AARoads Forum

Meta => Welcome! => Topic started by: JKRhodes on September 04, 2018, 01:35:18 AM

Title: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: JKRhodes on September 04, 2018, 01:35:18 AM
I'm originally from the Safford, Arizona region, a small town three hours east-southeast of Phoenix and two hours east-northeast of Tucson. I've been a member of the AARoads forum for some time but just recently discovered this section. So allow me to introduce myself.

My wife and I visited Utah a handful of times after we got married. Following our trip in May of this year, we decided to make the state our home. I got a job in West Valley City and an apartment in Midvale. We have lived here since the middle of August 2018.

It's an exciting time, as both a roadgeek and a simcity fanatic, to live in Utah, with so much development going on. Much of it reminds me of the building craze that took place in greater Phoenix pre-2008.

I love downtown SLC, especially how vibrant it is compared to Phoenix's counterpart back home. I also love the weather here... Ironically I moved during the middle of Arizona's monsoon season, while Utah has been experiencing a drought. So of all the times I've visited here, it so happens the day I moved up was a time when Arizona seemed much greener than Utah in many ways.

I've also been told that the winters can be pretty harsh here. In that way, I might be in for a rude awakening in a few months. But for now, I'm liking it. I also lived in Morenci, Arizona for sometime and got used to cooler weather. Following that chapter of my life, I don't think I ever got used to the heat in the lower parts of AZ, or even learned to tolerate that heat again for that matter. So I'm definitely ready to learn the finer points of layering, shoveling snow, etc, in the near future.
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: hotdogPi on September 04, 2018, 07:26:50 AM
Welcome from Massachusetts!
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: webny99 on September 04, 2018, 08:35:04 AM
Welcome to the forum from Upstate NY!

My thread on fast-growing/changing places (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=23397.msg2347585#msg2347585) brought a surprising amount of discussion of Utah. I look forward to visiting someday!
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: US 89 on September 04, 2018, 11:30:39 AM
Always good to have another Utahn on the forum. :sombrero: It’s definitely a good time to be a roadgeek in UT, with several major projects scheduled for the next few years.

As for winters: they aren’t as cold as a lot of places, but certainly colder than what you’re used to. Expect to shovel snow at least 10 times in a winter. The other thing you should expect to see in winter is inversions, which is when a high-pressure system parks overhead and causes pollution and fog to accumulate in the valley. It will clear out whenever a storm comes, which tends to be about once a week.

The good news is that temperatures aren’t too extreme. It will only go below 0 or above 100 a couple times a year.
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: adventurernumber1 on September 04, 2018, 03:10:42 PM
Welcome from the state of Georgia!!  :wave:
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: MantyMadTown on September 05, 2018, 01:31:46 AM
Welcome from Wisconsin!
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: Hurricane Rex on September 05, 2018, 04:14:33 AM
Welcome from Oregon! I wish Oregon was like Utah with its developmemt progress.

LG-TP260

Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: adwerkema on September 05, 2018, 03:52:16 PM
Welcome from Michigan!
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: kevinb1994 on September 05, 2018, 04:13:12 PM
Welcome from Florida!
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: freebrickproductions on September 06, 2018, 01:16:51 AM
Welcome from Alabama!
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: paulthemapguy on September 07, 2018, 11:09:21 AM
Welcome to the forum! I visited SLC last summer and I was surprised at how nice and welcoming the downtown was, too! I'm from near Chicago so if you need any wintering tips, let me know  :spin:  I am excited for you to see the snowfall.
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: Rothman on September 07, 2018, 11:19:54 AM
Heh.  When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought up the downtown, we did do a good job rejuvenating it. :D
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: jp the roadgeek on September 18, 2018, 04:42:44 AM
Welcome from CT.  Have a good friend in Orem not too far from you I group chat with on a daily basis.
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: JKRhodes on September 19, 2018, 08:40:28 PM
Quote from: Rothman on September 07, 2018, 11:19:54 AM
Heh.  When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought up the downtown, we did do a good job rejuvenating it. :D

Haha. Well, the Mall of JC of LDS (aka City Creek) has become one of my favorite spots in the valley . I do find it remarkable how much is going on, and how many people are milling about in Downtown Salt Lake, and surrounding neighborhoods, on any given night. Especially compared to Phoenix.

Then again Phoenix was odd, in the sense that most of the night life took place in Scottsdale and Tempe, and more recently, the Westgate area of Glendale... though Westgate and Downtown Phoenix are generally dead when sportsball games aren't happening... especially Downtown Phx.

Anyway, I'm excited to see what this city has to offer, especially as a dad who chose SLC for its family friendly reputation among a number of other factors.
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: roadman65 on October 04, 2018, 05:53:15 PM
Welcome from Central Florida
Title: Back in Arizona
Post by: JKRhodes on July 16, 2023, 06:57:35 PM
It's been a minute since I've updated this topic. We moved to the SLC area in August 2018 and moved back to our home in Arizona in December 2018 when it wasn't feasible long term. Been back in Safford, AZ ever since.
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: doglover44 on July 24, 2023, 04:08:20 PM
Welcome from Ohio I would love to take I-70 W out to Cove Fort UT someday !
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: US 89 on July 24, 2023, 05:13:04 PM
If you're expecting to find something in Cove Fort, prepare to be disappointed. The drives through the mountains and especially through the San Rafael Swell are amazing, though...
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: Rothman on July 24, 2023, 11:51:00 PM
There is the historic fort...
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: US 89 on July 25, 2023, 12:35:57 AM
Indeed. And doglover should prepare to be disappointed if he ever stops there.
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: doglover44 on July 25, 2023, 12:42:31 PM
Why be disappointed ?
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: Rothman on July 25, 2023, 01:13:56 PM
Quote from: US 89 on July 25, 2023, 12:35:57 AM
Indeed. And doglover should prepare to be disappointed if he ever stops there.
Truth be told, I've never stopped there on my way past. :D
Title: Re: Greetings from Utah!
Post by: US 89 on July 25, 2023, 04:01:30 PM
I've been by once, simply to clinch SR 161. It wasn't that exciting.