We chose the Devil’s Backbone for the Hike and Slice™ and got the horns in the end

As a part of our Hike and Slice™ series, we set out to stay healthy by doing a 5k (at least) by hiking through nature and then indulging on some pizza from some of the more famous, or infamous, pizza joints. Sometimes we’re not sure which is more challenging…the trails or the pizza!

We set out to do a hike in nearby Loveland at Devil’s Backbone Open Space. The area is home to 17.25 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The main feature, of course, is the Devil’s Backbone which is an impressive geologic rock formation referred to as a “hogback.”

There is an abundance of wildlife in the area, most notably mountain lions, coyote, elk, and mule deer, in addition to turkey vulture, red-tailed hawks, and spotted towhees. The plant-life, although plentiful, was just getting started in the spring temps.

We chose to do the Wild Loop Trail which is a 2.4 miles loop – for hiking on foot only – that takes you passed a geological formation called the Keyhole, the main picture spot that draws the most attention.

The scenery over the hogback was a bit ominous, as it was quite clear a storm was on its way in.

When we did our research, the trail was listed as “moderate.” But with the exception of some very short distances of jagged rock underfoot (not to climb over or scramble), and the constant incline on the way in (it’s recommended that you go clockwise once you enter the actual loop), the hike would be more on the level of “easy.”

The research will indicate that the Wild Loop Trail is, in fact, a loop of 2.4 miles, however, the trail map provided indicates that there is short 0.4 miles path to the beginning of the loop, that it is 0.9 miles to the turnaround (with about 0.2 miles added for the Keyhole at about the 0.75 miles mark, and then 0.8 miles back to the end of the loop. So the loop should add up to a total of 1.9 miles, then the 0.4 added twice, and the total from the trailhead in the parking lot would be, by all accounts, 2.7 miles.

And that is what I came out with at the end…2.7 miles. So…I did a little more wandering around the area to get to the 3.1 miles.

But the trail itself was beautiful. The views were spectacular. And plenty of opportunities for pictures. The ONLY thing that is a drawback, if you consider this a drawback, is that there are residential neighborhoods off in the distance. As you are driving to the trailhead, and starting out on the trail itself, you will see a development of larger homes on the hillside. And then when you finally get to that Keyhole, and peer through it, while you DO see the mountain tops off in the distance, just below you see a little section of town with homes and businesses and parks. That’s all well and good, but that’s not the picture that you always want to paint.

The trail is definitely worth the 45 minutes to an hour that you will spend on it, and there are so many different picture opportunities that you can let go of the background for that Keyhole. The hogback itself is what makes it worthwhile.

Krazy Karl’s Pizza was a CRAZY choice that did not pan out very well!

We made attempts to get recommendations for pizza in the area to cap the venture. And, unfortunately, there weren’t many responses to our inquiries. In fact, I made two direct attempts to post the question of the Loveland Colorado group page on Facebook. But the moderator, Joe, declined my posts both times, without explanation. Perhaps he took notice that I am not diehard Trumper like him?

That being said, we found that Krazy Karl’s place while feverishly scouring the internet in a delirious state of hunger. There is one location in Loveland, not far from where we hiked, and there is another location a ways up 287 in Fort Collins.

Apparently, the owner of the place is an absentee owner, which makes sense because somethin’s missing. The Loveland location is divided in two – to the left is a Domino’s look-alike take out and to the left is a sports bar….that’s what it is…a sports bar.

Once we realized what we were about to get into, we were already disappointed. And it just got worse.

Logan came to and took our order. We ordered a 12-inch regular cheese pie. That’s it. Simple.

Forty minutes later, we were sitting there like two chooches staring at each other, and listening to two large tables yelling and acting like idiots – it’s a bar, come on – with a couple of appetizers and plenty of drinks…but no food.

Logan came back over and, admittedly, he apologized and told us that they have some kind of “new system” and our order was never entered. There were THREE parties in the ENTIRE place and one pizza…ONE PLAIN CHEESE PIZZA…was forgotten? How do you manage to do that?

He said he would get it rushed to us and give us a discount for the inconvenience. Discount? How about FREE? At that point he should have comped us. But we needed to TRY the pizza because that’s part of the story, right?

WRONG! We didn’t need to try it because IT NEVER CAME! Logan never brought us the pizza and I finally said, “Enough, let’s get out of here.” So we left, 55 minutes later, without any pizza.

Quite frankly, we understand that pizza may not be as easy to find as it is in the New York/New Jersey area where there is a pizza place on just about every corner. But it wasn’t even about the pizza at this place. The service, the attitude, the dismissiveness…nobody cares.

Joe the moderator of the Loveland Facebook page didn’t care, Logan didn’t care, and apparently neither does Mr. Haas.

The path to the Keyhole was easy, finding the slice was a complete and utter bust.

If any pizza establishment would like to be a part of this series, please contact us. We’d love to hear from you!