Where Should I Move? Seattle vs. Boulder

**Cono Este** · 12-02-2019, 04:18 PM

I think you should pass on the job entirely and take a gap yr. , or two.

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**TahoeJ** · 12-02-2019, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by HappyCamper

Start with whatever town has the highest paying job.

Fuck that. Benefits matter. And I don't mean health insurance, I mean having time to do things outside of work and/or flexibility to go chase a pow day.

**phatty** · 12-02-2019, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by thejongiest

From the Ballard / Freemont area is there any riding right out the door for an after work hour-ish where you can escape a bit?

I'm curious, but have you looked at a map of the area? From both those neighborhoods you're looking at being in the middle of a large city with any mountains/wilderness across water from you (sound or lake). There's nothing but road riding "out the door". If you want stuff "out the door", you need to be looking outside the city of Seattle where there are lots of options. In Issaquah, there's plenty out the door, including a 60 minute commute to downtown. I love it out here, but I'm old, married and have a bunch of kids. Way different place in life and priorities.

**Lindahl** · 12-02-2019, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

FWIW, White Ranch from Boulder is about 20-25 minutes. Same as Denver. I live in Niwot and I can get there in less than 35 minutes, even while hitting all the damn red lights going through Boulder.

Plus, living in Boulder gives you much closer access to more fun trails like Hall Ranch, Left Hand OHV, the stuff in Nederland, and the stuff to the north in Loveland and FtC. And I agree with you, Heil Ranch sucks. But let's remember, we're arguing over two pretty awesome places to live in the grand scheme of things.

To each his own. I’d take Apex, White Ranch, Lair of the Bear and Dakota Ridge over any of those. Horsetooth has some good stuff, but thats out there a ways. Being closer to I70 is a bonus as well for beating the traffic.

**Lindahl** · 12-02-2019, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

Is this similar to those posts from people who claim they can drive from Denver to Durango in 5 hours? Because google maps shows 26 minutes to White Ranch from a random location in 5 points, and 27 minutes from my house (which is 5-10 minutes from Table Mesa). Apex is a 10 minute difference, but again, I am not at Table Mesa; it's pretty even if I was. Regardless, they're pretty much equal (could be faster or slower in each town depending on where exactly you are, like I said before). I know that most people prefer Apex/White Ranch to "Boulder trails", even Walker and Hall, but the point I was making wasn't that Boulder had better mt biking locally (I think I was pretty clear that it wasn't). But the drive times are pretty similar for the trails you mentioned, PLUS Boulder has other trails much closer that are ok for a quick workout ("dirt roadies" aren't my thing but the fact that you can hop on a bike, hit some bike path for a few minutes, do a 60-90 minutes of non-technical singletrack at Betasso, and cruise back, in under 2 hours, isn't something Denver has), and some trails that are a drive but can be fun (Hall or Walker or West Mag, eg) that are much further if you live in Denver.

Again, there's lots of things to shit on Boulder about, but arguing that Denver proper is much better for mt biking is, quite frankly, really weird.

My bad, looks like a 93 road closure is fucking with the commute times. Ignoring the closure, it looks like Apex/DR/LotB is closer to Denver, WR is closer to Boulder. Chimney is about a wash. You can definitely shave more time off coming from Denver though (i70 vs 93). Table Mesa is a pretty favorable commute location though, and 5 points isn’t really. Probably more equitable to pick something on the west side of Denver (Highlands?) - 17 minutes to Apex. Or something closer to central Boulder (with a not-shitty nightlife ala Table Mesa) - about a wash to WR.

Again, I’d rather ride Apex and WR and LotB over Hall and Walker so I don’t see that really as a benefit. And I don’t really see the point of Betasso in under 2 hours when I can do Dakota Ridge in the same amount of time. Or Apex for about 2:10ish. I’d rather ride a better trail and drive than make a ‘no-drive’ claim. To each their own.

**plugboots** · 12-02-2019, 06:16 PM

In Issaquah, there's plenty out the door, including a 60 minute commute to downtown.

There's also a couple park-n-rides with express buses to downtown, which is 20 miles from my garage to Mrs. Plug's office on Union.
Boulder it is, then.

**riser4** · 12-02-2019, 06:20 PM

Go where the hookers and blow are good.

**phatty** · 12-02-2019, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by plugboots

There's also a couple park-n-rides with express buses to downtown, which is 20 miles from my garage to Mrs. Plug's office on Union.
Boulder it is, then.

60 minutes is if you drive solo. My commute generally takes 40 minutes door to door in my van pool, bus is a few minutes longer. Work pays for it all. Not too bad. If I ride my bike, it's ~75 minutes for 23 miles from my house.

**plugboots** · 12-02-2019, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by phatty

60 minutes is if you drive solo. My commute generally takes 40 minutes door to door in my van pool, bus is a few minutes longer. Work pays for it all. Not too bad. If I ride my bike, it's ~75 minutes for 23 miles from my house.

Cool. My buddy rides once a week or so from West Seattle to T-mobile and he said the whole thing maybe has 3-4 miles not on a bike path or lane.
But Boulder has dry Flatirons.

**jacob_dbu** · 12-02-2019, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by phatty

60 minutes is if you drive solo. My commute generally takes 40 minutes door to door in my van pool, bus is a few minutes longer. Work pays for it all. Not too bad. If I ride my bike, it's ~75 minutes for 23 miles from my house.

I would be working in Bellevue so the commute from Issaquah would not be so horrible (I think?), but alas I don't think I'd live there just yet.

**plugboots** · 12-02-2019, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by thejongiest

I would be working in Bellevue so the commute from Issaquah would not be so horrible (I think?), but alas I don't think I'd live there just yet.

Well, when it isn't dark in the winter and raining every day, you'll bring your bike to work, and ride afterwards somewhere on the East side.
JHC, dude, you definitely want to be in Boulder.

**Lindahl** · 12-02-2019, 06:30 PM

Bellevue definitely makes the prospect of ‘Seattle’ a bit more paletable.

**phatty** · 12-02-2019, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by thejongiest

I would be working in Bellevue so the commute from Issaquah would not be so horrible (I think?), but alas I don't think I'd live there just yet.

If you are working in Bellevue, it's not a bad place to live. Seems to have more night life and younger folks than when I moved here. Commuting from Seattle to Bellevue shouldn't be too bad, either. The issue, it seems, is riding. Still not much in Bellevue. Issaquah (on I90 corridor) is where it really starts and builds as you get further east. I agree that Issaquah is not where you want to be if you're single. I don't think there's anywhere on the east side that fits that bill.

**Mofro261** · 12-02-2019, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by plugboots

JHC, dude, you definitely deserve to be in Boulder.

fify.

We full up on the jongiests already.

**The AD** · 12-02-2019, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by phatty

If you are working in Bellevue, it's not a bad place to live. Seems to have more night life and younger folks than when I moved here. Commuting from Seattle to Bellevue shouldn't be too bad, either. The issue, it seems, is riding. Still not much in Bellevue. Issaquah (on I90 corridor) is where it really starts and builds as you get further east. I agree that Issaquah is not where you want to be if you're single. I don't think there's anywhere on the east side that fits that bill.

The last bit says it all. If you're in your 20s you'll want to be in Seattle, not fucking Bellevue or Issaquah. Yeah, you're going to spend more time in the car, but when you're that age it doesn't matter. You can still go to bed at 3 am and wake up and go to work in the morning.

**AK47bp** · 12-02-2019, 08:27 PM

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...really-big-one

There is a good chance you will likely die if you move to Seattle.

Fair warning

**JimmyCarter** · 12-02-2019, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by AK47bp

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...really-big-one

There is a good chance you will likely die if you move to Seattle.

Fair warning

But the upside to that is...
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...an-composting/

**PNWbrit** · 12-02-2019, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by AK47bp

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...really-big-one

There is a good chance you will likely die if you move to Seattle.

Fair warning

It's good for the base though.. right?

**AK47bp** · 12-02-2019, 08:41 PM

Real good.

**Buster Highmen** · 12-02-2019, 09:05 PM

There's no decent restaurants in Seattle either.

OKOKOK, very few.

**PowderHorse** · 12-02-2019, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Danno

I'm not sure I want to admit how much Fred nailed it with that one, lol.

Fred, I owe you a beer for all your helpful posts when I was remodeling, give a shout if you want to collect.

Ha! I was about to say the same thing.

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**MagnificentUnicorn** · 12-02-2019, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by thejongiest

From the Ballard / Freemont area is there any riding right out the door for an after work hour-ish where you can escape a bit?

Also, is Alpental pretty much a go-to for sidecountry stuff?

WW kayaking sounds super fun.

I have a friend group in Seattle already so that's really nice, but none of them are into my kind of outdoors so I can't leverage them for advice. I know I'm not going to be getting out and skiing / riding every weekend. More of an every-other weekend thing. But being able to access it when I do want it is important to me and being able to go on some quick jaunts when I don't have time to get out of the city is also important (obviously for biking not skiing).

This has to be a troll

**joetron** · 12-02-2019, 10:50 PM

The gravel riding in Boulder is off the hook.

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**billyk** · 12-02-2019, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by thejongiest

I would be working in Bellevue so the commute from Issaquah would not be so horrible (I think?), but alas I don't think I'd live there just yet.

If you’re working in Bellevue, you don’t want to be commuting across that bridge every day. Find an apartment in Kirkland or Redmond. Drive into Seattle for nightlife if you must.