Where Should I live

Ken,

Let me preface this by saying that my opinion will be very biased, especially since I haven't visited most of the places you are considering.  However, I absolutely love Austin, and it is at the top of the list of places I'd like to live, for several reasons.  It is very pretty, mid-sized, has a huge fitness community that is very active, lots of nice hills to train on, etc.  It is a pretty clean city, with great nightlife, lots of restaurants, great live music scene, and some really cool, down to earth people.  Not to mention, it is centrally located in Texas, so you can get to dozens and dozens of tris and other events within just a 2 or 3 hour drive.

The only bad things about Austin are the fact that like most growing areas, traffic is getting pretty nasty; and of course, there is that crappy university on 40 acres in the middle of the city...but we can look past that, can't we?? 

Why Lafayette of course. Lots of opportunities, plenty to do, almost none of the big city problems.

If not here, Austin also has a lot to offer.

I will plug Tampa.  It is THE BEST place to live for a triathlete.  Races practically every weekend starting in March and going through October.  Open water swimmimg everywhere.  Lots of YMCA's, one with a 50 yard pool.  Now, I live in a suburb of Tampa and while sometimes I want to move closer in, there is one very important thing that keeps me right here: I live 2 miles from a north/south highway they built a few years ago, and along the highway they built a bike trail that is 42 MILES LONG!  Plus there is an additional section that cuts through a nature preserve that is 13 miles round trip, so you could go on a 97 mile long ride and never go in traffic.  On weekend mornings, by 7 am the parking lot is full of cars- triathletes and roadies flock here.  Since it out and back, you don't get many multi-use people.

The cost of living is not too high although the housing is going up a lot.  Good luck with your decision.

Jessica

Third the Tampa Bay area. 

Football team leaves somethign to be desired, though.  Also got pro baseball and hockey.  Even got a public ice skating rink or two.  Lots of golf like Sue said.  Lots of fishing and plenty of beaches. 

Plenty of nightlife.

I live outside town in a little suburb, sometimes wished I lived near Jess (TriTakeMeAway) just cause she can ride to that bike trail!  That's an hour drive for me to get there. There's also another one closer in, a seven mile loop no traffic but gets plenty of multi purpose users on the weekends.  We also have several IMBA certified off road trails if you like to off road bike ride.   There's a tri club in St Pete.  Tons of BTers here, home of the famous BT St A's get together.   There's a race almost every weekend and training groups aplenty.  Lots of YMCA's and other clubs with pools. 

I should work for the Chamber??? 

good luck

If you look at CO, Boulder IS truly awesome, but housing is SUPER expensive in Boulder.  Ridiculous in fact.  Hence, I do not live in Boulder   It is cool....100K people, awesome scenery, and when people ask you what you do, they mean what sport are you in to. 

Anywhere along the front range of CO is great.....nice weather, lots of sun, snow melts fast. 

Good luck!  We'll all want to know what you decide!