Grand junction move

mierdota

Well-Known Member
Im thinking about transferring to grand junction for work and I am curious how it is? I have never been to grand junction so I don't know a whole lot about it. People who live there or who have been there what are some things you like about it and some things you don't like so far all the things I have heard are good. I work for fedex so I will be driving on i70 between there and denver, I heard the road sucks in th anye winter? Any input is appreciated thank you.
 

jeep-N-montero

Formerly black_ZJ
Location
Bountiful
I lived in Colorado Springs for 7 years and traveled quite a bit around the state. You couldn't pay me enough to make that drive in the winter unless my life or that of another depended on it, yes it's that bad. But, GJ is a great place to live, I know several people who have or do live there and really like it.
 

JL Rockies

Binders Fulla Expo
Location
Draper
I've driven all over the rockies 15 hrs per day, 3 weeks out of the month, winter included; I didn't notice anything more or less worse about CO... I was driving the ultimate jeep though so results may vary... and I'm a good driver :p
 

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
As far as GJ, I think the town ROCKS and would love to live there. Great wheeling close by and very close to Moab and Montrose. As far as the job, you drive in bad weather conditions now, it would be more of the same, only the view would be much better.
 

TRNDRVR

IMA BUM
Location
North Ogden, UT
GJT rocks!!!

College Liquors. Liquor Barn. Lois' Place. Although I don't live there, I'm there EVERY weekend. Have been for the last 5 years. Too much to do and not enough time.

You've got my support.
thumbup.gif
 

Badbuggy

rock star
Location
Fruita, Co
Grand Junction is a great place. Super wheeling. Pretty good weather, over all. Mountains to the East, and South, deserts to the North, and west, Moab to the West, orchards, wine country, and about anything you could want for food and supplies in GJ.

The road can be hard between here and Denver. But it is well taken care of, and not bad if you use your head. Sometimes there are delays, and closures, but most of the time, it is pretty good.
 

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
I love the area, I can't imagine living anywhere else. The people are friendly, the weather is pretty mild and the scenery is nice.

The Colorado National Monument overlooks the valley, huge Redrock canyons and formations. Want to go to the San Juans? Just over 2 hrs away... Moab? 90 min away... Ski or snowboard? Powderhorn is about 45 min from Grand Junction. Like rafting? You can float the Colorado River right thru GJ and down towards Moab. Mountain biking is huge here and there are some world class trails all over the area.

Making the drive thru the mountains on I70 can suck, I make it at least every 3 months currently, a few years ago I was working in Denver, driving home and back on the weekends, it wasn't all that bad. Most of the time the drive can be fine, other times it can be an absolute mess. The worst are Holiday weekends, the end of the week in the Winter (thanks to all the Denver skiers & snowboarders) and any time a big storm has hit.

If you get more serious about it, I'd be happy to talk to you about good neighborhoods, places to avoid, etc. I will say that I LOVE living in Fruita, it's quiet, people are friendly and it's a very active community. Grand Junction has all the shopping & restaurants you'd ever want, we recently got a Cabelas, Cafe Rio, etc, etc.

We've been talking about listing our house this Spring, we have some acreage North of Fruita that we want to start building on. The house is a newer 2000 sq/ft, 4 bed, 2 bath, 3 car garage on a small, low maintenance lot. Vaulted ceilings, open floor plan, etc. ;)

How often would you be driving to Denver?

Come down for a visit one of these weekends and I'll show you around.
 

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Oh, I forgot to mention the best part about the Western Slope... no emissions and inspection! Also, the police around here don't treat you like a criminal if you drive a lifted/modified 4x4 on the street.

My wife drove our TJ on 40's (The RME TJ) down to the local DMV, passed the Fruita Chief of Police on the way and he WAVED and SMILED as she went by. I would drive the TJ on the street and never got hassled. It may not have been technically legal by CO laws, but around here the cops don't care nearly as much as they do in UT and SLC valley.
 

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wydaho
Also, the police around here don't treat you like a criminal if you drive a lifted/modified 4x4 on the street.

Oh how I miss that. Price was the same way until the UHP decided to start being dicks about it. Never had a problem with the local officers.

I'd live in Fruita / GJ. Love it over there.
 

Karnage Fab

Active Member
i love living in junction, ive seen full tube buggys driving on the streets, with liscence plates though.
we have had a mild winter here sofar and had one snow fall in town. and rangley is close for wheeling too.
its so nice out, that we are gonna go run 21 rd tomorrow too.
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
I love Grand Junction. I would move there in a second, if my company had a location there. I think I would prefer living there over Moab.

As far as I-70 in the winter, I drove an empty semi once a week from GJC to Denver for the last year. It does suck, but people do it everyday. FedEx pushes their drivers a lot harder than my company does.
 

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Oh, something else worth mentioning... there are a LOT of people in SLC & Utah Valley. Daily traffic jams and forever freeway construction are a way of life.

Grand Junction? I can't recall that I've ever seen anything like a SLC traffic jam in GJ. The population of GJ is around 45k people, there simply aren't enough people in the area to cause the kind of congestion that the major areas of Utah see. Less wear & tear on the roads and less people means much less traffic and road construction!

GJ is a good place to be.... :D
 

roverrocks

Active Member
Location
Montose,CO
Greg is SO right. " GJ is a good place to be". I moved to western Colorado 20 years ago from the SLC/Provo area and am so, so, so thankful I did. GJ has every kind of outdoor recreation imaginable within a short distance and I mean everything. Summer, fall, winter, spring! YOU WILL NEVER MISS LIVING IN NORTHERN UTAH!!!! I don't in the slightest.
 

mierdota

Well-Known Member
I know I drive in snow now but I'll be pulling doubles through there monday-friday and the part I am worried about is if I have hm's on my trailer I cant can't go through the Eisenhower tunnels so I would have to go around I heard that's the worst part!

Fedex will most likely be sending me there for a week to try it out so we will see, how much you going to list your house for Greg also would you consider renting it?
 

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
I know I drive in snow now but I'll be pulling doubles through there monday-friday and the part I am worried about is if I have hm's on my trailer I cant can't go through the Eisenhower tunnels so I would have to go around I heard that's the worst part!

Fedex will most likely be sending me there for a week to try it out so we will see, how much you going to list your house for Greg also would you consider renting it?

Yeah, if you can't run thru the tunnel, you'd be going over the Loveland Pass... it's pretty steep and has a lot of switchbacks, but like Badbuggy mentioned, it IS well maintained. One thing I will say, you will probably become proficient at installing and removing your tire chains!

I'll PM you about the house.
 
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