An observation

[Edmund Howard]

We grew in MO, lived many years in Houston, and a few in Bakersfield before moving here 12 years ago.  Mrs Wheatie does get pretty tired of the snow most winters and I do sometimes, too.  But much of the time its really pretty nice, even in winter.  Houston and MO were both very humid, even if not quite as hot.  Bakersfield was truly hot.  Those days at fair last weekend were positively balmy compared to summers in Bakersfield.  Houston rained too much, and MO wasn't far behind.  Bakersfield rained way too little.  Bet you don't have to wash the dust off the trees in your yard, do you?  Denver and Colorado aren't perfect, but they're not far from it.

[Craigmeister]

Merlin, I'm kinda' w/ the Keeper Of The Bar.  I live near Tulsa.  We used to go to western CO every summer when I was a kid.  It is fantastic!  Castle Rock & Larkspur are also great towns!  I wish I lived closer to CoRF myself.  But I've been in Denver when it's been below zero for days in December.  Denver has also had April blizzards some of the last few years.

If you move to the interior of the state, the natives claim that the coldest air can't climb over the mountains to get to them & they get lots of sunshine year round.  With that in mind, if you do move, you can keep up w/ all of the Ren, Med & Scottish festivals in the Mile High State at www.meistersrealm.com

[Nighthawk]

Merlin, I'm kinda' w/ the Keeper Of The Bar.  I live near Tulsa.  We used to go to western CO every summer when I was a kid.  It is fantastic!  Castle Rock & Larkspur are also great towns!  I wish I lived closer to CoRF myself.  But I've been in Denver when it's been below zero for days in December.  Denver has also had April blizzards some of the last few years.

If you move to the interior of the state, the natives claim that the coldest air can't climb over the mountains to get to them & they get lots of sunshine year round.  With that in mind, if you do move, you can keep up w/ all of the Ren, Med & Scottish festivals in the Mile High State at www.meistersrealm.com

Yeah, it gets cold... but the cold doesn't last long. We only get a few days of those every year. The mountains shield Denver from the majority of the really cold weather.

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

Funny thing... Fort Collins/Loveland is rated once again in the top 5 towns/cities to live at in the nation. Seems we have that honor now about 10 years running. To constantly be in the top 10 or even 50 is a huge honor considering all of the places to live at in this country of ours.

I know Toki loves it here. He moved to Colorado from Corpus Christi in 89 and then to Loveland 4 years ago to live with me. We are less than 10 minutes from hiking, and 45 from RMNP. 45 minutes from Denver and Boulder and 1 hour from the best pizza in the area in believe it or not Cheyenne. They send their chefs to Italy to learn the Italian methods.

So maybe we will see you all in the future. OH and the weather... it's not as bad as we make it out to be. That is to scare of the unwanteds

Actually, your area is a strong possibility for us.

You would be welcome here and I think you would love it

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

Merlin, I'm kinda' w/ the Keeper Of The Bar.  I live near Tulsa.  We used to go to western CO every summer when I was a kid.  It is fantastic!  Castle Rock & Larkspur are also great towns!  I wish I lived closer to CoRF myself.  But I've been in Denver when it's been below zero for days in December.  Denver has also had April blizzards some of the last few years.

If you move to the interior of the state, the natives claim that the coldest air can't climb over the mountains to get to them & they get lots of sunshine year round.  With that in mind, if you do move, you can keep up w/ all of the Ren, Med & Scottish festivals in the Mile High State at www.meistersrealm.com

Yeah, it gets cold... but the cold doesn't last long. We only get a few days of those every year. The mountains shield Denver from the majority of the really cold weather.

Very true Nighthawk. We like to refer to Denver North as The Banana Belt. yes it can get cold. But it's not the freezing cold of say Chicago with the high humidity. yes it can get way below zero but this is not as common as people think. Yes we get snow... even in July with the largest and heaviest hitting in March - early May. December and January are cold but if you stay inside and not working outside in it, it is fine.

As a True native Coloradoan I know the weather here very very well. It's far more mild now than when I was a kid in the 60's and 70's growing up here. This past winter the high country got pounded for snow and were at 245% of snow pack, while the front range hardly got any. The far east was and always is hit harder. And granted we do get more snow and cold than say Houstan, it's not nearly as hot or humid even in the summer. Toki will attest to that.

[Merlin the Elder]

The way I look at it is, it's a lot easier to get warm than to cool off. Around here, to get comfy in the summer, you just about need to get naked. The Bible Belt tends to frown on that.

We spent Christmas in New Hampshire mountains one year (near Mount Washington), and the next Christmas camping in Yosemite near El Capitan. We were in the snow both places, and I can tell you unequivocally, that I prefer that to the heat and humidity in Arkansas. I don't do well physically in the heat, and it seems to worsen as I age. At Mt Washington, it was 15°, and I had to open my coat to keep cool enough as we walked a trail.

It's currently 74° in North Conway, NH, and 53° in Yosemite (and 63° in Castle Rock). I'd much rather be in any of those places rather than be here were it's 82° and 88% humidity.  It sucks the life right out of you.

When I was in high school, I came to Denver one November with a group. I was walking around downtown in a tee shirt in 32° weather. Not smart, but the point is, it's a totally different climate than the 32° weather here. We could easily retire to Colorado without a second thought.

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

Once again you would be very welcome here. You even get used to the altitude

[Zoë]

Hello Colorodians... Coloradians.... People from Colorado !

The name is Merlin and I hail from Texas.... Scarborough being my home fair and this is my family's first trip to the state of Colorado.

I have been searching world wide for my retirement place.... Costa Rica...Belize... North Carolina.. Florida... and I have to say that the new front runner is Colorado!

Anyone know a good realtor in the area?

Merlin my friend.
As I am a Texan by choice, not by birth, I beg you not to do anything rash.  Colorado is indeed a beautiful place but the winters may be more than you are ready for.  Before buying, I suggest you rent and live a winter or two there to see if the cold is tolerable.  I was in Montana for 28 years before I decided it would be nice to be warm and came south.  I do not know how many people have visited the north, fell in love with the area, moved in and left after the first winter.  On going below zero temps do that sometimes.   If the winter is your favorite season and snow always looks good to you, then by all means move there and enjoy.

The winters here are really not THAT bad, to be quite honest. Nothing like a New England or eastern seaboard winter. The nice thing about the winters here is that even if we get a few inches of snow, the sun comes back out immediately and the snow is typically gone by the next day. Even though we may have some cold temperatures, the sun is almost always out. Never do we have extended days of cloud cover like in New England. I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (seasonal depression) and Colorado is about the only place that I can keep it under control because the sun here is still excessive even in the winter. It really does make a difference. Most of the really "bad" weather stays up in the mountains.

[Adriana Rose]

Yes I keep it up here    But I still love my mountains even when I am complaining about the snow.

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

Yes I keep it up here    But I still love my mountains even when I am complaining about the snow.

Cannot say I blame you. I live 10 minutes from being in them, so I am happy enough, not to mention I don't have to put up with as much snow nor as much tourism. But I wish I lived higher up in them say Dunraven (Near Glen Haven near Estes Park) But who can afford $450,000 for a house in that location?

[Rani Zemirah]

The way I look at it is, it's a lot easier to get warm than to cool off. Around here, to get comfy in the summer, you just about need to get naked. The Bible Belt tends to frown on that.

We spent Christmas in New Hampshire mountains one year (near Mount Washington), and the next Christmas camping in Yosemite near El Capitan. We were in the snow both places, and I can tell you unequivocally, that I prefer that to the heat and humidity in Arkansas. I don't do well physically in the heat, and it seems to worsen as I age. At Mt Washington, it was 15°, and I had to open my coat to keep cool enough as we walked a trail.

It's currently 74° in North Conway, NH, and 53° in Yosemite (and 63° in Castle Rock). I'd much rather be in any of those places rather than be here were it's 82° and 88% humidity.  It sucks the life right out of you.

When I was in high school, I came to Denver one November with a group. I was walking around downtown in a tee shirt in 32° weather. Not smart, but the point is, it's a totally different climate than the 32° weather here. We could easily retire to Colorado without a second thought.

See... it's not just me and Scally that are trying to convince you two to move to CO!  Seriously... it's SUCH a wonderful place to live... and Lyons is still a small enough town to allow for some growth while feeling nice and homey.  And my mountains are right in the back yard... literally! 


C'mon... y'know ya' wanna!   

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

We have been in Salida for the last day and a half. We like it here, too!

Sounds like the winters here are not bad at all (we are from Iowa, so almost any Winter is better-we used to live in Minnesota and Winters there were better than Iowa - Iowa has too much ice and then snow)

[Francisco Paula]

to be honest with most of the cities on the front range are kinda in a pocket so even though the mountains will get pounded the cities tend to get just a little bit of snow. In the 14 years i have been here it was 4 years ago that was the worst winter and that was cause we got a mini blizzard every weekend. Even when we get a snow storm one day you could end up with 50 plus degree weather the next day.

Oh and i moved here from san diego.

[Blushing]

Oh yes!  Come join us Merlin!

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

Leaving Colorado (again) - but we shall return - someday for good.

After having dinner last night with Delaney and Toki, it may be sooner than later. Anyone have any insight to the winning lottery numbers?