Do you live in Telluride or have you lived in Telluride? (Ridgway: middle-class, real estate)

[bhouston77386]

What was it like? How were the town people?

[gingtc]

We live in Ridgway which is about 45 miles from Telluride. We work in Telluride. The people are friendly, the cost of living there is expensive.

[jazzlover]

I don't live in Telluride, but I've spent a lot of time there over the last 40 years plus--from back when Telluride was still just a mining town. Some of my former in-laws grew up in Telluride--they left there before the "beautiful people" showed up.

So what is Telluride? Mostly a bunch of idle rich living in hideously overpriced real estate (most all of them part-time residents and almost none of them with any Colorado roots); a passle of old and latter-day trust fund hippies; a transient and ever-overturning group of ski bums; and some developers, construction and real estate leeches whose only means of existence is developing and paving over one of Colorado's formerly least developed and least despoiled places. It is a place that, for over 30 years, has tolerated--if not outright condoned illicit recreational drug use. There is absolutely nothing about the place that would allow it to be considered even remotely as a normal middle-class American small town. It's none of that.

I will grant that the area surrounding the town that has not been raped (yet) by the ski area, developers, and trophy home builders is a beautiful place to visit, but I wouldn't live there if they paid me. I do have a very good friend who lives there--one of the few "normal" people I've ever met from the town. This person has been there since the days that Telluride was a mining town, and has held one of the few half-decent paying year-round jobs available in the town for all of that time. This person is now at retirement age--and plans to relocate elsewhere immediately upon retirement. That ought to tell you something.

So, if that kind of town sounds appealing, go for it, I guess. Most "normal" middle-class folks, when they found out what the place really is, want to have nothing to do with it.

[bhouston77386]

I'm not sure if I'm "normal", but I guess I'm middle class. My wife is a teacher and we are considering Telluride. They do have affordable apartments for people who work in Telluride and I imagine we could drive to one of the wal-marts that are 1- 1.5 hrs away once or twice a month to by food and goods.

My question is :Would we be osterized because we are christians?

I guess the only normal people would be the people who work for the wealthy people there?

[CosmicWizard]

bhouston77386 wrote:

My question is :Would we be osterized because we are christians?

Your religion is noboby elses business. It's a personal choice....anywhere. When religious issues arise it is usually because of proselitizing and/or attempts to convert those not seeking conversion. As long as you practice your religion and leave the proselitizing/conversion to the TV evangelists, you'll be OK...anywhere. Telluride is no exception.

[CMartel2]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

bhouston77386 wrote:
Your religion is noboby elses business. It's a personal choice....anywhere. When religious issues arise it is usually because of proselitizing and/or attempts to convert those not seeking conversion. As long as you practice your religion and leave the proselitizing/conversion to the TV evangelists, you'll be OK...anywhere. Telluride is no exception.

Not really my experience at all in super liberal enclaves, which a trustafarian mecca like this has every indication of being. The mere mention of church often draws sneers from these types.

As for leaving proseletyzation out, well, per the Great Commission, that's not exactly an option if one follows the teachings of Christ. That said, there's a difference between following the teachings of Christ and being an all-out condescending nuisance--something in my experience that super libs/trustafarians could probably take a lesson on, as well.

[Shuffler]

Originally Posted by gingtc

We live in Ridgway which is about 45 miles from Telluride. We work in Telluride. The people are friendly, the cost of living there is expensive.

So you commute 90 miles every day? What kind of job justifies that?

[ShellKing]

At least his/her 90 mile commute is at 55-65 miles an hour through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. I'd take that over a commute in Los Angeles on the 405 going 5 miles an hour for 3 hours any day!

I think a lot of people in Telluride attend church. If you count fresh tracks at chair 9 on a Sunday morning as church . . .

[Snowangel419]

I have lived in Telluride and people don't care about your beliefs as long as you tolerate theirs. My father is a middle-class "normal" person and has happily lived there for 12 years apartments are small and can be hard to come by. As for the people who commute most of tellurides workforce commutes from the surrounding towns. Also many of the students commute 30 minutes to an hour for school. It's normal in this area.

[peneumbra]

Most of the people I know in Telluride are non-judgemental and quite friendly. They live there, simply, because they can - it's one of the prettiest settings for a town I know of.

Most of them (contrary to popular belief) worked damned hard to get where they are, and they contribute to the community in big ways...