how did you end up in colorado? (Denver, Boulder: how much, new home)

[onthamove]

as a future resident i am never amazed at how differnet every story really is. so my main question is how did you end up in what is in my opinoin the most blessed and amazing state in the usa? where did you come from and why did you leave? how long have you been in colorado and in what city? i cant reply to this yet but when the day comes in while probably later this year i'll pull this thread up and reply, until then i'll just read everyone elses amazing and always different stories . Colorado Rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Charles]

Wanted to leave California.
Applied for (engineering, aerospace) jobs in lower housing prices states (Colorado and Huntsville, AL)
Got a job with relocation benefits in Colorado.
California + traffic + high housing costs = Bye
Like Colorado's good mix of jobs, housing prices, climate, low traffic, amenities. Not extreme socially, politically, culturally.

[Mike from back east]

How did I end up in Colorado? Hear ye! Hear ye! Read all about it: http://www.city-data.com/forum/color...o-springs.html

[justmyopinion]

I had no intention of leaving California. I was born there, and always loved it. But as years went by, it seemed everyone moved TO California. We used to be able to get to the ocean, desert or mountains within 1 hour. Eventually, it took 2 hours just to get to work. Then... the summers started getting really hot.... triple digits May through September.

We looked in N. California, but it was too hot up there too. The beaches of CA are not as clean as they used to be, in addition to the fact they are so damp in the winter (50 degrees is chilly!) Also, the property taxes along the coast make it unaffordable. So we started looking in the Southwest.

Arizona was too hot in the Summer. We love New Mexico, but were looking for a few more mountains, 4 seasons, and a lake within a reasonable driving distance. We ended up in Colorado about 10 years ago. We are actually warmer here in the winter than we were in CA. So far, so good. Not perfect, but beautiful.

How long will we stay?? Who knows? We have toyed with the idea of moving to Australia. You never know what the future holds!

[osman]

I'm from the Northeast. After grad school, I moved out here to be with a startup company. That company failed, so I moved to NYC. After a couple of months, I realized how much I missed the sunshine, outdoor recreation, and friendly people. It took me several years to move back, but eventually I did. Now I can't imagine living anywhere else.

[Micktooth]

We were living in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Afterwards, we tried to make a go of it but with 2 kids and a lot of devastation, we decided to leave. We looked where we had friends and family, Denver,Dallas and Atlanta. It was a no brainer. Best decision we ever made. I just wish we would have done it sooner. We love Colorado!

[suzco]

Nothing exciting in my story. I was born here. Left for college and grad school, moved around the country, lived and worked in several cities, including NYC, Washington D.C., Chicago, San Francisco for some years after. Moved back home to Colorado more than 30 years ago, lived here ever since.

[Katiana]

Hubby's family vacationed a lot here. When he finished up his PhD, he had to look for a job. We came here to job hunt and were lucky that he found one here. Original plan was Loveland or COS, as those are the areas he was familiar with, but ended up in metro Denver and are happy.

[CosmicWizard]

I grew up in Pennsylvania and I had just gotten out of the Air Force in 1971. I had dreams of living out west somewhere, and I had heard alot about Boulder because of my interset in climbing and attending a university. A friend and I loaded up my VW beetle and drove out to Colorado. I lived in Boulder only a few months before heading north to Alaska. I spent an additional few months in Boulder again in 1973. I left Boulder for Mendocino, CA. Enroute, my friend and I visited the Colorado National Monument. It obviously made a very powerful positive impression on me. Even though I hadn't been to Colorado for more than 30 years, when it came time to move west again in the summer of 2006, Grand Junction was on my short list of desirable places to check out because of it's proximity to the Colorado National Monument. After spending time in Grand Junction and several other places, we decided to make Grand Junction our new home. I would have preferred living in Durango, but jobs and affordability made Grand Junction more practical. Thus far I have few regrets and mostly positives about my choice to live in Grand Junction.

[nelumbo]

Grew up in and around DC, grad school in Boston, wanted a job in DC but ended up with one in CO. Used to have family in CO (don't anymore), so had previously visited both the Denver area and San Juans numerous times. Didn't anticipate how strongly I'd dislike the dry climate here. Plan to move back east after I finish up a multi-year project at work.