I don't live in Colorado. I just visit it every year, sometimes more than once. If I didn't have so many grandkids where I live, I'd move. I've loved the place since we went on vacation there in 1965. But realities of life sometimes keep you from doing things you want.
Out on I-70 there used to be a sign "Don't Kalifornicate Colorado." If you show lefty leanings, most people there will hate you. The Springs is home to a huge number of Air Force personnel. It does flavor the town somewhat. On any Friday afternoon, you also see a lot of locals abandoning the place, heading up thru Woodland Park and heading into the mountains. For whatever reason, Pikes Peak doesn't seem to qualify. They head west toward Bueny (Buena Vista without a mexican or spanish flair.)
Most people in Colorado are open minded. Right up to the point where you try to change how they live. Then they'll hate you. Texan's are often disliked because in economically depressed places, they are offended by $100 bills being tossed about.
One of my favorite Kali/Colorado migrants story's was from about 24 or 25 years ago. A friend who I'd met several times was missing from our annual spring jeeping event, but his brother was there. I asked about him and was told he was moving. He'd worked for Lockheed since the early 1960s. He had the American dream. He and his new wife got a nice house in Kali and a good job. She left him, he got the house.
Over the next 25 or so years he'd dutifully made the payments. Worked at his job and kept to himself. He'd noticed his neighborhood changing, but didn't pay a lot of attention to it. Then one day he was out in his drive, wrenching on his ratty old Jeep. Up pulls a guy in a big glitzy Caddy and wants to talk to him. He told my friend "the neighbors wanted me to talk with you about selling and moving."
Kind of an offensive start, but looking up the street he realize everyone else had foreign cars, expensive ones. Then the point was made that he was the only "non-professional" person living there. He drove a ratty old pickup truck and a worse condition Jeep.
He was vaguely aware he'd paid $30,000 for his house when he got it, only had a couple of years left to make his outrageous $100 a month mortgage payments, and wasn't planning on anything changing. Well, except he was eligible for his retirement and a buyout.
So instead of crowning the real estate agent with his ratchet, he asked him what he was offering. The agent said with a little luck, they should be able to get at least $600,000 for his property! So he said he needed to think about it for a week or two. Then he took vacation, and headed to Colorado.
He ended up buying an unfinished street! A builder in Junction (Grand Junction) had gone belly up with one finished house and 4 or 5 in various stages of work, with about that many more lots untouched. Kind of a swap, Kali for Colorado. He retired and worked on his other houses. Sold them at very nice profits.
Haven't seen him in a few years. Guess I need to spend some time this summer looking.
