by Robert F Barba

"Keep Boulder Weird" isn't just a popular bumper sticker in the hippie stronghold; it's a way of life in the Colorado city. As you approach the descent into Boulder Valley along US-36, you can sense that something, well, actually a lot of things are different there. 

Somewhere between the ever-present scent of Patchouli and sight of stunning mountains, Boulder exists on a different plane from the rest of the world. After all, it didn't become "The People's Republic of Boulder" by following suit. 

It was there that chain smokers had to kick their habit or face the cold in order to suck cancer sticks when the city initiated a smoking ban in bars (and other public places) in 1995. Although it wasn't the first city to ban smoking in public places, it was the first U.S. city to break up the harmonious relationship of booze and cigarettes. 

Many Boulder businesses have also taken the lead on the public's current nuisance: cell phones. Try ordering a burrito at Illegal Pete’s while yapping and you'll be pointed to the exit. The Pesto Chicken with Guacamole is worth faking bad reception.  The same policy applies at Trident Bookstore on Pearl Street. The bookseller and coffee shop is always packed and rivals the bars across the street, so if you want to be a part of Boulder literati, put your phone on silent. 

It is there that pedestrians are paramount. Go ahead, step into the street in the middle of town. Do it with caution or you might become road kill, but chances are not only will the five biodiesel-powered Subarus headed your way yield, they will flash the peace sign and smile as you cross the street.

If you need to get a little farther than across the street, hop on one of the city’s many buses. But don't expect to find the number 89 bus-- no, not in Boulder. Instead, you will find The Skip, The Dash, The Bound and, of course, The Hop. Catch The Hop for a loop of downtown, the University of Colorado campus and the adjacent University Hill. Only there does an otherwise mundane bus ride becomes an adventure with a snappy name. If you want to act like a local, be sure to thank your bus driver when you get off. It's a Boulder thing.