Hi! Single Old Fat GWM thinking of Colorado Springs!

[Sonic_Spork]

Well hello there, OP! I haven't been on this subforum much because I have actually moved...to Phoenix! I'll be honest and say that thus far while I don't quite hate it, I don't love it either. We are here to care for an aging family member though, and our presence in AZ will have an eventual um...expiration date, so to speak. Just how it is. Nothing I've experienced here so far has made me think that I'll fall in love with my new locale and want to stay.

But I've lived in a variety of places and it sure seems to me that the one factor above all else that makes or breaks a "home" (versus just another place I live for now) is whether I find a good group of friends. The social connections I've tentatively tried to make here in AZ have been less than satisfying. I'm looking forward to going back to the Springs when we can.

I definitely think that you will be fine, as far as the version of "conservative" in the Springs has a decidedly libertarian flavor in general, that was always my opinion. You will probably find others who are like minded in various ways, without much trouble.

As for your weight and the altitude and so forth... I did know some overweight people in Colorado Springs, and they seemed to be just fine living there. With no COPD or anything, you can expect acclimation anywhere from a few days to a couple of months. When I first moved there from sea level, it actually did take me a couple of months before I could hop up a flight of stairs in my house without feeling winded. But while I'm small bodied, I am a smoker, so... As they always say, drink plenty of water. That apparently helps...but it's very arid in CO so ya just have to stay hydrated. And who knows, maybe in time you'll feel inspired by the beautiful outdoors to get more exercise than you do. Couldn't hurt, but no one will judge you for having a ramble rather than a marathon, eh? You'll do alright, I'm sure.

Another factor that I'm sure has to influence the overall stats on fitness, at least in COS, is the sheer military presence. There are what, like five active military installations in the city?...and all of them have physical fitness in the job description! So they'd likely skew the numbers at least some.

Something I have found strange about Phoenix as opposed to Colorado Springs... When I go out and meet people, it's stuff in the city. Went to a goth singer's performance not long past, and was able to make small talk with some of the people there. Now...I am not rich, but I do alright. And I want to live in as decent an area as my money can get me. I see no value in slumming it for street cred. I'm 42 years old, I have nothing to prove here. And I don't speak Spanish.

Apparently here in Phoenix, all of that makes me like...terminally uncool. Even among the nonconformist crowd in my own age range, they mocked the area where I live and areas adjacent as being "too white" and "a cultural wasteland." I mean frankly I've seen plenty of diverse ethnicities out walking around, shopping at local stores, and so forth. But it is a middle to upper middle class kind of spot...so what? You don't have people in Colorado Springs giving you a bad time for wanting to live in a decent neighborhood with low-ish crime. Seems here, there's not much middle ground between those who identify as the edgy youth, and those who are more lurking on Nextdoor screaming about suspicious people on their Ring cams. I'm neither of those things and I don't feel like I fit here. Maybe I just haven't yet found my people, I dunno.

Nobody cares about any of that in Colorado Springs, that I saw. And my neighbors on Nextdoor were more into spotting roaming wildlife on their Ring cams, than wigging out about random solicitors or people out for a walk.

[Adamson865]

Sonic_Spork, I've seen you in the PHX forum! I lived in PHX for a grand total of one year and hated it thoroughly. Far too huge and far too fast. I'm a middling-city kind of guy. I moved back to Tucson a year ago (I lived here before). I read many of your posts about COS and they were of great help.

PS: When I was in PHX I lived up past Mayo Clinic - so I can vouch for "terminally uncool", even though I've never been Nextdoor.

[Sonic_Spork]

Originally Posted by Adamson520

Sonic_Spork, I've seen you in the PHX forum! I lived in PHX for a grand total of one year and hated it thoroughly. Far too huge and far too fast. I'm a middling-city kind of guy. I moved back to Tucson a year ago (I lived here before). I read many of your posts about COS and they were of great help.

PS: When I was in PHX I lived up past Mayo Clinic - so I can vouch for "terminally uncool", even though I've never been Nextdoor.

I totally get that, and I agree. I like small to medium sized cities the best. I usually have access to a bigger one, but going there for concerts or events feels like a total pain. Gotta draw up battle plans for parking and whatnot. Navigate the creative traffic patterns (do be aware, Colorado Springs has a few weird interchanges now.) Hotels and everything cost a fortune.

I definitely hope to move back to Colorado Springs (even though I'm not sure if real estate prices are going to make that a thing I can or can't do...I've also been eyeballing Woodland Park and Pueblo West now and then)... But I would not want to live in Denver. It's got that big, busy, dirty city feeling. I rarely even want to go there for any reason. I admit, when I have gone, it has not been as big of a hassle as I build it up to be in my mind. I can't explain why that is, but it is.

I'm in Ahwatukee (most ridiculous name for a town or neighborhood I ever heard of, well...unless you go to Virginia, where they've got Manassas, Dumfries, and Short Pump, because hey why not?) The relative is over in Chandler, which was out of our price range. At least having come from Colorado Springs we did not have total and utter sticker shock on rents here, though we were bummed to be leaving behind a really optimal living situation. We were renting a 4BR, 3.5BA townhouse in a nice area for under $1400...but I'm sure as soon as we vacated, they relisted it for closer to $2K. Oh well, we had a few lucky years in the place. Here, we can barely afford a 2BR apartment less than half the size. Ah well. C'est la vie.

I have considered, since I work from home now (lucky me) that we could move...anywhere that's got good internet, really. I've thought maybe when the time comes we could take our money and go somewhere that it would buy us a hell of a big bad house or something. But Colorado Springs has met my people needs more than any other place. I can't think of anywhere that I'd rather be.

[Adamson865]

Originally Posted by Sonic_Spork

But Colorado Springs has met my people needs more than any other place. I can't think of anywhere that I'd rather be.

Well, Colorado Springs worked for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (even though the show wasn't actually filmed there) so I'm sure it'll work for me. I'll just need to wander out in the woods until I find Joe Lando!

I've always liked the middling cities because I feel more of a sense of community there. Putting on a Pride fest, for example, is easy in the ginormous cities because they're always chock-ful of big corporate sponsorship - but in the smaller and middling cities, it feels more intimate and more of a "hey, let's put on a show in the backyard". My favorite Pride festivals were in smaller places - Sedona, Santa Cruz, Salem (OR).

Anyhow, the job opened up yesterday and I applied. More to come.

[Adamson865]

Unfortunately, I was eliminated from consideration.

Thank you all for your interesting contributions, and someday I hope to visit as a tourist, even if I won't be relocating.

[otowi]

Thanks for the update and hope you can come out for a visit sometime!

[chiluvr1228]

Originally Posted by mtngigi

There are plenty of fat, non-judgemental people living here, and some of them are active outdoorsy folks. You'll be fine. But as many suggest, it's a good idea to visit for a bit to see how you do at our altitude.

If you really want to be amongst a more liberal, artsy, laid back (and smaller) community, you might want to look at Manitou Springs, where the aforementioned coffin races along with a host of other crazy activities take place. We have a Fruitcake Toss where people devise crazy catapults to do away with unwanted Christmas fruitcakes. This is a town that also houses several ministries ... but they will not bother you.

When I visited my son in Colorado Springs, we went to Manitou Springs one day. Absolutely loved it.

[Sonic_Spork]

Originally Posted by Adamson520

Well, Colorado Springs worked for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (even though the show wasn't actually filmed there) so I'm sure it'll work for me. I'll just need to wander out in the woods until I find Joe Lando!

I've always liked the middling cities because I feel more of a sense of community there. Putting on a Pride fest, for example, is easy in the ginormous cities because they're always chock-ful of big corporate sponsorship - but in the smaller and middling cities, it feels more intimate and more of a "hey, let's put on a show in the backyard". My favorite Pride festivals were in smaller places - Sedona, Santa Cruz, Salem (OR).

Anyhow, the job opened up yesterday and I applied. More to come.

Aw man! I'm bummed that you didn't get the job. But hope you do make it out either to live or at least to visit sometime. Colorado Springs does have a fun Pride event. I've marched twice, it's an exhausting day but worth it. Not as huge or exhausting as the Denver event though, I'm sure. Very good energy, just about everyone is so happy. We did have like one wacky protester guy the last time I was there, but the "Free Hugs" people (in special t-shirts) basically crowded around him and kept him from bothering anybody. He had one of those signs that just listed a bunch of stuff on it, like "fornication! adultery! homosexuality! paganism!" blah blah and I turned to a friend and said, "You know, I was just standing here, and I wasn't especially thinking about sinning or anything, and then I saw that sign and NOW I WANT TO." lol And then I went into the festival area in the park and bought some cool art. Good times.

I'm heading back up next weekend to visit some people for about a week. Looking forward to that.