What's Colorado like?

[Ukraine Train]

I have hopes of moving west after graduating college. I was talking with someone from Ft. Collins this weekend and she said that it's generally warmer and they get much less snow than Ohio, which is what I'm looking for. It's also right next to the mountains which I think is great. What's the job market like? Gun laws?

[Zundfolge]

Dunno what the snow is like in Ohio, but Ft. Collins gets more then down here in Colorado Springs.

Weather is beautiful here ... not too hot, not too cold ... and summer isn't humid (I moved here from Wichita Kansas).

Gun laws are great ... all the class III goodies are legal ... Shall Issue CCW ... no goofy waiting periods.

Job market is good and getting better ... what do you do for a living?


Anyway, as long as you're not another liberal who wants the entire state to be like Denver/Boulder then come on out

[Ukraine Train]

Hmm it sounds pretty decent. I'll be graduating in December with a mechanical engineering degree with a concentration in automotive powertrain. I probably shouldn't be moving away from the Detroit area if I want to land a job in the auto industry but I've lived in this area ever since moving to the States and I'm ready for a change of scenery. You can drive for an hour and see nothing but corn lol.

[bratch]

Not sure what Ohio is like but for an Okie who was there last summer and is going back in a week for this summer it sure is expensive.  The closer you get to the mountains the higher the prices go.  Houses started there for what would be high-end here.  On the other hand I really liked Wyoming while I was there.

[yci]

Zundforge and bratch pretty much summed it up.

I'm currently working on the south end of Denver, and living just a bit further south of there.  Grew up in the Colorado Springs area and am trying to get back down there.  I admit I'm a bit biased, but I love living out here.  Lots of things to do, especially outside, year round.

[Chas]

Ditto +1. Beautiful here. Not too much snow in the winter and summer isn't too hot, but the sun is a bit more intense than where I grew up (California). I'm in the Monument area and drive down to the Springs to work in only 20 minutes, (with no traffic). The job outlook is good and getting better as stated earlier. You can check out Monster.com for jobs listed in the Denver area.

Oh, and we have the 'make my day' law.  But the state is now controlled by the Dems...  

[Standing Wolf]

I live near Colorado Springs.

It being legal in all of Colorado except the People's Republic of Denver, I've been carrying openly the past few months. Yesterday, for the first time ever, someone noticed I was carrying a gun (other than my fellow bullseye shooters at the range, I mean.)

She was with the painting crew working on my neighbor's house, and asked what kind of job I have, that I carry a pistol. I replied that I carry just because I'm a law-abiding citizen. She said, "Oh." Didn't seem enthusiastic. Didn't seem the least bit upset. Just curious, I guess.

Coloradans, on the whole, are friendly, mild-mannered, unpretentious people. People don't talk much about tolerance: we just practice it. Keeping and bearing arms is about as remarkable here as owning a car.

[Larry Ashcraft]

SW nailed it on the attitudes here.  I have had blue haired old ladies ask me what I did on the last weekend.  "Oh, my son and I shot an IPSC match"  After explaining what what that is, they exclaim "Oh, that sounds like fun".

The front range from Colorado Springs north is getting more and more crowded all the time.  Traffic is terrible, at least for Colorado.

I live in Pueblo, the best kept secret in Colorado.  Laid back people, slow pace of life, and everybody knows everybody.  Trouble is, not too many jobs available, at least well paying ones.  Pueblo is called "the banana belt " of Colorado, with temps averaging ten degrees warmer than Colorado Springs or Denver.  Not Arizona by a long shot though.  Our record low is minus 30, our record high is 109.

As far as the mountains, well I couldn't live without them, but living in or close to them is for the outsiders.  I prefer the plains, I can visit and look at the mountains anytime.  On the way to work, I can see Pikes Peak to my right, slightly to my left is the Greenhorn (Cuerno Verde), and to my far left are the Twin Peaks.  Weather conditions in the mountains in winter can be quite brutal.  Fort Collins, being close to the mountains, suffers from 80+ MPH windstorms at times.

[bratch]

If I end up in Colorado (crossing my fingers I won't but afraid I will) I'll be out east somewhere.  It can't be too far out though because I'll have to commute into Denver daily.

Not too totally still his thread but do the natives have any suggestions for a more reasonable place in the state (houes not starting at 200) that is within commuting distance of Denver?

I don't need to be in the hills I've grown up in the flatland and am quite accustomed to it.

[Sindawe]

bratch:

Off the top of my head, you may be SOL for single family housed w/in commuting distance of Denver.  However, off the top of my head, the surrounding flatland communities to look at are (clockwise, N to S) Berthod, Milliken, Mead, Longmont, Niwat, Erie, Lafayette (where I reside), Brighton, Saudi Auriora, Litteton, Castle Rock.  (I'm more familar with North end than South).

Some areas w/in Metro Denver may be affordable, 'specially if you can/will live in a condo or are willing to rent.  Condos in my developent (Lafayette, 20 miles N of Denver, East of Boulder (Where Mork from Ork lived)) are just a shade under 200k but still very nice with vaulted ceilings, full basements and either cloistry windows or skylights.  My neighbor to just to the North just put his place on the market for $192k for a two bedroom/two bath w/ basement w/ loft  condo.  Very nice location, close to shopping, schools and a nice neighborood bar in stageri^H^H^H^H walking distance.  Sadly the local shooting range closed down a few years ago, but hills are just short drive away, and the HOA minds it owns business for the most part, and not yours.  Oh, and cable TV for is inclued in the HOA fee.

If you want someone to scout on the North end, just send me a PM on what your looking for and your price range.  I you want to buy, I can refer you to the dude I used when I bought my place 10 years ago.

[Smith]

I lived in CO for 10 years, and I just moved back to the Southeast (after my time in the Iraqi desert).  I have to say that I'm VERY happy to be back where the trees and ground a green.  CO has its charms, but I am a Southeastern person and I know it now.  CO will always be my second home though, and I really do like the place.  Brown just never really caught on with me.

[bratch]

Sindawe:

Thanks for the info/offer.  I will know next fall where I will be working full-time after school. If I end up Denver way I'll drop you a line.

I really want to stay here in Ok but after this summer I will have had 2 internships working the PRB and now the Piceance in the Rockies and I can't seem to get my foot in the door here locally.

On another note are any of you guys planning a CO get-together over the summer? I'd love to meet some of the APS/THR guys.

[Harold Tuttle]

Ohio = verdent green fields, spring showers, underbrush

Colorado = high altitude desert where the popcorn is crunchier in the bowl the next morning

[Ukraine Train]

LOL well that's one man's opinion. To me Ohio = corn, dull straight roads, humidity, corn, snow, bad drivers, more corn, flat, etc.

Is CO treeless even down in the lower altitudes like around Ft. Collins?

[cfabe]

If you do end up moving out west, make sure to bring a tanker of water with you!

[Larry Ashcraft]

Bratch, the last two THR get-togethers were at my place in September.  I'm east of Pueblo so it's a ways for most folks (180 miles from Ft. Collins), but I have a small back yard range, 35 acres, lots of great food, and friendly local LEOs.

Ukraine Train, CO is hardly treeless.  Trees from the foothills all the way to timberline, and you won't want to spend much time above timberline.  Not many trees on the eastern plains, except river bottoms and towns.  I live on the Arkansas river bottom and there are hundreds of trees on my place.

[Zundfolge]

Is CO treeless even down in the lower altitudes like around Ft. Collins?

I live in Colorado Springs just southwest of down town (between downtown and the Broadmoor) ... can't swing a dead cat without hitting several trees



I've been up to Ft. Collins and while its not quite as close to the mountains as Colorado Springs (which is literally at the base of the mountains) its still pretty close.

Here's a good site that shows you all the nature stuff around Ft. Collins http://www.pixearth.com/fcnatural/  (kinda slow and built in Java but has tons of info).

Lots of relocation and community info here http://www.fortcollins.com/


Here's a neet site with links to info about the front range from Denver to Wyoming http://www.coloradofrontrange.com/

[Brad Johnson]

Run by your local bookstore and see if they have a copy of the Colorado Guide by Bruce Caughey and Dean Winstanley. Pretty good read for someone wanting to know the "see and do" for different areas in Colorado. They also give good personal opinions on stuff.

Thanks!
Brad