Cali vs. CO, TX, AZ (Denver, Boulder: sale, home, neighborhood)

[CosmicWizard]

[ MODERATOR EDIT ] This thread was started by another poster. Cosmic Wizard's posting below was in reply to the original poster. Another moderator later divided the thread into two or more threads, leaving the post below as post #1 in this thread. Since the thread has useful info, we'll leave in the forum. Thank you. s/Mike fbe


I'm currently living in Grand Junction Colorado which is locted about 240 miles west of Denver. It's more desertlike than mountainous. I've also lived in LA. IMO, Grand Junction beats LA by a country mile. 40 years ago I lived in Boulder - CO with frequent visits to Denver, and I enjoyed my time there alot more than the miserable year I spent in LA. I've also lived in Cave Creek AZ, and again compared to LA it was a veritable paradise. Back in the late 80s when I lived in Cave Creek it was not yet part of Pheonix, but now it is. I personally wouln't want to live there now. I actually prefer LA to Pheonix. I also lived in Prescott and Sedona AZ, and I'd gladly live in either of those places again if I could afford to do so. The only time I spent in Texas was 6 weeks at Lackland AFB near San Antonio. That time, being associated with the military, colored my Texas experience very nergatively. If the entire state was on sale for a dime, I'd probably haggle to get the price even lower. If the seller dropped it to a nickle, I'd still turn it down. The state of Texas and the city of Pheonix are two places that make LA seem desirable in my mind.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

I'm currently living in Grand Junction Colorado which is locted about 240 miles west of Denver. It's more desertlike than mountainous. I've also lived in LA. IMO, Grand Junction beats LA by a country mile. 40 years ago I lived in Boulder - CO and I enjoyed my time there alot more than the miserable year I spent in LA. I've also lived in Cave Creek AZ, and again compared to LA it was a veritable paradise. Back in the late 80s when I lived in Cave Creek it was not yet part of Pheonix, but now it is. I personally wouln't want to live ther now. I also lived in Prescott and Sedona AZ, and I'd gladly live in either of those places if I could afford to do so. The only time I spent in Texas was 6 weeks at Lackland AFB near San Antonio. That time, being associated with the military, colored my Texas experience very nergatively. If the entire state was on sale for a dime, I'd probably haggle to get the price even lower. If the seller dropped it to a nickle, I'd still turn it down. Texas is one of the few places that makes LA seem desirable in my mind.

Isn't your experience with Texas almost meaningless? How on earth can you say anything about the entire state of Texas based on 6 weeks at an Air Force Base? How long ago was your time at Lackland? Lackland is in/near San Antonio and hardly reflective of either the rest of San Antonio or other places in Texas.

It might be more constructive to compare the OP's interests:

Mountains - Texas has them, but not near the areas where most live.
Scenery - Plenty of it, but not of the jaw-dropping Hawaii or Rocky Mountain kind. Some of Texas is dry and scrubby, or tropical and flat (Houston). But it might be fair to say much of Texas is pretty in a rugged kind of way.
Friendly people - Texas has millions of them. Almost everywhere.
Not as much traffic as LA - it all depends on where you live. Houston is Texas' equivalent to LA in many ways. Some worse, many better (my opinion only).

[CosmicWizard]

hoffdano wrote:

Isn't your experience with Texas almost meaningless? How on earth can you say anything about the entire state of Texas based on 6 weeks at an Air Force Base? How long ago was your time at Lackland? Lackland is in/near San Antonio and hardly reflective of either the rest of San Antonio or other places in Texas.

Meaningless to you perhaps, but meaningful to me nonetheless. Saying what I said about the entire state of Texas based on 6 weeks at an Air Force Base is how MY impression of Texas was formed...for better or worse. It was easy to say because I simply shared my honest impression, shallow though it may be. I suspect that anyone who reads what I wrote will readily see how ridiculously flimsy it is and not take it seriously. No offense intended.

[80skeys]

Grand Junction is a good place if you like a small town environment and you can handle the dry air. It wasn't really for me, though, so my wife and I moved to northern California last year and we love it here.

I wouldn't want to live in L.A. though.

[Idunn]

Per the entire state for a nickel - 'thems probably fighting words in Texas. (Although one would not have to leave Colorado to find a Texan to discuss it with).

In the defense of Texas I will say that once long ago our family enjoyed a lovely natural swimming pool there. Its large basin overhung with beautiful shade trees, and the source of its chemical-free water the nearby river. Unfortunately our visit coincided with the one day a week they drained the pool to refill it, so the water level dropping. But still nice.

My impression, too, that Texas is adept at the art of producing lovely young women, with maybe part of that due their natural industrious attention to personal detail.

Perhaps those and some other incidentals reason to visit, if not remain, in Texas. But my sympathy to them and that region for what they are undergoing in drought. Colorado not immune, either, but simply bad there.


Not sure about Cave Creek, but I short of liked Anthem, AZ. That was also, not coincidentally, about as far as I wanted to venture into Phoenix. I had been through there a time or two before, once when our car broke down, and while it is surely lovely somewhere in town by a pool under a palm tree, not roadside with a reluctant car in triple digit heat. Anthem was only 111 ºF or something when I was there. I do recall a mall with outside walkways, and they kind of enough to offer refreshing mists of water their entire length. The outside pool I frequented was notable for lack of any other soul during the height of the day. Even its water was vaguely warm, but downright cold in comparison the blazing walk out to it. Phoenix may perhaps best be appreciated as a novel travelogue of what Mars might be like.

When I departed Anthem I headed right back up north to Flagstaff. That is an interesting, somewhat disjointed town, and a world apart from Phoenix. Lovely to be in the mountains again. My understanding its economy is a little challenged right now. With nearby Sedona probably no easier in any respect. But Sedona of course enjoys a beautiful red-rock setting, kind of splitting the difference in temperature and geography between Phoenix and Flagstaff, and in some respects nicer than either.

As for Los Angeles, ahh, poor Los Angeles. Once upon a time I hear it was a lovely place. It still is in setting if one can see the nearby mountains for all the smog and congestion. You'd probably have to turn the clock back nearly a hundred years or more to find a town suitable enough to live in. But if adept in time travel then poolside under an orange tree would be just fine, with great options in nearby beaches and mountains. For now, let's just say that Los Angeles serves as reminder to all those thinking the Colorado front range would be all the better if twice its present size.

Last but not least, Grand Junction, CO. I once had a relative living near there, although his favorite home away from home seemed to be high atop the Uncompahgre Plateau. I suppose I should really spend more time in Grand Junction sometimes. It's just that when in the neighborhood I invariably get sidetracked to somewhere like Ouray or Silverton. Once there, I'm not exactly inclined to leave.

[Travelista]

Being that I'm from Los Angeles, my only fear with CO is the snow...I've been in it but obviously never had to survive a winter in it..so that makes me unsure. As of now I'm leaning more toward Dallas, TX?

[CosmicWizard]

Idunn wrote:

Per the entire state for a nickel - 'thems probably fighting words in Texas. (Although one would not have to leave Colorado to find a Texan to discuss it with).

Now remember that I said that I'd turn it down, even if it was offered for a nickle. Instead of fighting me, which would likely result in an easy, hollow victory ( what Texan worth their salt would brag about beating up a 165 lb, 62 year old man? ) for the person who initiated the fight with me, the Texans would more likely be fighting with each other to determine who gets the deal of a lifetime for a nickle.

Idunn wrote:

I suppose I should really spend more time in Grand Junction sometimes. It's just that when in the neighborhood I invariably get sidetracked to somewhere like Ouray or Silverton. Once there, I'm not exactly inclined to leave.

Your last sentence, 'Once there, I'm not exactly inclined to leave' is probably a true statement for just about everyone when they are in Ouray or Silverton. For me, anyway, there are very few places I'd rather be than Ouray. Crested Butte is the only place in Colorado that comes readily to mind.

[GreenScoutII]

Well, shortly before we moved to the Houston area I spoke with my cousin who lived in Texas for three years while in school. I asked what he thought of it....

"It sucks.", he replied.....

"Why, exactly, does it suck?" "It never snows, there (appears) to be plenty of jobs, housing prices are low.... What gives?"

He just shook his head and explained that it wasn't some specific thing he could put his finger on.......

Now, having been here for almost eight months, I understand exactly what he meant.

I should have never left Colorado. This place sucks and I can't wait to get home.....

[Ponypenny]

Well I have visited family in Texas in the cities of Austin, Houston and Dallas. My main compliant about Texas is the weather. It is very humid compared to either Arizona or Colorado. Houston is the worst. Right now Texas is in a extreme drought and it is very hot. Other than that, the area around Austin is quite scenic and the people are real nice. If you like weather extremes, you may like Texas. I for one would pick Colorado any day of the week.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

hoffdano wrote:

Isn't your experience with Texas almost meaningless? How on earth can you say anything about the entire state of Texas based on 6 weeks at an Air Force Base? How long ago was your time at Lackland? Lackland is in/near San Antonio and hardly reflective of either the rest of San Antonio or other places in Texas.

Meaningless to you perhaps, but meaningful to me nonetheless. Saying what I said about the entire state of Texas based on 6 weeks at an Air Force Base is how MY impression of Texas was formed...for better or worse. It was easy to say because I simply shared my honest impression, shallow though it may be. I suspect that anyone who reads what I wrote will readily see how ridiculously flimsy it is and not take it seriously. No offense intended.

If you were in the military at Lackland for 6 weeks, you were in training. You could not have had much time to explore Texas, so your opinion really has no value--only to you. You admit that which is honest.

I was also in the Army. I was in San Angelo at Goodfellow Air Force Base for more training and I was eventually stationed at Fort Hood, for a while before going overseas. I saw plenty of Texas and I was very impressed. The people were extremely friendly, especially to the military. I really liked San Angelo.

After College, I returned to Texas for a job and lived in Dallas/Ft. Worth. Saw much more of Texas and was further impressed. Because I was in my wanderlust years, I decided to go the Colorado because I had some relatives there. My intentions were to move on but I stayed. I been here over 32 years.

Is Colorado better than Texas?? Not in all comparisons. Texas has some big advantages like more prospects for a career and stronger more sustainable economy. I could have seen myself living my life in Texas.

Livecontent