What's so unique about Colorado?

[cobmw]

For us CO was an escape. To get away from the congestion of major metroploitan areas, find more sane people, get away from the immigration problem, be somewhere not dominated by liberal politics, have the freedom to move about and run our business without the heavy hand of state government. The mountains, lakes, etc were an extra bonus. While Denver is a major metropolitan area it does not feel like one. Getting around by car is easier that Seattle. Sure hope we don't get too many Seattle people moving here. CO is turning from red to blue fast enough. But now I'm starting to sound like some of the natives in their reception to me.

[brubaker]

Why thank you metro223.

A diverse mixture of mountainous land with some prarie thrown in for good measure.

Wonderful.

How this compares with Oregon, Washington, California...
that is what I'm wondering about.
This is my 'issue' as someone so eloquently put it.

[metro223]

Well, Oregon and Washington are both pretty similar, but are Pacific NW states so they have different types of forests... the pacific.... different climate... etc.... And I wouldn't imagine Colorado is very comparable to Cali beyond mts... I mean they have the popular beaches, LA, etc... Hope that helps.

I would imagine they said you have an 'issue' because you approached the thread in a manner that seemed like you were criticizing Colorado, people don't take well to that usually from my experience on here.

[DannyBanany]

Originally Posted by brubaker

Why thank you metro223.

A diverse mixture of mountainous land with some prarie thrown in for good measure.

Wonderful.

How this compares with Oregon, Washinton, California...
that is what I'm wondering about.
This is my 'issue' as someone so eloquently put it.

Colorado is different from the Pacific Northwest because it is much more arrid and the mountains pop out of the prairie quite dramatically. Denver is actually not in the mountains. It is on the prairie with the mountains to the west about 20 miles. That is what's so neat about Denver and the Front Range cities. They are not in the mountains, so their climate is warmer, yet recreation is only a few minutes away. Snow actually melts rather fast in Denver and it stays really sunny all year. Another poster mentioned that it's frigidly cold but he's from California so of course he's gonna say that!

It does get cold, but it is by no means arctic. Colorado has prairie in the easternmost part of the state, but it is predomintantly mountainous. It really is a gorgeous state. I'm kinda bias though because I live about 4 hours away and I go to Denver a lot.

[brubaker]

"I would imagine they said you have an 'issue' because you approached the thread in a manner that seemed like you were criticizing Colorado..."

Yeah, I can see how someone could see it like that...funny how people are ready to fight over something they had no part in creating. Perhaps when I get older and invest more of my life into a place I may get possesive and crotchety about it
... just kidding!
I hope you all can take a little ribbing ... guess I'll find out soon enough.
*s*

Anyway, I wonder how the forests of Colorado and California, Oregon, Washington compare.

I've heard Colorado is pretty 'rocky'... imagine that!
and ...well...isolated.

Sort of like Austin, it's *very* liberal and wacky and cosmopolitan...considering it's surroundings.

[metro223]

The natural Vegetation of the 4 states you listed above actually are quite a bit different, I mean sure they all have evergreens.... but I think one would be able to tell the difference... Maybe I'll look up actual differences tomorrow... I mean I can picture them in my head but I can't explain them without an educated aid, if you will. (probably a wiki article)

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by brubaker

"I would imagine they said you have an 'issue' because you approached the thread in a manner that seemed like you were criticizing Colorado..."

Yeah, I can see how someone could see it like that...funny how people are ready to fight over something they had no part in creating. Perhaps when I get older and invest more of my life into a place I may get possesive and crotchety about it
... just kidding!
I hope you all can take a little ribbing ... guess I'll find out soon enough.
*s*

Anyway, I wonder how the forests of Colorado and California, Oregon, Washington compare.

I've heard Colorado is pretty 'rocky'... imagine that!
and ...well...isolated.

Sort of like Austin, it's *very* liberal and wacky and cosmopolitan...considering it's surroundings.

I wasn't "ready to fight"; you certainly sounded like you had a chip on your shoulder in your OP.

Originally Posted by metro223

The natural Vegetation of the 4 states you listed above actually are quite a bit different, I mean sure they all have evergreens.... but I think one would be able to tell the difference... Maybe I'll look up actual differences tomorrow... I mean I can picture them in my head but I can't explain them without an educated aid, if you will. (probably a wiki article)

It's been a long time since I saw any of the forests of Cali. Towards Oregon, they get well, like Oregon. There are no redwoods in Colorado, Colorado is not lush like the PNW. Colorado is arid, which is probably something it has in common with S. Cali. Even in the northern mtns, Colorado's forests are more sparse than those in the PNW. Aspen, spruce, lodgepole pine.

[jonjj]

Originally Posted by f1000

Where is the op from?
I've not been to the entire state- just Denver. But Denver is an under-rated city in my opinion. It has an interesting combination of urbane living surrounded by very pleasant scenery & easy outdoor-activity options. Denver may not represent the entire state, but it's one of the cleanest & most civil city I've visited in America. I think as a state, it's safe & health-oriented. I wouldn't say it's the most dynamic or exciting place in America but it's unique in a pleasant way that won't be fully comprehended until you visit that state.

I agree with you about Denver being clean for sure. When I got off the train there, I walked through downtown and it was immaculate. I couldn't even see a cigarette butt on the ground. Very lovely city.

[DgoNative]

One thing I like about CO forests as compared to PNW forests is that you can actually go on a hike without a trail through the forest in CO. There is soooooo much vegetation in the forests in WA and OR (Western parts of the states) that you pretty much need to stick to the trail that you are on. And all that vegetation does cut down on your opportunities to catch views. But I do love the forests of the PNW: they are always lush, cool and smell amazing.

[esya]

Take a look at the weird skew of voters in the Feb 5 precinct caucuses--a majority of Republican voters who supported a conservative candidate who still managed to drop out, and a dead heat of liberals fighting to the death over two candidates who are identical in terms of ideology. That describes Colorado in terms of its individualism. Gun rights and privacy are supreme. Let's face it the majority of Coloradoans relate a lot more to the material and natural world than we do communalism.