Return to Utah or not?? (Ogden, Roy: camping, allergies, income)

[grannybug]

Hi! I'm a 67-yr-old divorced (38 yrs) semi-retired woman who lived in UT 25 yrs, have been gone 20. Son & family live in Park City, I come for a week every yr to camp/hike in the desert w/them. I'm a Minister of Visitation at a church in Annapolis but hope to fully retire in 2-5 yrs, am in very good health. will have VERY limited income when I quit present PT ministerial job (I am not ordained). I would like to return to UT but not SLC, can't take the inversions in winter, they do my allergies all kinds of bad. I am a conservative "born-again" Christian but politically liberal, hate the narrow-mindedness of many conservatives but also found the snobbery of many SL Mormons REALLY wearing. Loved living there but when I moved to Boston, felt I'd "escaped." Still, want to come back & don't know where. When driving thru Price on the way back from Canyonlands Sunday, I thought "maybe Price." I am aware of the limited shopping (saves me money), most of my social life revolves happily around church & church friends so don't need much entertainment stuff, assume CEU or senior center or some such offers some classes such as watercolor, writing, etc, but OK w/o it as long as I can get out to the desert regularly for brief trips. Love to camp, hike & just wander around the red rocks. Moab is too pricey & too touristy, Green River seems just too small. Any feedback on life in Price for someone who has lived mostly in cities (SLC, Boston, Baltimore, Annapolis, Napa Valley CA) but has always been happiest in the Utah desert? Are there Protestant churches in Price, preferably Methodist or non-denominational, praise-oriented? Or suggestions for other areas (Monticello? Bluff? Emery Co?). Thanks! And special thanks to SouthernBelleinUtah who helped me negotiate getting into proper part of Forum. You go, girl!

[eggalegga]

My parents are both from Helper. I've never lived there but I've visited MANY times. I have relatives who live there and love it's small town charm. My aunt work at CEU.

Don't know much about churches there. My family is Catholic.

Perhaps these links might help you look around a bit.

Good luck with your move & happy upcoming retirement to you!

Carbon County Link

Price Newspaper Link

[grannybug]

Thanks for the links, I'll give them a look. I had a good friend whose aunt lived in Helper & we needed her help once on a trip to the desert when the car broke down or something. I always loved the name Helper, it was appropriate even when it didn't apply to the mine trains.

[Alene]

It sounds like Price would be a pretty good fit for you. You won't find a city in Utah other than Salt Lake that doesn't have a strong LDS presence, but you can find a like-minded group of people in any of the larger cities. My aunt lived in Price for years and loved it despite not being LDS. It is true, there aren't a lot of social activities that don't revolve around the LDS church, but hiking and camping is a secular activity so who cares?

I personally LOVE Helper. It is such a cute town and I love mines and ghost towns. You would have to drive to Price to work, but that is a very short drive. I don't know about any Protestant churches in the area, but I would be surprised if there isn't at least one.

Other than that I would suggest Park City - it is the single least LDS "feeling" city besides Moab in the state, since you are wanting to avoid that influence. The problem is that it is VERY overpriced. Have you considered living just outside of Utah in Grand Junction? It is a great city that is a little larger than Green River but still has a lot of the gorgeous red rocks and mountains without the LDS influence and is pretty affordable.

Ogden is also a great city that is really starting to turn into something awesome. It has had a reputation as a little "ghetto" in the past, but Utah ghetto vs. Boston ghetto are two completely different worlds. Regardless, it has really started cleaning up, it has a great little historic downtown and some great restaurants and the mountains are very close and not as crowded as the ones in the Salt Lake Valley. It is also very affordable and seems to have much less LDS influence than other cities. You should check it out. There is a good article about Ogden on the Outdoor Magazine website. Google Outside Magazine Ogden, it is the first link that comes up.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

One of our posters, Osugirl2, recently moved to Ogden and is quite happy there. She is "non."

[grannybug]

Hey, Alene, thanks for the reply to my questions about living in Price if/when I return to Utah. I have good memories of the little I've seen of Helper, too, from passing thru the area on the way to southern UT camping (a friend had an aunt in Helper). Both sound promising so far. Park City, where my son & family live, is out of the question due to cost & long winters, which I don't want. I was there last week, b4 & after our hiking trip to Canyonlands, and it snowed--too soon for my taste! Altho our weatherman is predicting a freeze tonight here in Annapolis! Usually no freezes here til early Nov. Also, I lived in Roy & worked in Ogden for a couple years in the 80's & really liked it; Roy is pretty non-Mormon community due to Hill. But a little far to red rock country. I've got a couple years to decide, can't afford to quit my wonderful job just yet. Thanks again!

[grannybug]

Thanks, I'll contact her. I worked in Ogden, lived in Roy for cple yrs in the early 80's & liked it a lot. Little farther to red rockk ctry, tho.