Iowa, Wisconsin, Colorado or Washington??

[ryoder 1,590]

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You'll at least get the mountains and good winters/mild summers in Colorado.

Mild summers??? I suppose 99 degrees might be mild compared to AZ.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Amazon 7]

So are you going to go just in time for skeeter season( Madison area...lots of lakes and ponds).. or waiting till the leaves are falling and time for the snow to fly???.... I remember a lot of winters.. not too much snow in southern WI....and summer... arrrrgggghhhh HOT... and VERY Humid with all the lakes and rivers around.
Skiing.. get used to skiing on ice... I remember that all too well...many winters it snows and then it all melts leaving all that nice dead brown grass and black remnant piles of ice where the snow plows pile it... then it snows again.. and covers up the mounds of ice for a few daysthen it all melts again. OH yeah.. dont forget the PILES of SALT that they use to keep the roads clear of ice.. does some nasty shit to your car. Ski areas in S Wisconsin.... are pretty much a poor joke( I learned to ski there) the glaciers did a good job of removing anything resembling a large hill.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Karen you won't regret Colorado if you decide to go there. CU is a cool school with lot's of character, Boulder is a really cool town to check out (I lived there for 4 years) but I should warn you that Boulder is not cheap. You can always live in places like Superior, Lafayatte, Louisville, Westminster and Longmont and the the commute shouldn't be more than 30 minutes in most cases. Oh and there is an Otter, a King Air and a Cessna at the Longmont DZ and well if you want to go swimming there is also the swoop pond (not to mention the tunnel in south Denver). Plus if you want to do something other than skydiving, Colorado is a outdoor's-man paradise. Mountains, mountains oh and yes did I mention Colorado has some pretty cool mountains.

I miss Colorado ... it's a rocking good time ...

PS: Fort Collins (home of CSU) is a pretty cool town as well and it is more affordable than Denver and places like Loveland are not far from Fort Collins and/or Longmont. Go to Colorado Karen, you won't regret it.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[ExAFO 0]

Having spent time in all but WA, I'd say CO or WI.

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[diablopilot 2]

Washington or Wisconsin.

Boulder is a great place, but the dry air sucks, and outside of Boulder the vibe is weak.

Wisconsin is somewhere I've never been but met quite a few Skydivers from there and they are great peeps. I Love Washington, and well....you know more about it than I do.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Fast 0]

Some people have said that going to madison means being close to skydive chicago (2.5-3 hour drive) but there is also Sky Knights in East Troy, WI which is about 45-60 min from madison. We are the closest turbine DZ running a PAC750 all summer and are the only DZ in the area that is open for jumping all winter long. If you have more questions about the DZ PM me I can tell you all about it. It is a club and currently I am helping to run it.

The bigger issue though is that Madison is a good school. I haven't met a person who wasn't happy about going there. I don't know if you are a smoker or not but Madison has a public ban on smoking in bars, resturants, and the like.

I would love to comment on the weather here but having grown up and lived in southeastern wisconsin (milwaukee) my whole life I am used to it and don't know that my comments would matter that much. My roommate moved here from North Carolina last year and she seems to be dealing with it ok. What I like is that we have relativly defined seasons. When it is summer you know it, when it is winter you know it. Spring and fall are a really murky blending of the two and get you prepared.

I was reading somewhere that the median age in madison is around 30 years old. The city has a smaller town feel to it, but has a sizable population. There is plenty to do, that is for sure. UW-Madison is a big school. There are some ~41,000 students. That keeps the area pretty active.

You can read more about the city here

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[Samurai136 0]

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What are the closest dropzones next to Madison, Iowa City and Boulder, and what are they like? Got many freeflyers? Is there tons of drama? Are there opportunities for my boyfriend to work as a rigger, tandem instructor and videographer?

Skydive Iowa is the closest DZ to Iowa City (45 minute drive). It's a business so there are no club politics or drama, just show up and jump. C182 & C206 (usually have an Otter weekend the beginning and end of the season.) It's a private airport, we have bonfires every weekend, plenty of camping space and private rooms available.

There is about an even mix of freeflyers and RW's. Plenty of work/ opportunity available for your boyfriend.

Here's a link to the Iowa City Web Site http://www.icgov.org/aboutic.htm
Have a look at the Coralville website. Iowa City- U of Iowa & Coralville are basically one city.
http://www.coralville.org/

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[rehmwa 2]

Why isn't this about the best school, and the best school only?

There are DZs at all those areas.

Karen - What is the degree? How does each school stackup in that regard? Have you also considered cost of living in the areas?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Why isn't this about the best school, and the best school only?

If you want a degree you have to like the area arround the school enough to finish.

Given a choice between going to school in the rural midwest and being a ski bum I'd have picked the later. CU Boulder was a nice compromise which mixed a good engineering school with a livable city and decent snow.

It's worth noting that Boulder averages 320 days of sun a year. Seattle averages 226 days of cloud and 154 days of rain. While scattered clouds and rains which stop inflate the Seattle numbers, Boulder's a lot more hospitable to skyding and the dropzone is much closer (you could make a couple jumps during your lunch hour if you wanted).

I lived in Boulder for nearly 15 years and have managed to hang arround Seattle and the east side since May, 2006. Skydiving and snowboarding are both compelling reasons to favor Boulder.

[davedlg 0]

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It's worth noting that Boulder averages 320 days of sun a year. Seattle averages 226 days of cloud and 154 days of rain. While scattered clouds and rains which stop inflate the Seattle numbers, Boulder's a lot more hospitable to skyding and the dropzone is much closer (you could make a couple jumps during your lunch hour if you wanted).

While Boulder gets a lot of sun, the wind can also be a factor. Don't get me wroing, I loved my time in Boulder, but it is definatly the windiest place I have ever lived. Espically in the winter. It definatley makes for some interesting jumping.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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I loved my time in Boulder, but it is definatly the windiest place I have ever lived.

Not to say that the front range doesn't get it's share of wind, but there are plenty of places that are windier. My vote for Karen is still in Colorado. I had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times last summer and I think the good people of Colorado would warm up to her real fast.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[davedlg 0]

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I loved my time in Boulder, but it is definatly the windiest place I have ever lived.

Not to say that the front range doesn't get it's share of wind, but there are plenty of places that are windier. My vote for Karen is still in Colorado. I had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times last summer and I think the good people of Colorado would warm up to her real fast.

I'm definatly not trying to talk her out of coming to Colorado. Like I said, I love it here, and would be happy if I never have to move. But the expectation of getting 300+ jumping days just doesn't work out. Sunny days don't always equate to jumpable days....but they're great for other activities like skiing, mountain biking, hiking, climbing, etc.

[JohnnyD 0]

A lot of the CO people posting here do not jump anymore.

[livendive 8]

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It's worth noting that Boulder averages 320 days of sun a year. Seattle averages 226 days of cloud and 154 days of rain. While scattered clouds and rains which stop inflate the Seattle numbers, Boulder's a lot more hospitable to skyding and the dropzone is much closer (you could make a couple jumps during your lunch hour if you wanted).

Days of sunshine stats are a bit misleading. From here:

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How much sunshine do we get in Colorado? On average for a year, how many days does the sun shine in Colorado?
This is a question that comes up several times per year. You will find in many Chamber of Commerce publications from all areas of Colorado that we get at least 300 days of sunshine each year. The only problem is, there is no official definition of "days of sunshine" so there is no data set that you can easily turn to.
Have you ever wondered if anyone actually keeps track of stuff like this? It turns out that for many years, three locations in Colorado have operated an instrument called a "sunshine switch" -- Pueblo, Denver and Colorado Springs. If this instrument is cleaned and perfectly calibrated (which it rarely is), it can tell you minute by minute each day when the sun was shining. We did a study over 10 years ago based on these three stations and found that for Denver if you count every day when the sun came out for at least one hour, that then you could come up with an average of around 300 "days of sunshine" each year.

But my assumption is that most people, if they heard "day of sunshine" would assume that meant it was a sunny day. The National Weather Service did establish a criterion for determining clear, cloudy and partly cloudy days based on sky cover. Any day, with an average skycover of 30% or less was considered a clear day, while if the sky cover was 80% or more (averaged from hourly sky condition reports between sunrise and sunset). Anything in between counts as "partly cloudy". Based on this definition, there are 115 clear days, 130 partly cloudy ones and 120 cloudy days, on average, each year. Over in Grand Junction the number of clear days is great (137) but the number of cloudy days is almost the same (121).

But the fact is, here in Colorado and much of the Rocky Mountain region, there are relatively few totally clear days but a whole lot of days when the sun peeks out at least a little. Therefore, we tend to brag about our sunshine -- but mislead folks along the way.

I am circling around your questions. Of course the answer will differ from one location to another in Colorado with the most sunshine occurring down around Alamosa with the least around Boulder and in the northern mountains of the state. -- In the Denver area there are probably only 30-40 totally overcast days per year, and some of them are even fairly bright -- about 300 days would have at least one hour of sunshine sometime during the day, but only about 115 days per year fit the classic definition of "clear". -- Answered by Nolan Doesken (9/03).

Living in the Tri-Cities, WA, we probably match up pretty well with that. Realtors brag about >300 sunny days per year, and single-digit inches of rain.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[stitch 0]

Boise State was undefeated last year. Let's go I-DA-HO.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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A lot of the CO people posting here do not jump anymore.

What's your point? Just because I don't live in Colorado anymore is meaningless when it comes to my opinions of that state. In fact given the choice I would still be in Colorado. But I didn't have permanent resident status in the USA. I was only ever considered a temporary resident (unlike the millions of illegal aliens who are allowed to stay). Gotta love how the US immigration system works.

Oh I know Karen can dump her boyfriend, marry me, I will sell my house here in Cowtown and resettle down in Colorado in some new digs and everyone will live happily ever after. Well maybe not Karen's boyfriend. LOL ... in my dreams right ...

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[davedlg 0]

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A lot of the CO people posting here do not jump anymore.

What's your point? Just because I don't live in Colorado anymore is meaningless when it comes to my opinions of that state. In fact given the choice I would still be in Colorado. But I didn't have permanent resident status in the USA. I was only ever considered a temporary resident (unlike the millions of illegal aliens who are allowed to stay). Gotta love how the US immigration system works.

Oh I know Karen can dump her boyfriend, marry me, I will sell my house here in Cowtown and resettle down in Colorado in some new digs and everyone will live happily ever after. Well maybe not Karen's boyfriend. LOL ... in my dreams right ...

Trust me Steve, we'd love to have ya back.

[kbordson 8]

Just cuz WISCONSIN has been mentioned recently, I thought I would include this link from US News. Per the 2007 survey (but ranked in 2004?), the number one school in Speech and Language Pathology was tied between WISCONSIN and Iowa.

Think about it. Good solid school. Fun town. Diverse environment. Many dropzones in just a short drive. Cows. Seasons. ummmm.... Cheese. (any interest in hunting? First day of deer season is almost a holiday....) IceFishing. Skating (you already said you like skating.... lots of indoor and outdoor rinks)

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Hey I'm still editing the grammatical errors I made in my last post and now you had to go out and quote me. Now Karen will know that I've got less than ideal grammatical skills, she won't dump her boyfriend and my plan to return to Colorado will be shot. Oh well like I said, in my dreams right.

Hey I found a new activity which is about as expensive as skydiving is. Home Renovations. I have spend thousands so far and my home still looks like a local food market in Baghdad. However the basement games room is starting to return to form and soon the pool table will be resurrected. Oh well, things a northerner must do when he can't jump since all the local DZs are closed for the winter season.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[JohnnyD 0]

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What's your point? Just because I don't live in Colorado anymore is meaningless when it comes to my opinions of that state. ...

I didn't mean you. I was referring to the people who still live here and have stopped jumping or have nearly stopped.

[davedlg 0]

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Hey I'm still editing the grammatical errors I made in my last post and now you had to go out and quote me. Now Karen will know that I've got less than ideal grammatical skills, she won't dump her boyfriend and my plan to return to Colorado will be shot. Oh well like I said, in my dreams right.

Hey I found a new activity which is about as expensive as skydiving is. Home Renovations. I have spend thousands so far and my home still looks like a local food market in Baghdad. However the basement games room is starting to return to form and soon the pool table will be resurrected. Oh well, things a northerner must do when he can't jump since all the local DZs are closed for the winter season.

There, is that better? Now I edited too, now you just need to edit your above post and she'll never know! Of course then I'd have to edit this post too...

Yeah, I think I actually found a new hobby more expensive than skydiving: flying aircraft as opposed to jumping from them. You're a pilot right? How the hell do you afford to fly aircraft and jump from them. I'm working on my instrument rating, and I think I'm going to go broke doing it.

[davedlg 0]

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What's your point? Just because I don't live in Colorado anymore is meaningless when it comes to my opinions of that state. ...

I didn't mean you. I was referring to the people who still live here and have stopped jumping or have nearly stopped.

Yeah, this state tends to have that effect on people.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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You're a pilot right? How the hell do you afford to fly aircraft and jump from them. I'm working on my instrument rating, and I think I'm going to go broke doing it.

Well I used to play one on TV. But that was all before I started jumping. Yes flying is probably the most expensive thing you can do. It's fun ... but dang ... it's not cheap. Good luck with your IFR training.

Hmmm ... not a peep from Karen. Either she has a life and is just ignoring us, or she's been abducted my martian aliens.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[flyangel2 2]

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What's your point? Just because I don't live in Colorado anymore is meaningless when it comes to my opinions of that state. ...

I didn't mean you. I was referring to the people who still live here and have stopped jumping or have nearly stopped.

Well I still live in Colorado, but don't jump here.

Just cause you don't see me at the local DZ doesn't mean I have slowed down.

Hey Steve, I'd marry you to get you back in the area

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[Samurai136 0]

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Just cuz Wisconsin has been mentioned recently, I thought I would include this link from US News. Per the 2007 survey (but ranked in 2004?), the number one school in Speech and Language Pathology was tied between Iowa and Wisconsin.

Think about it. Good solid school. Fun town. Diverse environment. Many dropzones in just a short drive. Cows. Seasons. ummmm.... Cheese. (any interest in hunting? First day of deer season is almost a holiday....) IceFishing. Skating (you already said you like skating.... lots of indoor and outdoor rinks)

That sounds almost exactly like Iowa city except with out the Badgers and cheeseheads. Cost of living is probably cheaper in Iowa City- Coralville. I live in Coralville, 4 miles from Speech Pathology college. Bus service is great. There are tons of apts available in Coralville. I pay $550 for a large 2-bedroom (includes water and 1 car garage) and I'm about 2000' away from an indoor ice rink, 10-screen movie theater, Shopping mall, miles of groomed bike trails, and a health food grocery store.

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UI's Speech Pathology and Audiology ranked number one in the communications sciences and disorders category. The Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index, partly financed by the State University of New York at Stony Brook and produced by Academic Analytics, a for-profit company, rates faculty members' scholarly output at nearly 7,300 doctoral programs around the country. It examines the number of book and journal articles published by each program's faculty, as well as journal citations, awards, honors, and grants received. The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked the universities and identified the top 10 programs in 104 disciplines in its January 12 issue.

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken