Moving to Colorado

[CategoryKing]

I don't even know much about cars so I was totally lost when people started suggesting 4 wheel drive.  I don't really even know the difference between it and AWD, lol.  I preferred to have something with good mileage, but at the same time I don't want to end up in a situation like I did a year ago where I had to ditch my car and walk home in the freezing cold.  Someone actually picked me up half way since they saw me, but that wasn't exactly the smartest thing since they were total strangers...  I guess I should probably not worry about it too much until I know what my salary will be like so I know what I can afford.  I'm going to have my student loan payments coming in soon too.

[George]

To offer a different point, I've lived here over 20 years and have only had 2-wheel drive cars.  I've never really had a problem with the snow, either.  Then again, I don't go up to the mountains much in the winter (knees not up for skiing), so I don't have that issue.  Just learn what your car will do and how it (and you) behave in the snow and you should be fine.  Yes, I have been snowed in, but 24" and an unplowed street will do that to most folks, 4wd or no.

As Gimme and Ronin said, learn how your car stops (and doesn't) on snow and respect that and you should be all right.  A lot of folks around here think they need a 4wd or AWD car when they really don't.

[CategoryKing]

Thanks for the help.  I consider myself to be a pretty decent driver, so I think I'll just go for what I want and learn how to use it properly as you guys said.  Other than snow, is there anything else I should prepare for?  Also, I was curious what grocery chains were around.  I always buy my meat and produce at Giant Eagle, which I know is only out this way.  I do most of the other shopping at Walmart.  It might just all be in my head, but when I buy meat from Walmart I feel sick, so I like just getting it elsewhere.

[GimmeAnime]

Other than snow, is there anything else I should prepare for?  Also, I was curious what grocery chains were around. 

King Soopers is the big kahona in Colorado. After that is Safeway. We used to have some other grocery chains like Cub Foods and Albertsons, but they are mostly gone now. (Is Grocery Warehouse still around?). Then there are the Targets and Walmarts with groceries. And if you go with price clubs, there is Costco & Sam's Club. And for the hippies  , there is Whole Foods and Farmer's Market (not to be confused with real farmer's markets).

[The Ronin]

Quick difference between 4WD and AWD. 4WD uses a locking section of the driveline to force all the wheels to turn at the same speed when you select 4WD mode, otherwise it's usually RWD (some are AWD with lockable 4WD) Usually only found in trucks and SUVs. 4WD usually means better traction, but lower fuel economy because of the types of vehicles that have it. You also have to consciously select 4WD.
 
AWD is a fulltime system that uses differentials (things that allow wheels to turn at different speeds when needed, not locked together) to send power to all the wheels, usually all the time (some cars are quasi-AWD for fuel economy or performance) You don't have to select AWD, it's always on and either the computer or a mechanical setup controls where the power goes depending on where you need it. AWD is usually found in normal cars and small SUVs.

That being said, my daily driver is a FWD 1995 Eclipse. Even in winter. I made it through our big snowstorm in February with balding summer tires in that car.

As far as grocery stores go, you have King Soopers and Safeway as the major 2 in the area. There are a few others scattered here and there.

[George]

You may already familiar with King Soopers under their corporate name of Kroger.

[CategoryKing]

Thanks for the explanation.  I think I'll just do what I said and just get what I want rather than what I was thinking I would need.

You may already familiar with King Soopers under their corporate name of Kroger.

I actually haven't heard of either.  At least now I know where to look.

[Dr Kain]

My girlfriend and I moved out to Colorado back in 2006 from Buffalo NY, so I know where you are coming from CategoryKing (love the Undead name too).  We love it out here and can never go back to NY to live there again.  In fact, we went there last month to visit my parents and it was horrible out there.  The economy has really hit it hard.  Anyway, CO is extremely nice, there is a lot to do, a lot to not do (if you do not like going out to bars and stuff), and the scenery is just down right gorgeous.  We initially lived in Glendale, which was good, but where we live in Aurora is incredible.  People mock Aurora and I do not know why, where we live is far more civilized than Glendale, and Glendale seems to be the more upper class area.  Not to mention we have a Target right acros the street, Walmart and TRU in walking distance, etc.  If you decide to move here, you will not regret it.  Oh yeah, and while summers are hot hot hot, they are not the "you shower while you sit" style of hot like the East Coast has.  As for winter, it is like Buffalo's, except no one here knows how to plow.

Oh yeah, Safeway is like the Tops of Colorado and King Soopers is like the Wegmans of Colorado.  Of course, if you did not have either of those places in PA, you probably won't know what I'm talking about. 

[CategoryKing]

My girlfriend and I moved out to Colorado back in 2006 from Buffalo NY, so I know where you are coming from CategoryKing (love the Undead name too).  We love it out here and can never go back to NY to live there again.  In fact, we went there last month to visit my parents and it was horrible out there.  The economy has really hit it hard.  Anyway, CO is extremely nice, there is a lot to do, a lot to not do (if you do not like going out to bars and stuff), and the scenery is just down right gorgeous.  We initially lived in Glendale, which was good, but where we live in Aurora is incredible.  People mock Aurora and I do not know why, where we live is far more civilized than Glendale, and Glendale seems to be the more upper class area.  Not to mention we have a Target right acros the street, Walmart and TRU in walking distance, etc.  If you decide to move here, you will not regret it.  Oh yeah, and while summers are hot hot hot, they are not the "you shower while you sit" style of hot like the East Coast has.  As for winter, it is like Buffalo's, except no one here knows how to plow.

Oh yeah, Safeway is like the Tops of Colorado and King Soopers is like the Wegmans of Colorado.  Of course, if you did not have either of those places in PA, you probably won't know what I'm talking about. 

That definitely makes moving out to CO sound so much better.  I am definitely set on coming out.  It's just a matter of when I can find a job is all.  I'm also glad to see that tokusatsu appears to be known within the Denver area anime fans.  I've never heard of Tops or Wegmans, so as far as I know they are at least not in the Pittsburgh area.  I think I'm going to send my resume to some more places this weekend while I wait for June 6th for the one company to let me know if they want do to an interview.  My entire family is extremely against my moving away, but this is something I really want to do.

I'm not good with traveling, so moving to CO will be cool too that I will be closer to California.  I always wanted to go to Anime Expo, but I never wanted to fly all the way out to CA from PA.  My love for tokusatsu also stemmed from being a Power Ranger fan as a kid, so going to Power Morphicon next time they do one would also be awesome.

[The Ronin]

People mock Aurora and I do not know why

Aurora has good areas and bad areas. It's actually the largest city in Colorado by sheer land mass so there are many different burbs. It tends to get a bad rap from the bad areas, but overall I'd say it's a decent place. The southeast end of Aurora is very nice out by Southlands mall, but a bit on the pricey end. They're trying to revamp the area by the Aurora mall, but that's a case where you can take the ghetto out of the area, but you can't take the area out of the ghetto.

[CategoryKing]

I forgot to mention in my post regarding stuff to do.  Here there really isn't much.  It seems like most people just go out to bars and stuff.  I don't drink so that obviously does nothing for me.  I'm definitely interested in being able to go biking, hiking, skiing, etc.

[hazyraven]

I forgot to mention in my post regarding stuff to do.  Here there really isn't much.  It seems like most people just go out to bars and stuff.  I don't drink so that obviously does nothing for me.  I'm definitely interested in being able to go biking, hiking, skiing, etc.

I would check out Meetup.com then.  There are a lot of hiking groups posted there.  I'm sure biking and skiing are represented as well.

[CategoryKing]

Things are looking good so far.  I finally heard back from Northrop Grumman and they are going to do a phone interview with me once we set a date.  My wife was already interviewed with Charles Schwab.  She had a phone interview with one person, and than another with a group, and it seems to have gone well since they called her again telling her about benefits and stuff today.  She just has a web cam interview tomorrow now.  If they tell her she is hired, whether I get something right away or not we are probably going to start packing up and looking at apartments.

[Boomerjinks]

Northrop Grumman

We're going to best friends, right? Can we be best friends?

[CategoryKing]

We're going to best friends, right? Can we be best friends?

Lol.  Do you work there perhaps?  My wife finally got called back from Charles Schwab and she is hired after passing her background check which she will have no problem passing.  I have an interview set up with Northrop Grumman, but unfortunately they said if they wanted to hire me, that security clearance takes 3-4 months.  I am on the job hunt again trying to find something else in the mean time.  If I get the job at Northrop Grumman I will have no problem leaving wherever to go there since it sounds great.  We are starting to pack up now.  I'm not sure when I'll be moving out but it will be cool to meet some of you guys from the con since I won't know anyone out there.