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Where did you say you were in Florida, Pax (if it's not a secret)? SO glad you're enjoying it. I remember your PMing me about retiring to a tropical locale several years ago and am so happy that you were able to make the break! :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Pax
Thanks, Emily! We're in New Smyrna Beach. Thanks to your thoughtful advice we reconsidered Key West and are much happier as a result.Quote:
Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
That's great! I love the Florida Keys, but I suspect you are saving a good chunk of change by not being there -- so pricey. And the number of tourists can get very old when you actually live in a place like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
We realized we could never afford to retire there, and starting over again at 65 with limited income didn't appeal at all, so we came to the town my folks lived in all those years. It is very affordable and having been here so often visiting them in the past, it already felt a bit like home.Quote:
Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
That is very true, Emily. Even though I live in a normal suburb, it happens to be the place where the Revolutionary War started. Between April and November, sometimes December, we are inundated with tourists in our town center. I particularly dislike the huge tour buses idling by the town green. There have been a few times when DH and I have been sitting on the porch of the Colonial Inn, in our bike clothes, after a long ride, enjoying a beer or glass of wine. We have had people on the buses staring, pointing, and taking our picture! Thankfully, I spend more time in our "other" town center, West Concord, which is artsy and down to earth, and rarely gets any tourists.
I have a close friend where she and her parents/sibling used to live beside the famous CAnadian Underground Railway site for black slaves ...later named Uncle Tom's Cabin. It's in Canada, not the U.S. Lots of buses..from the U.S., etc. Her town of 2,000 is only 30 km. or less from the U.S. border.Quote:
Originally Posted by Crankin
And probably some cycling groups. I understand one of the cycling organizations has a ride that visits the underground railway major sites and other stuff related to black history.
Yes, we are inundated with cyclists, too. Not tour groups, but big groups from cycling clubs. I don't know how this started, except that we actually have a town center with restaurants, public restrooms, and it's pretty. We're about 20 miles west of Boston, so it's the place people from the city ride to.
When I moved to this town, 10 years ago, I only moved 9 miles east. I noticed the difference immediately, in that I no longer enjoyed riding after work, when I was teaching, due to traffic. On the weekends, it's just too full of other riders. If I am doing a shorter local ride on a weekend day, I head to west Concord, where there are not so many cyclists. Last year, we moved our annual AMC New Member's ride, which DH and I lead, to the town where I used to live.
I know it's good for the economy, but I avoid the tourists as much as I can.
Interesting discussion on tourists. I do enjoy being one but there is also the impact of living in an area that attracts this curious species. When I visit home (East Tennessee) there are a few places I would love to visit but haven't seen in years due to the traffic from all of the tourists who also want to go there.
I'm learning the seasons here, there are three: tourist, snow bird, and locals... so far I'm LOVING locals season (Oct-Dec and March-May). The rest of the time its gridlock from the tourists (Summer) and simply awful drivers and long lines at restaurants and grocery stores due to snow birds (Winter). And when I say awful drivers I mean truly utterly should no longer have a license type drivers.
Suck in all the energy there, Pax during local season!Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
There's a running joke where I am that a sign of a true Calgarian: they show tourists Banff, instead of our own city. Banff is the town, national park + Rocky Mtns., 150 km. north of us. Clearly many big prairie cities that are landlocked aren't the same draw. However I live near a local site which can be where locals would take visitors... a bike-ped bridge. In non-winter seasons, the bike-ped path gets very crowded near our end. Yes, the city has installed a bike counter within the last 2 yrs. ...to measure traffic.
Attachment 17899 There is a run/marathon nearly every weekend when it's not icy/snowy. Last weekend, unfortunately I didn't have my camera when I biked: There was a run with joggers all wearing Santa Claus' outfits.
I had a work colleague who lived year round in heart of cottage country, with lakes, resorts, etc. about 200 km. north of Toronto. I was intrigued that her family chose a cottage...in Quebec..which is a bit of a drive for a family with children. Distance would be well over 500 km. southeast. (They wouldn't fly, no local airport.) But that was their way of avoiding local tourists.
This https://www.adventurecycling.org/rou...railroad-ugrr/Quote:
Originally Posted by shootingstar
I've always wanted to ride this. I believe the bicycle is the perfect speed to really feel something of what an escape from slavery into freedom could be like. I imagine riding for days and miles and suddenly over a hill, the route says "you have reached the Mason-Dixon Line. Freedom!" Let's get a group together.
I'll probably be here more often. The crazy condo neighbor is crazy, I'm about to get my very own personal restraining order for her. We're considering keeping this condo, renting it out, and getting something else, elsewhere .... I don't want to. I love my cozy, walkable, bike able condo. We're about to get a cycling inn nearby. Just about to get two light rail stations nearby, the place keeps getting better and better. It's called a restraining order because WE don't have to move.
But, she tried to hit me with her SUV so .... First steps are legal action.
Jeezy peezy. Good luck with this, I hope you're able to find a way to reign her in.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trek420
[QUOTE=Trek420;708958]This [url]... Let's get a group together. QUOTE]
Did you actually mean to express interest in planning to get a trip together for the ugrr, or did I misread that? If it was yes-- I would be interested. You could work out an awful lot of that "neighbor stress" on that ride!
+1 I’d be in for something like a ride from the national underground railroad freedom center in Cincinnati (with a side trip to harriet beecher stowe’s house) to owen sound, ontario, the final terminal of the underground railroad and in time for their 154th emancipation festival. Could be a good few days of fun, riding, sights, conversations and purpose.
.......oh...and maybe i could get cadbury to sponsor it :)
Sorry to read it’s escalated to that!! Legal action for sure!! Does your area have mental health resources that could help her and maybe give you some strategies to help in your dealing with her?Quote:
Originally Posted by Trek420
Re. tourists and living in tourist towns, we've now done this twice (Ambergris Caye, Belize and now Playa del Carmen, Mexico). While we enjoy being tourists ourselves when we visit different areas, we don't enjoy living where we are outnumbered by them. Perhaps one day we'll learn?! :rolleyes:
Trek, that's awful that she wanted to run you down in her car. Best of luck of new home location (temporary). Wonder how she will learn..Quote:
Originally Posted by rebeccaC
About 20 km.or less from, the Josiah Henson's cabin (Uncle Tom's Cabin which was actually a compound of buildings. Yup, he was hardworking..) is town of Buxon, Ontario with small museum display of the black intellegensia in this area while Civil War was raging away. https://cyclewriteblog.wordpress.com...n-communities/
"That's it. We're moving to Sonoma! Oops.Quote:
Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
So I have a nice wool winter coat that I got years ago from LL Bean. It's knee-length, very versatile. Last winter I decided it's starting to look worn, so I want to get a new knee-length coat for every day use. My plan was to get a new down coat, and keep the wool coat for semi-dressy situations when down seems too casual. I have a long down coat (almost ankle-length) that is great on really cold days, so I figured something similar in knee-length would be good for days that are cold but not super-cold.
A month or so ago I bought one of those "lightweight packable" down coats. Have any of you worn one of these coats? It fit well, I got it on sale, thought it would be great. I wore it once on a day when the high temp was in the low 40s. And I was cold! It was okay when I was in direct sun, but in the shade I was not comfortable. When I got in my car and put my arm on the armrest, I could feel the cold coming through the coat.
I have since returned that coat and bought a puffier one. We've been having such wonderful warm weather lately that I haven't had a chance to try it out -- I'm going to test it today. It's not super puffy, though -- it seems hard to find old-school down coats in the length I want. I really hope the latest one I bought works out. I got it for a great price from Land's End. If it's not warm enough I think I will have to try something more expensive like North Face or Colombia.
Other people seem to be happy with thin packable down coats. I'm sort of mystified by this. Maybe there's a psychological aspect -- I'm so used to warm coat=heavy coat that something light and thin just seems wrong. But I have a Pearl Izumi jacket cycling that is very thin yet insanely warm, so I know that such a thing is possible.
DH bought us both Mountain Hardware packable down jackets last year, before we went to the Methow Valley. Mine is fantastic. I have never felt cold in it. Of course, on freezing days, I am wearing wool underneath. I wear it all of the time.
I had a knee length down coat (it's supposed to be 3/4 length on a normal non-short person!) from EMS. I bought it 3 -4 years ago and from the day I bought it, the feathers were coming out of the coat. I had also tried on the North Face one when I bought it, and even though both were on sale, I ended up cheaping out. I got so sick of it, that when we arrived in Seattle to go to the Methow Valley trip last February, we went to the North Face store, where I bought the North Face one. It was discounted, but still expensive. What a difference. It is a bulkier than the packable jacket, but not as bulky as the EMS coat. No feathers sticking out and it fits much better.
I dislike ankle length coats, so I get the knee length, to cover my rear and I am fine, even up in Vermont or NH where it is freezing. If I have to wear a skirt, I have wool tights for those occasions. I do have a very nice J. Crew 3/4 length wool coat with Thinsulate, but I rarely wear it anymore, unless i am getting very dressed up. And here in Boston, it would be OK to wear a down coat to a formal occasion!
I find Mountain Hardware to be an excellent brand, that actually fits me in an X small, that isn't a petite. The sleeves are not too long. Plus, you can get them on web sites like Back Country or STP at a steep discount.
Look for a coat with high fill, 800-900, premium goose down for max warmth and compressibility but also made with a waterproof shell for the best possible combination without looking puffy. It’ll be more expensive than a synthetic fill one but the combination of warmth and dryness works best for me. I have an outdoor research floodlight jacket that works extremely well for cross country skiing/snowshoeing/winter climbing. It has a good cut for me and looks good even just as a cold city jacket. I saw a nice northface waterproof long coat that has a goose down liner that can be taken out which would be good for the city too. I don’t remember the name of it though. I do have a northface summit base layer that works well with the o.r. jacket too. I use a jil sanders double breasted long wool coat when visiting or working in cold cities.....even the cold lake michigan winds coming into downtown chicago won't affect me much with it on.
Back in IL I wouldn't put on a coat until it got below 20, a long sleeved tshirt or the occasional sweatshirt was fine. I had an LL Bean Ascent down jacket I'd wear about once a year when the temps dipped to -10 with a -30 windchill... but I gave my coats away when we moved to FL and hope to never have to wear one again!! :p
Actually I did not buy the packable down coat because I wanted something thin and packable, I just wanted something down. The packable one was on sale and it fit and I believed the label that said it would keep me warm, so I tried it. I would be perfectly content with a puffy old-school down coat or a packable one, as long as it's knee-length and it keeps me warm.
After being unhappy with the packable down coat I tried an LL Bean "ultrawarm" coat. I think the fill is 750. It was awful! Very thin, like there was no down inside it at all. I thought it was defective so I contacted them to ask about it and they said it's supposed to be thin and flat. It didn't look anything like the photos on the website. It was also comically large (I ordered a size small based on the size chart) so I just returned it.
It's in the mid-40s here today but there's a cold breeze from the NW. I wore the latest coat when I went out to get lunch and it seemed okay so far. However it's a couple of inches shorter than I would like it to be. If I still like it tonight I will probably exchange it for the "tall" version. If I'm cold when I leave here tonight then I will have to wait until after Christmas because I can't afford a more expensive coat right now.
I've never heard of jil sanders -- I'll have to look for that. I gave up trying to find a nice wool coat several years ago, because I couldn't find any that were more than 50% wool except the ones at Bean which no longer have any buttons below the waist thus defeating the whole point of having a long coat. Also it's harder to find a wool coat that fits well over a warm sweater without being too tight across the back when I'm driving.
Yes I am very picky. But I can't stand spending lots of money for something that fits wrong or doesn't work as intended.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
OMG. I do try not to wear coats until it's really necessary, but for me it is necessary once the temps drop below 60. I have a good leather coat for 50-60, and a couple of short winter jackets for 40-50. Below that I really need to cover down to my knees.
I work with a couple of guys who are always too warm. You know it's really cold outside when they show up wearing a sweater. Of course under those conditions I've got my ankle-length coat over heavy wool. Plus ski mittens on my hands, a wool cap with a fleece lining on my head and Uggs over wool socks on my feet.
Yes, there are a lot of people like Pax around here, but I am not one! I have a jean jacket for cool summer nights and early fall, and a leather jacket with a thinsulate lining that I could wear through a lot of days in the winter. I am kind of sick of it, it's 20 years old, and not so stylish. Now I tend to wear my packable down or a sweater type, very stylish jacket from BR, instead. I also have a lined trench coat, good for fall and spring, when I am wearing a dress or skirt. Then I have the wool coat and down coat. You are right, most coats do not button all the way down, mostly for ease of movement. I know my J Crew doesn't. It is not that bulky, and neither are the sweaters I wear, so they fit under it. I seriously hate wearing a hat, as my hair does not behave if I have it on for more than a minute. I have fleece headband I wear most of the time, just running into work from the lot, or I wear my very thin 100% wool ski cap if it's really cold. I also have a fleece lined heavy wool alpine looking hat I bought in Lake Placid. I went there to x country ski, twice, and there was no snow! But it was freezing in a way that was not nice, since there was no pretty snow. It has to be below 25 for me to wear this, and I really can't nordic ski in it, or it's too hot.
Another topic... people are kind of overreacting to my announcement that my son and DIL are expecting. By people, I mean my close friends. I am very happy for my son and DIL, but really, I hate to say it, I don't like thinking about myself as a grandmother. I know I will love the baby and they will be great parents and we will have fun. But, I am not going to make it my whole life. I was the same way when I had young kids, and my kids were very planned and wanted. I get almost a negative/oppositional reaction to situations wherepeople try to put me in a traditional role. Feh.
I told my DH he can start saving for the bike trailer and he said, "Yes, and it will be attached to *your* bike."
I don't think it's grandmother status, Crankin but just happiness to be related to a baby-child in an extended family, who you don't have 100% responsibility to look after anymore or not even 25%.
My partner is a grandfather of 3 grandsons -- eldest is 12 yrs. old with youngest 1 yr. old.
A few months ago, it kinda shocked me that my eldest niece is 30 yrs. No, I would be very surprised if she wanted children. (I don't think it's good if one is still sorting out their own happiness.)
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I have a heavy, knee length wool coat. That's enough for me. I've had it for last 15 yrs. and I wear it about 10 times or less per winter. I just find it too heavy in weight. I can't believe I used to wear heavier wool winter dress coats 4 inches below my knee and walk 6 km. to university in the snow, with my knapsack filled with 3 hardbound texts. I never gained weight at university....
I find it adequate to wear a bum length semi snow repellant heavier down jacket that I wear for mountain snowshoeing (Hmmm, wonder if it smells.) when I wear long winter boots and a skirt to office. I walk 15 min. to LRT and might stand around waiting for train about 5 min. or less in -25 degree C weather.
I'm not keen to buy a down-filled knee length or longer puffy winter coat. For a short, petite person like myself, I don't think it looks attractive on me.
A lot of the chic looking puffy jackets, aren't that warm. One woman I knew, wore 2 on top of one another. That's not a good sign of quality.
Of course, the "chic" in-style brand in western Canada, is Canada Goose brand line. The real version that is made in Canada. They are plain, warm but expensive. Not knock-offs in China.
I don't need that..unless I live in Canada's Arctic.
Our winters are around -10 to -25 degrees C. We do get a few days each winter down to -40 degrees C. Now you know why it doesn't faze some locals to work in/near the Arctic. :) We are at least 250 km. north of Toronto in latitude or more...but of course 4,000 km. west of Toronto.
Well I walked from my office to my car in a cold wind with an air temp of 39F and could feel the wind going through the coat. Which means another trip to the mall to return it.
Don't really know where to go from here. Two coats supposedly rated to be comfortable in below zero temps that are not warm when it's still above freezing. No idea how to find a coat that is as warm as the manufacturer claims. I'm already tired of buying and returning, and stores will be selling out soon.
Try to tune out people's expectations if you can, Crankin. One of the best things you can do for children or grandchildren is to show them that it's okay to be yourself without worrying about what others think you should be.
Lots to learn from grandmother, particularily she has had a long work-related career, balanced child raising yet a happy marriage. And she bikes well into her...60's. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
Though I am not a grandmother, I do feel I have a role for the niece who lost her mother. I could never replace her mother who died. But I know that just for niece to know that she has an aunt who enjoys writing, art ....like she does now. Her mother was different and naturally strong in other skills.
I used to be cold all.the.time, menopause fixed that, now I'm hot, all the time. It can be 100 outside and I'm hot, it can be 20 outside and I'm hot... at least here in FL the temp is more constant. Couple that with the fact I hate wearing clothing of any kind (I think I'm a nudist at heart) and tropical living works better for me. I have acquired six new pairs of flip flops though.:D
Makes sense to me!Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
I laugh when I read a description of a coat online and it claims the coat "holds in body heat." I have no body heat. The other day a nurse took my temperature and it was below 97. That is normal for me. Even when I'm getting hot flashes, I alternate between them and cold flashes when I just can't get warm no matter what I do. (Until the internal furnace clicks on and then I can't throw the blankets off and rip off the sweaters fast enough!)
I have to go into Georgetown tomorrow (i.e., traffic hell) to pick up a Christmas gift, and there is a North Face store there that I can visit. They have a knee-length coat that seems to get good reviews, so I'm hoping I can check it out. Though if I like it, I may buy it at REI where I get a dividend.
I did find that Nordstrom carries Canada Goose coats. They are quite pricey.
Yeah, goose down is much warmer for its weight than synthetic fill.....think of the amount of down a goose has (and it keeps them warm :) )……and think of a coats shell as feathers. My outdoor research jacket is 800 fill and very light, toasty warm, the shell is wind and water proof and it stuffs into a small bag. I have very light goose down comforters for the guest bedroom and people are surprised how nice and warm they are especially for the weight.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
Quality is more expensive. I save until I can buy well-constructed, good material clothing by a designer that does more of a timeless look. That way I actually spend less in the long run and have nice clothes, especially for work. Because of only doing clothes shopping when i have saved the money means less shopping for me too.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
think of it as keeping mary warm in bed on a cold night…she should be thanking you :).....and yeah flip-flops ftw!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Pax
When it comes to warm clothes, style and fashion mostly go out the window for me once it gets cold enough. I've acquired a fair amount of practical, warm stuff for hiking, skiing or working outdoors, but none of it is particularly attractive unless you go for the lumberjack look ;-)
After some years I felt the need for a "civilian" coat for dressy occasions in cold weather, and now have both a ankle-length wool coat with a mouflon collar and a knee-length down coat. They're surprisingly "un-warm", probably because I don't have warm "civilian" boots to go with them, and overtrousers look weird with a coat. I usually have to choose between looking nice or being warm ;-)
She used to be a furnace, just a tiny little ball of heat, menopause did the opposite to her and she's always cold now. Bodies are weird. LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by rebeccaC
Is your thyroid okay, NY? Low body temp can be a sign of hypothyroidism. I am cold-natured too, although with menopause I am much hotter natured than I used to be and sweat a LOT more. However, I have a very small comfort zone, so I get chilly at much warmer temps than most people. Some of that is probably from living mostly in hot climates for the last four years, though. My blood has definitely thinned!Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
Good luck finding a coat that keeps you warm.
My normal body temp is also low, and there have been many times it's been 97. something when at the doctor. As far as I know, my thyroid is fine.
I don't like being hot. I think it comes from living in air conditioning for 23 years. I had no issues adjusting to the cold when I moved back here, but now, it bothers me a little, mostly when I am running to the office from the parking lot. Never, though, when I am exercising! In fact, I prefer being outside in the winter to exercise. And, it's mostly wind related. I hate wind, even when it's warm out!
My body temp has also been low, generally at least 97, sometimes below. While I've no reproductive system at all, I've never had what I've heard described as a hot flash. I get a little warm from time to time, but it is minor and passes quickly. More often I can't get warm! I do get a good thyroid workup at least once a year as it was removed 30 years ago. Generally speaking I'm colder than before my surgical menopause. I DO prefer to be outside, but I'm becoming less and less fond of winter...
Either we have some local rich people walking around (I guess that's the equivalent to a fur coat now) or people just spend money like drinking water...Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
Last night, I was in WAlmart's killing time with a friend while she shopped. Oe woman asked another customer how the Canada goose coat felt. Customer said that she was actually sweating while walking around in the store..
Outside yesterday was -12 degrees C.
I'm losing my tolerance for hot, humid temperatures/summers. If you suggest a beach vacation vs. a mountain snow vacation, then I would take the mountain snow vacation lst. I actually seemed to have gained slightly greater tolerance to cold winters down to -15 degrees C. Before I moved to Alberta, I would have considered such temp. super cold for me.
Oh I am the opposite -- I hate the cold more as I get older. If I lived in a cold climate I would not care how much I had to spend for a good coat. Even now I am raising my budget for the coat purchase because it seems that's what I have to do to be warm.Quote:
Originally Posted by shootingstar
REI has a "dividend match" on certain brands through tomorrow, including North Face and some other brands of coats. Between a coat, Christmas shopping and the $600 I spent on my car a few weeks ago, this month's credit card bill will be significant.
I have had my thyroid checked several times, it's always normal. I take after my father and his mother in this regard.
Glad your thyroid's okay, NY. I also tend to have lower than normal body temp, or at least I used to, prior to menopause. Not sure now as I have so rarely had it taken.
I definitely prefer warm weather to cold, but I am becoming less tolerant of both HOT and COLD weather as I get older. There are a lot of snowbirds, expats, and tourists down here in Mexico who claim to love the hot, humid weather, but I am definitely tired of it. I do like being warm and wearing shorts and tank tops, but I am tired of being sweaty and sticky. My DH tolerates it much better than I do and sweats less. I am hoping as I get farther from menopause (I'm only a couple of years post-menopausal) that I'll tolerate heat better. We'll see!
Ok, when it rains, it pours. My other son called yesterday, and his wife is pregnant, too! Very, very early, but probably due about 6 weeks after the first grandchild.
Guess I'll be taking a trip to LA in September.