PREVSure, the disturbingly fit Republic of Boulder (pop. 303,482) has world-class trail running and climbing (among other things). But it's the grinding climbs and screaming descents just outside of town that we dream about. Head up practically any canyon, spring through fall, and you'll find roads with few cars, lung-busting grades, and unsettling swarms of dudes with shaved legs.
Boulder
Photo: Sergio Ballivian/Aurora
