I left Nebraska after HS and moved to Denver with a friend. This was 1970, and I lived in Denver for a couple years, then up in the Evergreen area until 1976 when I began working seasonally for the Forest Service in Utah. I returned a winter or two, and most memorably drove a school bus one winter for the Evergreen School District. As I’ve posted before, I took Willie Nelson’s daughter, Paula, to grade school in Conifer, lo these many winters ago.

I considered Denver a nice “small city,” 50+ years ago. Getting around the metro area wasn’t too bad at all, and I was young and single, and had a ball. I don’t remember if the legal drinking age was 18 then (Vietnam War related legislation), but at that time there were 3.2 bars (just called 3-2 bars) in the years before I was 21.

After age 21, even better. By this time living in the foothills area of Idledale, Indian Hills, Evergreen. The iconic Little Bear in Evergreen, the Timberline Inn in Bergen Park, Yesterday’s Country in suburban Denver.

Opportunities for big name live music were everywhere: Denver Coliseum, Ebbets Field and the Oxford Hotel. The early years of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and in Big Thompson Canyon.

It was a good life. I left and went to Utah, and began working in Wickenburg, Arizona, married in Arizona and became a college graduate. Here’s where I’m going with this. We now live just outside of Cheyenne, but both our kids live in the metro Denver area. We had our daughter’s girls up here this week for art camp and took them home today. I have come to absolutely loathe that drive down to the Denver metro—even the northern suburb our daughter lives in. Jeezus, the traffic is horrific. Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one who’ll let somebody in. Selfish assholes everywhere.

I know that Denver remains a highly desirable location for many, many Americans, and obviously many have made the move. I heard one time that (at least when interest rates were more reasonable) between Memorial Day and Labor Day 12,000 people/week were moving to Colorado, by far the most to the Front Range. It may have slowed some now, but there’s no going back. Now, in addition to Californians moving into Wyoming, we also have Coloradans moving here. There are those (mostly developers and realtors) holding the door for them.

I’m sure many of you have experienced a similar thing, a place you really cared for changed. It’s happened again and again for me. I went to junior college in Prescott—unrecognizable. Flagstaff, topographically challenged to begin with—a mess now. Life goes on.

We lived at the eastern edge of the suburbs of Littleton in the 1960s when I was a kid. Our house was on the last street at the end of the suburbs. Beyond our back yard was pasture land. Highline canal. Little Dry Creek. I spent time nearly every day out in the field with my beagle mutt and a BB gun.

I went back to look around a couple years ago. So depressing. Where the heck did all these people come from?

Moved out of the northwest suburbs of Detroit twenty years ago. I literally dread having to go back there anymore.

Very sad. We lived in a tiny town called Frederick in Colorado years ago when I was still a paramedic. We grew up vacationing in Colorado yearly. My aspirations for retiring to the area again have shifted further north to Wyoming or Montana. Fort Worth, where I’m from and we currently live has changed the way Denver has. I hate it.

Born in Colorado, I have lived in the Denver metro area since 1978. At first I lived on Lowry AFB and worked at Buckley ANG base. The growth has destroyed the area. With traffic and the blue political atmosphere there will be a time not too far down the road we will leave. Wifey wants to move to the DFW area to near our son. I don't view that option as much of an improvement, with hotter weather, a huge concrete jungle, and horrible thunderstorms. But eventually I will lose that battle. Is there anyplace worth a shit to live anymore?

I've been going to Durango and SW Colorado since 1976. Family owns a condo at Purgatory/Durango Mountain/whatever name change as it has changed ownership multiple times.

My 1st visit was to snow ski at Purgatory Ski Resort. I'd also go in the summer for a week or so.

Many years ago I gave up snow skiing but still went back every summer for enjoyment.

Durango is in a narrow valley and it's difficult to take the side roads. Way back then, traffic was no problem. Nowadays traffic is a real big pain in the bohonkus. Real Estate has become ridiculous in price. Crazy prices.

I'll still go back every summer for as long as I can. But it is just not the same anymore, too crowded, too expensive, too busy, too noisy.
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Moved here in 1989 to go to school in Fort Collins. After graduating, I took a job in Grand Junction and absolutely loved it. Had to move back to the front range 2.5 years later. Never cared for Denver but really liked northern Colorado.

Left in 2007 to take a job in Cleveland and came back 12 years later. It’s sad to see what has appended to the state since we left. Would love to retire here but the political scene here is making that division more difficult everyday. I pray that people here wake up and see how bad the current political class has destroyed this once great state.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
It was a good life. I left and went to Utah, and began working in Wickenburg, Arizona, married in Arizona and became a college graduate.

Wickenburg is yet another example of those changes, as I am sure you know. They have built a monstrosity down the road on land that use to be wide open, (and where you worked). A lesson in how to cram 3,000 people into 2,000 acres, we have nothing repeatable to say about it.

I lived near Aspen Park at 7400 feet then in Littleton near Chatfield reservoir. Lived it when I first moved there, happy i left 4 years ago. Traffic, politics, growth it can’t handle ruined it

I was born in Boulder, because it was the closest hospital at the time. (Boulder Memorial, long since closed). I was raised in northern Jefferson County, just under the approach to Jeffco Airport. When my parents died in 2013, I sold the house and property. I joined the Navy after HS (1977) and my last assignment and retirement was at NORAD/US Space Command in ColoSprings. Worked civil service for 20 more years. Fully retired just after COVID. Still live in ColoSprings.
Colorado has become Eastern California. Every time you hear on the news about some "new" stupid law or "good idea" out of Newsome in CA, just count a couple of days and Gov Polis will come up with some new idea to one-up California.
Do you know that if we get our groceries bagged with the store paper or plastic bags the governor gets 10 cents each. They also charge 28 cents for each delivery, UPS, FedEx or USPS deliver to our home.
Don't even get me started on more stupidity that comes out of Denver each day, week or month.
I remember thinking that we were seeing too many Californians coming to Colorado way back in the early 1970's.
Every year our taxes go UP. Property insurance is sky high.
Way too political and clogged with traffic and houses. Now ColoSprings is pushing to make huge apartment complexes on every available plot of land.

Makes me sick.

The country's population has doubled since we all were kids. Most everywhere is overrun these days.

Developers are a scourge around here, especially on the east side of the mountains from Salt Lake City. They don't live in the areas where they build, so they don't care about the consequences. The local governments are seduced by more tax revenues to play with, as well as personal gifts from the builders.

All the humans need to live somewhere. The traffic is heavy and aggressive, and road noise permeates town. Congestion in what used to be "nature" is inescapable these days.

My youngest goes to Colorado State. You're right about the traffic. One day it took me 8 hours to get from Fort Collins to Pueblo.

I was born in Cheyenne and recall my folks describing Denver as a cow town, not “some fucked up hippy-dippy failed free for all attempt at progressive utopia” (Mother had a way with words).

Sadly, I can say much the same about the DC metro region.

I've only been once, 2 Christmas ago. My mom bought a small ranch NE of Denver off 76, further from Denver proper than Blulder is, almost closer to Greeley.

We only went through Denver once, to get to the Polar Express train, and traffic wasn't an issue as much as the cold froze the washer fluid & had a mile of awful visibility until some water hit the windshield & was able to clear it.

We enjoyed the small town bits where their ranch is, and Estes Park. Greeley felt similar to some of the medium towns around me here in N Houston.

It happens in other places too. I grew up near a small town in Arkansas called Rogers and went to school at the University of Arkansas then moved away. Along came a little business called Walmart in the nearby town of Bentonville and the place exploded. My parents lived in the area till their deaths culminating in the 90s and I visited often. It was sad to see fields and woods that I played and hunted in turned into sub divisions and small stores turned into shopping malls. Naturally an area that was once rural is heavily populated and driving is a nightmare. After Mom's death in 94 I have only been back twice and it is worse each time. Progress comes with a price.

Consider my self having grown up in Colorado from 1973 to 1984. Lived in a little town called Parker, that's now lost all it's identity and is just another suburb of Denver. Moved back after graduating college in 1992 and lived there until 2003 before moving to Arizona.

Even when we moved in 2003, if a trip involved going to the mountains and coming back on Sunday evening on I-70, I just wouldn't go. Spending 4 hours on I-7 just to get from Georgetown to Evergreen absolutely sucked. Worked in a couple of offices in downtown and in Lodo and loved it. Jump on the 16th Mall tram and go to any number of great places for lunch. Every time I've been back since downtown keeps getting shadier and shadier. Downtown used to be fun, it's not a place I want to go now.

Maybe it's one of the reasons I love living in Alaska now, it's what Colorado used to be growing up. Easy access to the outdoors and recreation. The ability to be alone on a hike without sharing the moment of 10,000 of your closest friends who are also trying to enjoy the same moment and space. Then there's the people. There's a strong sense of independence and an attitude of you do you, I'll do me and we'll leave each other the fuck alone. Unfortunately the Anchorage city council seems set on following the lead of Portland and Seattle and turning Anchorage into a liberal homeless shithole of a paradise.

I do miss Colorado. Unfortunately now I think it's become missing a time more than a place.

I hate what I hear of Colorado but I keep visiting. I do make an effort to spend my time and money in the small towns. I’ve never been to Denver aside from driving through on the Xway.
I think a lot of towns have outgrown that comfortable level of busy-ness. The population explodes and I swear everyone spends every remotely sober idle moment in their car trying to be in everyone else’s way. It’s everywhere, every big city I’ve driven.

My daughter lives south of Grand Junction in a quiet little town where the Post Office is only open two hours a day. It will probably stay fairly quiet because there is no available water. Houses have storage tanks and pay to have them filled periodically.

Grand Junction is getting occupied by homeless people and Californicaters. There goes the neighborhood, as the expression goes.

quote:

Originally posted by AITG:
My daughter lives south of Grand Junction in a quiet little town where the Post Office is only open two hours a day. It will probably stay fairly quiet because there is no available water. Houses have storage tanks and pay to have them filled periodically.

Grand Junction is getting occupied by homeless people and Californicaters. There goes the neighborhood, as the expression goes.

We lived on the Western Slope when I worked on the Rifle District of the White River NF. Liked it there quite a lot. We went through an O&G boom (mostly natural gas there) that created some problems, but nothing too serious. We went to Grand Junction quite frequently and I liked it. Sorry to read that it’s changing for the worse too. Grand Junction Airport was probably the nicest airport I ever flew out of; friendly, efficient, big enough.

I still keep in touch with a few ranchers in the area around Silt that grazed cattle on NF. Great bunch of people who are very concerned about the introduction of wolves into western Colorado. The referendum passed by less than a percentage point. Stupid urbanites. If it had to happen, they should have been dumped into RMNP, then at least some of those on the Front Range would have had to deal with the issue they created.

born/raised in denver, graduated hs 1964. went in the army/helicopter pilot 69-71, drove a cab for 4 years. went to iran in 1976 for 4 years, planning on olympics in russia/1980, that us boycotted....left iran dec 1978 before khomeni came out of exile in paris jan 1979. flying in iran, germany, new york, boston, new hampshire, phoenix, closing out flying career after 11 years flying tours on maui.
my 60th reunioun is this year, small get together planned in sep 2024....i don't look forward to traffic/congestion but will see a lot of old friends.