Santa Cruz v/s Denver for bike/beer trip

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Santa Cruz v/s Denver for bike/beer trip
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flag szot123
Posted: Jan 2, 2020 at 10:32 Quote
Hey guys,

I'm planning a beer/bike trip up to the US for a month and a half starting July 2020.

My idea is to fly up from Chile to Brooklyn, New York for about two weeks solely to visit a few craft breweries like Other Half, Grimm Artisanals, Threes brewing, Evil Twin, Mikkeller, Kings County Brewing Collective and a bunch of others. Dunno if i'll have to time or money to travel around to Boston nor Vermont to try a few other Hazybois. Any enduro or parks in Vermont?

Next, I got about a month to kill with lots of brewery visiting and hopefully mountainbiking and I'm thinking of two options: Colorado or California.

I've got buddies in Crested Butte and I've heard the riding is world class. Denver has loads of great breweries like Cerebral brewing and Frisco has Outer Range (which seems sorta near to Vail?) both which I'm dying to check out. I wreckon there are more and easier access bike parks in Co than Ca.

v/s

Don't know anyone in California, but I'd love to go to Santa Cruz and visit Humble Sea Brewing and then head south to Salinas/Monterrey area and check out Alvarado Street Brewing. Dunno about the riding there, the boys riding Banshee's in Sta Cruz seem to have some really sick spots but I think they're hidden gems?

Other spots in California could be the bay area, I've been before, but I was really young and since then many new breweries have opened in San Francisco and Alameda. I can't recall much people mountainbiking back in 2011, it was so hard to find a good mtb store with proper downhill mountainbikes. And San Diego might be a good option? Loads of old school West Coast breweries and seems to have good riding. Auburn maybe has more mountains and Moonraker brewing, but dunno if it's worth the trip just for one brewery.

So it's pretty much Denver v/s Santa Cruz, where do you guys think there will be better enduro/downhill riding? Will probably sell my 2017 Slayer before the trip and try to snatch a new similar 2020 bike. Have they got good deals for Santa Cruz Nomad/Bronson in Santa Cruz? If anyone has any suggestions feel free to send me a DM.

Thanks!
flag 831SCB
Posted: Jan 2, 2020 at 13:20 Quote
I may be a bit biased but Santa Cruz is the spot. Tons of beer with little breweries from Santa Cruz down to Big Sur. Alvarado is gonna treat you right I’ll even give up my bar stool to you for the night haha you got all the UCSC trails, demo and 20 min down to pipeline in toro and some hidden trails further down south. Plus it’s a quick trip to cruise up to the bay, 2 hours. So many places to explore from Santa Cruz as your base
flag Beecee336
Posted: Jan 2, 2020 at 20:48 Quote
I would have to recommend Colorado for beer and bike parks. I can think of 6-8 awesome trail systems within an hour of denver and 30+ good breweries between golden, Denver and the RINO neighborhood in north denver. Also you have keystone, TRESTLE, steamboat springs and snowmass, and evolution bike parks (crested butte) within 3 1/2 hours of denver. I'd be down to show you some really good enduro trails along the front range and around trestle bike park.
flag splayleg
FL
Posted: Jan 3, 2020 at 5:39 Quote
I live just south of Santa Cruz and there are really good trails that are a little tuff to find without a guide. I have ridden trestle and trails around boulder co(valmont bike park is rad) I would say Colorado unless you have a really nice place to stay in the Bay Area. So many people and few good places to camp in the sc mountains plus I’m a rat for a park any day and trestle is rad just watch out with the ipa’s at 9000ft. If you do go to Santa Cruz pm me if you want to ride
flag bubbaburger911
Posted: Jan 3, 2020 at 8:19 Quote
When on the east coast, go to Killington, VT to ride and stop at the Long Trail Brewery. The Northeast has some incredible riding
flag Kwc1987
Posted: Jan 3, 2020 at 12:34 Quote
I can vote Denver! The brewery/biking scene is nuts! Eddyline is a brewery id throw on the list and their Crank yanker IPA is amazing. Good luck figuring it out and I hope the trip works out!
That being said, Ive never riden in California but the place, in general, is also Amazing.. you cant go wrong with either except the friends in CO part...
flag JimmyWeir
Posted: Jan 5, 2020 at 17:16 Quote
I would go California. You may even consider starting in Colorado and taking a road trip to California, stopping in Utah then Northstar bike park, CA. Then Downieville, CA. and finally Santa Cruz. That way you would get to ride an awesome variety of terrain. Also, the weather in Santa Cruz in the summer (and winter) is very nice. The Santa Cruz mountains are amazing having redwood forests and ocean views and there are a few shuttles you can take to get to the good stuff. This area is also home to Santa Cruz bicycles and Fox Racing Shox.
flag Strelok1987i
Posted: Jan 14, 2020 at 17:20 Quote
I’m a fellow beer nerd and I lived in both Santa Cruz and Denver this year. All in all, I have to give the nod to Denver for what you want. There’s just way more trails, they’re not illegal, and the beer scene is just as good. I recommend New Image brewing and WeldWerks as well as the ones you listed.

If you do go to Santa Cruz, try to befriend a local to show you the trails at UCSC. And go to Humble Sea and Sante Adairius. Also check out Boy Scout and Mile trail in Pacifica.
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