Colorado Springs

[kerosene]

Since so many people have told us about their cities, I thought I would post about the Springs.

Surrounded by Peterson Airforce Base, The Airforce Academy, The Army base (I forget the name) down south and Norad to the west, this city is comprised primarily of military. I think everyone I work with has been affiliated with one of the armed forces at some point and to some degree...except for perth and I. Many of the jobs in this city require candidates to possess an active security clearance, which doesn't seem to be a problem for employers. This puts us civilians at a disadvantage in the job market, but we manage.

We bought a house here a few months ago. We have a gorgeous view of Pike's Peak. The whole city is spread over the foothills of the Rockies. It really is beautiful here. Population is probably around 300-400k. The north part of town is seemingly more affluent. This is where the most sought after school district resides and houses become alarmingly expensive as one travels further north in Colorado Springs. There is a good mix of people here, but for the most part, the majority of viewpoints fall into the conservative camp. The Focus on the Family headquarters is up in the northern area, which is surrounded by numerous complex-style churches. I have yet to find the more "laid back" section of the population, here. I am sure they exist, so I haven't given up searching.

There seems to be an energy here. Everywhere I go, it feels like something could erupt at any moment. It feels as if there are so many people who are holding so much restlessness and angst, that it seeps out and permiates the air. It feels like a constant buzzing, like being near a power plant.

For the most part, it is comfortable, though. The traffic isn't horrible. The scenery is beautiful. There are a lot of good restaurants. We keep to ourselves, mostly. But we tend to like it that way, anyway. We moved here a year and a half ago, because our jobs (both at HP up North, in Loveland) were in danger of going away. We both had opportunities to transfer here, so we decided to give it a chance.