What is it REALLY like living in the Boulder bubble?

If you have the money, it would probably be great to live in Boulder. Easy access to climbing, and a fairly easy toll road to a big airport. As for housing, I would recommend living away from a flood plain (look up the 2013 floods) or a forested area (look up several fires in recent years). 

curt86irocwrote:

if by vibe you mean good food....

the biggest downside to boulder is the food. i think it's cute when people call moe's a good bagel. GTFO...

Best place for a bagel on the Front Range? Please help.

Dan Mackwrote:

Best place for a bagel on the Front Range? 

this is like asking for the best multi pitch in delaware...

I’ll concede on the food.  Locally owned standouts have generally been sold for their real estate and/or converted into high end hells that it seems to me locals avoid and yuppies from the surrounding “L’s” wait in line for to dine on credit cards.  Moderate fare has been replaced by chains like Noodles - and they cost the same as sitting down and getting served did a few years ago.  There are still plenty of good options, though - I’m not suffering - restaurants per capita is still higher than most big cities.

I never understand these large generalizations people make b/c they are from a particular place. It's just weird. My friend doesn't like saying she is from Boulder when we are out climbing just b/c people can be kinda mean about it. I do say b/c I think it's dumb to judge someone based on something like that. I grew up in the south and people say everyone is so nice there. Not so much in my experience as my family were the only atheists in the community.... By comparison Boulder has 1000x nicer people but I get that it is just my experience at that time and for other people it will be different. 

There are plenty of awesome people in Boulder. There are lots of assholes too. Just like everywhere - create your community with good people and it doesn't matter where you live

but boulder and moab is where its at, just sayin

boulder is amazing so easy to find climbing partners so much shaded climbing in summer

much better doing errands and commuting on a bike living centrally in boulder,

 use bright flashing rechargeable lights front and back during the day and florescent clothes and helmet for peace of mind

biking is way faster than busing or using a car in boulder

btw use rear panners (mounted removable bags) to hold groceries and climbing gear going to the gym or store

backpack on a bike is not ideal

traffic is very slow and heavy 8-6PM plus lights are long and not smart lights and not timed for flow and there is no diagonal roads in boulder 

but lots of bike paths are available

and biking will get u acclimatized better

ideally live as close to the foothills (west of broadway) and central (near Canyon Blvd) as possible it is worth the expense

Dan Mackwrote:

Best place for a bagel on the Front Range? Please help.

The Bagel Deli at Hampden and Monaco.

Also, the best pastrami sandwich this side of the Mississippi 

Erika Bannonwrote:

I never understand these large generalizations people make b/c they are from a particular place. 

It's mainly for laughs. I don't take it very seriously. Crafting mythology is amusing.

Thanks for the responses everyone! I didn’t expect this to blossom into a 4 page thread, but maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that Boulder elicits strong opinions. Maybe I’ll meet you in the bubble one day. In the meantime, give a shout if you’re ever in NZ!

Tim Stichwrote:

Crafting mythology is amusing.

"As Dawn rose up from bed by her lordly mate Tithonus, bringing light to immortal gods and mortal men, you, noble Ajax, didst lift a scrapbook of such a size than ten men today could not lift..."

David Jeffersonwrote:

I didn’t expect this to blossom into a 4 page thread, ...

There's a natural explanation for this; shitty weather. July through Sept are just too hot to climb in the Front Range, so everyone are surfing da web. As you see (and would be expected) most replies are from Boulder/Denverites. At 10am this morning, it was 92F (33C) and now at 9pm it is down to a "cool" 85F (29C). When you hear there is year-around climbing in the Front Range, it means there is at least one day every month of the year you can actually climb. But if you want consistent good climb-any-day weather, you're limited to May-June and October. July-Sept is too hot, Nov-Feb is too cold, and March/April is the rain (and tick) season. Make sure to get a job where you can take days off with short notice so you don't miss those gorgeous, but narrow windows of weather opportunity. 

In Eldo this morning it was 65 degrees at 6:30 am. It was awesome!

Steve Sangdahlwrote:

In Eldo this morning it was 65 degrees at 6:30 am. It was awesome!

I pretty much only climb in 65 degrees and it isn’t rocket science to find that around here either in the AM or around noon, sun or shade, up high near a cold stream or down low in a south facing reflector oven - any day - all year long.

Patrikwrote:

There's a natural explanation for this; shitty weather. July through Sept are just too hot to climb in the Front Range, so everyone are surfing da web. As you see (and would be expected) most replies are from Boulder/Denverites. At 10am this morning, it was 92F (33C) and now at 9pm it is down to a "cool" 85F (29C). When you hear there is year-around climbing in the Front Range, it means there is at least one day every month of the year you can actually climb. But if you want consistent good climb-any-day weather, you're limited to May-June and October. July-Sept is too hot, Nov-Feb is too cold, and March/April is the rain (and tick) season. Make sure to get a job where you can take days off with short notice so you don't miss those gorgeous, but narrow windows of weather opportunity. 

That is a hilarious account of climbing weather in the front range as it is wrong on every count. Nov-Feb too cold?!? That is prime sending season. 

Adam Brinkwrote:

That is a hilarious account of climbing weather in the front range as it is wrong on every count. Nov-Feb too cold?!? That is prime sending season. 

I was gonna say the same thing, but hesitated because the crags aren't as crowded on those "cold" days and it would be nice to keep it that way.

Patrikwrote:

There's a natural explanation for this; shitty weather. July through Sept are just too hot to climb in the Front Range, so everyone are surfing da web. As you see (and would be expected) most replies are from Boulder/Denverites. At 10am this morning, it was 92F (33C) and now at 9pm it is down to a "cool" 85F (29C). When you hear there is year-around climbing in the Front Range, it means there is at least one day every month of the year you can actually climb. But if you want consistent good climb-any-day weather, you're limited to May-June and October. July-Sept is too hot, Nov-Feb is too cold, and March/April is the rain (and tick) season. Make sure to get a job where you can take days off with short notice so you don't miss those gorgeous, but narrow windows of weather opportunity. 

Valmont Canyon is a popular option

Adam Brinkwrote:

That is a hilarious account of climbing weather in the front range as it is wrong on every count. Nov-Feb too cold?!? That is prime sending season. 

Coming from the Southeast it's also really strange to hear someone from Colorado complaining about it being to hot in the summer.

As much as we all love to shit talk Boulder, one HUGE plus that hasn't been mentioned yet is ready access to doctors, physical therapists and trainers who understand climbing.  For me that might be one of the biggest plusses to living there.