Palm trees create oasis for bikers in Penrose

PENROSE • It’s always sunny in Penrose.

Just look at the palm trees on Colorado 115.

There, against a distant backdrop of ice-capped mountains, you will find a grove of the ferny trees that are positively not Colorado.

First, it was along U.S. 24 in Woodland Park, at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. Now, the tropical trees have sprouted at Biker Town, a store catering to motorcycling enthusuiasts.

Three fake trees stand in front of the 6,000-square-foot store. They might go unnoticed if not for a 12-foot-tall roadside palm tree.

It’s nothing compared with the nine trees in back of the store.

Lissa and Jeff Pinello opened Biker Town in May, paying $1,200-$1,600 for each palm ordered from an Ohio manufacturer.

Like those in Woodland Park, the palms are a theme thing.

“It is just to add to our décor,” Lissa Pinello said. “It’s a destination for bikers. We wanted to have a Disneyland for bikers. We wanted the atmosphere to make them totally forget their troubles. In back we have sort of a grown-up playground for bikers.”

In the coconut grove, there is a pool, a clubhouse, a volleyball court and horseshoe pits. The store has supplies, snacks, clothing and after-market bike parts.

There are lockers for bikers to stow their chaps so they can frolic under the fronds.

Humans aren’t the only ones getting a tropical thrill.

“We’ve had woodpeckers going after them (palm trees) the last few weeks,” Pinello said.

Call the writer at 636-0253.