KieBelle (and others!) -- I'm strongly considering Santa Cruz so am interested in learning more! Specifically -- is it worth it for me to bring a bike, or is it likely I could find a cheap one used? I live in Philadelphia now and bike everywhere -- I currently have a road bike that cost me ~$140 used so I'm trying to decide if the cost of shipping it to California is worth it (additionally, do most people use road bikes or hybrid / mountain bikes?).
As for food, I've heard there's a great farmer's market -- anybody have any experience with it? Are farm shares common / possible? And what about bars? One thing that I love about Philly is its bar scene, and all the local breweries and strong beer culture. I'm more interested in the divey-to-gastropub spectrum of things (in other words, not the type of place that exclusively serves Bud Lite and Coors).
Lastly, I'm still waiting to hear what my funding package will look like but am trying to figure out where I'd be able to live. I'm interested in a one-bedroom or (more likely) a studio. My sense is that craigslisting a place will be cheaper than campus grad housing, but does anyone know an approximate difference in the cost? If I'm looking to rent via craigslist, any areas I should particularly avoid or definitely check out? Thanks!!
