Durango ... again ... (Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder: homes, job market, elementary school)

[Aggie]

Howdy. I have read the posts/discussions on Durango. I got some good info and appreciate all those who posted. We will be going to Durango for about 3 days the first week of October. We are considering it for retirement ... so the stated concerns about the job market don't apply to our situation. I do have a few questions:

How are the medical facilities ... hospital, emergency care, are there many specialists that practice there ... rheumatologist, orthopedic surgeons ... this getting old is tough! ... my wife says that I went plumb out of warranty a couple years ago

Is there a fitness center/gym etc?

Most of the climate data I have found indicates that it is an optimum location for solar electric (PV) and solar heated hot water for radiant floor heat. And I believe the 30 year average for precipitation was right at or below 20 inches/year ... enough to harvest water for garden use. Do the natives agree with this "book" data?

A quick idea of what I'm trying to get away from: 88 degrees today and 70+% humidity with not a sign of a breeze ... then it rained about 4 PM, after which the sun came back out ... I KNOW it can't be higher than 100% humidity, intellectually anyway, but right now it has to around 200%! ... and still no breeze. There are many advantages to 60 inches/year rain ... but ....

Y'all take care and thanks in advance for all info.

[Crackerjack]

Aggie, Durango has over 300 sunshine days so it makes it a great place for solar and many solar homes are around Durango. It has low humidity so it makes it easier for people with arthritis. My dad moved there recently and he feels so much better but when he lived down in Arkansas, he hurt a lot because of all the humidity. Plus he is able to get out and walk everyday and couldn't in Arkansas, being so hot. Durango has excellent medical facilities. They just opened a new enormous hospital. Great doctors.

Looking in the Durango phone book, I see Animas Physical Therapy, Advantage Physical, Integrated Physical, Center for PT, The Training Room, Durango Physical, Junction Creek Rehabilitation, McAward PT, Peak Physical, Rappaport, Rocky Mtn Sport Injury and PT, San Juan PT, Animas Orthopedics, Durango Orthopedics, Southwest Colrado Spine and Musculoskeletal Center, Center for Musculoskeletal and Disability, Orthopedics Associates, Rivergate Sports Medicine Center, The Osteopathic Center, Trinity Acupuncture, 5 Element Acupuncture, Rivergate Acupuncture, Oriental Medicine - Terry Leonard, Trinity Acupuncture, Signature Health Systems, Aria Therapeutics, Spiral Health Center, Southwest Spine and Orthopedic Clinic, Total Joint Replacement - Mark Garard, Crossroads Orthopedics, Spine Colorado and others. Back Country Chiropractic, Bodo Park Chiropractic and Sports, Walk In Chiropractic, Inner Light Chiropractic, Columbine Chiropractic, Cafe of Life, Exceptional Chiropractic, Cornerstone, Inner Health Quest, Chiropractic Durango, Inner Ray, Moore Chiropractic Wellnes Center, Ayurveda Center, AHHH Sanctuary, Reiki and Bach Flower Therapy, Ancient Art of Healing, Flow Wolf CMT NMT, Nichols Rolfing, Shamanic Therapy, Pinon Phoenix, Preventive Health Therapies, Wellspring, Alpha Wellness Center, Lots of surgeons and other doctors.

Gyms - Aarons Fitness, Animas City, Curves, Durango Community Recreation, Durango Sports Club, Fitness Solutions 24/7, Ladies Workout Express, Aspen Wellness, The Dance Center, Jazzercise, The Pilates Connection, The Training Room, Ananda Yoga, Jessi Hastings Iyengar Yoga, Yo-Quatics with Keilty Maureen, Mimi Scott Ryt Amrit Yoga among others.

Health Foods and Herbs - General Nutrition Center, Durango Natural Foods, A Health Forest, Nature's Oasis, Off The Vine, Dancing Willow, Hummingbird Herbals, Root n Shoots Apothecary among others.

Hope This Helps!

[Aggie]

Crackerjack ... many thanks for taking the time to key that info in ... we appreciate the effort. It's sounding better and better. I'm looking forward to visiting the area. My wife is leaning towards northern Utah ... I have a couple concerns there ... this sounds great so far.

[artsyguy]

Durango's topography looks pretty.

Is Durango more of a retirement town?

[Crackerjack]

You are welcome Aggie.

Artsyguy, Durango has a mix of everything. There are about 5,000 college students alone at Ft. Lewis. There are many retired people moving to Durango. A lot of New Yorkers have moved in and are moving in, along with Jewish people. Russians are moving there. They are thinking of having the children at one elementary school say the pledge in Russian and English along with Spanish. They say it in English and Spanish right now. There are many pro bikers in Durango. Lots of climbers, runners, etc. There is a good Hispanic population being near the border of NM. There are quite a few Asians. Some have the excellent sushi bars and restaurants. There are new agers who feel that the area has a cosmic connection and it a major new age center. Gays live in Durango because they are accepted and feel welcome there. Liberals live there and it is very similiar to Boulder in politics. There are a lot of hippies still around. The 60s didn't die off in Durango. There are musicians and artists. There are sculpturers and you'll see their work all around Durango. There are the rich who have huge mega homes. There are many people moving in from California as well as everywhere else. The country around Durango has many cowboys, ranchers and such. It really is a melting pot but they all get together. I have noticed lately that people from Norway, Sweden and Denmark are moving there as are many French people. I hear all sorts of languages in Durango. Germans are there in a good number too. There isn't any friction with any of the groups.

[scout12]

quick question [moderator cut]. how is the airport in durango. Is it easy to get flights out of durango and is it reasonable priced. If not, what would be the closest airport to fly out of

[TinajaCo]

There are regular commercial flights out of Durango to Denver, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix, but my guess is that you will be paying quite a bit more than if you were flying out of a larger airport (due to limited capacity). Unfortunately, Durango is a bit secluded from major airports. Your closest major airports would be Albuquerque (~4 hours' drive), Colorado Springs (~5 hrs, 30 minutes), AND Denver (~6 hrs, 30 mins). There are other smaller, local airports around Durango but they will be about the same pricewise and servicewise.

[I_LUVNM]

Originally Posted by scout12

quick question [moderator cut]. how is the airport in durango. Is it easy to get flights out of durango and is it reasonable priced. If not, what would be the closest airport to fly out of

I live in Farmington, New Mexico and we have a nice airport that isnt small but not large either. It is the Four Corners Regional. Farmington is about 1 hour from Durango. Durango LaPlata is a nice small airport, clean and efficient but would be more limited on flights yet they do have non stop flights into there. Hey, I just checked Travelocity for a round trip from Los Angeles LAX flight to Durango and compared prices to Albuquerque, to Farmington and to Durango and I am surprised! Durango won! Here is what I got: I had for my destination to Farmington, NM so try that and to Albuquerque and to Durango as your destinations to see if the prices change.

Your 7 days / 6 nights trip

Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Departing Fri, Jan 12
Returning Thu, Jan 18
1 Adult

Los Angeles, CA (LAX) - Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Durango, CO (DRO) - Durango La Plata Airport (DRO) - Distance: 38 mi / 61 km NE from $218
per person View Flights
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) - Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Albuquerque, NM (ABQ) - Albuquerque (ABQ) - Distance: 148 mi / 239 km SE from $242
per person View Flights
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) - Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Farmington, NM (FMN) - Farmington (FMN) from $456
per person

Ok, it is cheaper, at least when I compared at LAX to Durango then the other places so do some comparing. Try Farmington, NM, Durango, CO and Albuquerque, NM and see the different prices.HTH.

[I_Brennus]

Originally Posted by Crackerjack

You are welcome Aggie.

There are new agers who feel that the area has a cosmic connection and it a major new age center. Gays live in Durango because they are accepted and feel welcome there. Liberals live there and it is very similiar to Boulder in politics. There are a lot of hippies still around. The 60s didn't die off in Durango. There are musicians and artists. There are sculpturers and you'll see their work all around Durango. There are the rich who have huge mega homes. There are many people moving in from California as well as everywhere else. The country around Durango has many cowboys, ranchers and such. It really is a melting pot but they all get together. I have noticed lately..... there are many French people.

Thanks for this valuable bit of intel. Durango is off the short list.

[coltoncity]

OK If they start saying the Pledge in Russian then we have a serious problem. I dont even think it should be said in Spanish unless they cannot learn the language YET and my daughter is Mexican! I agree I Brennus!