I'm currently in the market for a new job to match my husband's job search, and Portland ended up pretty high on our list of possibilities.

What can you residents tell me about the area? The job I've applied for is in Hillsboro (there are a couple of businesses up that way that suit my career) and I have no idea where DH will end up.

What is the weather like (read: does it really rain from Nov to March?)?
What is the COL like?
What should we expect to pay for rent on a 2 BR apartment within biking distance to Hillsboro?
How accessible is the wilderness? (we love outdoors stuff which is partly why the PNW appeals to us)
Anything else you can tell me that I should know?

We know how bike-friendly the area is, so that's a big draw for us. Plus, coming to the 'mothership' that is TE is super exciting.

The only other location we are seriously researching right now besides Portland is Denver. I'd love to consider No Cal, too, but DH won't hear of it.

As a little backgroud, I grew up in New England and the northern mid-west, DH is from the deep south. We were living (and married) in FL, and now we are in North Carolina. We both have travelled extensively, and we are late 30's with no kids. Will we love it in Portland?