Thoughts on Bellingham

I tried Boulder fifteen years ago but ended up in Bellingham. Boulder's too dry for my taste, too hot, the mountains lack significant glaciers, the backcountry skiing is sparse during avalanche season and again during summer and fall.... Plus the sea kayaking, seals, orcas and salmon are a thousand miles away.

For Bellingham you need a degree of tolerance for gray skies and drizzle. Boulder is perfectly suited if you climb rock and don't mind the fact that the only significant bodies of water are reservoirs. I'll say I also liked Boulder more socially, but then again the cost of entry (i.e. housing purchase) seemed ridiculous.

Horses for courses.

Mark

My wife and I are currently happy in Bellevue / Seattle and would not want to move to B-ham, despite all the good ski and other outdoor potential. On the other hand, if we were still in FL, we'd move there asap

I just left Florida 6 days ago!  I was stationed in Pensacola and Panama City for nearly 4 years.  As soon as my obligation ended, I hightailed it out of there.  The white sandy beaches are nice, but come tourist season it's nothing but a circus down there.

completely devoid of non-college aged women. 

so your saying there is college aged women? perfect!

i think it's a good place to live, but i do feel a little of the "seattle chill" when i'm there.

Ha, being born in Ballard I did have to look up the "Seattle freeze" it's the first I had heard of it. Though I am always shocked when I go other places and people just come up and talk to you out of the blue. It's really catches me off guard in the Midwest. I keep thinking "weird, he was just being friendly, didn't even ask for money or anything"

If someone approaches you on the street in Seattle with a smile, avoid eye contact and walk briskly, lest you want a 1/2 hour guilt trip about the state of the 3rd world. The care bears really do not help the "chill".