Boulder, Colorado

No matter how early I rise, someone else is already beating their feet on the mountain trails, whizzing past wild flowers and pine trees, hopping stones over trickling streams, and breathing heavily in the cool morning air, trying to beat the summer heat. I pull on my sneakers and hit the trails with my black Labrador and German Shepherd. They run around me on the mountain trails, free to sniff the wild smells of animals and plants without the hindrance of a leash. We run on the trails all the way up into the mountains, where there is no sign of man, and then back down into town, where dirt trail meets pavement and forest meets quaint coffee houses, book stores and organic markets. After a bagel and a smoothie, my dogs and I take one of the many bike paths that cross the city to meet up with a couple of friends at the Boulder Creek. I've known these friends since elementary school; one of them even gave me my first kiss. Many of my closest friends are people who grew up next door to me or went to 1st grade with me. Today, we ride inner tubes down the Boulder Creek, laughing and enjoying the summer sun, the freedom of outdoor adventure, and the spirit of nature and energy that pervades the City of Boulder.

There are no big nightclubs or gigantic shopping malls. The biggest gathering place can be seen from anywhere in the city…the big, pine covered mountains, the stone jutting out like flat irons (hence the name, the Flatirons), and the peaks for miles behind the ridge, some slightly covered with a white snow cap all year round.

The police officers in Boulder mostly concentrate on traffic violations and parking tickets. Now it cannot be said that they are always efficient or effective when there is a serious crime, but they are simply out of practice because the streets are mostly peaceful and a person can walk almost anywhere at any time of day or night…just watch out for bears and mountain lions on the trails after dark, and keep your kitties indoors.

Monica F

Submitted: Monday 2nd February 2004, 6:16 PM

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