Academy? Had to chuckle a bit at the thought. No, not me. I just love the area. I had my heart set on Delta and SLC or United and DEN... I was fortunate enough to be hired with United, now it's just a matter what plane to pick, sit back and put in my time.

All I can think of is the quote... "So you're saying there's a chance?"

Yeah, I get it, the commute will suck, having a crash pad will suck. I've dealt with suck for quite some time in my previous career. I'll make the best of it. In the meantime, the days I'm not working will be spent in the mountains with my family... and I still get to fly airplanes.

You will be keeping the pain of commuting to a maximum by moving to Denver. Seriously, for a 1 leg commute I doubt it's any worse anywhere else. For a long, long, long time. Even if the training center stays there it's gonna be many years. You will find multiple pilots senior to you listed for every United jumpseat to any base.

I know multiple guys doing it so it can be done (most end up vacancy bidding to SFO or LAX). Just know what you are getting into. Even when you finally get DEN a very long time from now you'll be super junior. Most junior guy on 76T has been here like 10 years. I don't see it getting better any time soon. Likely worse.

They have mountains in Newark. 90 mins to Poconos.

I do appreciate the advice. For me it's more of a question of working to live or living to work. I know it's not going to be great. I was looking for information of how to make it work.

I certainly hope you're either trolling or kidding around...

Understood. You can make it work.

Don't be too hard on that concept.
While they are no Rockies, the mountains and wooded areas of eastern PA are quite nice. I moved there 6 weeks ago and have been trying to get a feel for everything the area has to offer. 2 days ago I went fly fishing for browns with my buddy while on reserve in EWR. I just joined a gun club and plan to sit reserve while putting lead down range as well. I am happy with the area for the most part and absolutely thrilled with how fast my seniority is climbing in the sewer. I should be a line holder with 6-7 months on property. That being said you couldn't pay me enough to live in NY, NJ or DE so 75 min drive is about as good as I can do.

Like Hilltoper alludes to, if you want to minimize commuting pain, try to get something that will get you west coast based.

I've done the DEN-EWR commute, it sucked.
I've done the DEN-IAD commute, it sucked.
I've done the DEN-IAH commute, it sucked.

I've done the DEN-LAX, piece of cake and much more friendly time zone wise.

Everyone is different. But in 15 years, I've only been based at home for about 1.5 of them. Sitting reserve was a better day to day quality of life than commuting EVER WAS.

However, if one can hold 17+ days off on a hard line CONSISTENTLY and AT LEAST one end commutable that would change the decision matrix somewhat.

But me, I'd personally drive to work on reserve than commute.

I live in Pittsburgh right now and from what I hear, the commute wouldn't be bad at all. However, feel like I pretty much chewed up what this place has to offer. I've hiked, climbed, paddled and biked everything in the tri-state area. There really is no comparison to Colorado. I just have to figure out how I'm going to do it.

So is it safe to say, that every trip / reserve I'll be on (if commuting out of Denver) will involve an added day on the front half and the back half?