Why I want to move back to Massachusetts (Denver, Boulder: universities, camping)

[hamster21]

No wonder there are so many people in Denver biking on the sidewalks...They have no other option.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

"....I have never seen so many homeless people in my life until coming to Denver. It's like you can't go anywhere without tripping over someone passed out on the sidewalk. The first week I saw someone passed out under a stop sign, pants all the way down. There are pan handlers everywhere, more than Boston, young and old...."

But I thought you said you've been to San Francisco before? LOL

Yeah, Denver doesn't compare to SF for the number of homeless, for sure.

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

For people who think Denver is "dry", I wonder if you've been to Las Vegas, Phoenix, or even Los Angeles?

LA is not as dry as Denver. Las Vegas and Phoenix probably are. Your skin will not dry out in California like it will in Colorado

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

I'm originally from the northeast, and have lived in New England, and I love the dryness much better out west. Much more comfortable and far fewer bugs!

It sounds like you're just homesick and you probably won't be really happy anywhere outside of MA. Oh, BTW, maybe you didn't get along in California because nobody in California calls it "Cali"? LOL

There may have been a time when that was true, but I hear people say "Cali" all the time. Mostly under 30 crowd. So give it up, "Cali" is in the vocabulary these day. Even if it's use irritates some Californians.

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

I've lived in many areas of the U.S. and around the world, and I think it's the best way to expand your horizons (literally). But, of course, you need to have an open mind and give every place a chance. My advice is to go live in a place like Tokyo, Beijing, or Hong Kong for 6 months. When you come back, you're going to love living in Denver (or anywhere else in the U.S.). LOL

OK I'll play. I lived in Denver for almost 25 years, and I lived Tokyo for six months. I think it would be very hard for most people to live in Denver, after living in Tokyo. Let alone love living in Denver. Yeah, I've known some people who made the transition, but it's difficult for them. Tokyo is a an amazing place, with just an endless amount of things to do, and a vibrant culture that Denver just can't compare to. Denver is just a small little town, in comparison to Tokyo.

For example nobody who has ever experienced the public transit system in Tokyo would ever be able to adjust to RTDs light rail service. RTD would look like a third world rail system to them. They are used to riding trains twice as fast as RTD, and way more modern and comfortable to ride. With service that shows up every two minutes on time to the second.

So yeah, please don't compare Denver to world class cites like Tokyo, Beijing, or Hong Kong. Because people are going to laugh at you if you do. Not every one wants to move to a little town like Denver. Just saying. No offense to Denver.

[Prodigal Native]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

You obviously don't actually ride a bike in Denver. Denver has more miles of off-road bike trails then probably any other city in the world. Which is good for both bikers and motorists. Painting a line down the side of every major street, and marking it for bikes is just a cheap nothing solution that doesn't really benefit anybody. Denver's bike trail system should be a model for other cities, and an example of how to do it right. I wish cities in California would separate bike and car traffic the way Denver does.

Tucson does the same things and we are a "gold rated bicycle community". I don't call riding in a five-foot wide "lane" on the should of a four lane 45 mph road all that friendly! The bike paths of Denver are my gold standard... and yeah, I am biased.

[TheGreatCurve]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

LA is not as dry as Denver. Las Vegas and Phoenix probably are. Your skin will not dry out in California like it will in Colorado

I live in California and my skin gets pretty dry here. I itch like crazy after every shower and have to lather my entire body in hand lotion afterwards.

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

There may have been a time when that was true, but I hear people say "Cali" all the time. Mostly under 30 crowd. So give it up, "Cali" is in the vocabulary these day. Even if it's use irritates some Californians.

Where do you hear people say "Cali"" all the time? In California, out of the mouths of Californians? I doubt it. And that's what I said earlier - Californians don't call it "Cali".

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

OK I'll play. I lived in Denver for almost 25 years, and I lived Tokyo for six months. I think it would be very hard for most people to live in Denver, after living in Tokyo. Let alone love living in Denver. Yeah, I've known some people who made the transition, but it's difficult for them. Tokyo is a an amazing place, with just an endless amount of things to do, and a vibrant culture that Denver just can't compare to. Denver is just a small little town, in comparison to Tokyo.

So yeah, please don't compare Denver to world class cites like Tokyo, Beijing, or Hong Kong. Because people are going to laugh at you if you do. Not every one wants to move to a little town like Denver. Just saying. No offense to Denver.

Did you not read the OP and his posts? He's an outdoorsy person who doesn't like big cities. He likes to have a lot of outdoor recreation - mountain biking, skiing, fresh air, etc. Do you think he's really going to like living in Tokyo or Beijing or Hong Kong? Denver would be a paradise for him compared to those congested cities.

[hamster21]

Just for the record, the only time I'll ever say Cali is lazily on the internet after typing a book on my life tribulations in moving somewhere that I didn't realize wouldn't work out until getting there. Not like it'd be a big deal if it was said in real life... =P ..should have just chose "CA.."

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

I live in California and my skin gets pretty dry here. I itch like crazy after every shower and have to lather my entire body in hand lotion afterwards.

Lots of microclimates in California. Depends on where you're at.

[davemess10]

Originally Posted by hamster21

Yeah, I don't know about the bike friendliness thing. Those articles don't really offer much insight for me. Maybe some areas of Denver are more bike friendly, but I meant mostly for commuting. Boston seemed to have it down as far as bike lines go around Cambridge, Allston, Brookline, Jamaica Plain, Harvard Square, on Mass Ave, etc..and maybe it's the nature of these areas in Boston itself that add to the biking experience/make it more worthwhile and in the end contribute to a better feeling of bike friendliness/availability/practicality. Denver may have mountain bike or gravel trails here and there but the streets seem to lack bike lanes for the most part. And even if it does here and there it's almost like the nature of the city itself detracts from the biking experience compared to what I just explained about the Boston area. I don't really place importance on places to park bikes as far as the article goes - they're talking about bike hubs where you rent a bike when they say this, which both cities have. Which areas of Denver are most bike friendly for commuting around the city, out of curiosity?

I think you have to put the city and its history into context as well. Boston/Cambridge is significantly older than Denver. It's streets are FAR narrower on the average (with many being one way). They HAD to add bike lanes as with their narrow configuration they really had no choice. Many streets in Denver, and CO on the whole are quite wide. Co Springs for instance specifically made most of their streets exceptionally wide to make the city feel more high end. Sometimes streets do not necessarily need a specific bike lane and they can still be fine for cycling. Note I said "sometimes".

[davemess10]

[quote=Sonnenwende;24228202] I think it is way overblown, the PNW rain thing. From about now until October is the dry season. Very sunny, dry air, not hot, and hardly any bugs. Paradise, for real.

I lived in Indiana before Washington and I really didn't notice any significant difference in winter gloominess. It does not rain constantly, non stop in the winter either. /QUOTE]

And here is the interesting problem we face on the Portland board all the time. It's all about perspective of where you move from as to whether the NW is rainy, or gloomy or cloudy. This is a great example of someone coming from the midwest (where Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan have exceptionally high numbers of cloudy days) to the NW (which surprisingly has a very similar number of cloudy days) and saying "it's not that bad, it's overblown".
On the converse people from the mountains and SW (with over 300 days of a sun a year) find this area to be a dark cave.

The OP, coming from NE, which has more sunny days than Indiana (or Ohio, where I grew up), rightly said that the NW seemed rainy and cloudy to him.

When I first moved to Seattle from Ohio I thought like you, "Man I don't understand what people are talking about, it's not that cloudy here". Then I moved to Colorado for 4 years, and now I'm back in the PNW and I totally get the people saying "why is it always cloudy and raining". It's all about perspective.

[The Homogenizer]

Originally Posted by davemess10

I think you have to put the city and its history into context as well.

Why is that? If he doesn't consider Denver to be bike friendly when compared to Boston, why would he compromise his enjoyment because of Denver's past?

Originally Posted by davemess10

When I first moved to Seattle from Ohio I thought like you, "Man I don't understand what people are talking about, it's not that cloudy here". Then I moved to Colorado for 4 years, and now I'm back in the PNW and I totally get the people saying "why is it always cloudy and raining". It's all about perspective.

LOL. You have explained why I feel like the sun is scorching me all the time! I have seen white people, who are at high risk for skin cancer, stand with their arms outstretched and their faces to the sun like a dog with his head out the car window while I'm practically sprinting from one shaded area to the next. I miss my clouds!

[desert2beach]

Great post!! I am just south of you in New Mexico..same sort of story..I am planning on going back this year. It is scary, but I know I need to. I am just sitting still here..not moving forward. I love the weather here..and met some decent pple but I think it is time to go home. Where you can do a lot of things..four seasons..hit several different states on vacations, better medical care..yes thank you for that..you are making me feel a little less insecure about my move. See u back home!