Musings after being in Gunbarrel for a month (Denver, Aurora: fit in, sales)

[ADogNamedSam]

I relocated from Maryland in October 2017, to Aurora, where I lived for seven months. Last month (after sitting on the bench for six weeks, no paycheck) I got a position in Boulder (Gunbarrel), so I moved myself and ADogNamedSam up to this area.

Just for fun, here are my list of positives and negatives (some are just culture shock). Let's set the range from -10 (man, this sucks) up to +10 (awesome!).

[+8] View of the Flatirons - Even when in Aurora I marveled daily at the view. Out here, it is even prettier. Seriously, I wonder if I appreciate it more, having gone a lifetime without.
[+7] LOTS of dog owners - Seems about two-thirds to three-quarters of my neighbors have 'em. Happily, most clean up after 'em. I fit in here.
[+5] Outdoor bars and restaurants that allow dogs - This is unheard of back east. I'm an introvert and having a fluffy white Samoyed makes talking to people easy.
[+5] Picked an apartment a three minute stroll from my new office.
[+4] Trails and dog parks - My apartment complex has a great dog area and is close to trails, with an off-leash region.
[+2] Food trucks - Great taste, quick, convenient, a stroll from my office.
[+2] No sirens - Coming from Aurora, a lot less late night police activity.
[+1] Pearl Street - great for people-watching.
[+0] Craft beer - I'll have one or two, usual the lighter/blonder/fruitier blends, especially outside. But I'm not a "beer person".
[-2] Waterless urinals - These things are just weird.
[-4] Soda/sugar tax - Our overlords trying to curb the eating habits of grown-ass adults ?
[-4] Plastic bag fee - Takes some getting used to, I keep a milk crate and a canvas bag in my car since I rarely buy more than six or eight items at any given time.
[-6] Rent cost w/dog, garage - About $500/mo more than my old apartment in Aurora. Around $1650/mo for 2Br/2Ba but $75 of that is rent for ADogNamedSam and $100 for a pretty spacious garage (I brought tools, saws, and lawn stuff from MD)


As a divorced Dad of four, 54, I'm even a smidge closer to their home up in NW WY.


The casual observer will note I find a lot more to like up here than dislike.

[brown_dog_us]

Sounds like you are fitting in! Great to hear it. Eventually you don't even notice that the City taxes everything.

[Sean Kellogg]

I enjoyed that scale thing you created.

[OHNot4Me]

My 22-yo son just graduated from college last week and moved to Broomfield on Monday. He landed a job at an aerospace company in Boulder.

Looks like Gunbarrel is only 15 miles away. I will share your list with him! Great info.

My kiddo is paying $1400/month for a small one-BR apartment, about 760 SF, with no dog and no garage. He said he looked closer to his work, but the rents increased exponentially the closer he got to Boulder.

[ADogNamedSam]

Originally Posted by OHNot4Me

He landed a job at an aerospace company in Boulder.

Just from conversations I've had, anecdotally, Boulder does seem to have a great Tech presence. Several of the big'uns have offices in and around Boulder, commercial, gov't ("the atomic clock") and DoD. I am happy to hear about your "fresh-out" (grad) landing that first job, in the chosen career field. Good job, parents ! All I hear about are the ones graduating with a pile of debt (loans), and getting jobs in, say, the food service industry (barista, server, bartender) or a hardware store.


I have four, 12 14, 15, and 17; my eldest is entering her senior year in the fall and wants to go to UW Laramie. She'd be much closer to me than her mom.

Originally Posted by OHNot4Me

My kiddo is paying $1400/month for a small one-BR apartment, ...

Minus my rent for ADogNamedSam and the garage, that is marginally (~$75) less than my rent for a pretty roomy 2BR, 2Ba in Gunbarrel (with in-unit washer and dryer). I think I am about like 5 or 6 miles from all the action downtown, with bus service too. From Broomfield, you'd pretty much have to live the grind up and down Rte 36, which I understand can be grueling during the morning and evening rush. (There may be an alternate route, not sure).

[suzco]

Originally Posted by ADogNamedSam

. . .I think I am about like 5 or 6 miles from all the action downtown, with bus service too. From Broomfield, you'd pretty much have to live the grind up and down Rte 36, which I understand can be grueling during the morning and evening rush. (There may be an alternate route, not sure).

Yes, there are many alternative routes throughout the eastern Boulder County/Broomfield area, depending on where you're starting, and where you're going.

[grad_student200]

Originally Posted by ADogNamedSam

I relocated from Maryland in October 2017, to Aurora, where I lived for seven months. Last month (after sitting on the bench for six weeks, no paycheck) I got a position in Boulder (Gunbarrel), so I moved myself and ADogNamedSam up to this area.

Just for fun, here are my list of positives and negatives (some are just culture shock). Let's set the range from -10 (man, this sucks) up to +10 (awesome!).

[+8] View of the Flatirons - Even when in Aurora I marveled daily at the view. Out here, it is even prettier. Seriously, I wonder if I appreciate it more, having gone a lifetime without.
[+7] LOTS of dog owners - Seems about two-thirds to three-quarters of my neighbors have 'em. Happily, most clean up after 'em. I fit in here.
[+5] Outdoor bars and restaurants that allow dogs - This is unheard of back east. I'm an introvert and having a fluffy white Samoyed makes talking to people easy.
[+5] Picked an apartment a three minute stroll from my new office.
[+4] Trails and dog parks - My apartment complex has a great dog area and is close to trails, with an off-leash region.
[+2] Food trucks - Great taste, quick, convenient, a stroll from my office.
[+2] No sirens - Coming from Aurora, a lot less late night police activity.
[+1] Pearl Street - great for people-watching.
[+0] Craft beer - I'll have one or two, usual the lighter/blonder/fruitier blends, especially outside. But I'm not a "beer person".
[-2] Waterless urinals - These things are just weird.
[-4] Soda/sugar tax - Our overlords trying to curb the eating habits of grown-ass adults ?
[-4] Plastic bag fee - Takes some getting used to, I keep a milk crate and a canvas bag in my car since I rarely buy more than six or eight items at any given time.
[-6] Rent cost w/dog, garage - About $500/mo more than my old apartment in Aurora. Around $1650/mo for 2Br/2Ba but $75 of that is rent for ADogNamedSam and $100 for a pretty spacious garage (I brought tools, saws, and lawn stuff from MD)


As a divorced Dad of four, 54, I'm even a smidge closer to their home up in NW WY.


The casual observer will note I find a lot more to like up here than dislike.

This post brings flashbacks of the late 1990s. I worked for a company in Boulder that has since been bought out. Back then, Gunbarrel was a great location - close enough to Boulder without the high rent.
The commute was just a 1/2 mile drive (lol). Boulder was great for my mountain running lifestyle. Mt. Sanitas was my favorite but I eventually expanded to Estes Park's trails and Longs Peak (< 3 hours to summit with heavy backpack from Ranger Station via Keyhole).

The main problem with Boulder for yuppies who want to settle down is the gender ratio. A secondary problem is the cost of living. Boulder has far more single males than females due to the tech industry.
"So you're telling me there's a chance" (lol). By contrast, dating odds are inverted in many places of Florida (e.g. Tallahassee, I/4 Corridor, etc). One night I was on a date with my girlfriend and her sister - essentially a date with two women. I remember thinking "It was never like this in Boulder".

But for a divorced single dad you don't seem to care about that gender ratio for Boulder, which makes sense. Enjoy the outdoors of Boulder. I'd recommend hiking Sanitas with the kids. I used to see a lot of families up there.

[ADogNamedSam]

Originally Posted by grad_student200

The main problem with Boulder for yuppies who want to settle down is the gender ratio. A secondary problem is the cost of living. Boulder has far more single males than females due to the tech industry.

I've seen close to an even split while ...

• Drinking craft beer with outdoor seating
• Restaurants
• Strolling Pearl Street mall
• Groups of runners (a club) gathering after a run
• Dog owners on paths/in parks
• Casually observing (while out at lunch, grocery store)
• My apartment complex is mostly M/F couples, with an even mix of a small number of M/M's and F/F's.

But your point is well taken, there's about a 12:1 ratio M/F at my tech job. Not that I'd date a coworker ("Don't sh** where you sleep"). And numerous city-data threads I read when I was planning to move to CO called Denver "Menver" due to the imbalance of which you speak - the "bro" culture, groups of dudes going to a brewery where there might not be a gal in the entire place, extreme sports like rock climbing ...


I'd agree that it must be tough to date up here, as a young single guy. Thankfully, post-50 the numbers flip to be very much in my favor.

Originally Posted by grad_student200

But for a divorced single dad you don't seem to care about that gender ratio for Boulder, which makes sense. Enjoy the outdoors of Boulder. I'd recommend hiking Sanitas with the kids. I used to see a lot of families up there.

I have a little notebook I carry where I jot down names of places recommended to visit. I've added Sanitas, thanks !

I met a gal down in Centennial/Littleton when I was in Aurora, so I moved to Boulder six weeks ago in a ready-made relationship. So glad to be off the dating sites.

[ADogNamedSam]

A couple more, for sake of completeness, as I continue to settle-in and explore ...


[-4] Receipts (fast food) indicate a 8.995% sales tax. That seems a bit high
[-7] Boulder representatives jump on the anti-2A train and symbolically vote to make "assault weapons" (whatever that is) illegal

[suzco]

Originally Posted by ADogNamedSam

. . .
[-4] Receipts (fast food) indicate a 8.995% sales tax. That seems a bit high
. . .

And have you noticed yet, there is a local tax on food in grocery stores throughout most of the northern metro area, unlike Denver and most of the South, Southwest and Southeast suburbs, where no tax is paid on grocery food (not talking about restaurants, fast food, etc).