OT: Fort Collins, CO #2 best to live.

[24champ]

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/105386/America's-Best-Places-to-Live-2008


One of the first things you notice about this Rocky Mountain city is that practically every new road has a bike lane. Even the wheelless can get in on the action now that Fort Collins (which ranked No. 1 on our list in 2006) has a bike library in the middle of its historic downtown: Residents and visitors can check out a bicycle for up to seven days, free. “I’m generally out on my bike two to three times a week,” says Greg Churchman, 46, who owns a human-resources consulting firm. He and his wife Beth, 50, a probation officer, sometimes ride to nearby Horsetooth Reservoir with their sons James, 16, and Lucas, 14. “The park and trails system in this town are incredible,” says Beth.

Even if you’re not the outdoorsy type, Fort Collins has a ton to recommend it. Old Town, the city’s historic district, contains four microbreweries and more than two dozen restaurants, most of them with alfresco seating. A healthy concentration of bioscience and tech companies, including Agilent Technologies, Hewlett-Packard and Kodak, keeps employment opportunities high. Colorado State University occupies a scenic spot in the middle of town, providing a college-town feel and youthful energy. And the city is on the forefront of environmental planning; it just received a grant from the Department of Energy to start a solar-energy project downtown. As for health care, the award-winning Poudre Valley Health System will soon be home to a brand-new cancer center.

While the excellent schools have been overcrowded in recent years, officials have taken steps to correct the problem by moving some grades to different buildings. “I moved here for the quality of the schools and basically the quality of life,” says Tracy Riley, 39, a marketing communications specialist who arrived last year from Windsor, Calif. “Fort Collins has everything.”


Don't see Boulder listed anywhere CU fans.;D

[Dagmar]

Lived there when I moved to the states for a year and a half. Not a fan. Conservative mindset, oldtown is ok but the town is too spread out for my liking. Maybe to raise a family it's a nice place but to be in your mid twenties?

http://forum.football365.com/images/smiley_icons/spaz.gif

[SureShot]

I have spent a good deal of time there due to having many friends go to CSewe, but you can have it. Too far from fishing and and skiing. I like this place, however you would be only 28 miles from Hotrod.

http://www.mylasso.com/FileWarehouse/Users/User_3427/Documents/Outside_Magazine_best-towns-2008.pdf

[Natedogg]

born and raised. fort fun for sure. but i didn't even know about the "bike library!"

[24champ]

http://static.flickr.com/1116/1369357116_eb92ea6994.jpg

[Fedaykin]

Lived there when I moved to the states for a year and a half. Not a fan. Conservative mindset, oldtown is ok but the town is too spread out for my liking. Maybe to raise a family it's a nice place but to be in your mid twenties?

http://forum.football365.com/images/smiley_icons/spaz.gif

Umm, if you didn't like Fort Collins as a person in your mid twenties I think you are insane! It's a college town; it's got a huge 20-30 yo population along with the attractions for that age group. The hot coeds alone..... :yayaya:

Also, it's actually a hugely non-conservative area given that it's a mid western U.S. city.

[rugbythug]

Since when is conervative a bad thing?

[Kaylore]

Smelly cow town? Pass....

[BigPlayShay]

Smelly cow town? Pass....

Greeley smells. Fort C, not so much.

[Flex Gunmetal]

Umm, if you didn't like Fort Collins as a person in your mid twenties I think you are insane! It's a college town; it's got a huge 20-30 yo population along with the attractions for that age group. The hot coeds alone..... :yayaya:

Also, it's actually a hugely non-conservative area given that it's a mid western U.S. city.

Exactly, I'm 24 and have lived pretty much my entire life. There is always stuff to do, the bars are always jumping and there are is no shortage of young girls 8')

Smelly cow town? Pass....
Have you ever been here? ROFL!

[Kaylore]

Exactly, I'm 24 and have lived pretty much my entire life. There is always stuff to do, the bars are always jumping and there are is no shortage of young girls 8')


Have you ever been here? ROFL!

Um, I've lived in Colorado most of my life. I was just up there two weeks ago. I have two friends that live and work there. About a third of the time I drive in it stinks of manure.

[Flex Gunmetal]

Um, I've lived in Colorado most of my life. I was just up there two weeks ago. I have two friends that live and work there. About a third of the time I drive in it stinks of manure.

Hmm, I notice it maybe once or twice a year when there's heavy wind from the East. It's very rare, but I do notice it.

[Prodigal19]

Ive been to Fort Collins and yes it does smell :(

[Kaylore]

Hmm, I notice it maybe once or twice a year when there's heavy wind from the East. It's very rare, but I do notice it.

Then FYI, whenever you smell it, just know that I'm probably in town that day.Hilarious! It's a bit more frequent than once or twice a year. You probably are more used to it because you live there.

[Flex Gunmetal]

Then FYI, whenever you smell it, just know that I'm probably in town that day.Hilarious! It's a bit more frequent than once or twice a year. You probably are more used to it because you live there.
ROFL!
That's why I mentioned I notice it, I definitely haven't gotten used to it. Maybe it just doesn't get as far west as where I live/work.
There are some cows far east, but it's hardly a cow town.

[Tombstone RJ]

When I was going to CSU, I rode my mountain bike freaking everywhere. I had a little VW Golf that I just parked in the driveway and never drove. My two modes of transportation around town were riding or walking....

[Beantown Bronco]

For the #2 place to live, I find it surprising that there are currently 805 single family homes in Fort Collins listed for sale on realtor.com.

[Flex Gunmetal]

For the #2 place to live, I find it surprising that there are currently 805 single family homes in Fort Collins listed for sale on realtor.com.

Kinda falls in line with the national trend, huh?

[Beantown Bronco]

Kinda falls in line with the national trend, huh?

But I wouldn't expect that from the "#2 place to live", especially one in which the article describes as always having a good business base and high employment. There are plenty of nice cities right now that are not suffering in that way.

[Tombstone RJ]

I have spent a good deal of time there due to having many friends go to CSewe, but you can have it. Too far from fishing and and skiing. I like this place, however you would be only 28 miles from Hotrod.

http://www.mylasso.com/FileWarehouse/Users/User_3427/Documents/Outside_Magazine_best-towns-2008.pdf

Ft. Collins has fly fishing and cast fishing very close by (Poudre River comes down from the mountains and then the big lake right to the west of town) so I'm a little confused by your fishing statement.

As for Alpine Skiing, yes, you have to drive a little ways to get to a decent mountain. However, you can also go North into Wyoming to sky some places up there as well.

As for cross country skiing, you can do that in the foothills if you so desire.

Also Red Feather is very close by, and it's a pristine outdoors environment, one of my very favorites.

Also, there is some great mtn. biking trails very close by too...

[SureShot]

Ft. Collins has fly fishing and cast fishing very close by (Poudre River comes down from the mountains and then the big lake right to the west of town) so I'm a little confused by your fishing statement.

As for Alpine Skiing, yes, you have to drive a little ways to get to a decent mountain. However, you can also go North into Wyoming to sky some places up there as well.

As for cross country skiing, you can do that in the foothills if you so desire.

Also Red Feather is very close by, and it's a pristine outdoors environment, one of my very favorites.

Also, there is some great mtn. biking trails very close by too...

Have you actually fished the Poudre? I have fished Red Feathers as well. Yes there is fishing, but I wouldn't call it good by any stretch.

[DBroncos4life]

Smelly cow town? Pass....

My friends would always drive by a hog farm and say thats the smell of money. I always replied thank god I don't have any. Ah good times.

[BroncoBuff]

My Mom lives right near the college ... our band used to play the little banquet room at the Ft. Collins Country Club al the time, and several time I went to the chaotic beer keg-blowout that was "College Days" in the 1980s (there's no way they're still doing that, are they?).

Anyway .. gotta admit it's a very nice town.

[theAPAOps5]

Fitting they are second best. Seeing as how their University is second best as well.......

[Tombstone RJ]

Have you actually fished the Poudre? I have fished Red Feathers as well. Yes there is fishing, but I wouldn't call it good by any stretch.

I might be getting two rivers screwed up, but it's the one that comes down through the canyon, just west of Ft. C. and goes up into the foothills. It's not a long drive, and I saw guys fly fishing and catching beautiful brown and rainbow trout all the time, alot of catch and release stuff.

[Flex Gunmetal]

I might be getting two rivers screwed up, but it's the one that comes down through the canyon, just west of Ft. C. and goes up into the foothills. It's not a long drive, and I saw guys fly fishing and catching beautiful brown and rainbow trout all the time, alot of catch and release stuff.

Ya, that's the Poudre. It's not the Big Horn, but it's not terrible at all. Great way to spend an afternoon.

[Dagmar]

Umm, if you didn't like Fort Collins as a person in your mid twenties I think you are insane! It's a college town; it's got a huge 20-30 yo population along with the attractions for that age group. The hot coeds alone..... :yayaya:

Also, it's actually a hugely non-conservative area given that it's a mid western U.S. city.

Ok, so my opinion is wrong? I lived there for 18 months and didn't like it, I don't mind the odd weekend visit to visit the inlaws though.

Welcome to America, where we are allowed to have different opinions!

[SureShot]

Ya, that's the Poudre. It's not the Big Horn, but it's not terrible at all. Great way to spend an afternoon.

There is very little if any good fishing on the east slope and the drive to ski is a nightmare. Thats why I live on the west siiiide! Anyway lets talk about what is rerally important, CSewe is going to get stomped this year!;D

[Fedaykin]

Ok, so my opinion is wrong? I lived there for 18 months and didn't like it, I don't mind the odd weekend visit to visit the inlaws though.

Welcome to America, where we are allowed to have different opinions!

You're welcome to your opinion, it's just my opinion that your opinion is insane =) Anyway, don't get your panties in a twist, I was just ribbin' ya a little.

[Flex Gunmetal]

There is very little if any good fishing on the east slope and the drive to ski is a nightmare. Thats why I live on the west siiiide! Anyway lets talk about what is rerally important, CSewe is going to get stomped this year!;D

Haha, it's not bad when you can pick up your rod, drive 20 mins and drink beer and fish all day.
I'm ambivalent toward CSU, if they ever start winning my opinion may change. ROFL!

[24champ]

Haha, it's not bad when you can pick up your rod, drive 20 mins and drink beer and fish all day.
I'm ambivalent toward CSU, if they ever start winning my opinion may change. ROFL!

I went ninja fishing at one of the ponds your not supposed to fish in up there in FoCo. Caught some really nice bass.Ha!

[Flex Gunmetal]

Prospect ponds? Yikes.

[hades]

Prospect ponds? Yikes.

Are those even still there? Are you talking about Prospect and Taft Hill? I grew up off Prospect and Fuqua (I think that was what it was called), just North of Bauder Elementary (our back yard was behind the houses facing the school)

I moved from Ft Collins in 1985 to Texas, I visit at least once a year, but would never move back.

My sister and parents still live there, no idea why???

I have not been on a bike, since I was 15 1/2!

[Greybeard]

Um, I've lived in Colorado most of my life. I was just up there two weeks ago. I have two friends that live and work there. About a third of the time I drive in it stinks of manure.

I think what happened is your front wheels are severely out of alignment, and
you veered 30 miles to the east. That would be where Greeley, Colo. lies, just
south of Monfort's feed lots.

I grew up in Weld County, much of it in Greeley. For several years, I went and
spent the summers with my grandparents in Ft. Collins. My uncle built Indian
Hills there.

I have never sensed the odor of manure in Ft. Collins.

Elsewhere, it was said that it's too far from fishing and skiing. Are you kidding
me? Ft. Collins sits at the foot of Poudre Canyon. I used to go fly fishing with
my uncle up the canyon . . . well he fished. I just threw the line around a
little and got wet.

Moreover, just above Ft. Collins is Horsetooth Reservoir, where my dad kept
his 17-foot inboard he named "Sugar" for my mother. We did a lot of fishing
there: trout, bass . . . we woud catch them, then eat them with eggs for
breakfast.

Skiing? Ft. Collins is against the Foothills in the Front Range. Anywhere along
the Front Range, you're close to skiing, unless your primary transportation is
the bicycle.

Ft. Collins, Greeley, Loveland, Longmont . . . my, that is a beautiful area.
Now I'm stuck here in this sauna they call Tucson. :pfbbt:

-----