Opinions on Buena Vista (Denver, Colorado Springs: homes, living, restaurants)

[BillRadio]

Just listen to the local radio stations. They all say "BYOO-nah".

A Denver TV station (KUSA) recently got flack for a report on the town as "anti-hispanic" because they said "BYOO-nah" instead of the spanish, "BWAY-nah." The TV stations then listed a large number of local BV sources for the report.

I even had an argument with Texas relatives who insisted that Salida is "sah-LEE-dah". All I had to do was switch on the radio and after 4 ads for stores in "sah-LIE-dah", they relented.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Market Mama

With a fair number of pleasant exceptions, BV folks in general takes pride in having a small-minded small-town attitude, suspicious of strangers even though it would be a ghost town without all those "zillion rafting companies" and the prison. The best and brightest of every high school class head outta town at the first opportunity, leaving the rest to breed and brood.

It is true that the astonishingly beautiful setting is drawing a fair number of retirees as well as boomers who can telecommute or are living off their investments, so there is some growth -- a bigger grocery store, a new Baptist church, and 2 new banks. But the medical facilities are seriously lacking, and it still has just one stop light. And yes, they do roll up the sidewalks at (or before) 10pm, except in front of the bars.

Winter's are milder than in many other mountain towns. There's usually not much snow in the valley, although there's LOTS in the surrounding mountains which can make getting to and from the Front Range (including Colo. Springs and Denver) problamatical from October to June. The wind blows a lot .. which is refreshing and cooling in the summers, but bitter and battering in the winter.

And I hear it as "bee-u-nee" LOL!

Market Mama pretty much has "Bee-YEW-nee" described pretty well. Like most Colorado mountain towns today, they can be OK places to live if you bring your income or money with you. If you have to rely on the local economy--well, that's a different story.

As for mispronunciation of Spanish (or French, or other non-english) Colorado place names, that's been endemic since most of the places were named. Many Colorado locales (especially southern Colorado) got their names because of the Spanish influence on that region. Many more towns or settlements got their Spanish names because they were founded by the development arm of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Originally, the D&RG was chartered to run from Denver to Mexico City. In deference to that, General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of the D&RG, directed that many Colorado stations and towns established by the railroad along its routes (which, as fate would have it, was turned westward to the Colorado mining camps and toward Salt Lake City) be given Spanish names. These include Alamosa, Salida, and Durango, among Colorado's larger towns--and a plethora of small locales throughout the state. By the way, many veteran railroaders who worked for the D&RG bastardized the pronunciation of the railroad to "Ryo Grand."

There were some other pronunciation or spelling bastardizations, too. The small settlement of Nathrop, south of Buena Vista, was a bastardization of the name of a Jewish store owner that founded the settlement named Nachtrieb. The Purgatoire (French spelling and pronunciation) River valley west of Trinidad was bastardized in pronunciation to the "Picketwire," and is still widely known as that today. Of course, the Native American (or Indian, whatever is one's pleasure) place names and their bastardized English spellings and pronunciations could be a story in itself.

[ppuckett]

I'm planning a trip to check out BV during the winter (Dec/Jan) and was wondering how the drive is from Co Springs? I'm considering moving to BV (South Main) but want to check it out during winter. We visited this summer and it was great! No doubt it is a small town, but the setting is awesome. Of course this is coming from a TX native who can't even go outside right now because it is WAY too hot and humid.

I'm also interested in some of the responses about the lack of economy in BV. I work remote now so I'd be taking that with me. However I was hoping to start my own business over time. Do you think locals + tourism would not support a cyber-cafe/bakery type of business?

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by ppuckett

I'm also interested in some of the responses about the lack of economy in BV. I work remote now so I'd be taking that with me. However I was hoping to start my own business over time. Do you think locals + tourism would not support a cyber-cafe/bakery type of business?

Making it in a tourist-related business in most any place in rural Colorado has never been easy, and is likely to get tougher. Rents/commercial real estate prices are often higher than a business can support (newcomers "buying themselves a job") and cash flows are often less than expected for many businesses--as well as tending to be quite seasonal. Honestly, over the years, if one added up all of the money made and lost by people in those type businesses in rural Colorado, the sum would probably be in the minus column. That doesn't mean that an income can't be made in tourist businesses, but it's darned tough.

The developing economic situation in this country (inflation, soaring fuel prices, possible recession) will also tend to dry up the discretionary spending that fuels these type of businesses. A couple of my acquaintances in these type businesses have already seen that this summer. A friend of mine finally threw in the towel in his tourist business in southwest Colorado, after 20+ years in it. Despite being a good business person, he figured he had been working for minimum-wage the last couple of years. He has left the state and now works (for a decent income) in a non-tourist business.

[BVliving]

Buena Vista is a great place to live if you want peaceful winters and crazy summers. Tourists swarm here in the summer, dump their animals, get drunk and cause accidents, fill up every available space at the grocery store with giant RV's, swarm the local restarants and leave lousy tips. Fun.
Then they leave and it is quiet again.
People are kind and warm here. Neighbors help each other. School system is somewhat lacking, and yes, there is not a lot of opportunity for employment or advancement here. Is that what brings people here? I believe it is the opportunity for inner peace and growth. To live a life without the craziness of the big city. To see the stars fill the night skyl. Sharing your yard with a herd of deer, elk, pronghorns and various and assorted wildlife.
I am always glad when I hear people say there is not enough to bring them here. More for the rest of us.......

[Market Mama]

Originally Posted by BVliving

Buena Vista is a great place to live if you want peaceful winters and crazy summers. Tourists swarm here in the summer, dump their animals, get drunk and cause accidents, fill up every available space at the grocery store with giant RV's, swarm the local restarants and leave lousy tips. Fun.
Then they leave and it is quiet again.
People are kind and warm here. Neighbors help each other. School system is somewhat lacking, and yes, there is not a lot of opportunity for employment or advancement here. Is that what brings people here? I believe it is the opportunity for inner peace and growth. To live a life without the craziness of the big city. To see the stars fill the night skyl. Sharing your yard with a herd of deer, elk, pronghorns and various and assorted wildlife.
I am always glad when I hear people say there is not enough to bring them here. More for the rest of us.......

I pretty much agree with everything you said, but would change the emphasis a bit. Those swarms of tourists bring the craziness of the big city with them from late May until early September -- so for almost a third of the year that peace and quiet we all value is nonexistent. And to see the stars fill the night sky you'd better get out of town and far away from the powerful lights of the prison. The prison from which just enough convicts escape that no one should indulge in those most comfortable of small town habits -- leaving your doors unlocked and the keys in your car.

But it truly is a stunningly amazingly beautiful valley. As the sign on the way into town says -- "Now, THIS is Colorado!" (or something like that. It just dawned on me that I've driven by it for so many decades that I've stopped actually reading it.)

If you're going to seriously consider BV, be sure to look past the scenery, especially if jobs and schools are important to you. And make sure you can be content without the cultural amenities BV lacks; some people end up leaving because "there's nothing to do here."

[JDean]

Okaayy......BVliving, If I leave bigger tips and keep my animals at home and stay sober so I dont cause any accidents with my RV that packs the grocery store parking lots, can I rent the house next door to you so I can visit your deer and elk petting zoo??
Hey!! I'm just kidd'in with ya..I'm just an onery ol midwesterner that promised his son that when he returned home from Iraq, his dad "Me" would take him to Colorado to do some gold panning and just get out and unwind from it all. Well for one, it is exactly what my boy needed, and two it is what I needed as I felt like there was so much that I needed to say to a young man that gave so much to his country, and three when I got to the top of the huge mountain due east from main street, just me and God up there, I took the time to soak in the beauty and to thank God for bringing my son back to me.
So please BVliving look beyond the crazyness of it all and think that there are those that need just alittle of what you are so blessed with to help bring a calm to those that so badly need it.

DAD

[tgkelly]

I use to live in BV, and my parents still do. The mountain views: well you just can't do better. My folks live in a place called Trail West Village, about 10 minutes from the town, right down from a Young Life camp. Right out there window is a breathtaking view of Mt. Princeton, there house sits on the base of Mt. Harvard. Gorgeous! As far as work, small town job, and like others have said the prison. But its a darn cute town, with art galleries, (more in Salida) small time restaurants, and a couple grocery stores (city market)Its completely livable, and actually doesnt get that much snow (not as much as u would think) Its in a banana belt, as my folks always say. I would love to live there someday, my memories are fond of good old BV.

[dleal]

We lived in Salida for two years and my hubbie worked in Buena Vista. The weather was not that bad. I now live in Loveland and the snow last way longer. We loved the area. We took our kids fishing everyday in the summer. Lots of little lakes. Salida has a fun kayakking festival every year called FIBARK Really cool to watch and Monarch ski resort is right up the road. Inexpensive as far as skiing goes. I would move back in a heartbeat if we could telecommute!

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

What water? There are a few reservoirs up around Leadville and the Arkansas River (which has about a zillion rafting companies taking tours on it in the summer).

We had no problem finding water near BV. Every 4th of July we'd go for a little paddle. I'm the one in the green helmet with the Oh My Gawd! look on his face.

Then most of us got just drenched in Sidels (class 4). Fun fun. Great place to visit at very least.