Thoughts on North Carolina and Colorado.

[shawn_rackley81]

I do realize this is an Arkansan mssg board. But I would like to ask a question about another couple of states that I know some here have had experience with. I might have the opportunity to relocate to Colorado or eastern tn or western North Carolina rather soon. a little back ground first. I have been paddling a while now. And have been paddling whitewater the last year or so. I haven't ran a whole lot of wild rivers however. Mainly the spring and when I want a scenic float I do the upper eleven point. I have in the last six months ran the upper and lower section of the saint Francis in Mo several times . I'm good on II's but throw a three at me and I'm OK...... Most of the time lol. Which of these two states would have the most to offer me and my family. We like to hike, run flat water with the kids and then me and the girlfriend do a little whitewater when we can. I get much more chances than her to run whitewater. So I have more experience and would like to slowlllllly go up in classes some day. But not tomorrow. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

[LarryT]

Head to western NC and connect with the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Start with a trip to their main center near Bryson City, NC. I have worked with them five times and will be there in a week. I lived in NC for 10 years and travel extensively in Col.

[Randy Dodson]

This is a question I think about a lot. If I couldn't live in AR, would I rather be in NC or CO. Both states have great water, both easy and hard whitewater. NC has the lush forests, great mountain activities and lots of rain (all things I love). CO has beautiful forests with a mix of Pine, Spruce, and Aspen. Even prettier and grander mountains, but less rain. Although there are usually showers most Summer afternoons, at least in the San Juans where we go.
I love the hiking and paddling in both states. While I really enjoy that lush, moist, surrounded feeling of the Smoky Mountains, I'd have to say that hiking in CO takes top honors. Especially hikes that go from forests and Aspen groves to way up above timberline.
The paddling would be a toss-up between the two. You can find creeks and rivers in CO that are similar to what's available in NC but you can't find big water rivers in NC that are similar to some of the stuff in CO.
When it's all said and done, I'd have to choose CO.

But what I really like is living in a beautiful place like AR where I can be in NC in a day, and the San Juans of CO in a day and a half.

[shawn_rackley81]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm leaning toward the western NC area. I have thought about Colorado, but I like the concentration of whitewater in the smokys. Seems to be a little closer together instead of spread out, correct me if I'm wrong. Also a big plus about the smokys area is trees. Lol and the growing season. I'm a horticulturalist by trade and I need to be able to have green things around me. Including trees lol. I Like the more temperant climate of the smokys, versus the snow and cold of the rockies.

[Ouachitoff]

While you can paddle year round in Colorado, remember that the better paddling in CO is somewhat seasonal, due to the snow melt.

[Yarbrough]

The desert is depressing. The front range only gets 12" of rain a year. It is barren of moss. The wind blows all the time. The girls don't wear make up. That climate has a leather effect on their skin.(there is a reason why most Miss America Pageant winners come from the South) They don't know how to make white gravy. They don't drink sweet tea. They think BBQ is made out of beef ribs. Your limited to even or odd days to build a fire. They encourage your neighbors to tattle on you if you build a fire in your fireplace two days in a row. Firewood is ridiculously priced cause it has to come from here.(where the rain is) It is a liberal utopia. Colorado is a great place to visit for a week. However if your a Southern Boy it starts to wear on you after a while.

The upside is you can still get a Summit County Ski pass for about 500 bucks and ski all winter. Then ride the snow melt in the spring. Really good pot is dirt cheap, plus you can get edibles. They have lots of bike trails.

[Prairie Tater]

The main upside in Colorado for me is the low humidity in summer. You don't sweat your arse off when paddling, hiking, biking, mountain climbing, etc. That suffocating "drowning in your own perspiration" feeling I have in the Ozarks and the Smokeys has just gotten intolerable for me. That's why I spend as much time as possible out west in the summer.

[shawn_rackley81]

The desert is depressing. The front range only gets 12" of rain a year. It is barren of moss. The wind blows all the time. The girls don't wear make up. That climate has a leather effect on their skin.(there is a reason why most Miss America Pageant winners come from the South) They don't know how to make white gravy. They don't drink sweet tea. They think BBQ is made out of beef ribs. Your limited to even or odd days to build a fire. They encourage your neighbors to tattle on you if you build a fire in your fireplace two days in a row. Firewood is ridiculously priced cause it has to come from here.(where the rain is) It is a liberal utopia. Colorado is a great place to visit for a week. However if your a Southern Boy it starts to wear on you after a while.

The upside is you can still get a Summit County Ski pass for about 500 bucks and ski all winter. Then ride the snow melt in the spring. Really good pot is dirt cheap, plus you can get edibles. They have lots of bike trails.

Lmao this is exactly what I was worried about in Co. White gravy is a big deal........ Seriously. Hilarious u said that. And ironic.

[Deuce]

The desert is depressing. The front range only gets 12" of rain a year. It is barren of moss. The wind blows all the time. The girls don't wear make up. That climate has a leather effect on their skin.(there is a reason why most Miss America Pageant winners come from the South) They don't know how to make white gravy. They don't drink sweet tea. They think BBQ is made out of beef ribs. Your limited to even or odd days to build a fire. They encourage your neighbors to tattle on you if you build a fire in your fireplace two days in a row. Firewood is ridiculously priced cause it has to come from here.(where the rain is) It is a liberal utopia. Colorado is a great place to visit for a week. However if your a Southern Boy it starts to wear on you after a while.

The upside is you can still get a Summit County Ski pass for about 500 bucks and ski all winter. Then ride the snow melt in the spring. Really good pot is dirt cheap, plus you can get edibles. They have lots of bike trails.

Lmao this is exactly what I was worried about in Co. White gravy is a big deal........ Seriously. Hilarious u said that. And ironic.

Dadgum son, you live in Pokey and don't know how to make your own white gravy? For shame! All ya need is fatty critter, flour, salt and pepper and milk. Surely they have those ingredients in Colobrahdo. Heck, you could start your own gravy stand. All them baked ski bums and dirtbag boaters? You'd be rich in no time!

[okieboater]

I grew up in the Southeast boating all over East TN, West NC and up the mountains to West VA, moved to Tulsa in the Mid 70's and discovered Arkansas kayaking, rafting on the desert rivers out west and spring time kayaking in CO and Taos. It just might be living in mid America gives a person the best of both worlds.

I had a long essay constructed for this thread, but it boils down to this. If you want to ski live in the Rockies. If you want to boat live anywhere in the Southeastern mountains. North GA and north up the mountains being prime for boating.

As far as sweet tea, it is hard to find out here, but I just add some type of sweetener to my glass. I have run into a lot of sweet tea on the menu in rural AR.

As far as gravy, Okie/Arkie Cowboy biscuits and sausage gravy is a close second to what I grew up eating on the farm cooked on Mom's wood stove. As far as finding it, I do what Deuce suggests.

When it comes to smoke meat, for me it has to be GA style baby back pork ribs. Altho KC and Memphis have close seconds.

I love beef steak cooked anyway you can, but when it comes to smoke beef it has to be Texas style Brisket for me.

If you live in OK or AR, then learn to drive long hours going east or west for the big stuff or stay in AR if it rains. AR is the little known hot spot for creeks when we are blessed with rain from the Coast.

[Prairie Tater]

Dave, I agree with you. If a person lives in the Ozarks, he actually has the best of all THREE worlds. Here in Springfield, Mo. I'm 2 hours from the Buffalo, 12 hours from the Ocoee, and 12 hours from Royal Gorge. So, if a guy has a long weekend...well you can see where I'm going with this.

One thing I've noticed down through the years: Whenever I go to Colorado, it seems like I always meet people from the East that have come to paddle the Ark. However, whenever I've been to the Smokeys, I don't think that I've ever even seen a CO license plate. Don't know what to make of this.

BTW, I like my tea UNSWEETENED!

Terry P.

[okieboater]

My wife is a true Okie and thinks I am crazy for putting sweetner in my tea, so I understand the tea thing. By the way, I was just recently up in Montana and went into some fast food joint for on the road food. They had one of these pop heads with choices out the yeng yang. One choice was tea and lemonade half and half. I tried that and man was that good. That might well become a summer time tea based drink for me.

Actually, when I moved out here my long time SE Boating Buds told me to forget about boating.

Over the years I met a ton of good boaters in Arkansas and yup even here in Tulsa. I spent more days in my boat after moving out here than I was living in the middle of prime creeking country.

Arkansas creek boating is as good as it gets when it rains big time.

Also I spend time back east usually at NOC or in Salida / BV in CO. Being in the middle of the boating scene is a good thing.

Granted, I drive quite a bit but so what.

[Fish]

Gear dries out in CO in 30 min vs. 4 days in NC. And legal adult cigarettes and chocolates. I'm just sayin.

- Fish :-)

[okieboater]

As usual, my long time paddle bud "Fish" is correct in his statement.
However.
CO does not offer sweet tea in the high dollar eating joints both Fish and Myself spend money in during trips to the great state of CO.

I rest my case!!!!!!

[shawn_rackley81]

After seeing everyone's advice, I think I'm going to make russellville area an option. Seems like it fairly central to a lot of good Ozark whitewater. It really hinges on where my girlfriend gets a nursing job. But I have told her to start looking in russellville are also. Lol