Moving to Durango or Bayfield? (Colorado Springs, Cortez: to rent, condos, houses)

[suzzeque]

Originally Posted by CarolynW53

The most beautiful river running through a city was seen in Durango when we were visiting there. I believe it is called Animas River. Not sure though or of the spelling. We also went to Dolores, Cortez, Mancos and some other really neat smaller communities, including Bayfield. We are moving to CO, their attitude of live and let live is appealing versus our home state but the weather, the altitude or something caused our aching arthritis to be much less. Perhaps that was psychological as folks were friendly and did not encounter anyone yelling at someone who had a rainbow bumper sticker or a political sticker. We saw stickers for both political parties, yet polite acceptance was abundant.

Where we live and have all our life, this is no longer the situation. If one has any bumper sticker that is relative to civil rights, democrat party, peace sticker, etc. you run a high risk of being yelled at from another vehicle to worse. Sad situation and we are ashamed of how people have become so polarized here. I so hope this does not spread but rather the behavior we saw in the Durango region spread outwords.

Our only hope is to find a way to afford to live there, in any form as we have become desperate to find a peaceful community.

Just wanted to thank you for you comments, I am living in Mountain Home AR and have found it to be such an intolerant place, when Bush was running last time our kerry sticker was ripped off our car. I'm from northern CA and used to a more live and let live attitude. It feels stifling to me here and especially Baptist fundamentalists who can be a bit much at times. Good to hear their are other democrats facing same issues. My husband is working in the area we are a little concerned about rental prices can't buy for awhile, would appreciate any feedback, thanks for great thoughts it cheered me up, good luck to you, best suz

[I_LUVNM]

Suzzeque, you wont have trouble in Durango. There are a lot of John Kerry stickers still on many cars there. It is a liberal city and you will be welcome there. I have heard that Arkansas can be really tough for liberals up in the Ozarks, is that where you live? Isnt the Ozarks where the KKK are? Anyhoo, I hope you find the right place. Take care.

[retrocarnation]

I will lead this off with a confession that many of you here will just slather at- I am a conservative. That said, let's move on.......
It is a liberal town. Exclusively liberal. Read that one more time.


For the bubble-bursting part of the rosey, be all, end all view, the truth is you had better come here with someone's money. (Your own or your trust fund.) This is a VERY EXPENSIVE place to live. The truth, as printed in the newspaper, is that the average house price is $430,000. Gasp. The average wage is around the $10.00/hour neighborhood. Gasp, take 2.
Did I mention it is exclusively liberal? Oh, sorry.
The supposed nightlife consists of watching the throngs of drunken 20-somethings stumbling through downtown, going from one bar to the next. Most normal folks over the age of 25 will be at home when this is happening. The town is virtually dark past 10:00 P.M. unless you would like to hang around the ONLY 24 hour business in town. This is where the real action is as the police are usually within 100 yards at any given time on a Friday or Saturday night. They have to be- this is where all the afore-mentioned drunken people go to sober up.
Oh, and it is totally liberal! Oops, I said that.
The presence of the local constabulary is baffling. For a small town with confessed (and much touted) lack of crime, the sheer numbers of public servants (be they city, state, or county) will have you wondering if they are prepping for invasion. Locals chuckle at this...no kidding.
You had better have your papers in order, "Comerade", if you are planning on venturing out at night for anything.
The rental market will rock you back on your heels, if you must rent. I looked at a shack- yes, Virginia, A SHACK that I wouldn't let my dog live in just last week for $975 a month. That is a VERY good deal here. Doubt me? Google the local daily and peruse the classifieds.
If you are a Real Estate ANYTHING you are too late to fulfill your career desires. There are like 300 agents in this tiny little town, all trying to out-something each other. Catch the wave there, Captain Obvious, and move along. As long as I'm on the career topic, a word of caution to all "professionals" pondering the move here- the slackers (and they will outnumber you) will be thinking about disembowelment if they see you with a necktie. For your sanity and safety, I suggest you forget EVERYTHING you ever learned about professionalism and just "like, go with it, Bro." Some embrace the casual thing, some don't.
But, at least it is a liberal town. Oh, nevermind.
The growth in the area can be viewed numerous ways. It is excessive, and then on the other hand it is gaudy, or tacky or whatever. Pick your own interpretation. Personally, I don't know why anyone moves to a small town so they can rip it all up and build big, stupid "multi-use complexes" with no parking.
Parking.....makes me misty-eyed. See, that's the real mother lode here. Unless you plan to hoof it like Nanuk of the North everywhere in downtown, parking might be a bit of a problem for you. You will need a pack mule for parking change. (Make sure to pick up after the Parking Beast of Burden in a enviro-friendly way, though.) The parking fees, fines, tickets, boots, boot removals, etc. is like the GDP of a minor empire.
I could go on, but what's the use. You love it, I don't. In the most revered, time-honored AMERICAN tradition, I say love it or leave it. I'm buying a ticket on the conservative outbound express. Dig it, flower child, you can rent my pad for $1400. Hope it doesn't cut into your "lifestyle."
One last note- this isn't a Pelosi-Come-Lately, my head is buried firmly in the anti-war movement sand, no facts to back up the screed, Kennedy-esque nonsensical ramble. I have lived here 20 years......sucessfully. Now holding a rack of neckties out like a protective clove of garlic, I bid you all a happy, long productive life in this Panacea.
I will not answer any post on this topic. Don't even try to lure me out. This isn't the place for it.

[skigirl]

Originally Posted by retrocarnation

I will not answer any post on this topic. Don't even try to lure me out. This isn't the place for it.

Wow...I think it would have been easier to just point out of the things you don't like about the town without the attitude. I'm not altogether sure that this is the place for that kind of approach to the topic and it's obvious you were already "lured out" all on your own but to each their own I guess.

Back on subject, just wanted to add that I worked in Durango for a while. Very pretty place and nice if you want to live in a smallish town. If you decide to move there I'd recommend getting a job setup before you move there if at all possible as it doesn't have the easiest job market, but I've seen far worse job markets than Durango.'

Good luck!

[dgoboy204]

Hi retrocarnation,

This is not an attempt to lure you out and certainly no answer is necessary.

You are a talented writer. I feel some of your pain - $$, rentals & housing , parking tickets , crazy growth with big buildings...

I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the hard time you've had in Dgo and I'm sorry you're leaving. I sincerely hope you find a better situation soon .

Best Wishes

[I_LUVNM]

Retrocarnation, you sound like the typical die hard conservative with a closed mind, i.e. "I will not answer any post on this topic. Don't even try to lure me out. This isn't the place for it." We liberals like at least to discuss stuff without the closed mind set. Yes Durango is a "flower child city" I dont think that is a secret to anybody. Maybe Durango isnt the place for you with your closed mind. We "flower children" love Durango. If you rode a bike you wouldnt need that parking space downtown. Good Luck in the Bible Belt or Arkansas or wherever your very tight views take you and yes, please take your ties with you.

[Mike from back east]

Let's get back to discussing Durango or Bayfield....like the OP requested way back on page 1...

Thank you.

s/Mike from back east

[SweetSister]

Well well sisters and brothers, I must say this post has been quite interesting! I have been thoroughly going through each and every post relating to this area(I haven't reached them all yet, but will inevitably)
Regardless, my other half and our 12 year old are currently living in a very small -town mentality township in NC and have finally decided that it was time to acknowledge and move on. We have been scouring numerous places and after some extensive research have led us in a somewhat debate over the southwest (Durango to Santa Fe NM ) while researching the Durango and speaking with numerous realtors on mid priced rentals (6-9 hundred a month) we have found it to be way pricey for our lifestyles and feel we would only get stuck if we did not like it.
I do not mind the small towns and 30 minute commute, so we researched further south torwards Sante Fe but again came to the same conclusions.
I did happen upon one place which piqued my interest and that was Trinidad.
Has anyone had any experience with it?
Good school options are what I have been looking torwards and Colorados' test scores add up better than here. But I am a full time artist, is the local arts scene good and is there a good feel to the place(anything close to Durango'ish type feel to it?)

[I_LUVNM]

Trinidad is mostly a Hispanic town since I am Hispanic isnt an issue for me but may be for some. I knew someone who lived there are had a hard time in school being White and moved to Colorado Springs and was fine there. You might take that into account. It could have changed since then too. That was back in the 80s. Durango has the most artists for sure. Another artsy town is Manitou Springs, near Colorado Springs.

[SweetSister]

The hispanic aspects are not what concerns me ( one of the reasons that I was initially looking at New Mexico) I want her to be immersed into the language. We lived on a small island in Peurto Rico for a little while, although she did attend a more charter like outside school, more like a one class schoolhouse. She did have a hard time going into the public school system. But I wonder if more of that was because of the strict enforcing of uniforms and such. What about pagosa Springs ,been thru there? What is your opinion? Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs, HUh? i will definitely look at those. But being further north the loss of distinct seasons becomes more prominent doesn't it?I would still love to find a nice area in NM but seems the public school systems are not up to par and we do not have the money for private. I dont know ...have been researching places for awhile , have been to many places also (more so on the east) and sometimes it seems a little overwhelming. I fiqure if anything maybe take a road trip that way over the summer ,ride around see what feels right and plop down when I do.