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Thursday, February 27, 2025

Watson-Fisher: Advice, things I wish I knew when moving to Greeley

Greely

Greeley Tribune recently issued the following announcement.

Greeley is one of the fastest-growing cities, and Weld is one of the fastest-growing counties in Colorado. A recent report indicates more than half of the state’s current residents come from out of state, including yours truly.

It’s a lovely place to live, but sometimes there are surprises — whether it’s related to the climate, living at altitude or the community in general.

Multiple people have joined a local Facebook group, asking for advice on their move. Well, here are things I wish I knew before moving here, accompanied by helpful tips others gave me after my arrival.

The mountains are west

Shoutout to Greeley-Evans District 6 Athletic Director Bob Billings for this one. I got lost several times when I first moved, and cell service is spotty in certain locations, but this tip helped me get turned in the right direction without panicking.

This can be more difficult if the state is experiencing wildfires, which have increased in recent years, but it’s generally easy to spot where the mountains are supposed to be.

Check the minimum octane requirement in your car

Regular unleaded gas in many states has an octane rating of 87. States at altitude, like Colorado, often offer octane 85 as “regular” and 87 is considered “mid-grade.”

Octane ratings are a measurement of fuel stability. The higher the rating, the less likely the fuel will self-combust when mixed with air. This is commonly known as “knocking” or “pinging,” according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Air is less dense at altitude and reduces the chance of this occurring, Colorado Public Radio reported in January.

The DOE said, however, the sale of 85 octane fuel was mostly approved for higher altitudes because older carbureted engines handled it well. Unfortunately, not all new vehicles can tolerate it.

Check the vehicle owner’s manual to determine what the gasoline requirements are. You don’t want multiple maintenance lights to come on or, worse, have mechanical problems. Trust me on this one.

Changes in elevation can trigger warning lights in your car

Another piece of car-related advice is to be aware that warning lights may come on when traveling to and from locations with major elevation differences.

A number of things can cause this, including sensors being particularly responsive to changes or the fuel grade.

This doesn’t mean anything is wrong, but getting your car evaluated regularly can help prevent any issues.

There’s actually plenty to do

I’m convinced that people who think Greeley is the worst place on Earth have never been anywhere else. It’s not perfect, but it’s a small-sized city and close enough to Denver, Fort Collins, Rocky Mountain National Park and Wyoming to get everything you could really want.

Plus, the city hosts a number of events, including the Greeley Stampede and Greeley Blues Jam.

Mayor John Gates said county fairs and music festivals are common, but there’s something special about them. I particularly agree with him about the Stampede.

As a self-described “Queen of Suburbia,” I thoroughly enjoyed my visit last year. I’d been to other fairs, but I hadn’t seen the daily steer parade or barrel racing. Even if farm life isn’t your vibe, the Stampede is a lot more fun than you might expect.

Gates also mentioned the Colorado Model Railroad Museum, 680 10th St. I don’t consider myself a train person, either, but it evokes nostalgic feelings, and miniature things are fun.

Lastly, don’t forget about the Poudre Trail. Again, lots of cities have great trail systems, but it’s really nice that Greeley offers a paved trail all the way to Windsor.

“Greeley has a lot of hidden gems,” Gates said. “We have lots of amenities for a city of 111,000. We’re not really small-town America anymore, even though some people wish we were.”

Don’t let others dissuade you from living in or visiting certain areas

One of the things I heard — and continue to hear — from others is to avoid the east side of town. They say it’s dangerous and there’s a lot of crime. Without getting into the variables that can impact crime rates, I don’t feel any less safe there than I do in other areas.

Popular restaurants, small businesses, historical landmarks, churches and events take place there. The University of Northern Colorado’s campus stretches across several blocks in the east part of town, as well. They’re worth visiting.

The city and other organizations continue to work at revitalization and addressing issues that lead to crime and homelessness, too.

This doesn’t mean to ignore your judgment nor does it mean that bad things haven’t happened. Always pay attention to your surroundings. Be smart. That should be standard anywhere.

It’s all right to be cautious, but don’t let others scare you out of exploring a city with wonderful people and rich history.

Greeley doesn’t have a recycling drop-off location

Many sanitation companies in the area offer recycling, so if you live in a home, that is an option for you. If you live in an apartment that doesn’t offer recycling, and it’s important, you have to go through extra steps.

Loveland and Fort Collins provide drop-off locations for paper, plastic, cardboard, glass and flexible plastics. The Fort Collins service is free for basic items, while non-residents may pay a fee in Loveland.

Greeley has partnered with Crabtree Brewing and Anderson’s Sale & Salvage for glass recycling drop-off.

Best Buy stores take electronics, such as power cords, televisions and computers. Multiple grocery stores accept flexible plastics for recycling, as well.

Gates told the Tribune in 2020 that he would like to see the city reopen its own drop-off facility, but finding a company to operate it has been a challenge.

Join store reward clubs

Not everyone can afford to be Costco or Sam’s Club members, but King Soopers and Safeway offer their own free memberships. Oklahoma doesn’t have either of these stores, so I wasn’t familiar with them, but they provide discounts on store products and fuel purchases.

I’ve saved quite a bit of money thanks to automatic discounts and extra online coupons. They run great sales on meat and vegetables, too.

While this is national, anyone who joins the Target Circle program can get rewards for future purchases, which work like a gift card, and purchases provide “votes” to support local nonprofits. Weld Food Bank previously received funding from Target due to members voting for the organization.

None of these are credit cards, so you don’t need to worry about them impacting your credit score. They’re just easy ways to save money.

Other things to note

  • Tumbleweeds are real and can be found blowing through the middle of the city.
  • It’s politically diverse. People from all areas of the political spectrum can be found here.
  • It’s not always smelly. If you come on a particularly strong day, don’t worry, it’s not always like that.
  • People drive in the left lane on the highway and don’t move over. If that bothers you, expect to get many lessons in patience.
  • College football is not to the caliber those from the south are used to, but there are lots of sports — college and professional — in the region that you can become a fan of. Fun fact: the Denver Pioneers were an NCAA women’s gymnastics postseason team.
  • Buy a parka. You’re welcome.
And now you are ready to move to Greeley.

Original source can be found here.

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