Well, second half here I come! (Denver, Colorado Springs: ski resorts, best cities, transfer)
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None of us know how long we're going to live, but 40 seems to be a pretty accepted (a maybe a bit inflated?) halfway point. So here I am: 40/divorced and kids raised, starting the second act of my so-called life. I'm a midwestern boy by heart, although I did spend just over a decade in Phoenix, AZ - which I really enjoyed. I love people, sunshine, bicycling and good food. I'd move back to Phoenix, except that it is just too unbearably hot in the summer.
So I have a couple of questions about Denver. Where is the best place for a single guy to live in the city? I work as an LPN, so proximity to work (hospitals, nursing facilities, etc) would be good as would walking distance to grocery, entertainment, and the like. I love to walk, and, ideally, I would really like to ditch my car once I'm settled in. I don't want to be a home-owner anymore (maybe ever again?), and I don't need a lot of space - a studio would be just fine. Clean, safe and convenient are what I'm looking for. A couple of weeks ago, a patient, who had lived in Denver, told me a couple of areas to avoid, but I can't remember what she said. Is Denver bicycle friendly? Are the people of Denver generally friendly? How close to good hiking are you in Denver (I know, ditching the car would make this more difficult)? I was in Colorado Springs a couple of years ago and thought Garden of the Gods was amazing! Are there places like that around Denver? Does Denver have a good zoo? How about the Denver Botanical Gardens? Anyway, thanks for reading. Enjoy your beautiful city and maybe I'll see you soon!
You really can't ditch your car here for good unless you plan on staying in smallish area where the bus or light rail runs. You cannot go not go hiking in the mountains, skiing snowboarding, and etc. The public transportation system to me is much smaller and does not go to lots of places as other states I have been too.
There are plently of bike trails, walking trails, etc but you have to get to them and may not be able to get to some without a car. I see people on the streets bike riding but not many in Denver, the trails are better and safer then the street
The zoo is ok, I would call it mediocre. I have been there many times with my kids, easy to navigate unlike the Cheyenne Mountain zoo. Botanic gardens I have not been too. Natural History muesum right near the zoo I have been too 7 times too many! lol
I am orginally from NY so most people seem friendlier to me lol. But others disagree with me and say the people here are not that friendly, keep to themselves and such. I was in VA last year and they are super friendly compared to here. I have friends here, I talk to people and etc and they are fine to me.
Maybe your patient told you to stay away from E. Colfax? Montbello? Parts of Aurora? You should look near where work would be first, then branch out along a bus line or the light rail.
If I was 40 and single I would probably go back to Phoenix, specifically Scottsdale, for the variety of single, older women there. You won't get that same variety in Denver, and they definitely will not be as attractive as in Arizona.
You really can't ditch your car here for good unless you plan on staying in smallish area where the bus or light rail runs. You cannot go not go hiking in the mountains, skiing snowboarding, and etc. The public transportation system to me is much smaller and does not go to lots of places as other states I have been too.
There are plently of bike trails, walking trails, etc but you have to get to them and may not be able to get to some without a car. I see people on the streets bike riding but not many in Denver, the trails are better and safer then the street
The zoo is ok, I would call it mediocre. I have been there many times with my kids, easy to navigate unlike the Cheyenne Mountain zoo. Botanic gardens I have not been too. Natural History muesum right near the zoo I have been too 7 times too many! lol
I am orginally from NY so most people seem friendlier to me lol. But others disagree with me and say the people here are not that friendly, keep to themselves and such. I was in VA last year and they are super friendly compared to here. I have friends here, I talk to people and etc and they are fine to me.
Maybe your patient told you to stay away from E. Colfax? Montbello? Parts of Aurora? You should look near where work would be first, then branch out along a bus line or the light rail.
I disagree with the asssessment of the public transportation in the area. The Regional Transportation District (RTD) provides very good access to a multiple county area. From the foothills to the plains. Since these area has an abundance of Parks, Open Space and Trails--it is very common to find a place right near where you live and go much further with the bus or rail. All buses and rail allow bicycles.
You can reach Boulder, Parks in Evergreen, Nederland etc. There is multiple open space and water resource in Jefferson County, Adams County, Douglas County, Broomfield County, Arapahoe County that you can easily get to by bus. Let us not forget Denver County which is one and same as Denver which is known for its expansive parks. Many trails are easily accessible by the streets of Denver--because they are so many and they interconnect. Not only is there the Platte River Greenway but there is Cherry Creek, High Line Canal and numerous others that run, in and out, of the neighborhoods. You can take buses to the ski resorts, in summer and winter--people do it all the time. Sometimes it is better--safer and a more relaxing trip.
Usually people who say the bus transportation is not good are those who do not use public transit and drive everywhere--they see the city from inside the car. Denver and the suburbs have many good walkable neighborhoods--the trick to see them--is to get out and walk.
Just to give you an idea; that Denver has just been rated this past week, by the Brooking Institution as one of the best cities for public transportation coverage to jobs--that means good pubic transportation Denver area ranks high on access to public transit - The Denver Post
Also Denver has been listed by US News and World Report as one of the 10 best cities for public transportation
Today the system is much bigger and the parks and trails are more. When, I was younger, I biked along the South Platte River which offers a distance of trails from well north in Adams County to Chatfield Dam in Douglas County. There are multipe creeks like Bear Creek, Clear Creek, Cherry Creek etc. that have trails that run from that river. I took my bike on the RTD buses to Longmont, Boulder, Evergreen and Nederland and biked along open space and trails in those areas. If you want to get to a reservoir, a State Park--you can get there by public transit. The Zoo and all the museums of Denver are all on Public transit and so much more.
You can find many trailheads off of RTD bus routes that go through the canyons of the foothills. In addition, you can also get to ski resorts, mountain communities, Central City/Black Hawk Gambling by the many buses that go to the mountains.
Many people live very comfortably in Denver and the suburbs without owning a car. You just have to make the right choices of where you live and where you are working. Of course you cannot get everywhere without a car but it is certainly not a "smallish area" where buses and light rail runs--that is just not correct. All you have to look at the map of the system!
By the way, I am ex New Yorker and I know how to navigate a public transit system. Denver is not NYC but it is certainly not a small public transit system http://www.rtd-denver.com/. In addition, it now in the process of constructing one the largest expansion of rail in the country.
If you take that transportation system and put over a map of parks, trails and open space, you can easily see that you have many opportunities for recreation.
I am a frequent public transit user; I have been here for over 32 years and I know the system. However, today, I am disabled and my use of a bicycle is in the past but I still am able to get to parks, and trails where I roll along and enjoy what recreation I can---and I get there by bus and rail. Yes, I still drive but eventually I will not be able to do that; and I think I can get around just fine.
Livecontent
Last edited by livecontent; 05-15-2011 at 11:08 PM..
You can reach Boulder, Parks in Evergreen, Nederland etc. There is multiple open space and water resource in Jefferson County, Adams County, Douglas County, Broomfield County, Arapahoe County that you can easily get to by bus. Let us not forget Denver County which is one and same as Denver which is known for its expansive parks. Many trails are easily accessible by the streets of Denver--because they are so many and they interconnect. Not only is there the Platte River Greenway but there is Cherry Creek, High Line Canal and numerous others that run, in and out, of the neighborhoods. You can take buses to the ski resorts, in summer and winter--people do it all the time. Sometimes it is better--safer and a more relaxing trip.
While this is true, relying on public transportation to get from your front door to anywhere over 20 miles, will turn a short drive into a much longer trip. And often times when the weather is 'bad' (snow or rain), buses run late (less so in Denver proper). The public transportation here is pretty good. We use it often. But I would not recommend living here san automobile if you plan to spend time in the mountains hiking, snowboarding, camping, etc.
In the short time we've been here we've spent many weekends in the mountains and there is now way we could have reached many of our destinations via public transportation. Just my two cents.
While this is true, relying on public transportation to get from your front door to anywhere over 20 miles, will turn a short drive into a much longer trip. And often times when the weather is 'bad' (snow or rain), buses run late (less so in Denver proper). The public transportation here is pretty good. We use it often. But I would not recommend living here san automobile if you plan to spend time in the mountains hiking, snowboarding, camping, etc.
In the short time we've been here we've spent many weekends in the mountains and there is now way we could have reached many of our destinations via public transportation. Just my two cents.
Yes, you are correct. The point I am making is that a car free live style is doable in many areas of Denver and the suburbs. It requires some choices; some compromise. However, for many the limitations are not restrictions because they do not have the need, want, desire or ability to reach all destinations or engage in certain activities; that does not mean that they are deprived of recreation or fulfilling activities, as I pointed out. Many believe that the advantages of not owning a car are greater than the benefits of owning.
We must also keep in mind that there are those who cannot drive because of disability, age (either too young or too old), and income. That is one of the important reason that we fund public transit. Adding to this are the people who make the decision that they prefer to live without a car. I lived in NYC and Europe and many more people there made that decision.
It seems to me that some people who are totally dependent and like motoring are hostile to public transit; and some people who only use public transit want to attack those who always drive. It is not a battle; we must fund both means of transit, as both are important and allow choices.
You really can't ditch your car here for good unless you plan on staying in smallish area where the bus or light rail runs. You cannot go not go hiking in the mountains, skiing snowboarding, and etc. The public transportation system to me is much smaller and does not go to lots of places as other states I have been too.
I don't understand your assessment of RTD. Honestly it doesn't sound like you have ever ridden it. RTD does not serve a small area. RTD has a service area of 2,337 square miles. Thats almost as big as the service area for the NYC MTA. Which covers a massive area.
When I lived in Denver, I relied on RTD several times while I saved money to buy a car. I had no problem getting anywhere I wanted to go. Including hiking (at least in the foothills). If you look hard enough you can find RTD routes with bus stops directly at the trailheads for several major trails into the foot hills. Hell if you are really adventures you could use some of RTD express/regional mountain routes that serve even more trailheads, much further up. Personally I never did that. Mostly because they run only a couple of trips very early in the morning and again in the evening. I didn't necessarily want to be up there that long, and I was afraid that if something happened and I missed the bus back, I be stranded in the mountains overnight.
The real problem is the general poor quality of RTD service. You end up wasting way too much time waiting for and riding the busses. Plus nowadays it just doesn't make good economic sense to ditch your car. When I rode RTD the fares were 25¢ a ride, and a monthly pass was $15 a month. Driving a car cost me over $50 a month. Now with RTD passes costing $80 a month ($140 or more for express and light rail), you should easily be able to buy a good fuel-efficient hybrid car, and save money over the cost of riding the RTD.
When I lived in the burbs the bus was over 2 miles away, the Park and Ride 5 miles away and I lived in Thornton. You had to travel to get to the bus which if walking in bad weather is not pleasant. Plus most places I wanted to go the bus does not run or required 2-3 transfers. Now that I live up North there is even less public transportation. Actually I think none, I have never seen a bus up here except the ones that go to Mexico for $35.
I can admit I am not a bus person, it is slow, transferring, waiting etc is just not for me.
I grew up in NY I walk two blocks I hit a subway, I walk 4 blocks the other direction I hit the Ell, the bus stopped right at the corner. If I have to travel to get to the bus I may as just well keep driving.
When you say "RTD has a service area of 2,337 square miles. Thats almost as big as the service area for the NYC MTA. Which covers a massive area. " Is that just Manhattan which is a small island or does that include the 5 bouroughs?
The Light Rail is cool but is has a very small route. We had to drive down to Denver to get to it to take it down to the Park Meadows mall. Cool ride but since we had driven half an hour to get to it I felt like we should have just kept going. http://www.rtd-denver.com/LightRail_Map.shtml
I like to hike, walking along neighbors is ok. But the hiking I like the RTD does not travel to or it does not run often as mentioned.
Not having a car here is more limiting then not having one in NY. There I got by fine without a car here I have needed it for many reasons.
Unless you are in Denver or really close to a stop it is not that convienent.
I don't understand your assessment of RTD. Honestly it doesn't sound like you have ever ridden it. RTD does not serve a small area. RTD has a service area of 2,337 square miles. Thats almost as big as the service area for the NYC MTA. Which covers a massive area.
When I lived in Denver, I relied on RTD several times while I saved money to buy a car. I had no problem getting anywhere I wanted to go. Including hiking (at least in the foothills). If you look hard enough you can find RTD routes with bus stops directly at the trailheads for several major trails into the foot hills. Hell if you are really adventures you could use some of RTD express/regional mountain routes that serve even more trailheads, much further up. Personally I never did that. Mostly because they run only a couple of trips very early in the morning and again in the evening. I didn't necessarily want to be up there that long, and I was afraid that if something happened and I missed the bus back, I be stranded in the mountains overnight.
The real problem is the general poor quality of RTD service. You end up wasting way too much time waiting for and riding the busses. Plus nowadays it just doesn't make good economic sense to ditch your car. When I rode RTD the fares were 25¢ a ride, and a monthly pass was $15 a month. Driving a car cost me over $50 a month. Now with RTD passes costing $80 a month ($140 or more for express and light rail), you should easily be able to buy a good fuel-efficient hybrid car, and save money over the cost of riding the RTD.
Yes, I do agree that it is too costly today. However, we must remember that many of the higher paid commuter are partially or totally funded for the cost of their passes. In addition, most regular commuters, who can afford it, buy discounted bus passes. It is really the poor, who have low benefited jobs and that live from paycheck to paycheck, who pay the full fare--and they can least afford to buy a car.
I am sure you know that total cost of owning a car involves much more costs than just gas. Put that in the equation and it is still cheaper to use public transit. As you pointed out, there are other "costs" such as time, inconvenience and loss of flexibility that just sometimes makes using public transit not a good choice for many.
I do not recommend public transit for everyone. I use it frequently but I also do drive a car. I think that the smart way for many is just a car less, not car free, lifestyle with using public transit when it is the best way to go--as in working downtown or going to a concert or ballgame. That is what I do; but more extreme as I drive only 2500 miles a year, or less.
I have lived in cities without a car but not for many years. The problem is that I will be forced, in the future, to live without a car because of age and disability but with the excellent system, here in Denver, I will be able to get around.
Livecontent
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