I'm in the Oct 26 class in SLC. I'm asking opinions if I should drive my car the 1500 miles. Do you NEED a car? Can you rent one locally in the cheap? Is there time to go sightseeing while your there? Can you get to the local eating joints and grocery stores easily? Is there a hotel shuttle?

I would appreciate some great advice from the guys who trained there.

Thanks in advance!

No you don't really need a car. There is a local trolley line that goes right by the hotel, and goes into town for just a few bucks. There's also Uber... The hotel will take you on grocery store runs twice a week. There are some good options within walking distance. There is a bus to and from the hangar every day. Many people still bring their own cars, or have a car rental. You'll make friends and hitch rides anyways.

Have fun!

This. The trolley line will take you into downtown SLC in about 15 minutes, where you will find everything you need. There's a huge grocery store called Harmon's, which is kind of pricey but has much better food selections than the local store that the hotel will take you to. Since the Candlewood suites have full cooking facilities, you can make all your own food easily. I think I ate precisely three restaurant meals during all of ground school.

The hotel will also provide shuttles to and from the training center.

Plus, the cost of driving your car 1,500 miles will be far more than just renting a car now and then from the SLC airport to get out into the mountains on the weekends.

A car is really a personal preference. I would go crazy without wheels as long as that training event was. However I also knew I would most likely be in SLC for sim as well. If you have sim elsewhere, driving your car that distance is much more of a gamble.

I bought a gym pass elsewhere in town and worked out most days of the week...I'd do that right after class most days, and then head back to resume study for the evening. Or study elsewhere... the SLC library, parks, etc work. The hotel drove me nuts after being there too long. I shopped for fresh produce, took my bike along for a couple of road rides, and managed a few hikes in the mountains.

"Is there time?" ... there is just barely time, and it depends on where in the foot-print you are and whether its your first 121 training event. There will be a solid week of systems where you are overloaded. That is normal. Like any training event it needs to be something you are devoted to completely. My ability to study and retain goes downhill at a certain point and exercise / good diet helped me to keep my head on straight.... so I am happy I drove the car out and would do it again.

Speaking of a gym....Anyone know if there is one nearby the facility in Denver? Bringing my car is definitely not an option for training and I assume the hotel gym is minimal.

Thanks guys..

The hotel gym is functional. Dumbbells, Smith Machine Type station, and some cardio equipment. Enough to burn off the free beer and breakfast.

What part is laughable? The part about SGU being completely disconnected from the people who directly generate the revenue and spend half their lives on the road?

Wait, you 175 types get free beer for breakfast?!

Yes and then massage in the afternoon, Kobe beef diet

First I read this as "and then a massage in the bathroom" ;-)