The best part of owning a KOA is meeting new people.

Adjusting to the climate change in Pueblo has been the easy part of becoming KOA campground owners. After living in Vermont and dealing with its winters, Michael and Carolyn Stowe were okay with a warmer climate.

Like many KOA owners, the Stowes were immersed in the corporate world, Michael in manufacturing and Carolyn in office management. "We had longtime careers and we were tired of the grind and the corporate life," Michael said.

Michael said the idea of owning a campground is something "they had talked about since they were married. We did a lot of camping ourselves." As they looked forward to their futures, the couple decided they wanted a change.

"We were both in dead end jobs and thought that if we were going to work until retirement, we were going to work for ourselves," he said. "It seemed like the right time to do it." So in 2004, the couple purchased the Pueblo KOA after a 6-month search. They moved their family with their two young boys across the country for a new life. "The best part of owning a KOA is meeting new people," Michael said. "There is a variety of people, and everybody has a different story."

They have been immersed in learning the trade of campground ownership, but the family plans to get back to camping and skiing.