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Disagree - With the exception of getting to a mountain with over 1000 vert, you can do everything in C-bus that you can do in Denver during spring, summer, and fall. In fact, I do it on a weekly basis. Run, road bike, ride single track, wakeboard, waterski, rock climb, ect. Hiking isn't as good, but you can absolutely get outside around Columbus and choose from several great state parks. You just have to want to to it, and not look at your geography as an excuse.
I'm not certain what it is you're disagreeing with--that Columbus isn't known as an outdoor activities hub (it isn't) or that it doesn't compare with Denver when it comes to quantity and quality of outdoor activities (it doesn't). Honestly you can run, bike, wakeboard, water ski and rock climb in pretty much every large American city. Those aren't aspects unique to Columbus, or that make Columbus stand out in any meaningful way. Denver's location makes it ideal for people who enjoy hiking, skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking and so forth--and anyone who appreciates those activities will find the opportunities to be much more abundant and exemplary in the Denver area than they are in Columbus.
Columbus has a great park system, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor physical activities. But there's simply no comparing the two cities in this regard--those "mountains over 1000 vert" that you mention happen to belong to the largest mountain range in the North American continent, and represent a rather sizeable advantage.
I'm not certain what it is you're disagreeing with--that Columbus isn't known as an outdoor activities hub (it isn't) or that it doesn't compare with Denver when it comes to quantity and quality of outdoor activities (it doesn't). Honestly you can run, bike, wakeboard, water ski and rock climb in pretty much every large American city. Those aren't aspects unique to Columbus, or that make Columbus stand out in any meaningful way. Denver's location makes it ideal for people who enjoy hiking, skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking and so forth--and anyone who appreciates those activities will find the opportunities to be much more abundant and exemplary in the Denver area than they are in Columbus.
Columbus has a great park system, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy outdoor physical activities. But there's simply no comparing the two cities in this regard--those "mountains over 1000 vert" that you mention happen to belong to the largest mountain range in the North American continent, and represent a rather sizeable advantage.
It can be an outdoor activity hub. How do you choose to use it? I am just tired of individuals describing Columbus as an area that hinders those activities. I can tell you it doesn't.
However as far as living in a town like Denver adjacent to, not in the Rockies, I skied more vert this past season in and West of the Rockies than my friends who live in Denver. Sometimes living adjacent to the playground doesn't mean you will have the opportunity to participate. That is what living in C-bus has allowed me to do, I get to choose between the Rockies, the Sierras, the Wasatch, the Sawtooths, ect.....
It can be an outdoor activity hub. How do you choose to use it? I am just tired of individuals describing Columbus as an area that hinders those activities. I can tell you it doesn't.
It isn't ever likely to develop that type of reputation because it isn't situated in a location where it's going to attract the kinds of people for whom outdoor activities constitute a major part of their lives. Cities like San Francisco, Denver and Seattle *do* attract those kinds of individuals, and with good reason--their proximity to exemplary outdoor recreational opportunities is unparalleled in the U.S.
And again, there's no shortage of opportunities in and around Columbus--you seem to be taking my comments as a slight on the city, which they're not. They're simply a recognition that outdoor recreation isn't one of Columbus's preeminent characteristics.
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Sometimes living adjacent to the playground doesn't mean you will have the opportunity to participate. That is what living in C-bus has allowed me to do, I get to choose between the Rockies, the Sierras, the Wasatch, the Sawtooths, ect.....
This doesn't logically follow to me. There's nothing preventing a Denver resident from visiting all of the places you list there--with the difference being that the Denver resident will be much closer to most of them. It's nice that you take so many opportunities to go skiing, but your location in Columbus isn't really offering you any advantages in that regard.
My wife and I find this dicussion very interesting. Our situation is that we moved from CO to Ohio with a family and we are trying to decide where to raise the kids.
Summary;
Weather CO wins with Sunshine, but, Ohio is close behind. (Jan and Feb in Ohio have lots of clounds-bad)
School; Ohio wins
Univerisites: Ohio wins with In-state and out-state (closer to Ivy league schools, etc)
Work Ops: Push for most, but, for me, Ohio wins.
Crime: Depends on where you live, but, we think Ohio is safter.
Quality of Life: very subjective and based on what you want and like, but, we are stay at home, ride a bike through a forest, play in the snow and leaves... Ohio wins.
Housing: Cheaper in Ohio property taxes higher..
Taxes: CO has less, but, you pay for what you get.. Meaning that I think Ohio has better services sans Cuyahoga which is the midst of a corruption scandel..but, Columbus is not as corrupt. (a reason that ohio has better schools)
Overall: Ohio wins, Is there still a yearning for CO? oh yeah, but, then we think about it (listed our thoughts below) and we come to the conclusion that Ohio is a better place to raise a family, closeness (if that is a word) to the East Coast and Chicago job ops and Fl and the Atlantic.
Our concerns and thoughts are very similar to the original post. We love the Denver weather, but, not the drynes. dry skin, cracking feet, etc. The weather is nice all year round, but, it is too hot in the summer to play on the playground equipment, but, we spent a lot of time outside in the winter. I notice my allergies are worse in Ohio and there is more mold and bugs (good and bad about the bugs.. we saw lighting the bugs for the first time in a very long time this summer and the kids loved it.. bad bugs.. misquitoes)
The school seem better in Ohio. (reasons listed below)
I find the people nicer in Ohio. While loving the weather in CO, we never really felt at home. Hard to explain, but, didn't feel right. We don't have that feeling here. It is a very middle america experience here. (that is good and bad) Christmas is like what you see on TV. Shopping Malls full (not that shopping is Christmas, but, when you go to buy something, so is everyone else and weather while cloudy but with snow also puts you in the holiday mood) lights everywhere, you can't help but get in the spirit. PS I love the Christmas Story..
We feel guilty wanting to move back since it is really only for the weather (in our opinion, that is where CO beats Ohio).. I think Ohio is much better in all other regards.. Also, you seem to remember only good things and not the bad..
Also, CO also has Super Fund sites due old mines, there was steel mill downtown. Some of the mines are radioactive and are threatening the water supply.. But, CO has some of the best water in the world. Agree about the sun and since at a higher altitude you need to wear sun screen all year round.
Schools are our main concern. We used to neighborhood scout to review the school districts.. Ohio has so many more better school districts that have higher schools. Aspn, Castle Rock and others we looked at but the housing prices are so much higher than comparable ones in Ohio.
Granted a number doesn't and can't reflect the total education experience and quality but what else can you do. Realtor.com also has school review and 1-10 ranking system and Ohio still comes out ahead (a review is subjective and based a person perspective relative to their baseline which is shaped by many things... It is hard to find a review by someone who has lived in Ohio and CO and is aware of their own personal bias...
So anyway that is how we judged the schools.. Ohio appears to us to be better. (side note.. we know of teachers in CO and they always say that are, on average, some of the lowest paid in the country and CO has a higher cost of living..)
Also, there is more work for what I do on the East Coast.. Flying from Denver East or West for that matter is a pain... From Columbus/Cleveland/Arkon, I am central to Chicago and the East Coast.
Also the number of unveristies/college in Ohio in my mind are far better than CO. The Ohio State is world class university and there are many others, Kent State, Akron State, Ball State and smaller ones like Denison. While CO with CU and Denver U. that in my mind is about yet.. Please prove me wrong on this point. (we hope our kids want to attend, but, I think it is an economic necessity these days.)
The other thing we find interesting was the legalization of mary jane in CO... With no kids, I couldn't care, and it is a way to increase tax revenue, but, with kids... wow,, night and day.. It would be hard for me to explain why it is legal to buy it, but, for me, morally wrong to use... (friend in college was heavy user and it consumed/s his life..) (of course, it depends on how I raise my child..etc and drugs are everywhere, but, I don't like the environment where the signal is sent that it is ok to use it. If the dispenaries weren't everywhere I might feel different..I know you need doctor's approval and they passed laws restricting where the dispenaries are, but, I don't feel comfortable with it.. (starting to sound like my Old Man.. I know)
Also, and I know that I am sounding more and more right wing, (can't stand Michelle Bauchman, "I will bring back 2.00 gas,, what you got, a time machine.. and Tea party who nearly shut the government.. agreed something needed to be done but don't like political radicalization of either side the Left or Right.. Why the segway.. I don't like delivering school classes, driver liscences, etc. in Spanish.. It should be English. I also think they are exploited and it is no win for either side.. (may sound racist but that is not the intent, just trying to raise my family in a safe environment and give them the tools to suceed in the future. (don't think learning Spanish is one of them.. should be Chinese..
denvertoohio: your entire post could've been ripped right from our mouths! My husband and I have said the exact same things, especially regarding schools and weather. When we first discussed this move and looked at all the pros and cons, I kept saying I felt guilty keeping us in Denver just because I loved the weather there! Of course, there's KINDA more to it than that. The great weather translates into a completely different lifestyle - where people are outside all the time and active. It's just a way of life. Whenever we are back east (Ohio, PA, wherever), we are always struck by the high # of people who are obese, right away. Sad but true; it's just a different lifestyle.
So, I thought I should post a little UPDATE since I started this crazy thread: We are, in fact, living in Dublin now! We are still sorting boxes and living in chaos, but we arrived just over a week ago. My 6 year old started 1st grade last Thursday and loves it - he only has 18 in his class, which I am thrilled about. In Colorado, he was in supposedly one of the best school districts in the state, but due to crowding and budget cuts he had 30 in his kindergarten class - with NO aide. As a former teacher, I think class-size is HANDS-DOWN the most important factor in what your kid gets out of school; you can be in a crummy district but have a great support system at home, and with a small class and still get a fabulous education. So yeah, his class is now HALF the size of what it was last year and he loves it. That alone makes me feel like the move is worth it. However, I must say I'm surprised at how much I like it so far. The weather has been gorgeous, our house is MUCH bigger than what we had in Colorado (yet for less than what we paid there!), and Dublin is pretty similar to where we lived before in that it's a planned community, has lots of parks, rec center, everything is close, etc. Oh, and the eczema me and the kids dealt with in Colorado? Almost gone! I love the cute little downtown in Dublin, too - just wish it was bigger. So, yeah we've only been here a week and a half, but so far it seems to be the right decision. Now, ask me again in the dead of winter when I haven't seen the sun for months and I might have something different to say, ha ha...
denvertoohio: your entire post could've been ripped right from our mouths! My husband and I have said the exact same things, especially regarding schools and weather. When we first discussed this move and looked at all the pros and cons, I kept saying I felt guilty keeping us in Denver just because I loved the weather there! Of course, there's KINDA more to it than that. The great weather translates into a completely different lifestyle - where people are outside all the time and active. It's just a way of life. Whenever we are back east (Ohio, PA, wherever), we are always struck by the high # of people who are obese, right away. Sad but true; it's just a different lifestyle.
So, I thought I should post a little UPDATE since I started this crazy thread: We are, in fact, living in Dublin now! We are still sorting boxes and living in chaos, but we arrived just over a week ago. My 6 year old started 1st grade last Thursday and loves it - he only has 18 in his class, which I am thrilled about. In Colorado, he was in supposedly one of the best school districts in the state, but due to crowding and budget cuts he had 30 in his kindergarten class - with NO aide. As a former teacher, I think class-size is HANDS-DOWN the most important factor in what your kid gets out of school; you can be in a crummy district but have a great support system at home, and with a small class and still get a fabulous education. So yeah, his class is now HALF the size of what it was last year and he loves it. That alone makes me feel like the move is worth it. However, I must say I'm surprised at how much I like it so far. The weather has been gorgeous, our house is MUCH bigger than what we had in Colorado (yet for less than what we paid there!), and Dublin is pretty similar to where we lived before in that it's a planned community, has lots of parks, rec center, everything is close, etc. Oh, and the eczema me and the kids dealt with in Colorado? Almost gone! I love the cute little downtown in Dublin, too - just wish it was bigger. So, yeah we've only been here a week and a half, but so far it seems to be the right decision. Now, ask me again in the dead of winter when I haven't seen the sun for months and I might have something different to say, ha ha...
Glad you are enjoying things so far and I hope it works out for you and your family in the future.
West Coast 30, it's too bad that you have to defend yourself from the barracudas who insist on saying that Ohio is not cloudy or overcast. What a bunch of livin-in-denial artists!! I was just in Denver (Broomfield to be exact) last week, and trust me, it WAS sunny, warm & beautiful. I dreaded coming back to NE Ohio (where I've lived for 40+ years) and knowing what would greet me when I came back. Columbus ain't much better (I've been there too)...we're talking cloudy, overcast skies. The Ohio cheerleaders can cheer as loudly and arrogantly as they want...they still can't change a sow's ear into a silk purse.
Some people are okay with Ohio winters (lack of sunlight, overcast skies, general SAD inducing conditions)...in fact, they try to tell others that it's not real, or that "it's only a few cloudy days here and there." Maybe that's how they see it. For me, I want to rip my hair out around January and/or go into hibernation mode until Spring comes. I found that serious exercise, leaving the house, and getting the endorphins going helps...that's what got me through the winter earlier this year.
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Originally Posted by westcoast30
Denver sunshine is pretty much comparable to San Diego and the Desert. That's where the OP is now... DENVER. Sunny blue skies day after day. Very minimal 100% cloudy days. I will repeat one last time (there's no point in arguing with someone who's clearly off topic) that the OP is concerned about the grey because of her experience in Pittsburgh. It doesn't matter how often or not the sun shines in Columbus or Chicago or St. Louis or DC or Philly. They all are noticeably cloudier than Denver, CO. There's a major difference. Obviously Columbus is sunnier than London, England but it's closer "cloud-wise" and "grey-wise" to London than Denver.
For the last time, this is about the OP not me. I'm not arguing with the NWS. And where did you get only 145 cloudy days? Again, for the final time, and I hope you finally understand the point of my post is to inform the OP that if she had an issue with the grey in Pittsburgh she will have the same in Columbus. End of story. No one is out to attack Columbus. It's a nice city. But it's NO Denver or the West when it comes to sunshine.
Maybe you still don't get it. Main point= OP concerned about grey b.c. of experience in Pittsburgh. Conclusion= Columbus and Pittsburgh have a high number of cloudy days. They are close in proximity. It is overwhelmingly likely that Columbus is just as grey. Has nothing to do with me. Only the OP and her experience. Talk about redundancy!
denvertoohio: your entire post could've been ripped right from our mouths! My husband and I have said the exact same things, especially regarding schools and weather. When we first discussed this move and looked at all the pros and cons, I kept saying I felt guilty keeping us in Denver just because I loved the weather there! Of course, there's KINDA more to it than that. The great weather translates into a completely different lifestyle - where people are outside all the time and active. It's just a way of life. Whenever we are back east (Ohio, PA, wherever), we are always struck by the high # of people who are obese, right away. Sad but true; it's just a different lifestyle.
So, I thought I should post a little UPDATE since I started this crazy thread: We are, in fact, living in Dublin now! We are still sorting boxes and living in chaos, but we arrived just over a week ago. My 6 year old started 1st grade last Thursday and loves it - he only has 18 in his class, which I am thrilled about. In Colorado, he was in supposedly one of the best school districts in the state, but due to crowding and budget cuts he had 30 in his kindergarten class - with NO aide. As a former teacher, I think class-size is HANDS-DOWN the most important factor in what your kid gets out of school; you can be in a crummy district but have a great support system at home, and with a small class and still get a fabulous education. So yeah, his class is now HALF the size of what it was last year and he loves it. That alone makes me feel like the move is worth it. However, I must say I'm surprised at how much I like it so far. The weather has been gorgeous, our house is MUCH bigger than what we had in Colorado (yet for less than what we paid there!), and Dublin is pretty similar to where we lived before in that it's a planned community, has lots of parks, rec center, everything is close, etc. Oh, and the eczema me and the kids dealt with in Colorado? Almost gone! I love the cute little downtown in Dublin, too - just wish it was bigger. So, yeah we've only been here a week and a half, but so far it seems to be the right decision. Now, ask me again in the dead of winter when I haven't seen the sun for months and I might have something different to say, ha ha...
Glad that you're here and getting settled in. Happy that the school is good for the kids too. As far as winter and not seeing the sun in months...that is a hard one. That didn't hit me until I hit about 40. I assume you're younger than that, so hopefully you'll be okay. Some people are fine with the lack of sunlight, some are not. It affect people more profoundly than others. The important thing is that it works for you and your family. Wishing you the best.
Glad that you're here and getting settled in. Happy that the school is good for the kids too. As far as winter and not seeing the sun in months...that is a hard one. That didn't hit me until I hit about 40. I assume you're younger than that, so hopefully you'll be okay. Some people are fine with the lack of sunlight, some are not. It affect people more profoundly than others. The important thing is that it works for you and your family. Wishing you the best.
Saying it's sunny all the time is the same as acting like Ohio is the cloudiest place on the planet. There's plenty of hyperbole and exaggeration, but I see it mostly from people who can't handle any adversity at all. They're clouds people. It's not raining blood or something. 99.9% of the planet has to deal with some kind of unfavorable weather, whether it be extreme heat, extreme cold, clouds, too much rain, drought, humidity, whatever. 7 billion cannot live in the tiny and scattered microclimates that do not have many negatives.
So, I thought I should post a little UPDATE since I started this crazy thread: We are, in fact, living in Dublin now! We are still sorting boxes and living in chaos, but we arrived just over a week ago. My 6 year old started 1st grade last Thursday and loves it - he only has 18 in his class, which I am thrilled about. In Colorado, he was in supposedly one of the best school districts in the state, but due to crowding and budget cuts he had 30 in his kindergarten class - with NO aide. As a former teacher, I think class-size is HANDS-DOWN the most important factor in what your kid gets out of school; you can be in a crummy district but have a great support system at home, and with a small class and still get a fabulous education. So yeah, his class is now HALF the size of what it was last year and he loves it. That alone makes me feel like the move is worth it. However, I must say I'm surprised at how much I like it so far. The weather has been gorgeous, our house is MUCH bigger than what we had in Colorado (yet for less than what we paid there!), and Dublin is pretty similar to where we lived before in that it's a planned community, has lots of parks, rec center, everything is close, etc. Oh, and the eczema me and the kids dealt with in Colorado? Almost gone! I love the cute little downtown in Dublin, too - just wish it was bigger. So, yeah we've only been here a week and a half, but so far it seems to be the right decision. Now, ask me again in the dead of winter when I haven't seen the sun for months and I might have something different to say, ha ha...
Welcome to Ohio...The past few months were a little too grey for me as it was extremely cloudy. I'm confident you'll like spring. Lets hope we get some snow soon just to complete my needs....this whole winter weather has been strange.
I moved here from Steubenville, Oh in 98 & I find that Columbus is much cleaner and healthier way of living...especially the suburbs such as Dublin. Definitely take advantage of all the parks & trails around for exercise and getting sun. The Columbus Metro Park system is one of the best. Our citywide curbside recycling beginning this year is a big plus for the city. ...Welcome.
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