Cortez, Trinidad, or Canon City? (Denver, Fort Collins: buy, subdivision, to live in)

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by bovinedivine

Don't know about sheep, although I do know people in the area who raise llamas, goats, mules-- and of course, cattle and bison.

Bo, Uncle George and Aunt Guadalupe had several thousand sheep around there at one time. Kind of belied the myth of the cattleman/sheepman conflict as they raised both. Whatever made more money at the time. I'm sure if they'd had access to llamas though they'd have had them too.

[Colorado Rambler]

Yes, thank you. The similarities between Mann Gulch and the South Canyon Fire are eerie. I assume you have read the accounts written about those fires by the Macleans - father and son. Must reads for anyone who lives in the mountain West.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

That book sounds great! I'll have to see if I can track a copy down on Amazon.com. My favorite Telluride atrocity story was told to me by a store owner just a few years after those 14 smoke jumpers died in the cruel fire storm/blow-up outside of Glenwood Springs.

I was wandering down Telluride's main drag in a bit of a daze after having spent the past two weeks camped on the San Miguel in the high mountains. My eye was drawn to an extravagent looking leather shop, displaying exotic skins and hides from just about every animal I could imagine (and some which I couldn't). I went in and gazed at the amazing assortment of boots, vests, coats, etc., and made some polite compliment to the owner who had been watching me like a hawk, since I belonged in that store about as much as a Kentucky moonshiner belongs in a shop filled with fine French wines.

However, my compliment worked it magic, and the man drew out a parcel wrapped in delicate paper from underneath the counter. When the paper was carefully removed, I saw it had been protecting a roll of brightly dyed turquoise alligator leather. "Bob Dylen," the leather guy whispered. "Hand dyed and hand tooled. Smoke Jumper Boots. $20,000! Been real popular lately."

I thought of the 14 crosses on that ridge outside of Glenwood. I thought of those kids, mostly members of a hotshot crew out of Oregon. I knew how much pride a "timber beast" or a fire fighter takes in his or her boots - White's is the brand and way back then I'm thinking a pair of Whites came to a $100.00 - a big chunk of money for a kid on only a seasonal appointment.

I wondered if Bob Dylan would put on his turquoise "smoke jumper boots" and walk that steep path and read those 14 names.

But it was just another day in Telluride.

Yeah, that's Telluride.

I met a couple of those firefighters, just days before they lost their lives over in Glenwood. The really sad part is that the main reason they were sent over there was to protect a bunch of houses built where they shoudn't have been. Fighting forest fires isn't much about the forest, anymore--it's about saving yuppie houses built in the wrong places. As so often happens, those firefighters died bravely for an unworthy cause.

As for White Boots--they are the best. I have several pair that I count among my prized possessions. ( White's Boots, Hunting Boots, Pac Boots, Work Boots, Outdoor Clothing )

[Aspen Annie]

I'm an artist living near Santa Fe, NM. I miss Colorado! I used to live in Grand Lake, Colorado but I had to come down to a lower altitude (Grand Lake is 8,000 ft.). I'm thinking of returning to my beautiful Colorado and Canon City has caught my eye. I'm getting ready to retire and real estate there is more affordable than most places in Colorado. I know Canon City is beautiful, but are there many artists there? All I need is a decent library, beautiful scenery and lots of other artists and I'm happy. I've also wanted to ask this forum before if anyone knows any place that compares to Grand Lake but not so high up in the clouds . . .

Thanks for your help.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Aspen Annie

I'm an artist living near Santa Fe, NM. I miss Colorado! I used to live in Grand Lake, Colorado but I had to come down to a lower altitude (Grand Lake is 8,000 ft.). I'm thinking of returning to my beautiful Colorado and Canon City has caught my eye. I'm getting ready to retire and real estate there is more affordable than most places in Colorado. I know Canon City is beautiful, but are there many artists there? All I need is a decent library, beautiful scenery and lots of other artists and I'm happy. I've also wanted to ask this forum before if anyone knows any place that compares to Grand Lake but not so high up in the clouds . . .

Thanks for your help.

Annie, several threads in here on Canon City, have you found them yet? If not, try the search tool, it's excellent.

Manitou Springs on the west end of COLO SPGS has a bit of an artist's colony flavor to it.

[Aspen Annie]

Thanks, Mike. I'll try searching. I have my eye on Manitou Springs, too. They have a great community arts center.

Annie

[SheridanL]

Aspen,
The artist Dave Merrick lives in Canon City. There are many art competitons and galleries in Canon. You can google it to see if it's your cup of tea.

[sesamekid]

Originally Posted by Aspen Annie

I'm an artist living near Santa Fe, NM. I miss Colorado! I used to live in Grand Lake, Colorado but I had to come down to a lower altitude (Grand Lake is 8,000 ft.). I'm thinking of returning to my beautiful Colorado and Canon City has caught my eye. I'm getting ready to retire and real estate there is more affordable than most places in Colorado. I know Canon City is beautiful, but are there many artists there? All I need is a decent library, beautiful scenery and lots of other artists and I'm happy. I've also wanted to ask this forum before if anyone knows any place that compares to Grand Lake but not so high up in the clouds . . .

Thanks for your help.

There are MANY artists in Canon City and nearby Florence. This place is quite the mecca for artists and writers. The local Arts Center does a wonderful job of supporting and promoting local artists. There are many smaller private galleries as well.

We have an historic Carnegie library which is just gorgeous - and even said to be haunted! There are plans in the works to restore, remodel and expand the local library, perhaps even adding another branch. There are reading groups, writers groups, and book clubs galore. There is also a lovely and active seniors center - one in Canon City and one in Florence, in fact.

I love Manitou Springs and Grand Lake as well, but they are just not as afforable as Canon City. Also, the weather is much more pleasant in Canon.

[brightdoglover]

Regarding Edward Abbey- he lost me when he exercised his love of the land by throwing beer cans all over the place.
And also, in "Monkey Wrench Gang," the hero pees into the river and somehow just forgets to put his business back in, and stands there with all hanging out. Just like real life. (And any women mentioned were described by leg length, etc. But I guess that would go with a guy who was married five times).
I just get so tired of things written as if they were written for men and women can read them at their own peril- to translate the writing so it can be read by all.
(end rant)

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Regarding Edward Abbey- he lost me when he exercised his love of the land by throwing beer cans all over the place.
And also, in "Monkey Wrench Gang," the hero pees into the river and somehow just forgets to put his business back in, and stands there with all hanging out. Just like real life. (And any women mentioned were described by leg length, etc. But I guess that would go with a guy who was married five times).
I just get so tired of things written as if they were written for men and women can read them at their own peril- to translate the writing so it can be read by all.
(end rant)

No one ever accused Edward Abbey of being "politically correct." He enjoyed his booze and cigars, too. Many have opined that he probably would be drummed out the environmentalist movement that he helped nurture because he would now be considered far too politically incorrect for many of the urbanite granola-crunchers that now inhabit it.

As for the peeing out in the backcountry, nearly everyone who lives in the Rocky Mountain West and who travels in the backcountry at all has done it (often)--and the people who say they haven't are probably lying about it. I personally have irrigated many thousands of plants in the backcountry of this semi-arid region (some yesterday, as a matter of fact). Sort of reverse water diversion, from some soda pop bottling plant or brewery down in the low country somewhere back up to the mountains or high desert where that water belongs. I'm just a cog in the hydrologic cycle. Unlike Seldom Seen Smith or George Hayduke in "The Monkey Wrench Gang," I do try to be discreet about it, though.