Is Colorado Right for Me? (Denver, Colorado Springs: fit in, neighborhood, school)

[suzco]

Originally Posted by GearJammerOne

HI OC! Let me step back a moment and say that my post was in no way meant to offend you. Please understand that we Coloradoans have just seen a great California escape overwhelm us. . .
Again...if you decide to move to our great state...we welcome you but we also charge you with the task of keeping Colorado great!

Originally Posted by GearJammerOne

Ya....Texas Horse Lady is correct. I am from Abilene, which some consider to be west Texas while others say it is Central Texas. You don't generally find in West Texas the traditional southern accent of Georgia or Alabama. West Texas accent is unique in itself.
I would imagine that most outside of West Texas are not too familiar with our accents anyway because we pretty much stick with the philosophy that we only talk when something needs said anyway.

GearJammerOne,
How long have you lived in Durango? (Or anywhere in Colorado?)

[CosmicWizard]

My home is about 25 miles from Utah as the crow flies, and a 30 mile drive to the state line via I-70. The air is very dry, and the heat is more tolerable than the heat in Murrieta. As you surmise, the shade does indeed feel noticably cooler. It is sometimes so dry ( usually in June ) that the heat index is actually LOWER than the temperature. I remember seeing on the weather channel around the first day of summer, where the temperature was 98 and the heat index was 95, with single digit humidity.

I'll leave it to those who live in the Denver area to comment on the humidity in Denver. It's been 35 years since I lived on the front range, and I don't trust my memory to give me an accurrate picture of what it's like over there.

[AwayfromOC]

GearJammerOne-

Well, I do disagree with you about man's contribution to global warming. While the earth does go through natural heating and cooling cycles do mainly to solar activity, our burning of fossil fuels and cutting down of forests does contribute to the greenhouse effect which, in my opinion, does burden our planet.

Yes, I am for the 2nd amendment and personally would like my government to stay out of my personal life and everyone else's for that matter. I don't believe in nanny laws. i.e. the helmet law for motorcyclist. (However, I have to admit I am split with the "hands free" cell phone law. I really think we needed that one.. although I hate to admit it.)

Now here's where you might think I am a liberal. But I have to give you a disclaimer first. When I was 19, I got pregnant and chose much to my Christian family's dismay to have my child and put it up for adoption. My parents begged me to get an abortion, but I refused. I thought it was wrong. My sister-in-law who is of the born again, charismatic Christian persuasion, told me that while she admired my choice, she didn't think she could make the same one and many of her friends had not made the same choice as I. Now with all this said, I am pro-choice. I don't feel our government should be allowed to make these highly personal choices for us. Also I believe in gay rights. It's not for me to judge or decide how will live their lives. It's up to God to judge those issues, not me and definitely not my governments job, in my opinion.

I want my government to stop going over budget and start paying off our national debt. To me this is the biggest threat to our way of life here in America. I want our government and our people to stop focusing on all these personal issues and focus on what truly is destroying our nation... Our national debt and dependence on foreign oil. I've got a good movie for you to see if you are willing and are truly open-minded. Go see I.O.U.S.A.

I really don't understand why more people are not upset about our debt and are more worried about a pro-choice judge getting on to the Supreme Court.

By the way, if you don't like abortion then do something to help those that are faced with that tough decision. My parents kicked me out of the house and I went to live in a home for unwed mothers. If I didn't have that support, I couldn't have made the choice I did. Walk the walk, don't just talk the talk.

[CosmicWizard]

I cannot understand why some people have difficulty accepting that human beings can and do have a negative impact on the environment to the point where global warming comes into play. When you consume a resource ( oil ) that took nature millions of years to produce, in a matter of 100 years, it seems absolutely logical that negative repercussions are being unleashed.

[GearJammerOne]

Hi OC....let me say that I also do admire you for your decision on the adoption route. I think you made the wise choice. Although I guess I am a little confused that the Christian influence in your life (your parents) as to why they disagreed with you.
Although I disagree with you on the "global warming" factors by man. I agree that the earth does have natural tendacies to cool and heat itself.
I also do not have a problem with the gay people if they chose to live that way. You are correct in saying it is not for me to judge. The only time I have aproblem with it, is when they try to push that lifestyle as mainstream when in reality it is not.
Let me finish by saying that you seem to be very intelligent and honest and I certainly respect your views. In the whole scheme of this life my personal opinions matter little to anyone but me, and my opinions are always open to change based on thoughful debate and discussion, and for that I thank you. I think Colorado would be a better place if you and your husband relocated here.

[vegaspilgrim]

Away from OC,

A couple of suggestions:
1. I think you posted your question to the wrong forum. The Colorado forum is for topics related to the rural parts of the state and small cities/ big towns like Grand Junction, Pueblo, etc that don't have their own forums. I'm almost certain that based on the locations you've hinted at (Highlands Ranch, Parker, Fort Collins), etc, you'd be better off asking your question in the Denver forum, and then branching off from there. Other than Fort Collins, which has its own forum, those places you named are all Denver suburbs, so you'd get a better response if posted your question on the Denver forum. Anything that's within a 50 mile radius of downtown Denver that doesn't already have its own forum (such as Boulder, Fort Collins, or CO Springs) or that's not in the mountains is best asked in the Denver forum, if you ask me. While the Denver and the Colorado forums do overlap, you'll find a different group of people on each respective forum.

2. When thinking about relocation, it's always better to think in terms of pull factors-- what are you moving to, not what are you trying to escape from? All of the problems I'm guessing you have with Orange County, California, are all present in the Front Range of Colorado as well, maybe to different degrees and proportions. After all is said and done, the only guarranteed difference is that houses cost less. But there are much more inexpensive places to live than the Front Range which makes the Front Range look awfully expensive. The ironic thing about somebody from OC saying that want "away" from OC and then suggesting master-planned communities like Highlands Ranch is that HR was originally developed by the Mission Viejo Company (which was bought by J.F. Shea, another California real estate development company). I don't know the exact statistics, but there are hundreds of thousands of Californians, many of them from OC in particular, who have moved to the Front Range over the years. If what you're looking for truly a different kind of culture, you might want to move your search further east. If what you're looking for is a southern Orange County suburban lifestyle but simply can't afford that lifestyle in your current location, or you like OC but would prefer to live in a 4-season climate with mountain views, then the Front Range could be what you're looking for. I can totally understand that. In any case, that's not "escaping" OC; it's finding a more affordable or alternative version of OC.

3. I'd ignore all those Forbes, Money Magazine, etc, lists. At least in my book, any place that continually finds itself on a "list" is probably overrated, and will soon if not already become ruined as it is "discovered" by thousands of other people looking for the same thing. I would start your relocation search with a real geographical assessment of your needs, wants, and preferences. Look at the numbers, study the climate, study the economy, analyze maps and demographic statistics, do some real soul searching... but ignore the "lists."

[Idunn]

Colorado will meet the criteria you provided, and you may love it. But the Front Range less so than other areas of Colorado, and this a consideration unless you must or wish to reside near Denver, CO. For that matter, other states, such as Utah, might be a better fit for that specified. But obviously not all of it, and same with Colorado.

Boulder, CO is a great town. Lots of amenities, beautiful location. Quite liberal. But it is expensive, and even if the criteria different you may find more than a few keep a close eye on the Jones' next door. Maybe what the latest mountain bike is. Down to earth people as well, only as in the OC you'll have to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Ft. Collins, CO the same, only less so. Certainly in expense. In many respects a good choice, if not too far from Denver.

These two, as well as Portland, OR and Seattle, WA have solid liberal credentials. But consider that in many areas of Colorado considered red state your neighbors will likely be respectful, and possibly even more prone to lend you a cup of sugar than one in Boulder. Then there is the weather. Little humidity and lots of sun in Colorado. Near polar opposite on the west coast in a location such as Seattle. If spending the winter there best if you don't care about seeing the sun much. Lush and beautiful, and wet. Climate wise, the OC is much closer to Colorado. Moreover, as liberal as Seattle is, transplants often complain at how hard it is to make friends with natives who are outwardly friendly but otherwise distant. On the other hand, despite regional differences, the entire west coast, from Mexico to Canada, enjoys a certain vibe you will not find elsewhere. But perhaps you'll enjoy that of the Rocky Mountain west better, anyway.

And don't overlook New Mexico.

Depends on sensibilities and priorities. This projected move a perfect chance to assess both. You will gain much more house for the money in Colorado versus the OC. But you needn't spend $350,000 on a residence, nor heat 2,500 sq. ft. There is the option to live with less. So while you might find much accustomed to in Colorado or elsewhere, if perhaps more amenable and less costly, if looking for something different there is the chance to look outside the box and perhaps surprise yourself.

What do you want to become?

[rkb0305]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

What I liked about CO

Tons of stuff to do out of doors.
Friendly people.
Awesome Mountains.
The Broncos

What I disliked about CO
Tons of Mesquites.
Extreme cold. Sometimes snow-ins that last days!
Extreme heat.
Tornados.
Hail.
Extreme wind.


I lived near Aurora and the McMansions and there is a very large share of Joneses, many of them from CA that transplanted so don't think you can outrun it. Just pick a hood that isn't all glitz!



What I like best about S Cal near the coast

No skeeters

Mesquites? What's that?
Extreme heat? LOL! Try Fresno or Phoenix. I LOVE the cool down in the evening. Where I'm from, it was still 90 at 10pm.
I don't think that kind of snow-in happens very often. Like once in several years.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

Mesquites? What's that?
Extreme heat? LOL! Try Fresno or Phoenix. I LOVE the cool down in the evening. Where I'm from, it was still 90 at 10pm.
I don't think that kind of snow-in happens very often. Like once in several years.

Oops stupid spell check skeeters, blood sucking skeeters.
Well that kind of snow happened often enough for me to high tail it out. I wish I had a summer home there.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

Mesquites? What's that?

I figgered he wuz just talkin bout woodchips... Dern them woodchips everywheres!