If your lodging doesn’t provide you with nourishment, Snazzy recommended The Dream Café (314 Main St., Grand Junction, 970-424-5353) for its amazing staples such as eggs benny, or Aspen Street Coffee (136 E. Aspen Ave., Fruita, 970-858-8888) which is across from Over the Edge. Grab an early bagel to go with the java made from fresh-roasted beans. During the annual Fat Tire Fest, aka 18 Hours of Fruita because it’s an 18-hour bike race beginning at midnight, the coffee shop extends their hours because who starts a mountain bike race at midnight?
Sun Valley, ID
Known primarily as a ritzy ski resort, Sun Valley has been a playground of the rich and famous since the 1930s. But when the snow melts, the MTBers takeover.
Sun Valley comprises towns such as Hailey and Ketchum. Our guide to the hot spots is Kevin Jones, who just opened the Sawtooth Brewery (www.SawtoothBrewery.com, 600 N. Main St. #A-120, Ketchum) with a taproom on the way.
While not as recognizable, several MTB celebs live in Sun Valley including Rebecca “The Queen of Pain” Rusch, who just three-peated the Leadville Trail 100, and Billy Olsen, an ex-racer who runs Power House (PowerHouseIdaho.com, 411 N. Main St., Hailey), a dual pub and bike shop. Whether you need to buy a new full-suspension bike or just need repairs, you can do that here while enjoying their huge draft and bottle list. While scarfing a burger, Jones said he is a fan of the hand-cut fries and housemade ketchup. He said the tap list is heavy on Belgians with only a few local bottles on the menu but that’s not entirely Billy’s fault. “Our beer scene is just starting to grow,but I think the overall attitude toward craft beer is great here,” he said.
Sun Valley Brewery (www.SunValleyBrewery.com, 202 N. Main St.) is a brewpub with accounts all over town and six-packs in stores. My only experience with their beers while in Sun Valley recently wasn’t great, but Jones said that they are improving.
Another post-ride hangout is Lefty’s (www.LeftysBarAndGrill.com, 231 6th St. E.). Among their 13 taps is another Hailey brewery, River Bend Brewing, and Jones is a big fan of their Round the Bend Pale Ale. Also likely to be available is an offering from Grand Teton Brewing of Victor, ID, a brewery worthy of its cult following. While sunning yourself on their deck, Jones suggested ordering the Train Wreck (turkey, roast beef, and ham) with Monkey’s, referring to their oval-cut spicy fries.
Another place for great carbo loading is Wiseguy Pizza Pie (www.WiseguyPizzaPie.com, two locations: 460 Sun Valley Road, Ketchum, and 121 N. Main St, Hailey) with 12 taps devoted to Northwest micros. Jones’favorite pie: the Fat Guy with salami, pepperoni, ham and bacon.
If you prefer to get your calories in the morning, The Kneadery (260 Leadville Ave, Ketchum) is worth the wait. Read the whole menu if you must, but get the Grizzly Bear: a Belgian waffle with two eggs, thick-cut bacon and sausage with a side of hash browns.
No trip to Sun Valley is complete without enjoying a burger on the patio at Grumpy’s (860 Warm Springs Road., Ketchum). The beers they stock are nothing to endo your bike over (though you can get a 32-oz chalice for $5) But the thousands of vintage cans and other breweriana that festoon the walls and ceiling, all donated by serious collectors who’ve visited Sun Valley, are worth the visit.
Accommodations in Sun Valley range from free camping to rooms costing several hundred dollars per night. Jones recommended the Clarion Inn of Sun Valley, which is physically attached to his brewery, bike friendly and close to the trails.
