Do you like living in Colorado? (Denver, Colorado Springs: ski resorts, spring break, car registration)

[jim9251]

What part of Colorado? It is like four different states. You may want to visit. There's good and bad here, like everywhere.

[Tokinouta]

Originally Posted by Vision67

For the most part, it's still a pretty good place to live. I will have been here 40 years this coming May. I moved here from Tempe for an engineering job in 1977. The place has grown a lot since then. That's both good and bad.

As suggested, read through these posts if you want to get an insight through the eyes of we "Natives".

The only thing that is tiring is the about 5 months of too cold weather and the occasional need to shovel snow. Now that I'm retired, I'm actually considering returning to Arizona; either Tucson or a Phoenix suburb. I just have to decide if I'd be willing to trade too cold for too hot. At least Arizona solves the snow shoveling problem.

Another key point is the environment. Colorado Springs has exceptionally clean, cold, and great tasting tap water. I usually drink only tap water with meals. Way back in 1977 when I came here for the interview, when I brushed my teeth at the hotel, the water came out so cold that it hurt my teeth! In Tempe, it was hot and tasted pretty disgusting. If I returned there I'd install a reverse osmosis filter for the water.

For the most part the air here is also clean and refreshing. We rarely have the inversions that I remember in the Phoenix area. I think Tempe was about the worst place for that because the lowest part of the Valley, the salt river, goes through Tempe.

In summers the weather is wonderful. My house doesn't have or need whole house air conditioning. In summers we open windows and just run a whole house fan to draw in fresh air and exhaust it through the attic. A single window air conditioner for the family room easily takes care of the few days when the temperatures get above 90 degrees.

Housing costs more here. But the houses tend to be quite large. In Arizona, most houses are built on a slab. I had a house in Tempe that was 2070 square feet all on one level. That would actually be better for me as I age because it has no stairs. Here, most houses have a full basement and most people eventually finish the basement. That's like getting a second house for free. My house has a 1500 sq foot finished basement with a walk out to a large concrete patio. It would be ideal for a granny flat.

Bottom Line: Colorado is a pretty good place, but it's not perfect. Like Arizona, you have to take the bad with the good. If you pick a place with nice weather year round, e.g. Santa Barbara, Ca, it's not affordable.

I hear ya. Get a single level, with a pool (to enjoy the heat) in Tempe. It's a great climate for us old folks. lol


OP,Colorado is one of my favorite states, but that said it's hard to live there for me now. A lot of driving required but it's got some beautiful spots to explore. I wouldn't live there full time but like to visit.

Just so you know I'm referring to my experiences in Denver and the outlying suburbs.

[pikabike]

I lived in CO for most of my adult life, moved to WA for 4 years, realized over that time that the minuses there outweighed the plusses, so moved back HOME to CO which I had been missing more and more anyway. I had known I would miss some things (I even miss things about MA but absolutely do not want to live there). But there came to be a clear difference between the occasional missing and wanting to visit vs the constant longing to be home again.

As soon as we drove into eastern UT--familiar turf that I consider part of the hominess--I knew it was the right decision. The outdoorsy "attitude" fits and, like bluescreen, I plan to stick around.

No doubt there are people who would switch the states and think I am crazy for leaving mild weather, perennial greenery, and relative humidity that is kinder to skin and hair. People need to decide what fits their own desires, not artificial Best Of lists or boosters raving to bring in more tax revenue.

[brown_dog_us]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

We have legal dope everyone is moving here because of that.

nailed it.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

Over-crowded cities on the Front Range with soaring prices for real estate. Can't get out of Denver on I-70 W to go ski even if your life depended on it. It will cost you 3 times as much to get plates for your car than it would in any other state. A war of different values and different interests between the Front Range and the rural Western Slope. A war of different values and different interests between the rural plains areas and the Front Range. Grouchy native Coloradans who hate everyone who can't trace their family roots here back to at least the 1850's. Global warming and pine beetles are killing off all the forests up in the mountains. Denver has Mountain Lions that go out hunting at night on Colfax Avenue for poodles and small children. Colorado Springs is over-run with fundamentalists and witches. Boulder is so PC that complete strangers will stop you on the Pearl Street Mall and give you a lecture about your leather shoes. Fort Collins has been taken over by millions of geese who stay there year round and refuse to migrate. You can't walk anywhere there without stepping into goose poop. The people in Greeley want to secede and make a state of their own called "NorCO." Jazzlover left. Idunn has vanished and we're all worried sick about her. Colorado's most revered historic figure is a cannibal named Alferd Packer. He liked to eat democrats (doesn't everybody these days?). Colorado is running out of water and what's left will be contaminated by arsenic and uranium tailings from all the old abandoned mines up in the mountains, since I guess there's going to be no EPA left to stop it.

Other than that, it's great. Come on out and complain with the rest of us. You'll love it!

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

Over-crowded cities on the Front Range with soaring prices for real estate. Can't get out of Denver on I-70 W to go ski even if your life depended on it. It will cost you 3 times as much to get plates for your car than it would in any other state. A war of different values and different interests between the Front Range and the rural Western Slope. A war of different values and different interests between the rural plains areas and the Front Range. Grouchy native Coloradans who hate everyone who can't trace their family roots here back to at least the 1850's. Global warming and pine beetles are killing off all the forests up in the mountains. Denver has Mountain Lions that go out hunting at night on Colfax Avenue for poodles and small children. Colorado Springs is over-run with fundamentalists and witches. Boulder is so PC that complete strangers will stop you on the Pearl Street Mall and give you a lecture about your leather shoes. Fort Collins has been taken over by millions of geese who stay there year round and refuse to migrate. You can't walk anywhere there without stepping into goose poop. The people in Greeley want to secede and make a state of their own called "NorCO." Jazzlover left. Idunn has vanished and we're all worried sick about her. Colorado's most revered historic figure is a cannibal named Alferd Packer. He liked to eat democrats (doesn't everybody these days?). Colorado is running out of water and what's left will be contaminated by arsenic and uranium tailings from all the old abandoned mines up in the mountains, since I guess there's going to be no EPA left to stop it.

Other than that, it's great. Come on out and complain with the rest of us. You'll love it!

^If somebody ever wanted a synopsis of the last 10 years here at the forum, this is it.


My opinions (which have changed over time) are all over this forum (and Denver's).

[Hschlick84]

Have fun removing snow off the sidewalks during the winter and having unpredictable weather at times. Otherwise May through late October are the best times of the year if you decide to move.

[DrDog]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

Over-crowded cities on the Front Range with soaring prices for real estate. Can't get out of Denver on I-70 W to go ski even if your life depended on it. It will cost you 3 times as much to get plates for your car than it would in any other state. A war of different values and different interests between the Front Range and the rural Western Slope. A war of different values and different interests between the rural plains areas and the Front Range. Grouchy native Coloradans who hate everyone who can't trace their family roots here back to at least the 1850's. Global warming and pine beetles are killing off all the forests up in the mountains. Denver has Mountain Lions that go out hunting at night on Colfax Avenue for poodles and small children. Colorado Springs is over-run with fundamentalists and witches. Boulder is so PC that complete strangers will stop you on the Pearl Street Mall and give you a lecture about your leather shoes. Fort Collins has been taken over by millions of geese who stay there year round and refuse to migrate. You can't walk anywhere there without stepping into goose poop. The people in Greeley want to secede and make a state of their own called "NorCO." Jazzlover left. Idunn has vanished and we're all worried sick about her. Colorado's most revered historic figure is a cannibal named Alferd Packer. He liked to eat democrats (doesn't everybody these days?). Colorado is running out of water and what's left will be contaminated by arsenic and uranium tailings from all the old abandoned mines up in the mountains, since I guess there's going to be no EPA left to stop it.

Other than that, it's great. Come on out and complain with the rest of us. You'll love it!

Then why do you live there in a self described hell hole?

And what's wrong with witches?

[Colorado Rambler]

Originally Posted by DrDog

Then why do you live there in a self described hell hole?

And what's wrong with witches?

I'm sorry, but you're making me laugh.

I live here because I was sent into exile by Queen Cersei Lannister and the Kingslayer. The wicked priestess Melisandre has placed an enchanted spell around the entire state of Colorado, so that I have no way to escape - even on the most lost back road or the smallest whisper of a game trail. My boon companion, Sandor "the Hound", and I are hiding deep in the San Juan Mountains awaiting the ascent to power of Jon Snow. Snow is plotting the overthrow of the evil king, Доналд Трамп. When this happy day finally arrives, Sandor and I will return home to New Jersey where we really belong. You know nothing oh DrDog, and winter is coming! *


Seriously, my dear friend DrDog, my previous reply was satire (mostly), and I'm laughing with you, not at you. I just thought it was funny that at the time I read the OP's question, the thread just below was about how much various folks had loved growing up in Colorado. I do wish newbies would check out the board a little when their questions have been answered so many times over by the rest of us.





* Shamelessly plagiarized from The Game of Thrones.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

I'm sorry, but you're making me laugh.

I live here because I was sent into exile by Queen Cersei Lannister and the Kingslayer. The wicked priestess Melisandre has placed an enchanted spell around the entire state of Colorado, so that I have no way to escape - even on the most lost back road or the smallest whisper of a game trail. My boon companion, Sandor "the Hound", and I are hiding deep in the San Juan Mountains awaiting the ascent to power of Jon Snow. Snow is plotting the overthrow of the evil king, Доналд Трамп. When this happy day finally arrives, Sandor and I will return home to New Jersey where we really belong. You know nothing oh DrDog, and winter is coming! *


Seriously, my dear friend DrDog, my previous reply was satire (mostly), and I'm laughing with you, not at you. I just thought it was funny that at the time I read the OP's question, the thread just below was about how much various folks had loved growing up in Colorado. I do wish newbies would check out the board a little when their questions have been answered so many times over by the rest of us.





* Shamelessly plagiarized from The Game of Thrones.

You have a way with words! Lol!