Moving from Ca to Colorado (Denver, Colorado Springs: apartments, to rent, homes)

[seprpratt]

I just did a cross country bicycle trip from Seattle to DC and fell in love with Colorado. I have been itching to move out of California. I currently live in San Diego. I love tennis, cycling, hiking, running, skiing...anything outdoors. I am not a city person, but do like to be close to culture. I have to admit, I do like sunshine, but can deal with the snow. Does anyone have suggestions as to cities to move to. I am a high school teacher (was an architect), love to volunteer (Habitat for Humanity and Red Cross disaster relief) and am 49 years old (geez am I that old already)

[Mike from back east]

Cycling and other sports are loved by many people here in the I-25 corridor, from Fort Collins to COLO SPGS.

We have all those things you mention here in COLO SPGS, and I'm sure in the other metro areas too.

Boulder is HUGE on cycling, but a tad pricey in most parts, though with great searching you can find affordable digs. Other towns near Boulder are more affordable and not all that large.

Teaching jobs are possible, but tough to get now as school starts on 15 Aug here in COLO SPGS and I'd bet vacancies are filled.

Just about all school districts in the corridor are very good to excellent.

Job is key, my advice is that once you score a job, the city won't matter all that much as what you seek is available all over the corridor. We always advice people to rent first, especially if job is just temporary and then take all the time you need to explore the area.

[Amy WJ]

Which parts of CO did you love, in particular, and why? Knowing that may help with responses.

[MattClyde]

You would like most of the areas in CO, but because you aren't a huge city person how about Fort Collins or Boulder. Boulder is a huge cycling and volunteer area, FC is very prominent in that too but just a tad smaller than Boulder's. You are coming from SD so I am going to assume you can afford renting the smaller homes or apartments in Boulder and FC.(I came from OC recently).

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by seprpratt

I just did a cross country bicycle trip from Seattle to DC and fell in love with Colorado. I have been itching to move out of California. I currently live in San Diego. I love tennis, cycling, hiking, running, skiing...anything outdoors.

Your tennis, cycling, and hiking is going to be severly limited during the winter months in Colorado. That's the big downside to being out there and one of the pluses to California (as you know.) The hiking season is pretty short.

But you can supplement with winter sports such as skiing and cross country skiing.

I am not a city person, but do like to be close to culture. I have to admit, I do like sunshine, but can deal with the snow. Does anyone have suggestions as to cities to move to.

If the "culture" thing is a requirement, then rule out all of central and western Colorado which is comprised of very small towns. You'll need to be towards the Front Range (Denver, Colorado Springs which are on I-25.)