I grew up in Fairbanks Alaska for 15 years, it's a big state and nearly pristine 3 months of the year, well worth visiting, but when winter hits it's dark and cold as hell for 3-6 months. One year it reached -62 C, you have to blink fast or your eyeballs freeze and you dare not breath deep or quickly. In school I would go weeks without seeing sunshine- people aren't meant to live that far north(major seasonal depression). I lived in Colorado Springs for 10 years in my youth and traveled everywhere within 200 km radius installing garage doors. Winter in Colorado makes me laugh how pretty it is. It's the most beautiful place I've lived and can't wait to get back, I even dream of going back to Colorado at least once a week. My parents have land left to family in Arkansas, so I've lived there for 10 years now learning to grow things, riding out the economic turbulence, and live on less than 12k a year yet still save money. Arkansas has the most obese people in the US, Colorado has the least and that sums up the difference. Geology has always fascinated me, living "dirt" cheap outdoors survivalism, building things to help solve problems, working for myself on my on terms. After watching a bunch of prospecting shows I figure this is something I should try when I go back, rather than live in the city and get a 9-5 in the rat race, I'd rather live in a tent or out of my Xterra, but that's just me, no kids, no obligations, no drama.

Welcome to CP!