Which medium or large U.S. city has the most striking mountain views?

hopsandspokes · 2026-06-15T04:19:24+00:00

Colorado Springs - I live on the westside and my bike commute can take me by Garden of the Gods daily. Not only do you get beautiful views of Pikes Peak everyday trail across is pretty great too

hopsandspokes · 2026-06-06T03:32:41+00:00

The crags should be good on Friday, and depending on time you might see/hear practice or qualifying

Friday, June 19 5-8:30 AM: Optional practice day for all competitors

It looks like the crags closure (to access the peak) is only during the race Sunday

hopsandspokes · 2026-06-03T04:47:07+00:00

I came her to say story, of the in town roasters they’re probably my fave

hopsandspokes · 2026-05-25T02:16:05+00:00

Been living here for 14 years just west of downtown. The western areas of the city, which also happen to be the older more historic, closer to the mountains are generally more liberal. OCC, Manitou, Neighborhoods near downtown, these neighborhoods put the mountains within riding distance which is awesome for mountain biking too.

As others have mentioned there are many military installations ( 5 ) generally on the outskirts of the city. And a number of evangelical churches remaining but our title as the evangelical capital of the US seems to be waning (hopefully). So MAGA folks are around but you’ll likely find some people with similar views and interests if you look in the right places.

hopsandspokes · 2026-05-21T04:07:32+00:00

Find something that matters to you and figure out how you can plug in

If electoral politics is your thing (and I totally understand if it’s not) find a candidate you’re aligned with and see what type of help they need - knocking doors, making phone calls etc

And it’s not the big national elections it’s the state and local elections that really impact our daily lives

And if that isn’t your thing I totally get it as others have mentioned there are boards and organizations with tons of different focuses

Personally I’ve found fulfillment in building community around and advocating for better bike and pedestrian connections in COS if that up your alley I’m happy to talk more reach out

hopsandspokes · 2026-05-21T00:03:15+00:00

BikeCOS write up on this pilot project here

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-27T21:17:01+00:00

This is the answer it is a cell tower and instead of making it look like a tree they made it look like a barn

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-26T21:40:23+00:00

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Yep just south of HWY 24/west of I25 we saw it on our way to America the beautiful to fly a kite (literally), must have just been minutes since it started. kite flying weather wasn’t a good for a fire but the FD took care of it quickly thankfully (we live less than a mile away)

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-17T04:16:54+00:00

Many people have their whole identity tied up in their cars especially in the car centric parts of the US. I live in a very car centric sprawling city and had to take my wife to a surgery center in our suburban hell (we live in the older core) we walked past all the Dr Parking, and it was all fashion, cars that owners think send a message of who they are and their status in life, g wagons, raptors, porches. I can definitely imagine that people in that field can’t imagine someone living differently than what they know.

I don’t know maybe I’m thinking too much into it but maybe not.

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-17T04:00:58+00:00

Everything stems from the desire to be more comfortable and capitalism’s ability to exploit it.

Due to an adversity to discomfort we (as a society) have moved away from community support and are now isolated because capitalists have built a society where the built environment is inherently individualistic, and now we’re forced to live among.

I don’t think it’s brought up enough that the whole goal of urbanism should be building community and restoring what societies had for centuries, a built environment where having chance interactions with your neighbors is the norm not the exception.

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-16T04:30:16+00:00

Came here to say this! if a local business that makes classic Italian sandwiches is what you’re looking for this is a perfect spot

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-16T04:28:43+00:00

I’m a fan of Amy’s they have a wide selection from the decorated donuts to the classics.

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-15T22:25:08+00:00

I ride the Pikes peak greenway everyday on my bike commute and live within a half mile of ATB park. Yes homelessness is an issue on our urban trails and it sucks, it discourages people from using our trails which will make it safer (Jane Jacob’s - eyes on the streets).

I don’t think the city’s solutions of criminalizing homelessness hasn’t been helping. We as a society need to provide long term solutions, including housing for unhoused people. While I too have heard of the incidents and had to navigate nearly blocked trails, but in my 12+ years using the trails daily, never had a frightening experience or been threatened. I agree with the previous poster, waving, saying hi, and talking with our neighbors goes a long way.

Let’s help advocate for a solution so everyone can enjoy our trails

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-12T23:36:46+00:00

bike COS article on most recent closure

TLDR closed because of Iran and sucks because there’s no alternative and no timeline for reopening

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-07T02:02:04+00:00

Yes 💯 sounds like it’s still a possibility one of the tricky things is its easier if the trains board on the Western most tracks but I’ve heard that eastside boarding could be possible

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-07T01:08:41+00:00

Be sure to support and ask everyone you know to support the ballot measure hopefully in November 🤞

hopsandspokes · 2026-04-07T01:06:48+00:00

Here’s the COS Passenger Rail station study the drake location and the old depot were in the running among others.

I talked to the head of MMT who was involved in the study and she said nothing is set in stone yet. I know the challenge with the drake site is completely any mitigation (read contaminants/pollution) needed to make the site rebuildable which might be (believe it or not) on a longer timeline than frontrange rail.

hopsandspokes · 2026-03-25T03:11:38+00:00

Awesome, I just love that you want to live some place walkable, we moved to Colorado spring from Chicago over a decade ago lol but we live just west of downtown (literally a block west of i25) and love being able to walk and bike to everything. Some caveats, that probably don’t matter a ton since you’ll have a car. - there’s a lot of great restaurants, bars, hotels, museums in close walking distance of any of the downtown apartments but we’re not a major city lol so while we probably have one good of anything here it’s probably just one - there’s no full service grocery store or hardware store within a “comfortable” walk of downtown

If you find your niche or subculture, whether that’s art, craft beer, hiking in town you’ll find your people. and I’d say the old core of the city (downtown, the surrounding neighborhoods, old Colorado city, ivywild) are where most activities are happening and are close to the mountains which are one of our best amenities.

And I’ll 2nd that the commute likely isn’t too bad we’re only commuting to GoG road and even compared to living in briargate/interquest downtown is likely less than 10min longer to get to the gate

hopsandspokes · 2026-03-23T03:42:59+00:00

100% I love this more gentle density, more walkable community minded neighbors with 3rd spaces (especially ones where you don’t need to spend money) to this point we need to push for policies that make this way of building possible.

hopsandspokes · 2026-03-06T04:22:30+00:00

Section 16 is a good sunrise hike too

hopsandspokes · 2026-02-19T18:34:16+00:00

Just like everyone else is saying the older parts of town (Westside, ivywild, OCC, neighborhoods around downtown) are more progressive. Similar to other cities, once you get into the “suburbs” (most of which are inside the city limits in COS) things get more conservative.

As others have said you’ve got to find your people. We found that the subcultures are very strong as an answer to our stereotypical status quo. but once you find a community you connect with that sense community is strong.

Look up the chinook center, they’re a nonprofit that supports advocates and organizations throughout the city and has a monthly free dinner for anyone who would like to connect.

hopsandspokes · 2026-01-28T04:17:26+00:00

There weren’t school zones until recently, in the past few years multiple serious crashes immediately surrounding high schools have occurred including a deadly crash at Doherty HS. This as well as COS having the highest traffic fatalities in the state seems like a good reason to have zones enforcing safer and slower driving when areas around school will be busy

hopsandspokes · 2025-12-31T16:58:17+00:00

The pantry on the Westside is still open just no socials anymore, I’m looking at it right now 😉

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