Vintage Boulder Postcard(s)

Allie and I lived in Boulder from Jan '97 through March '01, at which point we moved south to Arvada - a NW suburb of Denver as we couldn't afford to buy a single-family home in Boulder. Boulder was great for us, a fun adventure where we picked up and moved 1000 miles away from our family and friends. Sure we missed them all, but it was a great experience for us to explore a beautiful and new part of the U.S. together. Especially cool as we moved into an apartment sight-unseen and I started at a job with Schwinn Cycling and Fitness having never previously stepped foot in the building.

On to the postcard. Titled "Boulder Valley and range from Lakeside, on paved highway to Boulder, Colorado"
I'm thinking this may be Arapahoe Ave. (Hwy. 7), east of Boulder. Anyone have a better guess? There are a number of small ponds on the north side of the road.

Flip 'er over...

printed copy: "Boulder lies at the foot of the mountains at the beginning of a flat, grassy and luxuriant valley covered with well kept farms. Canons open at its edge making avenues up in the hills where mining camps and resorts are scattered."

Postmarked June 6, 1937

written copy:
1216 Pleasant
Boulder Colo

Well "Granny" (?) got me out of Indiana and we are located here at base of foot hills. This is road we entered on. And say you can not see the town until you are almost in it. On any road you come. Dot like's (sic) school fine.

Ballanch (?)

To: O.A. Risley
Oaktown Ind.

Surprisingly it looks like 1216 Pleasant still stands as a house up on "the hill", likely a college rental. Marked with the orange and blue arrow below. Amazed that an errant couch fire hasn't taken it out sometime in the last 70 years.
For reference for you Boulderites or one-time Boulderites, the venerable "The Sink" restaurant is shown top dead center in the photo. Mmm.. The Sink. Yeah, it's kind of a dumpy college bar and grill, but still fun. That and McGuckin Hardware (aka "McGuckins") are two of my favorite places in Boulder.

SPECIAL BONUS BOULDER POSTCARD - since you've scrolled down this far, here's my only other vintage Boulder postcard. Sadly it was never sent so there's no indication of the date.

But it depicts a Boulder landmark in glorious "color", Red Rocks in the foothills. This is one of the places that Allie, Jupiter (our black lab) and I hiked up to within a week or so of moving to Boulder. We also watched the fireworks from this perch on July 4th, 1997. Good times.

Random Trinket

Our Labrador Retriever Jupiter (R.I.P) found this glass apple for us in Boulder.

When we had our condo on 34th Street, we'd walk down the block a couple of times per day and let him romp around at Howard Heuston Park to "get the crazies" out. We'd generally bring out a tennis racket and a couple of balls to send them back and forth across the park for him.

During one outing, he came back with this tennis ball-sized glass apple, retrieved in the tall grass. It's remained one of our few decorations ever since.

Move, day 3

Date - August 30th
Departure time - 9:30 AM
Departure location - North Platte, NE

The Western scenery really starts to kick in once you head into western Nebraska. The plains start rising, and you start to notice the changing elevation.

Celeste got to ride her first Sinclair dinosaur at a Big Springs truck stop. Fun for both her and her Webkinzzzzzzz (those little stuffed animals that she is hopelessly addicted to).

We stopped at the Colorado visitors center just off of I-76. I have to dig out the photo of Allie, Jupie and I stopping there when we made our first trip out west when we moved to Boulder in January 1997.

Finally, we rolled into Arvada to spend the night with our friends. I met Chris when we worked together years ago. Allie, Celeste and I also lived in Arvada a few miles down the road. Chris and Pam's son Jackson played with Celeste many afternoons when they were both toddlers.

It had been four years since we last visited Boulder, so we asked our hosts if they'd be gracious enough to take us up there for the afternoon and evening. Our van was down one seat as I had removed it to make room for the gigantic cooler.

Boulder's Pearl Street Mall didn't have this cool little kiddie fountain when we lived there. Who knows exactly how many dirty Rainbow Family hippies have bathed in it.

Of course Celeste and Jackson looked like little hippies themselves - running around the lawn of the Boulder County courthouse barefoot and Celeste in a tye-dyed swimsuit.

Jackson's little sister Carly had a good time as well.

Dinner was at Boulder's venerable Mountain Sun Brewery. When we first moved to Boulder, our crappy and cramped apartment was a few blocks away.

My friend and neighbor Ron and I used to hit the pub for their happy hour - grab a couple of half-priced pitchers of XXX Pale Ale or Java Porter and an enormous plate of nachos (kids nachos pictured). Much away and stumble back home. I'm happy to report that the nachos and the beer were just as good as I had remembered them.

Celeste trying to get Jackson to try some of her delicious "ocean water" (salted tap water)

Being back on the Pearl Street Mall on a warm summer night brought back a flood of memories. Here's a pic of the location of the "flying burger patty incident". My poor mom was walking with us one evening when, from out of the sky, a lukewarm (but cooked) hamburger patty came flying from a rooftop, smacking her in the head and knocking her glasses off. Thankfully she was a good sport about it. We never figured out how that happened. Aliens maybe?

We think Celeste has a crush on Jackson...

We hit Ben & Jerry's for a nightcap. Celeste decided that gummi bears would make a great topping on her Phish Food ice cream in a dipped cone.

Thank you Chris, Pam, Jackson and Carly for the great accomodations!

Finish off the post with a sweet mulletino.
Arrival time - 2 PM
Arrival location - Arvada, CO
TOTAL MILEAGE - 272