Where in Colorado will I fit in??????? (Denver, Grand Junction: transplants, look for a job)

[HunterRiderJohnny]

I'm 40 yo single guy moving... I mean, escaping from the worst place on the planet.
Yes, you guessed it...los angeles.
I live in santa monica right now. I hate it.. I hate the people, claustrophobic lifestyle, and everything in between. Smug, smarmy prius driving tools that only think of themselves...and their next botox fix. I feel like I'm slowly rotting away, day by day.. It's dirty, crowded and unless you like to **** away a lot of money at idiotic clubs or on something retarded like ed hardy, there really is not much to do.
I like to hunt, fish...and ride motorcycles without the constant fear of some "twittiot" on their cell phone obliviously trying to kill me. I like dive bars, pubs, and grillin' outback with friends. I could care less about the ocean...it has sharks in it. I like lakes and rivers. And a trout won't bite you in half.
I'd love to find a place where the women aren't souless, dead-behind-the-eye, fake EVERYTHING, materialistic succubi...
And the guys aren't a bunch of soft, sackless whiners driving their bmw's with that stupid bluetooth stuck in their ear.
wow....I really need outta here.

I've been looking into Oregon as well. Don't mind rain as long as there's tons to do. I like an active night life (i'm single), but not somewhere over run with college kids that every pub is like a frat house. I'm very cool with a mix of people. My politics are as follows: gun rights, gay rights, ganja..right on!, gal's right to choose...FREEDOM. Along those lines anyway. Pretty simple, middle of the road I guess. I get along with everybody. I'm not fast paced either and I don't have a cell phone in my hand 24/7 like everybody does here.
Anyone know where to hunt boar, deer, or upland game birds???
This is important..
As I would be looking for work at an Outfitters Ranch, gun store, gun range, or something to do with animals (yes, i hunt AND i love animals...go figure), caretaker, sales, anything to do with helping people/animals.
I'll shovel cow poop all day as long as it's outside in clean air.
Money is not important. I've had a lot of money, fancy career, expensive toys, and rich celebrity friends....it's ALL B.S... a big steaming pile of it at that.
I'd be really happy with land to do what I want to do without driving hours out of my way to do it.
Any input is greatly appreciated!!
thanks
[LEFT]
[/LEFT]

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Sounds like you should widen your search to Wyoming and Montana.

[bluescreen73]

Yeah I agree with Dreaming. If you're looking to get away from Southern Californians, Colorado is not the place to land. A vast majority of Colorado's population boom over the last decade and a half has come from Southern California.

Wyoming and Montana are definitely much more conservative than Colorado, but they're also much more rural.

[ShipOfFools42]

^ Agreed. Colorado is getting more and more populated these days, especially on the Front Range, which is where most of the jobs are, and although it is certainly more laid back than L.A., you will still have problems with traffic and other "city problems". The thing about CO is that employment is harder to find once you leave the Front Range, and even though housing costs are lower, it will be much harder to support yourself due to simple lack of employment. Also, the mountainous central part of the state is full of expensive ski towns that are even harder to make it in. I suppose you could try Grand Junction or Montrose, as I have heard of people having a slightly easier time finding employment, but be aware that those areas are not "in the mountains", and you will have to drive a bit to enjoy the Rockies up close and personal.

Wyoming and Montana, on the other hand, sound like more of your bag. They are huge, beautiful, and much less populated. Plenty of hunting, fishing, hiking, and all other kinds of activities to keep you busy in your free time. Jobs are not exactly easy to get there either (or anywhere in the country right now for that matter), but they are there if you look, especially if you're interested in low-paying, poop-shoveling type jobs. I personally have always dreamed of living in Montana or Wyoming, and I think you would have to be out of your mind to not see the beauty that those places have to offer.

Just one thing though, since you are from So. Cal - you're gonna have to deal with some snow in WY, MT, or CO, so be prepared. You might want to look into an all-wheel-drive type vehicle, such as a Subaru or even a small Toyota 4WD pick-up. I drive a 4Runner and it is wonderful. Good luck!

[jazzlover]

You are asking for a number of things that are mutually exclusive in Colorado and most Rocky Mountain States. The non-resort rural areas in Colorado have relatively few people under 40 living there and very, very few single women. There are singles in the resort areas, but most of the people living in the resort areas would remind you of the phoney's you're trying to escape California to get away from.

Colorado's metro areas aren't as screwed up as California's--though the growth-lovers and developers are working hard to make them that way, but they are essentially built on the same suburban/auto-dependent failed California model.

Having lived in Wyoming, I would second the notion that Wyoming or Montana could be a better fit--except that nightlife and the singles scene is lacking there, as it is in most of the rural Rocky Mountain West. Yes, the lack of jobs is a very real concern. I will get flames for this, but know that there is some very deep-seated prejudice against California transplants in much of the rural Rocky Mountain region among many of the natives and long-time residents. Much of that is founded upon the experiences people have had with the shallow, superficial, affluent, egotistical, overbearing California stereotype that seems so often to move to the resort areas in Colorado and other Rocky Mountain states. You will likely have to prove that you are not "one of them" before you will be accepted.

[jim9251]

Oh gee whiz folks. Come to Colorado, visit, spend some time. Have fun and good luck in finding what you're looking for.

[Mike from back east]

Agree, the wish list has a number of mutually exclusive topics, i.e., gay and women's rights and all forms of nightlife put the OP in Denver but hunting, fishing, working with animals, and gun rights puts the OP in rural or mountain areas of the state.

If I were single with no kids and had about $10-15K in savings, I'd just move here and see how it plays, though I'd sure look for a job first.

[wanneroo]

Dunno man you sure have a lot on your list that you want(don't even know where to start) and I have found living around the country usually it's a zero sum game, in that what areas you gain in, you lack in others. In other words or for example, rural Colorado is great for a lot of outdoor activities, but then you lack in affordability and the ability to earn a decent living without working 80 hours a week(if that's even available).

Unfortunately, much of California is now replicated in Colorado, probably a lot of which is due to so many Californians moving there. I don't think anyone who's been associated with Colorado for several decades can deny that. And seems they brought all the bad and not a lot of good. Colorado is full of poptards with bluetooth in their ear and botox fluffed cougars, so if you are looking to avoid that you are coming to the wrong state.

Wyoming doesn't do much for me, but sounds like Montana might be the place for you. Oregon? Having been to 47 out of 50 states, I'd say Oregon has the weirdest, strangest, emotionless and unfriendly people around. Couldn't wait to get out of there.

[Dorthy]

I would also add South Central Texas to your list. Austin, and San Marcos in particular.

[CAVA1990]

Why limit yourself to the Western U.S.? Every single thing on your list we have in Virginia. What's nice here is people don't crawl all over each other to be at the same nice places at the same time. You can have a whole river to yourself while fishing. As for hunting, you might have to adjust your choice of animals a bit (not sure we have wild boar) but we've got loads of deer and bears as well as pheasant and other upland game birds. The people here are very friendly and much in line wiith your libertarian political beliefs as we have just about the most relaxed gun laws in the nation.