My random Colorado question thread. (1 Viewer)

[ajordan1975]

This thread is going to consist of me asking random questions about random thigs.
Areas in and around Colorado Springs, Woodland Park and a few other near buy places.
I've been looking at all kinds of info on many various websites, forums, etc. I'm hopping to get some insite from all you as the wife and I come up w/ questions ranging on almost everything.
Thanks for any and all answers and advance.
Andy

Question:
How is the commute between Woodland Park and Springs during the work week?

 

[karas]

You should move there if you can. I would be there now if the wife didn't have to be on call for her job and could only be 30 minutes out. Luke does the commute and should chime in with actual problems. My sister comes from divide everyday and still enjoys it.

 

[MrMoose]

I would say it would depend on when your heading into work and where. HWY 24 can be a pain near I-25 in the morning. I'm sure Luke would have some suggestions to counter that though.

 

[EricG]

My boss lives up there and has been stranded on one side or the other a few times due to fire flood or snow (he doesn't have a cruiser). It's certainly a rare occurrence, but something to consider depending on your situation. Was a problem for another friend once in the floods last year because the kids were in daycare at the top of the mountain and he and his wife were both down here.

 

[PWCO70crusier]

Probably the main issue is flooding during the summer due to the Waldo Canyon burn scar. They have done a lot of mitigation work to help alleviate the problem, but many are untested...just waiting for it to get hit to see how the work responds to the rainfall. They do close the road and it can be for hours at a time for safety sake. Just my 2 cents...

 

[ajordan1975]

Thanks for the responses! stuff like this you can't find on the net.
How about the winter months?

New Question:
How strict are the emissions on diesel trucks? I have an 2002 Excursion w/ straight 4" exhaust. I do have a muffler but that's it. No cat or anything.
On my off road rig i have no cat ether.
In TX if its a diesel you just have a safety inspection (lights, horn, brakes), and gas vehicles 25 and over no longer are required to pass emissions.

 

[MrMoose]

They'll get you for the cat not being there. My 6.0 needed one put on and I made the dealer do it on his dime. Now that I've upgraded to the 6.4, I'd love to do a dpf delete, but that won't fly in this county.

 

[black95]

They keep the pass very well groomed in winter, and most people up in woodland are smart enough to have 4 wheel drives... And know how to use them. It's the folks in the springs you have to watch out for. The pass does close every now and then for rain, but I don't ever remember it closing for snow. It only takes an hour to go around through monument and up Mt Herman road and its fun anyway.

In my opinion, the schools in woodland park are the best around, and the primary reason we chose to live up there. There was a report on how the Springs schools were severely behind on lockdown and emergency tactics... My daughters school locked down twice this year, police on scene with M4 rifles and tactical gear in minutes. Over a suspicious guy with a backpack once and a missing prisoner once.

My and my wife's commute from woodland to the downtown area is about 25 minutes one way. Traffic moves very well. The longest commutes are coming from the newer neighborhoods in the east region trying to get to I25, this town has no belt line highway, and no good East/ West corridor. Horrible traffic. That being said, they are tearing out the I25/ Hwy 24 interchange over the next two years... And that's going to mess things up badly.

 

[ajordan1975]

They'll get you for the cat not being there. My 6.0 needed one put on and I made the dealer do it on his dime. Now that I've upgraded to the 6.4, I'd love to do a dpf delete, but that won't fly in this county.

Well s***! That really sucks. Is what it is I guess. Thanks for the info. Just spent almost 500 for the exhaust. Now I'm going to have to spend probably another 500 for a dang converter.

They keep the pass very well groomed in winter, and most people up in woodland are smart enough to have 4 wheel drives... And know how to use them. It's the folks in the springs you have to watch out for. The pass does close every now and then for rain, but I don't ever remember it closing for snow. It only takes an hour to go around through monument and up Mt Herman road and its fun anyway.

In my opinion, the schools in woodland park are the best around, and the primary reason we chose to live up there. There was a report on how the Springs schools were severely behind on lockdown and emergency tactics... My daughters school locked down twice this year, police on scene with M4 rifles and tactical gear in minutes. Over a suspicious guy with a backpack once and a missing prisoner once.

My and my wife's commute from woodland to the downtown area is about 25 minutes one way. Traffic moves very well. The longest commutes are coming from the newer neighborhoods in the east region trying to get to I25, this town has no belt line highway, and no good East/ West corridor. Horrible traffic. That being said, they are tearing out the I25/ Hwy 24 interchange over the next two years... And that's going to mess things up badly.

Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[Bret]

Any reason not to swap exhaust for the sticker and swap back? Prolly not the best time to be rolling coal.

 

[ajordan1975]

It's no hot rod by any means. Has an exhaust and intake and that's it. It's stock other than that. Tows the crawler and hauls the family.

 

[ajordan1975]

Question:
How's the job market up there? I imagine it's flooded w/ people there.
Anyone work in Civil Engineering? I do drafting work. Can do almost everything CAD wise, but strongest in the civil field.
My wife is in accounting/collections for a software company.

 

[black95]

The job market for skilled people is pretty good. You just missed a job posting for the city of Colorado Springs for civil engineering. I'll keep an eye on our city web page. Check out Indeed.com -- great job posting site.

 

[ajordan1975]

I'm not an engineer. I'm just a cad man. I do survey, and land development mostly, but can do just about anything drafting wise.

 

[ajordan1975]

This is one of my many reasons for wanting out of TX

 

[black95]

I remember those days, and hotter, from Louisiana. Just when you thought you couldn't bear August any longer... September shows up and it was hotter, and more humid. I don't EVER want to be that hot again.

Did I mention that it is always 7-10 degrees cooler in woodland park than in Colorado Springs, rarely gets above 90, and you don't need A/C in your house??



Oh!! And the best part... There's no damn bugs!!!!!!

 

[Fitzgerald]

Oh!! And the best part... There's no damn bugs!!!!!!

Yeah, but...

 

[karas]

If you have seen that South Park episode that is great. If you have a bike that is another great thing you can do. I know I enjoy it when I get a chance.

 

[ajordan1975]

I remember those days, and hotter, from Louisiana. Just when you thought you couldn't bear August any longer... September shows up and it was hotter, and more humid. I don't EVER want to be that hot again.

Did I mention that it is always 7-10 degrees cooler in woodland park than in Colorado Springs, rarely gets above 90, and you don't need A/C in your house??



Oh!! And the best part... There's no damn bugs!!!!!!

You're from LA? What part?
I'm originally from St. Louis MO. Moved to Houston area 10 years ago. Moved to Austin a year ago. I never intended on growing old here. Texas really isn't my "thing".
I'm ready to get back into some seasons instead of hot and hotter!

 

[EricG]

Did I mention that it is always 7-10 degrees cooler in woodland park than in Colorado Springs, rarely gets above 90, and you don't need A/C in your house??

Remember, that holds in the winter too - so when it's -10 in town ...
Of course, once your at -10 (aka to damn cold), colder doesn't seem to matter much. Until you get the gas bill of course.