Your guide to inexpensive fun this summer

This summer we're gonna party like it's 1929.

The stock market is tanking. A tank of gas costs almost as much as your first car. An ear of corn costs an arm and a leg. And while the costs pile up, your wages and the value of your house are going down.

Sure, we all know the economy stinks, but that doesn't mean fun is dead. That just means you need to be a little more creative in your quest.

The price of gas is the perfect excuse to ditch the crosscountry drive and replace it with Colorado day trips. And the perfect excuse to ditch the car and pedal your way to the city's cheap fun. And the perfect excuse to gather for good oldfashioned picnics in the park.

Instead of thinking of the restrictions the economy has placed upon you, think of it as a treasure hunt. Your mission is to find the hidden treasures in your neighborhood, in your city and in your region. And you can keep more of your treasure in your pocket.

Here are a few ideas to set your imagination whirring. Soon, you, too, will strap on your cutlass and set sail for Cheapfun Island. It's a happy place.

YOUR CITY

Pikes Peak Greenway

It's early in the day, not too hot yet, and a good time to take in some scenery. Hop on the closest entrance to the Pikes Peak Greenway trail (www.springsgov.com/units/parksrec/maps/mppgrnwya.htm) and head toward downtown. Get off the trail at Monument Valley Park (Est: 2.5 miles / 80 calories) Cost: $0

- Down Glen Street, right on Cache La Poudre, right on Cascade - 0.8 miles / 25.6 calories

Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center, 825 N. Cascade Ave.

Check out Colorado College's new (and air-conditioned) arts building. Park your bike and head inside. First, rest your legs in the central amphitheater while taking in the architecture and listening to over-achieving college students who don't know what "summer break" means practicing their instruments in nearby studios. Next, head to the IDEA Space gallery for "Phylum," a video installation featuring microscopic bacteria. Before you move on, take a self-guided tour of the space and refill your water bottle. Also keep on the lookout for low-cost dance and music performances here throughout the summer. Cost: $0.

- Downtown Cascade - 0.9 miles/28.8 calories

Monument Valley Pool, 220 Mesa Road

Now that you've got some reading material, it's time for poolside lounging. If you're going to drop cash on this bike ride, it should be here. One of the few outdoor municipal pools in the city, this one has a slide and an elaborate nearby playground. Cost: $4 for kids/$5.50 for adults. Playground is free.

- Down Mesa, right on Cascade, right on Colorado, left on Cimino - 1.7 miles/54.4 calories

Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave.

From "Speak French" and "Introduction to Microsoft Word" to "Self-Empowerment: Accelerate to Optimal Self-Awareness by Releasing ...," as well as many kids' programs, there is always something going on at the public library. While you're there, check out some nice summer reading, like Richard Russo's "Straight Man," a book from Gregory McDonald's Fletch series, or Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis." If you don't have a card yet, make sure to bring along a picture ID with an El Paso County address listed. Cost: $0; replacement for lost card: $1

- Up Cascade, left on Mesa road - 1 mile/32calories

America the Beautiful Park, 126 Cimino Dr. at Colorado Avenue

Ah, cooled down, refreshed. Time to hop back on the bike. At America the Beautiful Park, there's something free happening almost every night: the Gettin' Down Downtown Concert Series on Wednesdays; free movie Thursdays; First Fridays at the galleries near the park. Moreover, it's a great place to spend the hours before the sun goes down, with a full view of Pikes Peak. If you didn't dish out for the pool, jump in the fountain here. Cost: $0

- Right on Colorado, left on Tejon - 0.9 miles/28.8 calories

Rico's, 322 N. Tejon St.

If you're still enjoying the summer air, head back downtown for a beer or glass of wine at Rico's. You can sit on the patio, or if you prefer the cool interior, listen to some free live music Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Cost: $3.50 and up.

- Get back on that trail by going west on Bijou and head home - Est: 2.9 miles/92.8 calories.

TOTAL: 10.7 miles / 324.4 calories /$0-10

What to pack: A bottle of water or sports drink, swimsuit, towel, bike lock, sun screen, sandwiches and snacks

Want to plan your own ride around town? Visit the Pikes Peak Regional Bicycle Coalition, www.trailsandopenspaces.org/bikes/index.htm for a map including bike lanes, trails and topography.

YOUR REGION

DENVER

Leave the driving to someone else and take the Front Range Express (www.frontrangeexpress.com), the commuter bus, to Denver to check out the Denver Botanic Gardens. You can either pay $9 for a one-way ticket on the bus or $81 for a 10-ride ticket. Get off at the 18th and California stop, which is a few miles from the gardens. Those in shape can enjoy a downtown walk. For the short of breath, hop on a downtown bus. Don't forget to use an entertainment coupon book, which offers two-for-one admission on the $10.50 garden entrance fee.

Afterwards, head back to the 16th Street Mall and relax at an outdoor cafe or take in some shopping. Free shuttle buses take you up and down the mall.

CALHAN

Enjoy a scenic drive northeast of Colorado Springs to a park showcasing clay deposits used by American Indians for pottery. Indian tribes used the land, which contains deposits dating back 55 million years, as a bison-hunting ground. Paint Mines Interpretive Park is composed of shorter trails that wrap around sandstone spires and massive hoodoos. And the best part of the geological formation: It's free.

BUENA VISTA

You don't have to stay at home to do nothing. Just outside of Buena Vista, you'll find Cottonwood Hot Springs, a spa and inn nestled in the mountains of the Collegiate Peaks range. Natural hot springs, rock-lined soaking pools, a cold plunge and sauna create an environment tailored for adults. Basic spa services start at $65 an hour, or you can save cash and just stick to the springs for $15 a day for adults (www.cottonwood-hot-springs.com). If you crave more activity, head out to Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area state park for a variety of rafting options (parks. state.co.us/parks/arkansasheadwaters).

ALAMOSA

Trek to the tallest dunes in North America. Great Sand Dunes National Park, 35 miles northeast of Alamosa, carries a $3 entrance fee, or you can get an annual pass for $15, which covers everyone in the vehicle (www.nps.gov/grsa). When the sand starts to sizzle, voyage up the Alpine Trail, where advanced hikers can summit the 13,297 foot Mount Herard for a view of the dunes below.

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

ON-FOOT/AT-HOME

Being home-bound is no excuse to act like you're on home arrest. There's plenty of fun to be had without venturing far from your doorstep, as long as you seek out community events you can reach on foot. Save that last tank of gas for when you really need it. (Read: end-of-summer road trip.)

BE STILL THY BEATING PARK

Colorado Springs park facilities provide more than just open space. Local parks offer classes, children's clubs and sporting facilities - all for well under the going rate. Rent a baseball field or a volleyball court for $20 an hour by calling park services at 385-6537, and split a game with some friends. Dig out an old Frisbee or croquet set and use it. Keep an eye out for free music and events on springsgov. com/calendar. You can even keep young'uns busy with summer sports leagues for $40 per child for the summer, and outdoor teen events ($18-$48), also listed at springsgov.com. Colorado Springs has 198 parks and open spaces spread over 14,000 acres, so there's bound to be one in - or near - your neighborhood.

FILM ON THE FLY

Why pay theater prices when you can catch up on classics in the privacy of your backyard? Many community centers or schools rent projectors on the cheap: just hang a sheet, and take advantage of the warm summer evenings with popcorn and a DVD. While you're at it, instead of shelling out big bucks for this summer's blockbusters, get the tried and true classics of yonder-year for pocket change. Blockbuster's online rental program will get you two movies a month for $3.99; a library card will get you the same movies for free. Skip "Iron Man" for action classic "Jaws." Skip "Sex and the City" and catch Joss Whedon's masterful big screen adaptation "Serenity." Got an Indiana Jones craving? You can't beat Sean Connery's cameo as Jones Sr. in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."

THE GIFT OF GIVING

The best way to feel rich in a less-than-thriving economy: seek out those worse off. Volunteer match.org will match you with local charities and nonprofits in need of a helping hand, and it conveniently sorts the results by distance from your home.

CHECK IT OUT

Don't forget your local library. Aside from free books, magazines and movies, modern libraries provide a packed itinerary - you'll find everything from knitting lessons to language classes to free movie nights. Besides, no Barnes and Noble can match that old-books smell. Search your Pikes Peak Library District branch's event schedule at www.ppld.org.

BOTANY BLISS

Though sprucing up a garden can be a pricey task, it's getting cheaper by the day. Many nurseries and garden centers mark down their plants as summer passes. Check with your local supplier.

GARDEN OF EATIN'

Summertime means picnic season, but skip the Cristal in favor of local produce. Sugar snap peas, peaches and other delights of the produce section are all available below supermarket rates at your local farmers market. Check www. fruitstands.com/states/colorado. htm for times and locations, or consult The Gazette's Wednesday Food section. For a low-budget beverage for your picnic basket, indulge in some sangria. Mix a cheap bottle of wine with some sparkling water (or Sprite) and some chopped fruit (citrus is ideal). Let it marinate for a few hours and enjoy.

CREDIT MAX

Though a mall spree may be out of reach, there are plenty of fun ways to shop for summer dresses on the cheap. Craigslist.com lists garage sale postings by neighborhood, while springsgaragesales. com sorts them into a handy map - so you can paw for that elusive $10 Birkin bag a few blocks from home. Even better than cheap, get it for free on freecycle.com, an Internet recycling site. Clean out your basement, or fill it with goodies, the choice is yours - but neither will cost you a dime.