Yeah, the midwest is a step too far for me. I've got to have some mountains... some... something.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oklahoma/@35.856529,-97.81... randomly grabbed from outside of Oklahoma City. Looks mind-numbingly boring.

Ft Collins in Colorado looks like a calmer, more affordable place than Boulder.

Here is one from the town I live near:

https://www.google.com/maps/@46.2468,-114.177067,3a,75y,254....

The view of the thousand foot granite cliffs a few miles up in the mountains is blocked by the trees growing along the blue ribbon trout stream.

Most of the midwest looks like that - even in Colorado. Here's a streetview I randomly grabbed just outside Ft. Collins: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fort+Collins,+CO/@40.33618...

That's more than 70km outside of town, to the east:-) Get closer and you get mountains.

The spot you chose is also 70km outside of Oklahoma City.

West/N.West of OKC is very flat. The further you move east the more terrain you have including the Ouchita Mts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Oklahoma#mediaview...), the Arbuckle Mts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbuckle_Mountains#mediaviewer/...), and the Wichita Mountains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wichita_Mountains#mediaviewer/F...).

Now none of these hold a candle to the spectacular geography of Western Colorado, but they offer nice reprieve from the office for nature lovers. And plenty of lakes for those that prefer swimming, sailing, etc.

I am sure there are many places where this is the case, but the OKC area is where I live :).

I just looked them up, the climates look pretty dismal? 9 month winters basically?

Clearly you aren't a skier ;) I can't imagine seeking out a mountain town if you don't enjoy some sort of snow sport but the winters aren't as bad as all that and last maybe 4 months.

I moved to the Missoula area from Seattle. Summer is hotter but drier, winter is colder but drier and sunnier and I can ski powder most weekends.

I've come to enjoy a 20 degree dry day more then a 40 degree and drizzling day like we would get lots of in Seattle.

shhhhhhh... you are giving away my secrets.