DoshKel

Anyone from, or live in Colorado Springs here? I'm moving there in July to attend Barnette and am wondering about riding in the city and also about the Velodrome (Pikes Peak Velodrome?). Whats it like there? Is it friendly towards cyclists in the city? Is it awesome riding there? I am also wondering if there is much courier work there. I am working as one here in Tallahassee, and there isn't much work at all, but I would still like to work as one in Colorado.

Also... is the Velodrome open to the public? Is it a good track?

I'm really looking for basic information about living in the city, riding, and living in general. Also if there are many good Vegan/Vegan friendly resturants there? Any help is really appreciated. I can't wait to go either. Thanks .

isotopesope

i live in colorado springs. it's absolutely beautiful and the riding is terrific. the city is pretty cyclist friendly, but it's no portland or anything... you'll more than likely want to stick to downtown and the "westside", meaning west of i-25. the north and more east ends of town make me a worse person just even thinking about. lots of chain restaurants and big box stores and suv's and g.i.'s and trucks with american flags and crying eagle stickers and so on. ahhh... paint-on patriotism. barnett's is on the westside. the commuting sucks outside of downtown, but there are tons of bike trails and paths... more so than bike lanes.

there is some completely amazing mountain biking... so if you don't mountain bike, you will after you get here. i love that a vehicle is not neccessary to get to many great trails. the trails and riding is very diverse.

the velodrome is open to the public. it's controlled by the olympic training center so there's a lot of red tape to even practice, but most people are friendly out there. the racing is really becoming more accessible this year. racing is tuesday and thursday nights. tuesday is the competitive night... meaning that it's mostly pro's and olympians and make you cry even watching. thursdays is more laid back and fun.

as for courier work, you'd have to go to denver. this town is still a town. it's by no means a city. if you need a job, you might be able to get a job doing phone sales or warehouse work at colorado cyclist. i know a ton of people who work there and they all enjoy it. the pay is decent as well.

there are vegan friendly restaurants here, but not a ton... it's getting a lot better though, but you'll mainly have to eat at more ethnic food restaurants. there is an indian restaurant here that'll make you want to fist fight every grandma in america it's so good. also a few great thai and vietnamese restaurants.

in general, the rent is pretty reasonable around here too. my sister rents a great one bedroom apartment downtown for 550. but you can definitely find cheaper stuff as well. 2 to 3 bedroom houses can be 800 to 1000 a month. i own my house.

dead christ, i just typed my arse off. i better get back to work.

-chris

lala

Check out the 7-11 Olympic Velodrome's website: https://colorado-velodrome.org/

Are you moving here for good? Or for a couple months for the institute?

pitboss

Colorado Springs is a good place indeed

Thursday night cat5 pikers and the pizza at Il Vec's...and the ****ing beer too.

Loooty

Though I think we agree, I just wanted to clarify what you are saying about Colorado Springs being a town.

Compared to Denver, it feels like a town but legally and compared to many other metropolitan areas in the country it is a city.

It is a city that has been smeared across the Front Range by a bad case of urban sprawl.

Were better growth planning been used there would have been messenger work. Unfortunately, for couriers and the environment, it wasn't.

I have friends in Colorado Springs. Where shall I direct them if they have a grandmother-punching itch that needs scratching?

jhnmrk

i used to love me some western omlette. and the omlette parlor. may not be a courier town, but it's definitely an omlette town.

is that burger place on platte still in existence? the one where they electrify the burgers to cook them? that's some space age burger genius right there.

G0balistik

you're looking for vegan friendly? you should be moving to Boulder, not the ultra conservative colo springs

isotopesope

'taste of india' is this AMAZING indian restaurant on flintridge and academy... right behind the mc donalds. grandmas beware. it's soooo good and they can make it so unbelievably hot if your friends are so inclined.

as for messengering and the urban sprawl, this city does indeed have terrible planning. the white flight urban sprawl out east is just sickening... i imagine someone could possibly run a few person bike courier service just in the downtown area... there are a lot more architecture firms opening up and there are so many law offices and the two courthouses, etc... it could possibly be done.

jhnmrk,
are you talking about shortstop? that's the only burger place on platte that comes to mind that's not a big chain. i was thinking they steamed theirs or something... western omlette is a such a great greasy spoon diner!

jhnmrk

maybe i'm thinking of fillmore, not platte. it's been almost 8 years now... i regret that i was vegetarian when i lived there, otherwise i could report back on the electrified beef.

the chiles relleno at western omelette are neither chili nor relleno, but damn, they are mighty fine. the penny arcade in manitou is not to be missed either.

DoshKel

isotopesope... you are the best. Thanks a lot for that awesome response . I'm a little bummed about the courier situation, but whatever. That warehouse job sounds great though. And I do mountain bike (well... "mountain" biking in Tallahassee is more like flat trail riding heh) some, so I will be excited to get on some real trails. And yum... Indian food is the best . Thanks again for the information.

lala: I don't know if I am going to stay in Colorado Springs after my time at Barnette, but I will probably stay in Colorado since everyone who has been tells me that I won't want to leave. I'm thinking get a job in Boulder, Durango or Denver. I will see though.