Fairplay, Colorado

We rented a house this week in Fairplay, Colorado where we will move to and live for the next year.  But let me back up.

Click on photo for more information on Fairplay

As you all know we sold the last of our alpacas in December 2011.  Since then we have done a lot of soul searching and decided that we really did not need the 36 acre property anymore, nor the 4 barns, nor most importantly the big mortgage.  We are pretty simple folks, give us a small house in a somewhat remote, and beautiful location, with good internet and good water, and we can be happy.

We tried for the next couple years to sell the house, on our own, and with multiple realtors.  In this economy we were having difficulty getting any showings even at the break even price for us.  It's a long story but in the end the best option for us was to give the house back to the bank.  Two weeks ago, the call finally came.  The bank offered us a great deal, we sign the deed back to them in lieu of foreclosure.  Nothing hits our credit rating, they will even offer some cash compensation, and in return we agree to move out and turn the house back to them within 30 days.

Originally we had planned to move to Montana, still our ultimate goal.  But this part of the story started back in March when we had a fabulous 3 day vacation with a couple of Mike's kids/spouses/Spouses siblings, and our granddaughter skiing in Durango.

We had such a good time, that I looked at Mike and asked why, when we live in Colorado, are we not skiing a LOT more than we do.  We both enjoy it.  It's good exercise.  He and I are very compatible skiers... Seems like something we should take advantage of while we are here.  He agreed.  And so, although the ski season for us started this year on March 17 with two days at Durango, we have since had one day at Crested Butte and two days at Breckenridge.  We ended up with seasons passes next year for Breck.... which we bought 4 days before we got the notice that we needed to move.

So our initiative became to try to stay no further from Breckenridge than we now are, which is 90 miles.  This is actually easier than moving to Montana within 30 days, and will give us a year to scope out Bozeman, while renting for a year near by to here, and of course skiing at Breckenridge.

We first looked at Salida and Buena Vista, two towns we had previously considered moving permanently to. But it seems rentals there, as reportedly everywhere, are pretty tough to come by.  Magnified by the fact that rafting season is shortly upon us, so the summer influx of seasonal people are snatching up anything available in quick time.  We became concerned that we would find an appropriate house for us in the time frame.

But alas, things always seem to work out, and this

week we signed a lease on a cute house in Fairplay, CO.  Fairplay is a TINY town about an hour north of us, and 1/2 hour south of Breckenridge (679 residents).  At 47 feet below 10,000 feet it is the fifth highest town in Colorado.  We are almost to the tree line and have gorgeous views in every direction.

The house is small at 1200sf, but has 3 bedrooms, a two car garage (also rare in rentals in the area) and aside from the initial shock of having to resize from our 3000 sf with 4 barns, we should actually be quite comfortable there.  We have huge relief to have a place to go, and great excitement at having a new neighborhood to get familiar with, being that close to the ski area next year, and still not too far from Canon City, Colorado Springs, Albuquerque, Denver International airport, Monica's house, etc.  Costco will still be about an hour to 1.5 hours away.  They are opening a Whole Foods in Frisco (about 45 minute) on May 1.  We will move sometime between May 1 and May 20 (I guess that really depends on when the T-1 line moves).

Mike this coming season : Fishing near Fairplay

We do not have mail service at the house, so we will have to get a PO Box.  I'll let you all know when we have that available.  In the meantime... I'm going to be in Albuquerque for a week long visit with the kids and parents.  Life is an adventure, that is for sure.  But life is also sure good to us, perhaps better than we deserve!