Tell me your tales of relocating to Colorado (Denver, Estes Park: appointed, outdoor wedding)

[justsomeguy]

Originally Posted by IndyRC

We moved there for the outdoor lifestyle. We chose Denver because I was able to get a promotion/transfer there. If I were moving on my own (meaning no work transfer), I would have probably looked elsewhere.

Anyway, the city of Denver was more of a means to be near the mountains. Our jobs were there, and it was close enough to get to the mountains on the weekends. I didn't love or hate the city. It was just there. But I LOVED going to the mountains on the weekends. We had so much fun living there. We went way more often than I thought we would. Sometimes we would take a day trip to do hiking or motorcycle riding, and then make the trip again the next day because we loved it so much. I never found the traffic or people to be an issue, but we were coming from the horrible traffic of Houston. Maybe I just happen to be going at the right time/weekend/route, but I never had a traffic issue. Often times we would seek out the twisty, winding roads for motorcycle riding, hit the off-road vehicle trails, or look for the hiking trails that needed 4X4 to get to.

Did I say I loved it? Even if we just went to the Flat Irons, it was a blast.

Then my wife gets an offer at her previous job in Houston for a lot more money. On top of that, I had another offer for a promotion with my company...also back in Houston. I did not want to go, but she did. It was significant pay increase, but I was all for staying in Denver. Sadly, we are now back in Houston.

I almost wish I never would have moved to Denver because now I know how much fun I could have on a routine basis. I hate living in Houston, and now I know what I'm missing. My wife is starting to understand though. She misses it too, but I told her that I wouldn't move her again.

So you are saying there is more to life than money?

[dnvrsoul]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

Moved here 25 years ago without a job. I now own my own business and a commercial building in the Denver area. Denver has gotten better ...and worse. Air quality, traffic and house prices have all gotten worse. The dining scene is way better than it once was. International flights are more plentiful. The front range is too crowded now for us. Too many people on the trails, too many people trying to get into the mountains. The city is LA in training.
We are retiring to western Colorado soon where Colorado is still Colorado and not California junior.

I agree...I"m a Colorado native (yes I said it)..and I moved to Tampa-I hated Tampa and liked it at the same time moved back in 2013 as I own a house...THANK GOD...I do not know how people can live here now.
The good...I mean who can beat the weather-I hate snow but honestly it's not bad at all...it snows, then it's gone in a few days.
Also, yes the dining is getting better-when I was younger I didn't know that there was more to life than chain restaurants.
The bad..traffic, and people...it takes me 40 minutes to drive 15 miles...it sucks.
And all of the snotty transplants-will I stay here...I'm not sure this isn't home anymore...also the bad-
The employers suck...they know so many people want to move here that they are willing to pay crap wages..I still make less here than in Tampa
Plus I agree...this is not California-so please don't ********** state up!

[Norrov]

Moved here 8-9 years ago from a small town in the Black Hills of SD. Denver was always the go-to City when we did things. I’ve been skiing at the resorts since I was a child and I’ve known my way around the city since the the late 90s.

I enjoy it. Yeah, it’s crowded and people are a little cold here but I like it after coming from a small town where everyone knows your business. Traffic sucks but I live and work in Lakewood so it doesn’t bother me. It’s mostly the proximity to ski resorts and the climate that keep me here. I don’t really care about city life or people. I’ll go downtown and to sporting events every once in a while though.

Dating seems easy enough.. but again I’m from a small town.

[JrzDefector]

I came out here for a visit about 8 years ago from Jersey. I never thought I would want to live in Colorado, because all I really knew of it was what I had read in Michener's Centennial when I was 12. Long story short, I was convinced the state was a rattlesnake-infested desert, lol.

I visited a friend from the east coast who had moved here a few years before. She was living in Park Hill and had a cute little house. My experiences of cities had previously mainly been Trenton, Newark, Philly, DC and NYC. Now, I love those places, but city living was never for me. I remember telling my friend "This is a cool suburb," and she was like "This is urban Denver, dummy." I was stunned at the idea of living in a major city and having a yard and a house that wasn't attached to a whole bunch of other rowhomes.

I enjoyed the mountains. I liked that everyone seemed to enjoy having dogs around. I fell madly in love with the bookstores. I just felt at ease here right from the start.

A lot of it was simply I really did need to leave my hometown to really be happy, but Denver was a great choice for that move. I get to hike when I want, I've got access to all kinds of dog sports and my creative writing groups totally rock. I love the concerts, the restaurants, the weird little mountain towns, the amazing views, etc. There's a lot I miss about Jersey, but Denver has really been the only place where I knew I could easily carve out a life for myself that was even richer and more fulfilling than the one I had where I grew up.

[justsomeguy]

What is Fall like in Denver/Colorado and when does it usually start?

[fumbling]

I've heard CO weather is crazily unpredictable.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

What is Fall like in Denver/Colorado and when does it usually start?

Fall is extremely variable. It can be in the 70s one day and snowy the next. The trees start to change in early September, and by the middle of September the nights will be noticeably cooler. Snow can start flying in September, but October is more likely.

Originally Posted by fumbling

I've heard CO weather is crazily unpredictable.

And I personally like it that way. It was 105 two days ago. Today it's 75 and cloudy. Meanwhile the OP is having to endure the typical garbage DFW summer with highs near 100 and lows around 80 for days/weeks on end.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by fumbling

I've heard CO weather is crazily unpredictable.

You've heard correctly. It can be 70 for a high on New Year's Day and 70 on the 4th of July. About the only thing you can count on is that it won't go below freezing during the summer months, and won't go above 90 (probably 80 actually) during the winter months. I've seen it snow in September (but not lately) and snow in June. I've seen January days in the 70s.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by fumbling

I've heard CO weather is crazily unpredictable.

When I moved here, someone told me to never put my summer or my winter clothes away. You’ll need them year round.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

When I moved here, someone told me to never put my summer or my winter clothes away. You’ll need them year round.

Especially if your hat is made of cheese.