Is Denver area nothing but brown sprawl/highways/chain stores?

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by tfox

You must have arrived in summer. I actually thought that Phoenix was MORE green than Denver in some ways, at least in winter. The natural desert flora there is actually a lot greener than you'd expect, and due to their mild winter climate, winter is a particularly green time for the natural Sonoran Desert. Whereas in Denver, pretty much all plants go dormant in winter, so it becomes very brown.

It's all a state of mind. If you don't like a place, it will never be good enough or green enough for you. If you love it, it will always seem green to you.

But I will never understand Phoenix fans comparing Phoenix to Denver in the winter. There is no green in winter. Thats part of living in place that has four seasons. If it bothers you, you shouldn't be in a place with four seasons. At least not in the winter time.

Once again Denver vs. Phoenix (summertime).

[Prodigal Native]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

Just give it a little more time. As long as Californians continue to flood in to Colorado, you will eventually see the day when you can drive from Ft. Collins to Pueblo and never see an open space. It will be one continues urban area with an In-Out Burger and a Trader Joes every mile.

When I first lived in Denver everything north of the Denver City Limits was pretty much open space. The suburbs in Adams County, North Jeffco, and Boulder Counties were all disconnected and surrounded by open space.

C-470 didn't exist. It was County Line Road. Two lanes and nothing but open space on both sides. Highlands Ranch was still a "ranch".

I can't comment on Highlands Ranch - that was so far out of town that I don't think I made it out there until I was in my teens (mid 80's).

County Line Road is where my parents took me as a baby when I refused to sleep. Apparently a car ride and the rolling hills were what I needed to knock me out.... good luck finding those hills or driving more than a mile without having to stop now!

[denverian]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

Just give it a little more time. As long as Californians continue to flood in to Colorado, you will eventually see the day when you can drive from Ft. Collins to Pueblo and never see an open space. It will be one continues urban area with an In-Out Burger and a Trader Joes every mile.

When I first lived in Denver everything north of the Denver City Limits was pretty much open space. The suburbs in Adams County, North Jeffco, and Boulder Counties were all disconnected and surrounded by open space.

C-470 didn't exist. It was County Line Road. Two lanes and nothing but open space on both sides. Highlands Ranch was still a "ranch".

I think I heard this statistic the other day, that the U.S. doubles in population every 50 years? There's no hiding from more people, especially if you live in a "desirable" place.

But a Trader Joe's every mile sounds good to me

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by denverian

I think I heard this statistic the other day, that the U.S. doubles in population every 50 years? There's no hiding from more people, especially if you live in a "desirable" place.

Thank goodness for the Selway-Bitterroot and River-of-No-REturn wildernesses.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by CO_Transplant

The problem in Denver is not sprawl, it's the monotony!

<cut ....>

Denver really has very little to offer for a town of its size, but many people who live here seem to like it! It's only several hours of road rage and migraine inducing congestion away from world class mountains. Other than that, you will probably despise it. Go to Salt Lake. You will enjoy it so much more.

I basically agree with the spirit, if not the letter, of what you wrote, EXCEPT FOR THAT LAST PART. Salt Lake more interesting than Denver?????? That's funny.

[Mach50]

I thought that Denver was very brown the first time I visited as well. However, after living here it feels more green and white .

Spawl..compared to L.A. or the SF BayArea this is nothing.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by denverian

And you think SLC has more to offer? Maybe if you're Mormon lol!

And maybe if you're not. Check out the Salt Lake City forum to see how many non-Mormons absolutely love living there.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by tfox

You must have arrived in summer. I actually thought that Phoenix was MORE green than Denver in some ways, at least in winter. The natural desert flora there is actually a lot greener than you'd expect, and due to their mild winter climate, winter is a particularly green time for the natural Sonoran Desert. Whereas in Denver, pretty much all plants go dormant in winter, so it becomes very brown.

The average annual rainfall in Phoenix is 8.3 in. That is 1/2 the rainfall in Denver. Any greeness in Phoenix is artificial.

Phoenix, Arizona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[SouthXSW]

I have lived in Oklahoma and Texas and just like Denver there is only a few months of green with the rest of the year brown. Most of the Plains and parts of the Midwest are like that because you have winter which sends vegetation into dormancy from October to March, and then you have a hot dry summer that does the same thing from July to September. Denver can get thunderstorms all summer which can keep things green (depending on the year, some have more rain than others) while parts of the southern Plains including cities like Austin, Dallas, OKC and Kansas City are browner than Denver most of the summer because of the extremely hot and dry weather, then are brown again all winter because of freezing temps. So unless you're from the South, East Coast or Northwest, Denver is not much different than most places in the US. And compared to Phoenix and parts of AZ, NV and CA it's an oasis.