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Possibly moving to Boise
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 2015-11-06 6:19 PM |
Master  8247      Eugene, Oregon Bronze member |  Subject: Possibly moving to BoiseNot sure how active this forum is, but wanted to check it out. My parents have told me they're planning to move to Boise next spring or summer. Since I work overseas, and probably will for some time, that would then be my home base when in the US. (Prior to that, since age 17, it's been Eugene, Oregon.) I've visited Boise several times and am familiar with the riverside bike trail system there; on my last two trips, I also did some OWS in some of the riverside ponds/lakes, and on our last trip, when we were checking out potential neighborhoods, stumbled upon a tri shop with an active tri club and ended up attending one of their OWS sessions. So it doesn't seem to be lacking in the basics. Just wondering-- *Outside of OWS, what's the swim scene like? I'm usually home for 3-7 weeks at a time, so a gym or Y membership doesn't make sense. Are there pools with good times/lanes for lap swim where I wouldn't be fighting a bunch of people for space, and/or masters' programs I could join on a monthly or drop-on basis? How does it work in the winter? (In Oregon, we swim outdoors year-round but pool is heated.) *What options are there for cycling beyond the bike trail system? (I'm thinking places for longer rides for HIM training and the like.) Are there clubs that I could join who won't drop me? (I average about 30 kph for HIM racing.) Once you leave the city, are you pretty much out on the high desert, or are there other places? (I've only done a fairly short ride not far from town.) *What summer events are there? (I'm usually home from mid June to the end of July.) Any other info you think is useful would be appreciated! |
| 2015-11-11 6:53 PM in reply to: Hot Runner |
Expert 2180 Boise, Idaho | Subject: RE: Possibly moving to Boise Hi, And Thanks for considering Boise as a future living destination. lol I've been here about 20 yrs, and I'm fairly active in the local outdoor fitness community. Swimming: I would look up the Boise Aeros, YMCA Triathlon Team and Tri Town (Retail Shop) for group activities-in short there are plenty of 'drop in' swim opportunities, but they ARE going to be at the local YMCAs and fitness center pools. Cycling: Obviously, you've seen the 'Greenbelt'. It's a great place to cruise, but pretty crowded for training purposes. Most of us ride in the roads west of town, near Kuna and Swan Falls (Snake River area) and the outskirts around a neighbor city called Eagle. For hills, our local hero World Champion Kristin Armstrong uses the 16 mile climb up Bogus Basin Road as a backbone to her training. Local Groups are the Lost River Cycling Club, Lactic Acid Cyclng and Team CBR (Community Bike Rides). Again, the tri clubs, running stores and cycling shops will have more exact details. Running. If you love trail running-this is definitely the place. If roads are you thing-this is where the Greenbelt really shines. It's well lit, mostly well maintained and allows year-long, safe, traffic free training opportunities. Only group I can think of is Team "BAR (Boise Area Runners). Hope this all helps. Boise's weather allows for 'almost' year round outdoor training. Good Luck and holler if I can be of any assistance.
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| 2015-11-13 7:34 AM in reply to: jeffnboise |
Master 8247 Eugene, Oregon Bronze member | Subject: RE: Possibly moving to Boise Thanks for the info! Hopefully I could find some kind of drop in or short-term membership with a master's group or pool. In Eugene, I have kind of negotiated a deal with the master's coach, and I also have a punch card for a local pool with lap swim times which are populated by fitness swimmers and triathletes if I want to do my own thing. (Right now I'm working with an online coach.) Would like to find people to bike with; I usually prefer to run solo. Haven't done much trail running for years, but if I could find some people the right pace (it's one type of run where I'd rather NOT be solo) that would be great! I love the Greenbelt and easy accessibility of pretty boat-free OWS right in Boise. We don't really have that in Eugene. I have to drive 15 miles to one lake and 25 to another, and there are still issues with errant motorboats. OTOH, Eugene has been "home" for 29 years--not taking this easily. But my folks are getting older, Dad has some major health and mobility issues, and they need a more user-friendly place--single level, smaller, less yard. Neither wants a condo or senior living situation, at least yet, and they feel like the availability of single-level homes is a lot better in Boise, plus better house for the $ and lower property taxes. Mom is still an avid recreational cyclist (at 77!) so the Greenbelt is a real attraction for her |
| 2015-12-13 9:50 AM in reply to: Hot Runner |
| 265 | Subject: RE: Possibly moving to Boise jeffinboise covered the training landscape well, but I thought I would make a comment about general lifestyle of the town. I live up in the Coeur d'Alene area but have traveled to Boise quite frequently over the last 16 years for business. I love the town and would absolutely consider living there myself. It has a vibrant scene, owing to the fact that it is a college town and the State Capitol of Idaho. For a city it's size it has surprisingly retained a lot of "small town nice", as in the people are generally not rushed in their lives and are therefore kinder to others, like you'd experience in a smaller town. I think crime-wise, it is a pretty safe place to live if you exercise reasonable caution. Are your folks thinking of settling in Boise proper? The one place to stay away from is the town of Caldwell, about 30 minutes out of Boise. There's a bit of drug dealing and gang activity there. I don't particularly care for Nampa either. But Boise? Yes. I'd most certainly live there or perhaps in Meridian or Eagle (pricey). |
| 2016-01-09 5:49 PM in reply to: HaydenHunter |
Master 8247 Eugene, Oregon Bronze member | Subject: RE: Possibly moving to Boise Thanks for the info. Will warn them about Caldwell. Mom and I were in Boise for a week last summer to get a feel for neighborhoods and house prices, and I don't recall looking at any beyond Boise proper, Eagle, or Meridian. They would prefer to be close to the university and downtown for cultural events, and the bike trail system in Mom's case. But after being home for Christmas, it sounds like Dad is less than enthused about moving, at least for the next eighteen months or so. Feel like Mom is the one pushing for it. She is usually the one who writes me, so she was making it sound like much more of a done deal than it is. Both can be pretty stubborn, so who knows?! |
| 2016-01-15 2:50 PM in reply to: HaydenHunter |
Expert 3126 Boise, ID | Subject: RE: Possibly moving to Boise Originally posted by HaydenHunter jeffinboise covered the training landscape well, but I thought I would make a comment about general lifestyle of the town. I live up in the Coeur d'Alene area but have traveled to Boise quite frequently over the last 16 years for business. I love the town and would absolutely consider living there myself. It has a vibrant scene, owing to the fact that it is a college town and the State Capitol of Idaho. For a city it's size it has surprisingly retained a lot of "small town nice", as in the people are generally not rushed in their lives and are therefore kinder to others, like you'd experience in a smaller town. I think crime-wise, it is a pretty safe place to live if you exercise reasonable caution. Are your folks thinking of settling in Boise proper? The one place to stay away from is the town of Caldwell, about 30 minutes out of Boise. There's a bit of drug dealing and gang activity there. I don't particularly care for Nampa either. But Boise? Yes. I'd most certainly live there or perhaps in Meridian or Eagle (pricey).
Hey now, calm it down on the Caldwell dissing, nothing wrong with this town. I was born and raised in Caldwell, live in Nampa and still work in Caldwell. Caldwell is home to the best college in the state! Much better home prices in Canyon County than Ada County and the traffic and rat race in Meridian/Boise is getting to be out of control. I like Boise, hate Meridian, it is nothing but cookie cutter subdivisions and big box stores. Nampa is really the best bang for the buck, much better housing prices. We also have better road cycling out here, much better access to country roads, whereas in Boise there are essentially three routes people do over and over and over. We don't have much of a greenbelt though so casual riding is much better in Boise. I can guarantee you the drug problem is worse in Boise than it is in Caldwell or Nampa, I formerly worked in the court system and my wife still does. It's just a bigger town so you don't hear about it, it is definitely there. |
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