bleh! or try and make it work for you
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11/25/2011
Bleh! Provincial! Flip flops and fleece are not fashion!
I've been here for a few years and try as I might can not determine the draw. The land is barren as is the cultural and intellectual landscape. There is a lot of racism here and virtually no diversity except for the south africans who live in aurora and work at the airport. The white folk who drive from the mountains to DIA are rude to the service staff beyond belief - a sign to me that they are so myopic that they can't even take the time to listen to nuances in accent and a sure sign that they can't see beyond their mountains.
Denver prides itself on it's weather to the point of being offensive. Every time - EVERYTIME - I have flown out of DIA to another city and a fellow traveler has asked me my destination they have responded with something like - 'oh the weather is terrible there'. Really? REALLY? Check the weather stats peeps - your beloved Denver has some of the most extreme weather in the nation. This year, -15 on February 1; 90 mile/hr winds in March and April with a 5000 acre fire close to my house in May; rain every afternoon June - August and then HOTTTTTT beyond belief. Then the growing season ended at the end of September. 10' of snow and killer frost in early October. 16 degree nighttime temps in late November. Dry brown and desolate unless there is snow. And if there is snow, it is a major storm. No wonder everyone drives a gas-guzzling ^&$#&$*#(Q
Food wise, not so good either unfortunately. Local produce is limited to melons and corn so everything is shipped in. Maybe some local beans. Peaches from the western slope but again, the growing season is so short that you have very little produce. No berries; not much tree fruit; no leaf products due to the desert climate. Just barren. Some farms are starting to do better-quality beef, lamb and poultry but you have to consider the grass they eat which is usually as dry as straw.
I think people get enthralled by this area because of the hype and the pictures of the mountains. Sure the Rocky Mountains are spectacular but with a style of living the is not comfortable, who cares? I frankly don't want to have to avoid the sun for it's harshness only to turn around and trudge through 3 ft of snow just to live near a range of mountains that are often shrouded in brown smog and that is so dry and dusty and desolate for 9 months of the year that your skin cracks when you look at them.
kathryn | Golden, CO