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We leave in the morning, 2/19, for Utah. We'll be spending about 12 days in and around Utah. I'll report back. Thanks everyone!
I can't wait to hear what you have to say as I'm looking into the west as a possible relocation. I'm tired of the south. I just returned from a trip to GA and although the mountains are very nice, I wouldn't live there. Too many things are not one bit appealing. The west is the best. I'm originally from CA, but I do not want to go back there. Have a wonderful trip.
Well hello back everyone, we made it back alive and the Mormon's did not force us to drink the grape juice! Just kidding.
Our thoughts, and I'll try to keep it fairly short as I could go on and on:
Salt Lake and the valley surrounded by the mountains is simple breathtaking, the city I thought was ugly. It is like the undisciplined growth of Florida. A mansion next to a guy in a trailer with horses and cows in the back yard. Either by itself is okay, sitting in the same block with commercial businesses is just weird.
We went to Snowbird and Alta, nice and I like the down to business of it, not the glitter posh stuff. I was VERY disappointed that I never saw a single snowflake. It was warm and clear and beautiful the three days we were in Salt Lake. Sure two days after we went to Kanaab, it snowed...figures.
Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary is everything they say they are. They stand for the protection and life enriching joy of helping homeless and endangered animals be it domesticated or not. Their goal is to try to train and enrich those souls to be able to trust and enjoy humans again. Those who won't or can't are still given all the care they need until they pass to Angel's Rest.
We were fortunate enough to be there volunteering when they had there monthly service for those souls that had passed on the last month. One of them was one of the Michael Vick dogs, a bait dog that endured over a year of slowly getting better but died oddly enough during a dental procedure to try to correct the ******* having the teeth pulled out of the "bait" dogs mouth.
My point is that there is a spotless large extremely well kept burial grounds for all of the dogs/cats/bunnies/birds or wild animals they try to save but pass on. Each is treated in passing on in the same dignified manner they were treated while at Best Friend's.
The caretakers, and the trainers and all the support staff were just terrific. My wife being a truly in it for the "dogs" professional trainer could only dream of someday working there as a trainer. We both volunteered and I can say they are who they say they are. Fabulous human beings trying to treat our friends the best they should be treated. We, as others can, got to take a couple of the dogs on "outings" and even a sleepover in the hotel. You grade the dog on how they react to certain things so they can work on habits that improve their chances of being adopted. And, oh by the way, if it does not work out, they want you to contact them back and they will come and pick up the adoption, even if in another state, so more trauma does not occur. HOW ABOUT THAT!
Kanaab is a small beautiful town. Overall the people were nice, we only had one snubbing from a place to eat as we were obvious tourists, but other than that. No Mormons "forced" themselves on us. Although we thought it was odd that there were so many white trucks and cars. Never knew that one.
I ended up sick about day 6, did I mention I have some really bad luck, and we didn't get to go to the Grand Canyon and I spent time in bed but got excellent quick care in the local hospital clinic. I would consider moving there. It is easy for my wife, but not for me. I make most of the money and it will not be easy to duplicate, but I am willing to try.
I REALLY liked the Longmont, Colorado area and the Rockies, my kind of terrain. Now begin the steps to see if my wife will someday be offered a job there but like a lot of places that survive on donations, Best Friend's is hurting even with the exposure from the National Geographic show "Dogtown".
I'll keep everyone up to date and would like to thank you for the help and kindness. In this vast land of nastiness, it is refreshing.
Well hello back everyone, we made it back alive and the Mormon's did not force us to drink the grape juice! Just kidding.
Our thoughts, and I'll try to keep it fairly short as I could go on and on:
Salt Lake and the valley surrounded by the mountains is simple breathtaking, the city I thought was ugly. It is like the undisciplined growth of Florida. A mansion next to a guy in a trailer with horses and cows in the back yard. Either by itself is okay, sitting in the same block with commercial businesses is just weird.
We went to Snowbird and Alta, nice and I like the down to business of it, not the glitter posh stuff. I was VERY disappointed that I never saw a single snowflake. It was warm and clear and beautiful the three days we were in Salt Lake. Sure two days after we went to Kanaab, it snowed...figures.
Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary is everything they say they are. They stand for the protection and life enriching joy of helping homeless and endangered animals be it domesticated or not. Their goal is to try to train and enrich those souls to be able to trust and enjoy humans again. Those who won't or can't are still given all the care they need until they pass to Angel's Rest.
We were fortunate enough to be there volunteering when they had there monthly service for those souls that had passed on the last month. One of them was one of the Michael Vick dogs, a bait dog that endured over a year of slowly getting better but died oddly enough during a dental procedure to try to correct the ******* having the teeth pulled out of the "bait" dogs mouth.
My point is that there is a spotless large extremely well kept burial grounds for all of the dogs/cats/bunnies/birds or wild animals they try to save but pass on. Each is treated in passing on in the same dignified manner they were treated while at Best Friend's.
The caretakers, and the trainers and all the support staff were just terrific. My wife being a truly in it for the "dogs" professional trainer could only dream of someday working there as a trainer. We both volunteered and I can say they are who they say they are. Fabulous human beings trying to treat our friends the best they should be treated. We, as others can, got to take a couple of the dogs on "outings" and even a sleepover in the hotel. You grade the dog on how they react to certain things so they can work on habits that improve their chances of being adopted. And, oh by the way, if it does not work out, they want you to contact them back and they will come and pick up the adoption, even if in another state, so more trauma does not occur. HOW ABOUT THAT!
Kanaab is a small beautiful town. Overall the people were nice, we only had one snubbing from a place to eat as we were obvious tourists, but other than that. No Mormons "forced" themselves on us. Although we thought it was odd that there were so many white trucks and cars. Never knew that one.
I ended up sick about day 6, did I mention I have some really bad luck, and we didn't get to go to the Grand Canyon and I spent time in bed but got excellent quick care in the local hospital clinic. I would consider moving there. It is easy for my wife, but not for me. I make most of the money and it will not be easy to duplicate, but I am willing to try.
I REALLY liked the Longmont, Colorado area and the Rockies, my kind of terrain. Now begin the steps to see if my wife will someday be offered a job there but like a lot of places that survive on donations, Best Friend's is hurting even with the exposure from the National Geographic show "Dogtown".
I'll keep everyone up to date and would like to thank you for the help and kindness. In this vast land of nastiness, it is refreshing.
Ertman, I'm sure I am not the only one waiting to hear your report. I am so glad you liked Best Friends. It truly is an incredible place.
I've got to tell you though, that I really felt bad that you thought Salt Lake City was "ugly." In all honesty, you're the first person I've ever heard describe it that way. I'm curious, when you said, "A mansion next to a guy in a trailer with horses and cows in the back yard," I tried to picture where you might have been talking about. At any rate, I would suggest that if you do move to Utah, you return to Salt Lake sometime in either June or September. Downtown is pretty torn up right now, but aside from an area of just a few blocks, it's really not an "ugly" city.
Yeah, when I re-read that it does come off a little harsh. Ugly is not the right word. Different. Keep in mind what I am use to is spanning huge live oaks dripping spanish moss down and a very green landscape. The zoning is strict and everything has it's place. I think the area where we saw the horses and etc was near the convention center area of town. The other was not too far from Sandy, Ut?
I do retract the ugly...sorry I am sick and it came through while typing, bad choice of words.
Thanks for the update! Glad you enjoyed your trip.
I know what you mean, especially down here in the Southern end. Nice brick home, mobile home, mini mansions in a row!
Yeah, when I re-read that it does come off a little harsh. Ugly is not the right word. Different. Keep in mind what I am use to is spanning huge live oaks dripping spanish moss down and a very green landscape. The zoning is strict and everything has it's place. I think the area where we saw the horses and etc was near the convention center area of town. The other was not too far from Sandy, Ut?
I do retract the ugly...sorry I am sick and it came through while typing, bad choice of words.
No worries. Sorry you're sick, too.
I think I might have an idea of what you're describing. When you said "Salt Lake City" was ugly, I was thinking of the downtown area because that's pretty much the only area tourists even see. You probably made your way into the outlying areas. Some of these areas were settled a little bit at a time, and the architecture, etc. really reflects that. Holladay is one such area. In fact, nearly thirty years ago when my husband and I were looking for a home, our realtor showed us some homes in Holladay. The first thing I noticed that so many of the homes didn't seem to "go together." There'd be a one hundred-year-old farmhouse right next door to a half a million dollar home. On the other side there'd be a few inexpensive, run-down tract homes built in the 60's. You'd turn the corner and be in a really nice upscale neighborhood where everything fit together quite nicely until... oops!... a nice house but with architecture that was totally out of place among the rest of the houses, and then... you guessed it, some horse property. It really turned me off, and I told the realtor. Now there are some parts of Holladay where you'll find blocks and blocks of beautiful, expensive homes, but I do know what you mean.
The wife and I are moving forward with our plans to move to southern Utah. At this point it is a plan. We both HAVE to be employed and HAVE to sell our current home. . . .insert sigh. . . . this might take awhile but we do plan to move eventually.
Send good luck thoughts our way please. The wife also took her national board test for certification as a professional dog trainer that is hard to obtain. We will find out in about 6 weeks!
Thanks so much everyone. We are both excited about the trip, a great chance to get in some great skiing, and maybe lead down a different road in life. Sure we have friends here, both of us have been here about 25yrs AND we are not happy. I have never felt at home here. I grew up in a small town in the midwest, and although this area is beautiful, like I said it is very dark and ugly at the same time.
The pizza and beer thing. I take it that alcohol is greatly regulated? I mean we don't have Sunday beer/wine unless you are a restaurant, but we certainly do like our alcohol. Is this really that big an issue or just a little harder to get and more expensive?
I'm curious to see how your trip turned out. My wife and I spent a week at Best Friends in February of this year volunteering. We've been back 3 times since and once before. On our last trips, we have found a home that we are about to purchase for a future move there. What did you think?
Hi all! I'm new here. Three years ago I was invited to visit Best Friends after applying for a job there. It had taken a long time to hear from them and during that time, I accepted a job teaching English in Mexico. That's where I am now, but the ever increasing violence is prompting me to consider applying at BF again. Would dearly love to work there, but have no savings or other source of income. Also don't enjoy cold weather. Am I just plain nuts to be considering this?
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Kanab & Best Friends
