Can anyone give me an idea of pros/cons of moving from the Seattle area to Pueblo / Springs? Work is painfully dull (sitting at a desk all day) and it's awfully crowded on the road and in the campgrounds. It's about time for a change.
I've interviewed with the steel mill in Pueblo, but not certain that's something I want to do. It would be... challenging... but a lot more industrial (read filthy and hot) than anywhere I've worked before. I've spent a bit of time in Pueblo, Springs, and Denver, mostly as a way to access the Dunes, Royal Gorge, and Manitou. From what I've seen, the difference between the PNW and CO are a wash. Both offer great riding and good beer and spectacular snowboarding. I'd be trading Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens for Pikes Peak and Aspen.
I suppose the question is: just how bad is traffic to / on the fun roads? I know it can get BAD down I-25, but I'm hoping to avoid that as much as possible. Are there decent roads that parallel the highway to get around Denver to the fun stuff? There's so much sprawl up here that it's often faster to ride through neighborhoods marked at 25 mph then it is to take I-5 /-405 or WA-167, and anything up the mountains suffers from rolling roadblocks every weekend. That, or forest fires and construction closing any route up and over to the South or East side. I'm tired of feeling boxed in - that's why I left Philly.
Another question: How bad are income taxes and registration? I know cost of living is less, especially in Pueblo, but I've been spoiled by no state income tax. Registration costs in King County are skyrocketing, but I can't find exactly what they are in Pueblo or El Paso. How far will what I make now go, or how much of a raise should I ask for? Can Pueblo or Springs support a Senior Engineer very long, or is that a dead end?
How bad is Pueblo really for gangs / theft / a family? Everyone I spoke to at the mill lives in Springs and commutes. I would prefer not to drive that far, but also see kids in my near future. ... Plus a house with a nice big garage and several bikes. Bikes that I intend to ride everywhere: to work (possibly at the mill), Downtown, to the Reservoir, to a friend's place in Belmont, etc. I've never really worried about my bike here, except for having my plate stolen once, but I hear crime is pretty bad in Pueblo.
Is Pueblo Motorsports Park (road course) safe to ride, or is it even open? What little I found doesn't sound like any track day I've ever been to. Basically no tech inspection, no mandatory riders meeting each day, and no separation of skill levels. Looks like PMP also has dirt trails, but I can't find any info about that at all.