10 Things You Should Never Say to Someone From Fort Collins
If you live in a community long enough, there are certain things that only people living here would understand. Fort Collins is no different. One way to know if someone is from here is by what they ask or what they say. Here are "10 Things You Should Never Say to Someone from Fort Collins".
10. What's With the A on the Side of the Mountain?
The "A" stands for the Aggies. It was Colorado State University's mascot until 1957 (Formerly Colorado A & M). Then we became the CSU Rams. Don't ask "Why isn't there an R on the side of the mountain?" It's part of history. Leave it at that.
9. Having a Train Run Through Town is Charming.
Charming? Charming? What is so charming about being 10 minutes late for an appointment because you had to wait for a train. It's annoying and disruptive. Don't forget about the train whistle that is loud enough to drown out any conversation when you are having lunch on the outdoor patio of any restaurant in Old Town.
8. Why is it called Horsetooth?
Isn't it obvious? It looks like a horse's tooth. The picture above is one of the few times I ever climbed to the top of Horsetooth Rock.
7. Does Everybody Smoke Weed There?
Um, no. I've never smoked pot in my life. Everybody thinks that since they legalized marijuana in Colorado that now everybody here smokes weed. That is just not the case. Just like every other place in America, a good number of people in Fort Collins smoked pot before it was legal. Those same people still smoke pot. However, now they don't have to go to a back alley to buy it. Honestly, I don't notice a change at all.
6. You Must Ski All the Time!
Before the legalized marijuana question, the biggest question I would get from out-of-towners is "do you ski?" I do, but most people don't. Yes, Colorado has some of the best skiing in the World, but just because it is less than 2 hours away doesn't mean we do it every weekend. Some people do, but it's expensive and definitely not required if you live in Fort Collins.
5. All the Canada Geese in Fort Collins are so Beautiful!
Yes, they are beautiful, but walk through any Fort Collins park and step in just five or six of the thousands and thousands of piles of goose poop that you will encounter and your opinion may change. In 1957, the Colorado Division of Wildlife released 40 geese in Fort Collins to develop a breeding flock. Now Colorado has about 10,000 resident geese as well as about 50,000 geese that come here for the winter instead of flying south. You can't drive across town without a goose crossing the road in front of you. Some may say it is quaint. Most think it is terribly annoying.
4. CSU & CU Are Not a Rivalry!
This is probably the one that gets under my skin the most. Because the University of Colorado has such a lopsided advantage over the years, most CU fans don't consider CSU a proper rival. In Football, Colorado leads the series 66–22–2. However, nothing ticks off a Buffs supporter more than losing to the Rams. So yes, it is a rivalry.
3. Are You Going Up the Poudre This Weekend?
First of all, it's pronounced Poo-Der and the full name is actually the Cache la Poudre River or Poudre Canyon. Most outsiders say it wrong. It's the quickest way to tell if someone isn't from around here. I don't know why, but some people think it can sound dirty.
2. Fort Collins is just like Boulder!
The hell you say. There are actually very few similarities. Both cities are college towns and both are nestled up against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and both towns lean a little left. However, there are way more differences than similarities. I believe residents of both cities would be offended to be compared to the other.
1. Fort Collins Doesn't Have Good Beer!
Thems fightin' words. We are proud of our beer. Nobody does it better. Fort Collins has been called "Colorado's Craft Beer Capital". It has about 20 micro-breweries, depending on if any have opened or closed in the past month. Then there is Anheuser-Busch or Budweiser and New Belgium and Odell Brewing company, which have both out-grown micro-brewery status. According to Colorado.com, Fort Collins produces 70 percent of Colorado’s craft beer and 7 percent of the craft beer in the nation.