How are the bike paths? When I was in Portland the bike paths were great,I could ride the 5 miles to school in less than 30 minutes.

The bike paths are great here. I don't use them as often as I should, but everything is connected. Some of the areas mentioned are not exactly close to the main paths (Cherry Creek Tail and Platte River Trail). I am just a few blocks from the Cherry Creek Trail so i guess thats kind of relative. There are other paths but if you find yourself living in the downtown area you will probably be using these the most.

Cherry Creek Trail: www.trailcentral.com/gps/gps_details.php?key=52

Platter River Trail: trailsnet.com/platte_river_trail.html

There are a ton of houses where I live. I am just east of the Baker area. If you look on some of the rental maps, consider living around Broadway and 1st. East of that intersection you should be able to find something. And if its not listed online, you may have to come out here and pound pavement for a day or two.

The Broadway area is pretty cool. An alternative neighborhood with lots of restaurants and bars. Centrally located. There is even a bowling alley with a diner and bar opening up soon! ~5 minutes to Lodo and 5 minutes to Cherry Creek (A wealthy area with lots of nice restaurants, shops, etc).

Check out the creek beds, many have bike paths. The Cherry Creek and Platte River ones are like Limited Access Highways with on/off ramps, pretty cool. They even segregate pedestrian and foot traffic in some areas. There's a major one that follows dry gulch toward Lakewood, though with the Light rail construction not sure how access is right now. If you can live along one of these and work near one its awesome.

Well it looks like instead of bringing our apartment full of stuff we are going to bring climbing gear, clothing and very few other things to Denver, this is good cause it allows us to live in the smallest shithole we can find and wait till my wife finds a job. Hopefully our pontiac vibe doesn't blow up hauling 1500 lbs of shit across three mountain ranges.

So I guess we can now look at apartments in the $600 range, is that possible to find and still be "close" to wear I'll be working (1999 broadway)? This job is going to cost me a lot.

WAY possible.

Search--- Capitol Hill.

for that you shouldn't have a problem at all. Capitol Hill. Baker district. Jefferson Park. 5 Points.

if you don't want to deal with the parking in cap hill, check out whittier. ex. denver.craigslist.org/apa/3102940767.html

EDIT: says no pets.

Thanks, this will be good info to consider, I love the idea of being super close to work so that I can have a minimum commute, but I also love the idea of living as close to the mountains as possible. I'm thinking somewhere along colfax as close to Golden as possible??? Or somewhere in between, this would allow my commute to be really short once the train is running.

Does this sound wrong? Does it take more than 1 hour on bus from north lakewood to 1999 broadway? That's what google says. Can you take a bike onto the bus?

The buses have bike racks. Lakewood between Colfax and 6th Avenue would put in striking distance of dry gulch or have the option of Colfax buses and new light rail.

Thanks Rick, I love options!