Things to Do in Columbine

Shannon Long's path to the American dream went in the opposite direction than that of most people. While many work in retail to support their dreams of becoming artists, Shannon molded clay over steel substructures, sculpting half-scale abstract figurative art while dreaming about starting a fly-fishing business. As a boy growing up in popular Lake Havasu, he frequented a small Western-themed shop where the owner was always chatting with customers who shared his fascination with the independent spirit of the American West. In a turn of serendipity, Shannon got married and happily followed his wife to her native Colorado. Sometime after, he opened the fly-fishing shop he had always dreamed of, and found himself becoming the shopkeeper chatting with and educating customers in their shared interests.

Today, Shannon oversees a guide service manned by a staff of veteran fly-fishing experts. On full-day and half-day fly-fishing trips, guides lead anglers for the grand slam: rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brown trout, and brook trout all caught in a single trip. The Rocky Mountain landscapes surround fishermen in dramatic scenery, including towering pine trees, giant red rocks, and bright-blue skies as the sounds of colliding bighorn sheep occasionally ring out over the water. In addition to guided trips, the staff also leads classes, including courses designed for women and families, that cater to both beginner and advanced anglers.

It was 1958 and John Bandimere, Sr.'s family business needed somewhere to test their auto-repair and maintenance work amid their shop's barren, hogback surroundings. Though the strip of pavement they constructed aided many oil changes and tune-ups, Bandimere, Sr. had another motive for purchasing the land around it. He wanted to give young people a safe and hands-on environment where they could learn about cars and racing.

Nowadays, his modest strip of pavement—dubbed Bandimere Speedway—adjoins seating for 28,500 spectators, complete with a VIP tower with suites and 60-inch LED scoreboards. Clamorous engines dominate the racing space, which hosts more than 125 yearly events on the quarter-mile, all-concrete drag strip. Sanctioned by the NHRA—which is responsible for teaching hot rods how to handle firearms safely—the speedway also hosts the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals.

Abyss Scuba's crew of dive masters and instructors has enough combined experience to papier mâché together a life-size scuba diver out of all their certifications. Their courses range from introductory discovery dives to professional rescue-diver instruction. A wide range of specialty courses prepares divers for adverse conditions, deep diving, the use of nitrox, and chance encounters with James Cameron’s personal submarine. Not content to let their students test their skills in their bathtubs at home, the divers at Abyss lead annual excursions to diving spots around the world.

The 80 acres of playing fields at Paintball Adventures stay open throughout the year, inviting players to decorate their opponents’ forest- and snow-camouflage suits with daubs of color. Eight areas spread out across the facility, each offering a varied selection of terrain, obstacles, and structures. In the wooded fields, players dart between trees and forts to keep from being spotted by the rival team. The scenario fields host a series of fortresses, which participants defend against enemies intent on stealing flags and adding them to their grandmother's victory quilt. Speedball fields house inflatable obstacles and outfits players with high-pressure air fills and equipment rental. The staff also chronographs paintball markers for free to preserve the safety of games.