Where should I move?

[pooks]

You can bike on that without getting run down by cars? Gorgeous.

[Starfish]

You guys are SO great! I logged off last night, came back this evening, and WOW, lots of responses!

I have actually been through a lot of the towns and areas you have all mentioned, from CA to WY to CO to TX. Not SC or VT though! And, I have not yet tried the website to find my spot...I will do that! Some of you mentioned places that have been favorites of mine on travels, from Sonoma to Bend to Ft. Collins to Jackson to Durango, etc. I have to say, I am afraid they all might be a little pricey for me. Maybe it will be SC, here I come!

These responses are wonderful to read, and the pictures are so fun to look at. Keep 'em coming, women. I SO appreciate these forums!

Oh, and someone asked me what I do for work...well I've gone through a few iterations. Currently I am doing life coaching and workshops, as well as running a grant-funded after school program for at-risk kids. However, I also have a number of higher-ed HR & grant admin years under my belt, and some non-profit fund raising background. I love the coaching & kid work...might even consider a teaching certificate.

I'm really starting over after an unwanted divorce last year and the deaths of my parents this year. Everything is up for grabs as I move toward my dreams. The one thing I know is that I have always hated this climate (coastal western WA)!

Thanks for listening! And, keep the ideas coming!

[Starfish]

Oops, I meant NC, not SC!

[Wahine]

It's a secret, so don't tell anyone.

The Gorge. I'm in White Salmon Washington, 1 hour from Portland, 45 min from skiing Mt Hood, 30 min from x-country skiing at Mt. Adams. World class kayaking, windsurfing, mtbiking....

The Columbia is large enough for water sports and generally warm. April to October you're warm to hot and generally dry. Nov to May you have varying degrees of cloudiness and rain. Much less rain than Seattle or Portland tho. If you want dryer you just head east by 15 min to half hour and you get a much larger percentage of dry and sunny days.

Here's some climate data:

http://www.wunderground.com/NORMS/Di...=none&IATA=DLS

You can come visit for a weekend sometime if you like. I'm only about 5 hours away.

[mountainchick]

You can always come to Japan

[Starfish]

Wow, Wahine, nice offer. Might do that...if so, will PM you. I went to school in Pullman, and loved that climate. I always had the stereotype that the gorge area is super windy all the time. That true?

I have driven up and down the gorge and environs on my way to Pendleton, Bend, etc, but confess I have not spent time there.

[Starfish]

Oh, and here is what FindYourSpot.com tells me. Anyone have comments on these places...biking related or otherwise? I have driven through or vacationed a little in a number of these places...

Utah: Salt Lake, Tooele-Grantsville, Moab, Cedar City, Springville, St. George, Provo-Orem, Ogden

Colorado: Grand Junction, Ft. Collins, Durango, Colorado Springs, Estes Park

Arizona: Prescott, Fountain Hills

Idaho: Coeur d'Alene, Moscow

Wyoming: Sheridan, Cheyenne

Montana: Great Falls, Helena, Dillon, Bozeman, Livingston

[Wahine]

Wow, Wahine, nice offer. Might do that...if so, will PM you. I went to school in Pullman, and loved that climate. I always had the stereotype that the gorge area is super windy all the time. That true?

I have driven up and down the gorge and environs on my way to Pendleton, Bend, etc, but confess I have not spent time there.

It's pretty windy in the summer. That's why it's the windsurfing capitol of North America. But the wind generally follows the river and typically remains along a length of the river about 20 miles long. So on really windy days, you can travel farther east or west, north or south and get away from it. I just go windsurfing instead of riding my bike. It's better to make the wind your friend instead of fighting it. It's very zen.

[Starfish]

It's better to make the wind your friend instead of fighting it. It's very zen.

Aaaaah...you are the one they call Yoda, are you not? LOL

[Wahine]

Aaaaah...you are the one they call Yoda, are you not? LOL

If you're curious:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showp...0&postcount=24

Minor thread hijack. Back to the regular programing.

[Starfish]

Oh, I don't know...an actual resident Yoda must have some impact on an area's livability! (That, or all that wind is doing a number on your skin, by the pic...)

[Aggie_Ama]

Austin Texas - The hill country. Colorado River runs through the middle of town. Lake country to the north. The very roads Sir Lance trains on.

Not to mention great music, great food and its a college town, techno center so supposedly lots of jobs.

I lived there in the 80's and get back there on occasion. Love the place!

spazz

A shout out to my hometown! I was born and raised in Austin, left for college and then ran home.

The climate is exceptional all year round. Okay the summers are dang hot, but we can ride all winter. Snow is just a freak event and the town shuts down.

The hill country is challenging and quiet road riding. I live on the cusp of the hill country and we can ride out our door and 15 minutes later be out on country roads with little traffic.

Although we do have several colleges here, the colleges don't rule the town. You really have to get downtown to be immersed in the college kids- thank god! I left my college town because I was done with college life. Job market is good but competitive because the people who move here for school seem to stay.

Oh and the food- YUM! Who can't love Chuy's? Lance does!

[Trek420]

You can bike on that without getting run down by cars? Gorgeous.

I wanna ride that.

[GLC1968]

You can bike on that without getting run down by cars? Gorgeous.

Yes, indeed! But bring your climbing gears...it's rarely ever 'flat'.

Actually, I've found that a vast majority of the drivers in NC are very bike considerate. This seems to be even more true in the mountains.

[IFjane]

Yes, indeed! But bring your climbing gears...it's rarely ever 'flat'.

Actually, I've found that a vast majority of the drivers in NC are very bike considerate. This seems to be even more true in the mountains.

There is only one thing GLC forgot to mention......humidity.

But....the BRP is gorgeous, the speed limit is only 45 mph & it's a fun ride. Read about it in the Bicycling Mag. ("Best Road in America")