All photos by Tyler Stender
The fastest way to Fort Collins from Des Moines is about 9 ½ hours of straight-line cruising for, oh, 650 miles. One could trim that timeline down to something like 8 hours with an 80 mph average. But when you’re pushing a fully laden Hyundai Santa Fe, replete with rooftop cargo box and 200 pounds of e-bike mass on the trailer hitch, a need for speed would seem unwise.
To mix things up, Tyler and I tacked on more mileage via the Pawnee National Grassland. It’s 193,000 acres of, well, grass. BUT! It sure is pretty and offered many opportunities to get out of the car and have a look around. Which is what most of this day on the road involved. Contrary to popular belief, there’s more to see in Iowa, Nebraska, and the northeastern quadrant of Colorado than you might think.
Mostly, it’s lovely rolling plains, not much traffic, and - in the summer - pleasant weather. It served as proof that not every drive has to be packed with decreasing-radius hairpins and vertigo-inducing vistas to be enjoyable. Plus, we got to stop at Weldwerks Brewing in Greeley, Colorado! This must-visit spot for beer nerds has a dog-friendly patio, tasty food, and top-shelf beers.
From there, it was on to Fort Collins for the night. Plans to hit up gateway craft breweries New Belgium and Odell were thwarted by our late-ish arrival. But Fort Collins is a place worth going back to. Very artsy, eclectic vibe with a heavy emphasis on biking. I like.
About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. See more of his work on MuckRack.