What to do in Boulder if you have a bike

I know we're not in Boulder anymore but I've been working on this one for a while. And hey, a girl can dream can't she?

Any cyclist will tell you that the biking in Boulder is awesome. But when we first got here, that was all we knew. Like many sports in Colorado, there are so many awesome options that it's hard to get specific suggestions when you ask people for good routes. Here are a few of our favorites. For consistency's sake they all start from the corner of Baseline and Broadway and you can assume that for the vast majority of each ride you will have a bike lane/wide shoulder and relatively minimal traffic (car, that is).

Flat Rides

1. Neva Road Loop





2. Baseline Loop





3. Hygiene Loop

This is a nice, relatively flat longer ride around the Boulder area. It rolls through farmland north of Boulder with great views of the flatirons and foothills. At the turn onto 75th (around mile 18) you can instead go left and you will immediately find yourself in the charming little town of Hygiene.





Climbs:

4. Ward

This is something like the must do climb in Boulder. The first time that we did it, we did the first route shown below as an out and back. We had camped in Meadow Park in Lyons the night before. (The campsite was great. Right on the St. Vrain river, real bathrooms, and low altitude so it was great for early summer camping when the mountains were still cold and snowy). This climb is 25 miles completely uphill and took us about 3 hrs. When we got to the top, we ate our weight in cheesy pizza and desert at the first restaurant we saw (and I'm pretty sure the only one in town) before enjoying a beautiful 45 minute pedal-less descent down the way we had come. (I couldn't believe all the beautiful scenery I had missed while cursing the pavement on the way up.)




Another way to get to Ward is up Lefthand Canyon Drive. This route is shorter and more convenient when you're leaving from Boulder. The road ends at a cute little general store where you can buy snacks and drinks to refuel for the not nearly as strenuous descent.





5. Jamestown

If you start up Lefthand with dreams of Ward but 20 minutes later decide that today may not be the day to realize that dream, take a right on James Canyon Drive and head up to Jamestown instead. If you get there before 2:00, you can even stop in town for a home-cooked breakfast. If you get there after 2:00, you absolutely cannot. There is one restaurant in this "town" and we found out when we got there at 2:15 that it stops serving at 2:00.





6. Flagstaff

Flagstaff is also a must-do Boulder climb, although not nearly as much of a time commitment as a climb to Ward is, this one is short but very steep. The whole thing only takes 45 minutes to an hour and can be done before work as a quick but intense morning workout. You can take a right at Flagstaff Summit Road and continue till the end if you want to add a little more mileage.






Epic (coming soon)

8. Tour de cute towns (Just a little all day ride that Michelle and I cooked up. Mostly an excuse to eat 5 meals in a day)

9. Carter Lake

10. Mt. Evans

Road Trip: Boulder to Los Angeles

Unfortunately, my road trip last week went the wrong direction - back to smog central for my last year of college (whaaat????). Katie flew home from Denver, but luckily my friend, Taylor, from USC flew out from LA and drove back with me so I didn't have to brave the open road alone. I didn't get enough good video footage to put anything legitimate together, but here are the highlights:

Leadville was the first stop on the morning we left. We had breakfast at Tennessee Pass, a charming little cafe on Harrison Ave. Go. Get the breakfast sandwich on toast. It also happened to be two days before the Leadville Trail 100 ultramarathon, so we even got to chat it up with some crazy ultrarunners.

We drove for a while and ended up in Durango next. Honestly, I was dissapointed. It's a cowboy town in Southern Colorado, and while I'm sure the outdoors opportunities there are fantastic, the historic downtown area was just really touristy and overpriced.

Unsatisfied, we hit the road and made it to the Four Corners. Yeah, it's a very figurative man-made monument, but it's just kind of neat. It was worth a visit.

Monument Valley, UT

Next we headed to Monument Valley, Utah. Actually, we stopped in Kayenta, AZ and looked for a hotel because it was raining and we'd just driven through a lightning storm in the twilight zone for three hours, but the cheapest one was $169, a scary guy tried to sell me native american jewelery six inches from my face in the supermarket parking lot, and an exceptionally sketchy woman in a pickup truck offered me a room at her "private bed and breakfast in her private home," which I politely declined. Anyway, it didn't seem like the kind of place I wanted to spend the night, so we pitched my tent in the dark at Goulding's Campground in Monument Valley. We didn't even realize there were huge rocks around us until we woke up in the morning.

Grand Canyon

After admiring the big rocks at sunrise, we went to the Blue Coffee Pot diner in Kayenta. I'll be kind and say it was mediocre. I will give it this, though - it's cheap. Back on the road, we drove straight to the Grand Canyon (thank you, annual National Parks pass!). It was pretty much was I expected - a huge hole. I think it would've been cool to walk down in it, but we were only there for a day so we just walked around for a few hours. Pretty awesome.

Sunburt and tired, we drove to Needles, CA, where we got dinner (breakfast, actually) at the Wagon Wheel Cafe. It was SO good. SO good. We planned to camp at Lake Havasu, so we drove down there, but it was literally over 100 degrees and it was 8:30pm. Knowing we wouldn't be able to sleep and not willing to pay for a hotel, I filled up Gladys's tank and drove through the night to LA.

And here I am.

Impressions from the road trip:

• Everyone should drive through northern Arizona at some point to understand what complete poverty and desolation really is. 
• The Wagon Wheel Cafe in Needles is freaking delicious.
• Leadville is pretty sweet.
• Havasu is hot.
  

What to do in Boulder with your parents

I was recently faced with a unique challenge in Boulder: entertaining my parents. I was a little bit worried about what they would do. Drive next to me while I bike? Call out my splits at the track? Eat PB&Js for dinner with me??

Luckily, it turns out that Boulder is actually very parent-friendly. Here are some things my parents liked, and yours might too.

1. Pearl Street: It's the obvious choice, of course. Parents love seeing the lively street and it's performers (my dad is still talking about "Sventastic," the juggling show), and the poor college son/daughter will undoubtedly enjoy the delicious meal on mom and dad's tab. You can't go wrong here pretty much any time of day - it's always happenin' on Pearl Street.

Be patient, parents tend to be very misbehaved

2. Rocky Mountain National Park: What better way to show your parents that life in Boulder is about more than weed and the bars downtown than by taking them to the national park right down the road? The options are really limitless here. If your parents are athletically inclined, you might consider a long loop starting from Bear Lake. I promise that you'll have somewhere in the range of 1,000,000 perfect photo ops for that Christmas card picture your mom worries about all year.

3. First Flatiron at Sunset: Showing off the cool views walking distance from your house is sure to impress your parents. Just leave plenty of time and remember that there is a little bit of rock scrambling involved. I almost got written out of the will for conveniently leaving that out of my description.

4. Dushanbe Tea House: Parents love the cultural richness, delicious menu, and charming setting of the famous tea house on 13th between Canyon and Arapahoe. My parents liked it so much they went back without me :(

5. Farmer's Market: Ahh the wholesome goodness of the farmer's market! Food, beer, wine, music, parks... can you say family friendly?? Go get your parents to treat you to that eight dollar salad you've been eying between trips to the Boulder Granola stand for free samples.

So there you go. Five time consuming activities to do with your parents in Boulder. I'm still working on the post "How to ditch your parents while you go on a long ride without seeming mean."

Congratulations Eugene!

As you may have read in our post "The Sublet from Hell", earlier this summer we bought a fabulous couch from Goodwill whom we named Eugene. Eugene is plaid, deep, and very comfortable.

He has been a safe haven in what has otherwise been a miserable apartment and living experience. On nights when our other roommates weren't around, he even afforded us a brief respite from the misery of sleeping on the floor. For his contributions to our summer, we want to thank him.

Now, just as we are moving from this awful hell hole and into hopefully less hellish apartments on our respective campuses, so too is Eugene moving on to bigger (and dare I say better?) things. His presence has been requested off of the craigslist free page at Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder. There, he will serve countless customers as a book room couch for many years to come. We already can't wait to visit him when we return to Boulder, probably couch-less and certainly homeless, next summer. Thanks for everything Eugene!

I have the solution to America's problems

Quick fact: 22% of people in Boulder bike or walk to work. Compare that to less than 4% in LA.

I would like to preface this by saying that I am in love with and in many ways dependent on my car Gladys. She is more than a vehicle – she is a safe haven during thunderstorms and a welcome beacon of warmth on cold mornings at the campsite.

It has recently occurred to me that not only is bike commuting a lot of fun, but it also could solve a lot of America’s problems, and here’s why.



Figeuroa Corridor in Los Angeles

Problem #1: Traffic
I know traffic. And I know that it sucks. The sheer number of cars on the road on any given morning in LA is absolutely appalling. All these people, all going to the same place at the same time, separated into little gas guzzling pods. It’s obviously frustrating to be sitting in traffic, but it affects everyone in the city, not just the car-commuters. Hang out in Malibu or stroll Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica and you’ll say Southern California is beautiful. Now sit in traffic on the 405 and try saying that with a straight face. But look at Boulder. I know there are a lot fewer people, but still. People value the ability to get around on bikes, and the local government has supported the flourishing bike culture. The result? Let’s just say any time I see construction in the city it’s to repair bike paths, not roads. And despite rapid growth of the community, there has been no need for a major freeway running through the center of town.

Problem #2: Air Pollution
Theoretically, Los Angeles is the best place on Earth for triathlon training. Year-round sunshine, warm temperatures, the ocean, a good mix of flat riding along the beach and awe-inspiring canyon climbs. The downside? That I feel like I’m smoking a pack of cigarettes every time I run downtown. Now jump over to Boulder (ahhhhh…..). The air is so fresh it almost makes up for the lack of oxygen. Is it a coincidence that there are also fewer cars? I think not.


Problem #3: Dependence on Foreign Oil
With perpetual “turmoil in the Middle East,” the so-called crisis of America’s dependence on foreign oil has become a hot-button issue. Driving fuel-efficient little Honda Civics in high school, I always thought that I was a good guy when it came to reducing the amount of fuel I use. I care about my carbon footprint, therefore I drive a small car. But guess what? Your neighbor’s massive SUV and your little Prius burn exactly the same amount of fuel when they’re sitting in the driveway. It’s not always about what you drive, it’s that you drive. Any guesses as to how much gas bikes use up? Yeah…


Problem #4: Obesity
About 34% of adults 17% of children in the U.S. are obese. That’s over 94 million people. Still think it’s not an epidemic? And the scary part is that it looks like it’s still on the rise. How does this even happen? Well, it happens when people go to a drive-thru on the way to work, sit at a desk all day, maybe hit the drive-thru on the way home, and then watch TV for three hours every night. Alternatively, a half hour bike commute each way will not only bar you from the drive-thru (bikes don't weigh enough to set off the sensor, and if you do, you should NOT be there) but also makes you burn anywhere from 500-800 extra calories every day without having to drag your lazy ass to the gym. To put it in perspective, those extra calories would add up to 1-1.5 lbs of weight loss every week without having to “diet” at all. In fact, the average person loses 13 pounds in their first year of bike commuting. And I don’t know for sure but I imagine cycling is less fun when you’re obese, so I would think commuting by bike would provide some good motivation as well. 

Problem #5: Heart Disease
 The only thing that kills more Americans than cancer is heart disease. Obviously, some of us have underlying condition that we can thank our parents for, but the vast majority of us can live long and healthy lives if we just take care of ourselves. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week to prevent heart disease. Most likely a bike commute will take you 15 minutes one way, which would add up to an hour and a half every week. Depending on what your commute is like, it might even be faster to bike. So ditch the “I don’t have time for exercise” excuse and go pedal!


Problem #6: Vitamin D Deficiency
40% of the U.S. population is Vitamin D deficient, a condition linked to osteoporosis, depression, some forms of cancer, diabetes, and obesity. But literally half an hour outside every day can eliminate this issue. Unless you are riding your bike through a tunnel, your commute would take care of this.


Problem #7: Depression
Almost 20 million Americans suffer from depression. Driving cars isn’t that fun but riding bikes is a lot of fun! And fun things make you happy. There you go, hard science.


Problem #8: Divorce
More than half of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. Why? Oh I don’t know, probably because couples are so busy that they don’t spend enough time together and they get all stressed out at work or something and take it out on each other. But you know which couples always look happy? The ones on tandem bikes.

 

So there you have it. How bike commuting solves eight of America’s biggest issues. I’m still working on a couple more including overpopulation (riding on very uncomfortable bike seats perhaps?) and the national debt (a new flourishing bike industry?).

What to do in Boulder if you're broke and hungry

We've all been there. You just checked your bank statement, which confirmed that all those debit card swipes actually did use real money. The only cash you can scrounge is that crumpled dollar bill at the bottom of your purse and a bunch of assorted change, none of which is quarters because you obviously already used those up. All of your cabinets are completely barren and the only item in your refrigerator is that jar of applesauce you opened six months ago and never finished. To make matters worse, your stomach has evolved into a scary little monster and the less you feed it, the more threatening its growls become. Living the multisport lifestyle is taxing on the muscles and the wallet. But if you're lucky enough to be in Boulder, you've got some options.



Splurging at Ripple



1. Ripple Frozen Yogurt: At $0.44 an ounce, your decked out yogurt with toppings can get pretty expensive. But the free samples are...free. And basically unlimited. So even though you'll feel obligated to buy some yogurt, it's pretty easy to spend 20 minutes or so sampling before you finally settle on a couple ounces of a flavor. Plus the variety of flavors is pretty satisfying - you've got your chocolates and vanillas to satisfy your sweet tooth but then tarts and sorbets for your fruit craving.

2. Cosmos: Calorically speaking, pizza is a pretty good bang for your buck. Cosmos provides giant slices of delicious, greasy pizzas until 2am, so you can get your cheap greasy fix at all hours of the night. If you're in Boulder and you're broke, hungry, AND with friends, consider having them deliver one of their extra larges.

3. Alfalfa's after 8pm: You might be surprised to see a high-end grocery store on this list. Which is why I specify that you must go after 8, when all of their baked goods miraculously become half off. I've sampled their double chocolate pound cake, fudge brownie, oatmeal raisin cookie, and peanut butter cookie, and never spent more than $1.25. And I've also never regretted it.

4. Diners: Let's face it, when you're really hungry, pound cake or frozen yogurt samples or a measly slice of pizza just won't cut it. You need your bacon and eggs (and potatoes and pancakes and/or biscuit, toast, french toast, banana bread, fresh fruit). You'll spend a little more than the crumpled up dollar bill and assorted nickels, dimes, and Susan B. Anthony coins, but for about 6 bucks, you can still get a killer meal at a Boulder diner before 8am. Try Dot's or the Walnut Cafe.



Early Bird Special at the Walnut Cafe

5. Half Fast Subs: Although the little sub shop on the hill with a great patio might be better known for its drink selection (they give you a whole little pitcher with a straw), the sub selection is pretty legit. There are so many hot and cold options that I guarantee you'll stare at the menu looking like an idiot for at least five minutes before you finally settle on something. A very satisfying 7" sub will set you back about $6.


So when plain oats and a kind-of-soft-but-not-quite-rotten-banana just aren't gonna cut it for dinner, admit that you're broke, admit that you're hungry, then venture out.

Destination Race: Steamboat Sprint Triathlon

While I love Boulder, one of the best aspects of living here is the [relatively] close proximity to other awesome places. Some of the "relatively" clost places we've explored this summer include Rocky Mountain National Park, Pike National Forest, and Buena Vista. Last weekend involved a slightly longer trip with a more defined purpose.

Steamboat Springs is roughly 200 miles away, so I was expecting a long drive to the first annual Steamboat Lake Sprint Triathlon, but a truck on fire on the westbound side of I-70 along with a motorcycle accident on the eastbound side made for a hellish drive out over the Loveland Pass. I was just starting to think that there was no way a 4+ hour drive could be worth it for a sprint tri when we got off the highway and onto route 9 in Silverthorne. The next hundred miles were absolutely stunning. If you have to drive for hours on end, that's the kind of driving you want to be doing.

The race wasn't until Sunday morning so it wasn't really a problem that we got there late, except that I was supposed to volunteer at packet pickup and get a discount on the race, but completely missed it. Luckily, Lance, the Without Limits Productions race director, is a super nice guy and still gave me a little bit of a discount even though I totally missed my assignment.

After packet pickup, we set up our things at the campsite - we stayed at the Sunrise Vista Campground at Steamboat Lake State Park. All the sites were in this beautiful field of yellow and purple flowers and overlooked the lake and the mountains. I've camped in some pretty beautiful places, but I'd say this was top-five.

For our pre-race dinner, we headed back down south towards the town of Steamboat Springs and Elisa's parents met us at a little italian restaurant, Pisa, and treated us to the all-you-can-eat pasta, pizza, and salad Saturday night special. It was delicious, and although the atmosphere was...unique...it was the perfect carbo-load before the race.

We spent the night getting all of our race stuff ready and built a nice warm fire. Sitting around the campsite with a bunch of laid-back triathletes really set the tone for the whole race for me; I was not here to win or PR or prove anything. This year, summer racing is about having fun. If it isn't fun, it isn't worth signing up for. With that in mind, I can't think of a better location or group of people to be with. When we finally went to bed around 10:30, the stars were absolutely stunning (and I've seem some good starry skies this summer) and early in the night, without the brightness of the moon, the Milky Way was totally visible across the sky.

I slept very well in my new tent, but around 4am I woke up and realized I was getting cold. Considering it's been in the 90's in Boulder, I was really surprised that I could possibly be camping somewhere driving-distance away, in the end of July, and be cold. I guess that's Colorado for ya. When I woke up at 6:15 and got out of the tent, there was frost on the picnic table - I wasn't being a wimp after all, it really was cold.

However, after a leisurely pre-race breakfast (of my usual clif bar and banana) we had just a short 1-mile bike ride downhill to the transition area. By the time we got there, the morning cold had worn off and the air temperature was a pleasant mid-60's (the water, a near perfect 69F). We got there will plenty of time for a good long warmup in the transition area's laid-back atmosphere. I was clearly not the only person who had come to simply having a good time and enjoy the scenery.


The race ended up being a really well-run, generally awesome event. Being surrounded by mountains and overlooking the lake even made the hilly bike course kind of enjoyable. And after a long steep hill in the first mile of the run, the course descended down a single track trail through a beautiful field of flowers right along the lake.

Elisa came in 3rd overall, so I ended up 1st in the F20-24 age group, and Katie snagged 3rd! We got sweet plaques and awesome belt buckles that came later that week in the mail! The post-race spread was awesome, and I would sign up for this event, or any event put on by Without Limits, again in a heartbeat. I am so disappointed I can't be in Colorado for the Olympic distance race they're putting on in Steamboat at the end of August.


Katie headed off to Snowmass and Vail for the week while I spent the day with the six others who were going back to Boulder. The rest of the day involved yummy lunch at Johnny B Good's in Steamboat Springs, a stop at the Green Mountain Reservoir for the incredibly mature boys to "commandeer an island," a trip to the Nike outlet in Silverthorne that was taxing for my wallet, and another painfully slow ride on I-70.

To cap off an already awesome day, we went to a cookout at Rob and Rudy's house. As I was going home, the reality sunk in that I only have three short weeks left here, and that I am leaving behind so much more than the city of Boulder. Going back to LA will mean leaving all the awesome friends I've made here, the weekend camping trips, the backyard cookouts, the Wednesday night frisbee games, the 6am swims. I know that when I leave, I'll be counting down the days until my visit in November, and will be constantly trying to bribe CU people into visiting me in California (come on, you can ride outside in December...and January...and February...). For right now, though, I am more than ready to live it up for these last couple of weeks and get everything I possible can out of Boulder!

What to do in Boulder if you're broke.

If the Sublet from HELL and the Conception of the Minivan Plan didn't tip you off, we're cheap. I say cheap and not broke because to be honest, we are probably in the same financial situation as the average college students our age but in light of our grand plans for a jobless, post graduation life (again, see The Conception of the Minivan Plan), we have had to learn to cut a few corners. After three years in college, we kind of have it down. I can honestly say that a majority of the food in my possession right now is leftover camping food and free samples acquired in mass amounts at either the Boulder Creek Memorial Day Festival, promotional tents from the Bolder Boulder, Stroke and Stride, or my Aunt's hotel's continental breakfast. The latter being the most recent and therefore currently the primary source. To make this seem a little less crazy, I will supplement this comment by admitting that I do get free lunch and a fully stocked kitchen at work. Thus, I obviously take advantage of that by overeating all day so that I need very little of my own food when at home. Anyway, here are some activities in which we have partaken that cost little to no money and are barrels of fun.

1. Taco Tuesday: Luau's, a Hawaiian-vibe taco shop on the Hill, has $1 tacos ever Tuesday from 6-10pm! They also offer $1 cans of PBR (or $2 pints of Boulder Beer if you're feeling fancy) and a mean margarita for $3.50. Be warned - you'll need at least 3 tacos, and one margarita feels like 2.

2. Camp in Indian Peak Wilderness: So technically you're supposed to have a permit, but you don't really need it most places. Park at the Hessie Trailhead (or before that if the road resembles a river and your driving Gladys or a vehicle equally unequipped for off-roading) and hike up to Lost Lake, or Jasper Lake if you're feeling more ambitious. You'll get views rivalling those of RMNP without the annoying little kids disturbing the serenity.

3. Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado trips: The only thing we like more than camping and eating is camping and eating for free. Oh, and giving back to the community, preserving nature, and making contributions to the great state of Colorado. VOC offers free trips almost every weekend in the summer in various awesome locations around the state to build or restore trails. And they'll give you food and beer for free. And maybe even a bluegrass band performance. Seriously.

4. Farmers' Market (free samples): Sticking with the theme of free food, check out the Boulder Farmer's Market on Wednesdays from 4-8pm and Saturdays from 8am-2pm for free samples of local food! Plus there's usually some sort of entertainment happening. For free.

5. Biking: So other than the obvious expenses of a bike and pedals and shoes and a helmet and a sick cycling jersey and padded shorts and a flat repair kit and a bike computer and a power meter and water bottles that fit in cages, biking is the best bang-for-your-buck activity there is! Unless you go up into RMNP, the roads are COMPLETELY FREE to use!! You really get to see the scenery in a way you just can't from a car, and you can entertain yourself for literally hours on end, and you get in an awesome workout. Win-win-win.

6. Tubing the Boulder Creek: The conditions aren't always right but when they are, this activity is awesome! We had to wait till the end of July for the water to not be unbearably cold and low enough to not kill us. But I think the levels of runoff this year were unusual. We bought cheap little tubes for 2.99 at Target that worked well enough, but were definitely not the most stable floatables out there. If you're looking for a full day of awesome and minimal butt-rock contact, I would splurge for the $12 rubber tire inner tubes that can be bought at most gas stations in the area. There are also quite a few other creeks around that you can tube as well. Go to this website for info on water levels, where to go, and even to rent tubes.