Don't shoot me... another GJ thread... (Denver, Colorado Springs: high crime, home, buying)

[Humblebee]

I say that half-joking, since I've already scoured the meriad of posts already pertaining to this topic, yet it seems I still need some hand-holding. I hope you don't mind. This is also my first post, so this is also kind of an introduction.

I'm a lot like many who come here looking for information on Grand Junction, except I've already done a good portion of research, both here and on Realtor.com. If a move to GJ were to take place, we'd be coming from Boise, ID. I've noticed a lot of people move there for the oil industry, but my dh has a prospect in IT, which I don't see any mention of so far. Perhaps that is why they are offering to relocate us and provide a very nice salary.

If it were just my husband and myself, I'd be all over the idea of moving, but we have three children to consider. We're a pretty low-maintenance family in that we love to camp, go to the movies, and take day-trips. The only thing I cannot tolerate is a high crime rate, and that seems to be mentioned a lot here. I'm sure there are areas that are safe, though, and I plan on researching that more as the reality of a move is impending.

Okay, with all that said, I do happen to have a few questions that I didn't see mentioned yet.

1. If we were to buy a home further out of town, are we likely to be able to get high-speed internet? Dh would need to be able to telecommute on occasion, and this would be a necessity.

2. I have MS and have no trouble traveling to Denver for more specialized care, but would require a local neurologist to treat me if I were to have a sudden set-back. Relatively speaking, how is the healthcare in GJ?

3. Climate-wise, GJ sounds a lot like Boise, but I'm curious about the length of seasons. Our cold weather tends to hit right at the end of October like clockwork, and begin warming up in March (60's). We also tend not to get a lot of thunderstorms, but hoped maybe GJ does. Frivolous, I know.

Thanks in advance, everyone. I also appreciate your patience.

[McGowdog]

Nice first post. I'll give you your first rep for your efforts to not annoy (well researched and versed on forum etiquette) and I'd think there should be at least two on here of whom could help you with the current info you need to know. Namely Double H and CosmicWizard.

Sorry I can't help you with specifics you need with the healthcare and the crime stats, but hopefully others can.

As far as the internet goes, as of tomorrow, we're gonna get to see how Qwest's upgrade from 256K to 1.2M is gonna change our speed and how well it works. It should be a vast improvement and actually costs a buck less than what we're paying now... 29.00/month. We have DSL; not cable, but internet to a router with wireless capability over Cat 3 (just your ordinary phone service, but not dial-up). Your DH may need super fast internet, like 5 or 7 Meg or something like that. Can't help you there. If you can actually get cable DSL, that's better than what we have. If you can get fiber optic, that's supposed to be pretty good or maybe awesome. I don't know much about it yet. Satellite internet, last I heard, was about 80/month and that fire-crotch lady on DirecTV doesn't even advertise it anymore; so it must not work like that and a bag of Fritos.

As far as the kids, maybe GJ is great, but could you live out closer to Paonia, Cedaredge, Grand Valley, etc.?

Welcome to City-Data and last person give her a welcoming rep is a rotten egg.

[CosmicWizard]

Humblebee wrote:

1. If we were to buy a home further out of town, are we likely to be able to get high-speed internet? Dh would need to be able to telecommute on occasion, and this would be a necessity.

2. I have MS and have no trouble traveling to Denver for more specialized care, but would require a local neurologist to treat me if I were to have a sudden set-back. Relatively speaking, how is the healthcare in GJ?

3. Climate-wise, GJ sounds a lot like Boise, but I'm curious about the length of seasons. Our cold weather tends to hit right at the end of October like clockwork, and begin warming up in March (60's). We also tend not to get a lot of thunderstorms, but hoped maybe GJ does. Frivolous, I know.

1...I won't say for certain, but I can tell you this much. I was visiting some friends in the very small town of Mesa which is about 40 minutes from Grand Junction. My friend was showing me a flyer on her website for a workshop that she was planning a few weeks down the road. We visited a few other websites to do some comparisons, and the connection speed was quite good. Sorry, but I don't know what type of connection they had.

2...As the largest population center between Denver and Salt Lake City, Grand Junction is an up and coming health care center for the western slope of Colorado and eastern Utah. St Marys hospital is in the midst of a major expansion which is more than doubling the size of the hospital building. St Marys hospital is thriving! It is the biggest building in the entire Grand Valley. That's about all I know in regard to local health care. I cannot give you any specifics.

3...I think the climates in both locations are indeed very similar. The daylight hours would be a bit longer in Boise during the summer and a bit shorter during the winter. There are frequent thunderstorms during July and August especially, during the so-called monsoons. The AVERAGE high for March 1st is 51, and the AVERAGE high for March 31st is 60. The keyword is AVERAGE. There are 70 degree highs in March and there are also highs in the 30s. It just depends on the fronts moving thru from year to year.

[jazzlover]

Health care in Grand Junction is relatively good, BUT specialized care for the less common ailments (common = pulmonary, heart, etc.) will probably require you to go to Salt Lake City or Denver. I speak with experience on this, both my family and I have been that route during many years of living in western Colorado. There are some pretty good neurologists in Grand Junction, but the big MS treatment centers are in Denver.

High speed internet gets dicey if you are not in an incorporated area. No cable out there, usually, and DSL--well, maybe, maybe not. Satellite then is your only option for high-speed, but it generally has very slow upload speeds. I will also say again, too, for the umpteenth time, anyone who sets themselves up for a long commute in the economy/energy environment ahead is a fool. Those days of practical "ex-urban" living are about over--for good.

Cosmic is half-right about the thunderstorms. Grand Junction does get them in summer (mid-July to late August being the favored time), but it does not get that many, relatively speaking--usually about 35 thunderstorm days per year. Compare that with Colorado Springs that gets near 60. Also, thunderstorms in Colorado's western valleys tend to be relatively short-lived and non-severe. Severe thunderstorms with big hail are not common in western Colorado, unlike the Front Range and Eastern Plains of Colorado, where they are common.

[Josseppie]

If anyone would want to post pictures of Grand Junction that would be awesome. Maybe some shots of your downtown, or surrounding areas.

[McGowdog]

Yeah, that would be. Maybe some shots of that Colorado and Gunnison River. Also some pics of the fruit trees and vineyards in Palisade and Slit would be nice.

What, no plug for Pueblo?

[Josseppie]

LOL well Grand Junction is a suburb of Pueblo right?

[Humblebee]

Thanks everyone for your responses so far. The more I read, the more I'm convinced we can expect weather just like we have in Boise. I'm kind of different in that I prefer a cooler climate because my MS can become exacerbated by the heat, however, give me a covered porch and some misters and I'm good to go. LOL

We wouldn't move too far out of town since we're not into heavy commutes. As it is, dh enjoys a ten minute jaunt to the office. The urban sprawl here has become ridiculous, so any hope of buying any kind of land (1/2-1 acre) is reserved for those willing to drive an hour or more, and pay up the ying-yang. I kind of get the impression that larger lots are more plentiful near GJ or the suburbs.

If/when dh gets a job offer, I will travel with him to scope out the area. As the saying goes, "if Mama isn't happy, nobody's happy."

[CosmicWizard]

humblebee wrote:

I prefer a cooler climate because my MS can become exacerbated by the heat

If the heat becomes overbearing for you, you can take a 60 minute drive to the top of the Grand Mesa where it is usually at least 20 degrees cooler. Once you're up there, take the Lands End road out to Lands End, and watch the sun set over the valley, then head home. By the time you're back in the valley, the temp will be more bearable. The Grand Mesa is a great day trip destination in the summer.

[Humblebee]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

Nice first post. I'll give you your first rep for your efforts to not annoy (well researched and versed on forum etiquette)

It is my goal in life not to annoy those on message boards, particularly as a newby to a site. I administrate another vBulletin board, so researching before posting is a most coveted trait in a member.

As far as the internet goes, as of tomorrow, we're gonna get to see how Qwest's upgrade from 256K to 1.2M is gonna change our speed and how well it works.

Do post your findings when you get a chance. I should fess up and admit that I'm just as concerned for my own web experience as for dh's work.

As far as the kids, maybe GJ is great, but could you live out closer to Paonia, Cedaredge, Grand Valley, etc.?

I'm jotting down those places to research. I have no problem moving further out since I like privacy and would love to have some land for the kids to run around on (as opposed to the front of the culdesac like they do now).

Welcome to City-Data and last person give her a welcoming rep is a rotten egg.

Thank you for the warm welcome and the rep.

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

2...As the largest population center between Denver and Salt Lake City, Grand Junction is an up and coming health care center for the western slope of Colorado and eastern Utah. St Marys hospital is in the midst of a major expansion which is more than doubling the size of the hospital building. St Marys hospital is thriving! It is the biggest building in the entire Grand Valley. That's about all I know in regard to local health care. I cannot give you any specifics.

Since I have family closer to Denver, I would most like go to the MS Centers there to have my yearly MRI, etc., but it's good to know that there are facilities that can properly treat me should the sudden need arise.

Originally Posted by jazzlover

There are some pretty good neurologists in Grand Junction,...

Also good to know.

If the heat becomes overbearing for you, you can take a 60 minute drive to the top of the Grand Mesa where it is usually at least 20 degrees cooler. Once you're up there, take the Lands End road out to Lands End, and watch the sun set over the valley, then head home. By the time you're back in the valley, the temp will be more bearable. The Grand Mesa is a great day trip destination in the summer.

That sounds wonderful. Thank you.