I think I want to move to Colorado

I think I've settled on Edwards. There is a CMC campus where I could take a few classes and the cost of living, at least as far as rent and tuition are no worse than here in the DC area, actually a little better. I'm familiar with the area because it's right up the road from BC. Elevation ~7200 feet. I'm not sure if and when yet but I'm fast warming up to the idea.
 
I've only driven through Edwards and Estes Park. Edwards seems OK, but it was hard to tell, just trying to keep going on the bike through all that cold rain. I'd definitely like to spend more time in that area. Don't remember anything about Estes Park except very slow bumper-to-bumper traffic. :(

I'm a bit more familiar with Durango and visit there a few days annually at least. It's really a mixed bag as far as what I like and dislike in a town. Traffic is bad, especially on the highways to the south and east, and of course in town. It can be very touristy, completely overrun, depending on the season. Sky-high real estate prices.

As far as the positives: Plenty of restaurants. Award-winning breweries. Historic architecture. Proximity to dramatic mountains, deserts, and water (lakes and streams). Abundant public lands, including some of Colorado's largest wilderness areas. There is plenty to see and do in the area: narrow-gauge railroad, enough hiking trails to last a lifetime, national parks, the Million Dollar Highway (a motorcyclist's mecca), fish hatchery, skiing, fishing, etc. etc. There's also a small college there, Fort Lewis, since you mentioned going to school at Edwards.

Despite all of Durango's positive aspects, I'd much rather live in one of the small towns in the region. Still have access to everything Durango has to offer, while avoiding the congestion and sprawl. The towns immediately adjacent to Durango have practically been ruined by the traffic so look a bit father, especially to the northwest. Dolores, Dove Creek, Silverton.

Given any though to Montrose or Gunnison? I really like Salida; it has the atmosphere of a small college town, but without the college.
 
Here are a few pictures from recent Colorado motorcycle trips, to assist in your daydreaming. :)

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Lived between Denver and Colorado Springs (front range)about 6 years ago for 5 years (close to where Dog the Bounty Hunter has a house). A ton of things to see and do except finding a place to shoot other than at a range or access to hunt. I enjoyed working there but if you work in the metro area traffic can be a drag if you live more than 20 miles from your place of employment (construction workers usually cover the whole front range). I lived rural because of having horses and horse property close to any large town is expensive. Miss the Pro sports there and the Micro brews. Most of the people I met there were from somewhere else. Politically it seemed that the Denver area was split evenly with conservative as liberals. Overall a nice place to live but it seemed to take a lot more money to live as well (not very extravagant) as we were used to.
 
Great info, Bob. I appreciate it. Awesome photos too! I don't know anything about Montrose or Gunnison. The thing with Estes Park is it's a small town with only one main road running through it that carries an overload of traffic at times IIRC. I know Edwards and I like Colorado Mountain College's programs. 15-20 years ago I think I would have had to live in Leadville to attend. Now they have a campus in Edwards.


High Desert: that was one of my questions. How about places to shoot. The gun laws are much more to my liking than Maryland's. Just think, I could actually get a permit to carry. :rolleyes: I don't worry too much about the politics. Just about any place out there is bound to have more like minded individuals then my current home state. I would like to avoid any hippie/liberal enclaves if I can. Not that there's anything wrong with that. ;)

I should know more on the if and when questions within a few days. Thanks for the replies everyone. :)
 
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For technical schools in Colorado the one I hear about the most is the Colorado School of Mines.

In New Mexico, it's New Mexico Tech in Socorro. Might be something to look into unless you're already dead-set on Colorado. http://www.nmt.edu/
 
It's basically settled. Edwards in Eagle County right near Vail and Beaver Creek resorts. About 2 1/2 hrs west of Denver not too far off I-70. I plan to be out there by about the third week in Nov. :)
You guys out there better warn the trout and the moguls and the mulies that I'm on my way. :D
 
I'll be in Frederick on the 29th as you know. I'll bring the ss Nalgene for you to check out if you haven't had a chance to do so already.
 
I was able to pick one up last weekend, I don't know if it is the 38 or 32 oz (2nd hand). I am still interested in seeing yours, thanks.
 
IMO, The Liberal enclaves here are the City and County of Denver (NOT the whole metro area - most Southern 'burbs are pretty conservative), Boulder (most especially), Vail, and Aspen. :barf: Estes Park is mostly a tourist town, and gets a lot of Liberal influence from Boulder. Gunnison is a great town and a really nice area overall, but it gets really cold there in the winter (one of the coldest places in the state) with a lot of snow, and there isn't a lot of work to be had up there.

Concealed Carry Permits are pretty easy to get here (essentially just need to take an NRA basic pistol course and pay the permit fee, then wait), and a lot of folks DO legally carry even in the Denver metro area despite what the Liberal agenda here might want you to believe. ;) :cool: The outskirts of the Denver metro area aren't too bad a place to be (I'm in the extreme SW part of the "city" up against the foothills), since you have the convenience of the city, more potential job possibilities, yet you can still get a decent piece of property with a small house that won't cost a fortune and are close to a ton of outdoor recreation possibilities. Unfortunately, housing prices in the Denver area are still way over inflated right now due to the mass influx from Kalifornia back in the early 90's, but this bubble is starting to deflate. It is certainly a buyer's market right now.

There aren't too many places in the WORLD where you can take a 6x6 bull Elk in the morning, fly fish Gold Medal trout waters mid day, then Pheasant hunt the afternoon/evening, all within less than an hour's drive. :eek: Montrose is an ideal starting point for this kind of a Grand Slam day! :D (If you really want a challenge, throw some downhill skiing in there somewhere too.)

HTH.
 
Bring a snow shovel when you come. The areas west of Denver have been getting snow for about a month already. Heck, the southern Colorado Rockies are covered with snow too, and there was fresh snow on La Veta Pass this morning.

Even the New Mexico mountains have been getting snow.

Don't worry though, in only nine months or so the mountains around Edwards will be mostly snow-free again. :)
 
Regarding the Independence Pass photo above, it was taken in June.
When I attempted the previous June, the road was still closed for winter. :)
 
I'm actually currently visiting Denver right now and am typing from my Hotel. My wife and I came from Phoenix both for fun and family and we have been talking about the possibility as well. A great city. It would be difficult for me to leave Phoenix behind but I could definitely live here.
 
IMightBeWrong said:
It would be difficult for me to leave Phoenix behind but I could definitely live here.
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You'll freeze your nuts off. The last time I was in Denver (in January) I was there for 3 days and it didn't get above 17°. Of course, it's not always that cold, but as a fellow desert dweller, I can promise you that your blood definitely thins out. I lived in Loveland for 6 years, and Tucson for 13, and of extreme cold or extreme heat, I'll take heat every time.
 
Denver traffic, congestion, and sprawl are horrible. The air is terribly polluted as well. Driving eastbound out of the Eisenhower Tunnel and descending into a thick brown cloud... sincerely disgusting. Even visiting the nicer suburbs, you can't escape the city smell.

Might not be bad compared to Phoenix (I wouldn't know), but I wouldn't care to live in either place.

If I had to work in Denver, I'd want to live in the far western suburbs, up in the hills where there's fresh air. Friends of mine lived in Evergreen (I think, maybe Conifer), and someone at another forum posts from Nederland. Evergreen has a shuttle bus into the city, and Nederland looks like a really interesting place.
 
Update: Well, I just agreed to sign on to a one year lease in Eagle-Vail. I will have a couple of roommates but it's a good location. Backs up to BLM land. I will be heading out by first week in November.
 
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