In 2006 I moved
to Evergreen Colorado from Austin Texas. My family did so for a myriad of
reasons. A booming Real-Estate economy, to be closer to family, best case
scenario to raise kids and just change in general. We loved Austin but hey
Colorado is the American dream. Our
thought process was and is as follows. We want to live in the mountains with
the views and the wild life but we want to live close enough to civilization for
culture, gourmet food, hospitals, sports and entertainment much less the
importance of an hour or less drive to the airport. To share with you I thought
I would describe my Evergreen transition by example.
Year 1: I
purchased jackets and other assorted apparel for my family to cover every
imaginable climatic condition. My closets are filled with gear for cold, wet
cold, windy cold, fashionable cold and apocalyptic cold.
Year 5: This
winter I wore a jacket four times.
Year 1: I was
careful with my empathy towards the home grown locals making sure not to be
brash and offending.
Year 5: I have
met people from Russia, Mexico, New York, and Los Angeles and everywhere in between
but only four home grown locals.
Year 1: I had to
purchase a home with incredible white capped continental divide views.
Year 5: I now
know that I will get jaw dropping views of white capped continental divide views
all day as I drop my kids off at school, run to the grocery or doing any other
imaginable errand.
Year 1: I am
under the impression that Exempla Lutheran Hospital is twenty minutes away.
Year 5: Wife goes
into labor and FYI; it can be done in ten.
Year 1: Went on
hikes to find nature and wild life.
Year 5: With a
glass of wine I can watch nature to include half ton elk eat my garden with
more than necessary attitude.
Year 1 – When I
heard people talking about the “Triple Bypass” – all I could think about was
poor old Uncle George who’d had that surgery last summer.
Year 5 – Now I
know that in Evergreen, when people mention the Triple Bypass they are talking
about a 120 mile bike ride that goes over 3 mountain passes between Evergreen
and Vail mid-July with 3500 participants!
http://teamevergreen.org/triple
Year 1: I really
missed food from the South
Year 5: I now
Know that my local “King Soopers’ ” grocery has the best fried chicken I have ever
had.
Evergreen Colorado is a wonderful place to live and I love raising kids here. The schools
are incredible and I feel that my children will maintain their innocence a bit
longer while the local Cub Scout troop will expose them to experiences we would
never find elsewhere. At the same time I am twenty minutes away from a game and
a top shelf steak house. I ski when most people are at work because I can and I
sometimes spend lunch watching my local hawk watch me. I like my neighbors too,
especially the Cajun lady that cooks us shrimp etouffee.
Sean Endsley