human services. For more information visit www.ridetherockies.com

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