Rediscovering Boulder by Bike

Posted on May 26, 2008

After living in Boulder for almost 10 years I rediscovered the town on my old Mongoose mtn bike. Realizing that my knees could no longer take the abuse of a basketball game I pulled out the old Mongoose and never looked back. Boulder has become a modern day mecca for the bicyclist. The entire town has bike trails, underpasses, and bike lanes seemingly everywhere.

Contrary to what it seems like at times that Boulder is filled with nothing but pro and semipro cyclists the majority of cyclists here are ” amateur level”. That being said and all things relative, amateur level here could mean rather serious. Evidence is as simple as the numerous classic rides that go anywhere from the Buff Classic with it’s 14, 35, 50, 70, and 100(century) mile courses. The fact that 2500 people participate in such a ride illustrates the popularity of cycling here in Boulder. I rode it for the first time this year and found it great fun to be riding with so many people, literally taking over the roadways with the sheer numbers of cyclists.

The best known part for most people when they think of Boulder is the Pearl Street Mall. Truly one of my favorite things to do is to ride down to the mall, whether it’s an afternoon break from the office (since it’s a short 15 minutes ride along the Boulder Creek Trail which is literally enchanting as it winds along the creek through the trees and ends up downtown), get off my bike (can’t ride on the mall) and stroll through taking in the sites sounds and smells of the atmosphere.

There always seems to be, as the saying goes “something you’ll see on the Pearl St Mall that you’ve probably never seen before” thus keeping it fresh and refreshing. Sipping a great espresso drink at one of the many coffee shops gives me the jolt to jump on that old Mongoose and push myself up some strenuous “hills”. Watching the people traffic walk by and taking in the almost always sunny day and blue sky it’s easy to see why people who come here (myself included ) get what the locals call Chief Niwot’s Curse. Inadian chief of the Ute Tribe that lived in Boulder in the 1800’s the chief’s curse” was that once you’ve visited Boulder you will be cursed to always want to come back because you will be so enchanted by the place!

From the easy to get to Foothills, literally head west from town and in 5 minutes or so you will be in a challenging hill climbing situation, to an easy spin around town on one of the finest and extensive bike path systems in the country, once you get on a bike in Boulder it’s hard to stop riding!!!

My first memories of Boulder are riding along the Boulder Creek path marveling at how it cuts right through town and just how many people were using it! In the outdoor conscious environment that permeates this town it’s easy to get enthused about “joining the crowd” because the there are people everywhere exercising in every form imaginable. The top of that list seems to be cycling. The word has spread and Boulder is now considering one of the best cycling environments in the country. As cycling has grown in popularity and with the baby boomer generation turning to cycling as the active lifestyle exercise they can do for the “rest of there lives” the increase in cycling will become obvious to even the most unenthusiastic observer.

Watching the sunrise over yet another beautiful day in the making, with over 300 days of sunshine Boulder weather can never be “taken for granted” by me after I spent a dozen years in the Pacific NW, the urge to go ride or hike is fueled by my morning espresso. The numerous options within such a short distance within and just outside of Boulder is what makes this town really attractive to the outdoor enthusiast. Whether it’s a quick ride around town or a more challenging ride up into the foothills on the perimeter you can get a great workout, On that same note, everything from a simple stroll along the extensive creek trail system to a vertical climb anywhere from1500 to 3000 ft can be found within a ten minute drive from most anywhere in Boulder.

Focused Professionalism:

Posted on April 25, 2008

The fact that Boulder is a bicycling mecca has transformed me into a bicycling enthusiast. So much so I started my own local bicycling club “The Boulder Cycling Club.”

I bring the same passion to selling real estate as I do to running the cycling club. In order to manage a real estate business and run a cycling club I must maintain a high level of focus for my clients.