Colorado Springs from Florida? (Fort Carson, Air Force Academy: movers, home, buying)

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by jsherman9901

Actually, CC has largely been spared the explosive growth that much of the state has suffered through since 2000. During that time, the town's population has grown a modest 8.4%. Colorado Springs and Denver, on the other hand, have each grown by over 30%.

True. But compared to the way it looked when I first visited the Royal Gorge many years ago, there's a lot more going on along the Rt. 50 corridor. That's really what I was referring to. There are way more businesses and restaurants now. I did not compare it to the Springs or Denver. Just that it has grown, maybe not considerably, but definitely noticeable.

Out of curiosity, I just took a quick peek at rentals there, and it appears Canon City is following the rest of the state in high rents. There are some affordable rents for smaller or studio apartments. There's just no getting away from how expensive it's become to rent just about everywhere.

[bdejong]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

You will take a long time to adjust to the dryness...you'll buy humidifiers, use more lotions, put Vaseline in your nostrils to combat the cracked bleeding inside, you may have then more allergies, so keep your mucus membranes moist, your first line of defense from allergens.

You should NEVER put Vaseline in your nose. You can inhale microscopic particles into your lungs which may result in a condition called lipid pneumonia.

We moved here last November from California, where I have lived my whole life (68 years). I didn't have nosebleeds but I could definitely tell that the dry air was affecting my nasal passages. It has improved. The thing that is hardest for me is the altitude. I did expect that, since when we would visit mountain areas in California it affected me then too. I am adjusting but I expect it will take a while. I am also learning to bake at altitude--THAT is a challenge! For any of you who like to bake, I suggest a book called "Pie in the Sky". A friend bought it for me and it is excellent.

We love it here. We have been surprised to hear that local folks are saying this winter has been the worst in a while--we thought it was pretty mild. The worst was when a severe cold snap sent the night time temps down to -11ºF. The sun comes out though--we've not had day after day of overcast and gloom or fog like we had in California. Since we are retired the weather isn't a problem, we can just stay home if it's bad. The roads clear up quickly though where we are. People are friendly, we have great neighbors, it's quiet, deer and rabbits come visit the yards, and the variety of beautiful birds is stunning.

[jsherman9901]

Originally Posted by bdejong

People are friendly, we have great neighbors, it's quiet, deer and rabbits come visit the yards, and the variety of beautiful birds is stunning.

Trust me, if you like flowers, plants and trees, you WILL be cursing the deer in short order.

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by jsherman9901

Trust me, if you like flowers, plants and trees, you WILL be cursing the deer in short order.

For flowers, plant nothing but marigolds ... the deer won't dine on them. They will dine on every vegetable I attempt to grow every summer. The bears like my salad bar as well. It's all you can eat!

[chiluvr1228]

I was looking at rentals last night and it looks like I can get something in Pueblo for around $1200. I'm paying $1300 now for my mortgage so it would doable.

The hardest part for me is the actual moving process. Having to move with 2 dogs and 2 cats is overwhelming. Plus I drive a Toyota Corolla which I understand is not what I need to be driving in that part of the country. I've been told that while property taxes are reasonable, car registration is crazy high. Does everybody there drive a 4 wheel drive vehicle?

[chiluvr1228]

These are some of the things I need to know also:

- Best Family Physicians. Do most places take Medicare and/or TriCare for Life?
- Best Veterinarians and do they give multi-pet discounts
- How many hospitals are there in CS?
- Does the Air Force base there have a hospital for veterans?

[TCHP]

There is nothing wrong with driving a Corolla. We don't all drive 4x4s and good snow tires are a lot less expensive than a new vehicle. I see plenty of non-four wheel drive vehicles out an about in the snow, when it snows. If you are considering Pueblo, the need for snow capable transportation drops even further.

Medicare and Tricare, don't know. You would need to ask around. My kids have recently turned 18 and 21. Their pediatrician said they had to move into adult care and it took us more than a few calls to get then a physician as the place my wife and I use is not currently accepting new patients. Put a Medicare and Tricare requirement on top of that and it might be tough to find a clinic, but not impossible.

No clue about multi-pet discounts. Like human medicine, vets here seem buried with customers and can get pretty picky about taking on new patients. Upside is there seem to be a lot of vets as we love our animals here.

There are two civilian hospitals systems in the Springs - UC Health and Centura. UC Health runs the two large Memorial hospitals along with a number of smaller specialty and urgent care clinics. Centura runs the two large Penrose and St Francis hospitals and a competing number of smaller clinics.

My knowledge of military care is decades old and probably outdated. From what I remember, Peterson AFB does not have a hospital but had a sizeable clinic, AFA had a had a small hospital, and Ft Carson has a sizeable hospital. We do have a new and large Veterans health care center in Cos springs that opened about 10 years ago.

Other will chime in with their knowledge...

[chiluvr1228]

Thank you so much!

[mtngigi]

Originally Posted by chiluvr1228

These are some of the things I need to know also:

- Best Family Physicians. Do most places take Medicare and/or TriCare for Life?
- Best Veterinarians and do they give multi-pet discounts
- How many hospitals are there in CS?
- Does the Air Force base there have a hospital for veterans?

Glad to hear you've found something you can afford.

I don't know about multi-pet discounts either, but over the years, I've used two veterinarians I like. But if you're going to be in Pueblo, I don't think you'll want to use vets in the 'Springs, right? Maybe do a search in these forums to see if Pueblo vets have been discussed.

You may want to consult your Medicare handbook or go online to see a list of physicians who are available and taking new patients. I don't know about all, but a lot of doctors have online reviews now (which should always be taken with a grain of salt). I could recommend a few doctors, but again, will you be wanting that information for here, or in Pueblo?

p.s. If you'll be driving here with all your pets, you might want to look into getting some calming meds from your vet to help keep the critters calm and less nervous. It will help them, and you.

[beachmouse]

I grew up in the Lake Michigan snow belt. As long as local government plows on a regular schedule, a smaller lighter car with good tires on it often has an advantage in slush because it has typically a shorter stopping distance on compromised roads than something heavier. My old Ford Escort passed a lot of SUVs in a ditch back in the day.