Is Grand Junction A Good Place to Live? (Montrose, Fruita: new house, luxury)

[thepizzaguy]

I got busted by a park ranger for tossing a cigarette butt into a canyon at Colorado National Monument. Instead of giving me a 75 dollar ticket. He gave me a trash bag and asked me to pick up trash along the road. He them took me to an overlook and pointed out a large pile of trash down in the canyon that included shopping carts, old tires and even an automobile.

I filled the bag up with trash and I know for a fact that I could have gone back the next day and fill up another one. Will I be tossing lit cigarettes into the canyon anymore? I doubt it....

Have a great day!

William

[miketheilman]

hello out there. I'm looking to move to Grand Junction, Co, somtime next spring. I just want to make sure that it will be a good place for a long haird type to get along with his family. Can anyone help me out?? I'd appretiate, thank you.

[CosmicWizard]

There are people living in Grand Junction with various lengths of hair. It's a total non-issue, unless you make it one.

[miketheilman]

I appreciate your feedback. I feel kind of funny asking a "redneck" this, but is there any form of a hippie movment out there, or is it pretty much just religion and tourism.

[CosmicWizard]

mike

Same as with the hair, there are all kinds of people here. There is no hippie movement per se that I know of, but I do see hippies ( my perception ) around. But then again, they could simply be people with long hair and not necessarily hippies! Since I'm an outdoor enthusiast myself, outdoor activities is mostly what I'm tuned into. There are churches here like every where else, but religion is not an in-your-face issue like it is in the bible belt. There is some tourism, but it's not a big deal like it is in the mountain towns.

[nathan yudnich]

Originally Posted by Cbundy

Hi,

Thinking of moving to Grand Junction - can any of you give me any information? Good place? Suggestions for better or more interesting places in CO would be very welcome. Thanks.

if you know what pueblo is like, as far as its culture, i would compare it to that. even though its in the mountains, you really get the Utah feel in it, the mountains are just starting to turn to big mounds of rock and dirt.

the economy is OK, you can find a normal job there im sure, i worked in a warhouse myself, its cheaper then those cities 60-80 miles west to live thats for sure.
so if you are not backpacking and pitching tents it may be allright
i was a fan of glenwood and carbondale myself, the work in aspen is huge biulding all those rich peoples houses.

but its not bad. grandjunction isnt too populated, its just at the turning piont of that to grow in a city.
scenic on all sides.

and oh yes, four weeling

;-)

[delta07]

Originally Posted by miketheilman

hello out there. I'm looking to move to Grand Junction, Co, somtime next spring. I just want to make sure that it will be a good place for a long haird type to get along with his family. Can anyone help me out?? I'd appretiate, thank you.

Well, some may think it's a non-issue, but I am finally leaving GJ because I can't stand the conservatism here. I am a hippie type, husband and I drive a VW van with lots of political bumper stickers. We sure do get a lot of stares and judgements based on our views. Many people think that because we don't go to church on Sunday we must be heathens! I will say that GJ is getting better in the 6 years that I have lived here, but it is taking way too long. Even Montrose seems a better fit for the hippie type. The outdoors are nice, but I am tired of looking at the Bookcliffs and Grand Mesa everyday. I need more mountains! I digress....

GJ isn't the most welcoming community towards long haired hippies, but it isn't the worst. Like New Age Redneck said, it certainly isn't the bible belt.

[miketheilman]

Thank both of you for your comments, they have informed me a whole lot. Delta07, are those the only reasons that you're leaving?? I'm and avid rock climber, rappeller, and zipliner, are there places close that I can go and play, close enough to go after work??

[delta07]

I am just learning to rock climb, so I am not completely knowledgeable in that area. However, I learned how to climb at Smith Rock, just 20 min. from my new home in Bend, OR. I never climbed in Grand Junction because #1 I don't know many people who climb, and #2 I don't know of many places that are close enough to do after work. I know that people climb in Colorado Natl. Monument, but to what extent I don't have an idea. Moab is about an hour and a half from town. You can certainly find plenty of climbing there.

I spent many years mt. biking here, and it has some great single track. However, the heat during the summer makes it almost impossible to ride unless you wake at the crack of dawn. It can be pretty miserable in the summer here with the heat. The Grand Mesa offers a refuge for cooler temperatures, but there is not much hiking to be had. Most of the trails are for motorized vehicles. The mosquitoes are pretty awful too! SKiing is a bit farther away than I like as well. Powderhorn is 45 minutes away, but the terrain in relatively boring. Telluride is 3 hours south, and Aspen is about two and half hours away. Not easy for a day trip.

Overall, Grand Junction has just not been the outdoor mecca we were looking for. There are lots of things to do, but you will have to drive some to get to big mountains. It's alright for a while, but we are bored here. Time for us to move on. I would suggest you make a trip out here before you decide to move. Spend at least a week, two if you can, and see for yourself. Good luck in your decision! Let me know if I can help with anything else.

[miketheilman]

Wow, that was a whole lot of information that you dropped on me. Well, through my reading I found some likes and dislikes. I figured that GJ would have a ton of places to backpack, climb, and rappell, but it doesn't sound like it. I personally want to move to Norcal, but my wife doesn't want to move that close to the coast, global warming and all. What I would like to find inland, is a place with moderate weather (on the warmer side) with climbing and rappelling out my back door. Do you know of any places like that, or am I going to have to move out of the country. My daughter deserves a nice natural playground to grow up in and to respect and love. So, please, if there is a place that I could call "My Utopia", I would appreciate any and all help in that aspect.