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Considering a new place to live.

Total Heckler

Beer and Bike Enthusiast
Apr 28, 2005
8,171
189
Santa Cruz, CA
Hey guys -

I am from Santa Cruz CA and I was considering somewhere to live in the PNW. Are there any good towns to live in that are close (5-30 minutes) from good riding (downhill, freeride, dirt jumps, cyclocross)? What about cost of living to rent or even buy a small home? Any suggestions?
 

Total Heckler

Beer and Bike Enthusiast
Apr 28, 2005
8,171
189
Santa Cruz, CA
Well, thats another thing I need to take into consideration. I am in tech field. I was going to find a couple different towns to consider then start checking job sites for the area.

Me moving wouldn't be for a while, maybe even a couple years. But it would be good to get an idea if it was a possibility.
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
There are a few tech companies in Salem (freeride park bout 30 min away and killer road riding)...plus you could look at the state for employment (http://www.oregonjobs.org/). Other than that your best bet will probably be the Portland area, there are lots of tech employment opps up there

<edit> whats your pay range? if you need to be making $80-100k a year, Portland or someplace in Washington is a better bet
 

Eren

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2006
2,874
0
mill creek, WA (now in Surrey UK)
There are a few tech companies in Salem (freeride park bout 30 min away and killer road riding)...plus you could look at the state for employment (http://www.oregonjobs.org/). Other than that your best bet will probably be the Portland area, there are lots of tech employment opps up there

<edit> whats your pay range? if you need to be making $80-100k a year, Portland or someplace in Washington is a better bet
if you need to make 80k plus per year, seattle or portland. Seattle has very good freeride about 40 minutes away and about 45-50 minutes away is good shuttleable downhill. Theres some alrite dirt jumps in the seattle area right by the airport and a little flowpark there as well which is quite fun. Then you have whistler 4hr 30min drive north which has everything, bellingham 1hr 15min north which has Dh, all mountain freeride, but its all hike or ride up. and then the north shore about 2 hours north, then pemberton about 3 hours 30min north then whistler. then south of seattle like 4 hours is mt hood which has about 5 races per year. Starting next year though the PNW (washington/oregon) should have a good 8 races. 7 from the fluidride series and then the state championships in spokane which is 5 hours east of seattle.

edit: you also have blackrock and post canyon by portland ish, which is amazing freeride, and finally a trail on the border of WA and OR, im having a blank though, starts with a C i think, gaah! i cant remeber
 

Total Heckler

Beer and Bike Enthusiast
Apr 28, 2005
8,171
189
Santa Cruz, CA
Wow thanks for the great info guys. I have some more research to do before I start actually planning a move but from what you guys gave me, I should have my work cut out for me.

I would be looking for 60k+ a year if I were to move up there. So I think that shouldn't be too tough to track down something in that price range.
 

Transfer

Monkey
Jan 23, 2004
545
0
Seattle, WA
Yep, I think everyone's got it right. Portland or Seattle would be your best bet. Neither is perfect for riding, but both have very good options. Having grown up in Bellingham and now living in the Portland metro area, I would vote Seattle if you want big and Portland if you want small.
 

coiler7

Monkey
May 30, 2005
133
0
Kent, WA
Yes Both Places Are Cool Except for Traffic & Trash everywhere In metro Seattle. Oregon Much Better Than Up Here. I Moved Here From Salem & wished would've stayed now for Black Rock.
Anyway, too late now. BELIEVE ME - - - You Really Don't Want To Move To Wa. State. Think you got Bad traffic jams there In The S. Bay? Imagine San Jose/Milpitas backups everywhere, everyday.

Visit Anytime Though.
:blah:
:blah:
:blah:
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
Wow thanks for the great info guys. I have some more research to do before I start actually planning a move but from what you guys gave me, I should have my work cut out for me.

I would be looking for 60k+ a year if I were to move up there. So I think that shouldn't be too tough to track down something in that price range.
For Salem/Portland area you could try Garmin, HP, the state,Nike,Umqua Bank....I'll think of some more in a bit
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Yes Both Places Are Cool Except for Traffic & Trash everywhere In metro Seattle. Oregon Much Better Than Up Here. I Moved Here From Salem & wished would've stayed now for Black Rock.
Anyway, too late now. BELIEVE ME - - - You Really Don't Want To Move To Wa. State. Think you got Bad traffic jams there In The S. Bay? Imagine San Jose/Milpitas backups everywhere, everyday.

Visit Anytime Though.
:blah:
:blah:
:blah:
portland has HELLISH traffic. way worse than seattle imo.

hood river would be an awesome place to live if one could land a suitable job in the area. (1h east of portland. see www.gfra.org )
 

Total Heckler

Beer and Bike Enthusiast
Apr 28, 2005
8,171
189
Santa Cruz, CA
Will do. I am thinking around the Salem area. The real estate there looks pretty nice. A house there for under $300,000 would go for $800,000+ here.

Cant complain about that. heh. Is there good riding near there at all? I also still have to look into the jobs around there too. Any specific areas you guys suggest?
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,029
7,549
Will do. I am thinking around the Salem area. The real estate there looks pretty nice. A house there for under $300,000 would go for $800,000+ here.

Cant complain about that. heh. Is there good riding near there at all? I also still have to look into the jobs around there too. Any specific areas you guys suggest?
salem is home to santiam bike. http://www.santiambicycle.com/ . as you can see on the "trails" section, falls city is nearby. it's nice. :)
 

Eren

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2006
2,874
0
mill creek, WA (now in Surrey UK)
Will do. I am thinking around the Salem area. The real estate there looks pretty nice. A house there for under $300,000 would go for $800,000+ here.

Cant complain about that. heh. Is there good riding near there at all? I also still have to look into the jobs around there too. Any specific areas you guys suggest?
i suggest near portland or seattle, haha stay close to the big cities for you job, plus theres riding around both cities, and coming from california, all house will seem cheap, real estate in CA is outstanding.
 

black noise

Turbo Monkey
Dec 31, 2004
1,032
0
Santa Cruz
Josh I'll say right now that coming from Santa Cruz you'll be bummed on Salem. I'd recommend Seattle where I'm living right now.

Just visit Salem and Seattle, you'll understand.
 
Feb 23, 2005
436
2
Spokanada
There is another thread just below this about Spokane so I wont repost everything I typed but you shouldnt rule us out. I got a couple of buddies who work for a networking company (seattle based) that only requires them to live near a major airport, which we have.

Another place to consider would be the Quincy/Wenatchee area, which is one of the fastest growing cities in the state. Deamed one of the most geologically sound building location in the northwest, and the promise of cheap electricity from wind generation, companies such as Google and Microsoft are already breaking ground on buildings which will become their main data and call centers.
 

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
Way to rep us, HtheH :thumb:. I try to describe our area to Californians as having the open pine forest beauty of Tahoe without any of the land-access issues. Of course, to a degree that's true of Wenatchee and the CleElum/Teanaway area too.
 

coiler7

Monkey
May 30, 2005
133
0
Kent, WA
Don't move here, you'll be sorry. the riding sucks & traffic is not that much better than the bay. house values here will be the same in 5 yrs
 

coiler7

Monkey
May 30, 2005
133
0
Kent, WA
I totally agree w/ Henry & Heckler - WA eastside is so IDEAL compared to Seattle metro! likewise Wenatchee/L-worth also very cool especially if u like your wintersports, or hell even Tri-cities which is closer to Hood R or the Dalles, too. Just take my advice & don't move to Seattle area; you mite as well stay put & save your self lotsa headaches, stress & some money (moving expensives, etc)
Move here & you'll be sorry, mark my words!
 

coiler7

Monkey
May 30, 2005
133
0
Kent, WA
I hear Oregon is still taking Californians ;)

Coiler, really - - Tri-Cities? That's the absolute armpit of the state!
Well, HOPEFULLY in friendly Oregon, they're still taking CA ppl. probably still more anti-CA, than here in WA. "gee, could be a geographical thing?"

Anyway, hey the Tri-cities is really clean, nice wide-open high desert country & you got the awesome parts of Columbia River nearby. plus its "OK" for MTB'ers, its clean & very family-oriented. weather is fairly breezy, kinda warm in the summer & more dry year-round.
I mean, "OK", unless you're a DJ builder near the Hanford site...
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
I like Salem....smaller city, cost of living is low, the road riding is fantastic, and the freeride park is close....plus, we don't have bad traffic like Portland. I also came from a small town, so Salem was a step up in size for me
 

coiler7

Monkey
May 30, 2005
133
0
Kent, WA
yeh, lived in n. salem & a short while in Canby. really miss the laid back style & lack of traffic jams. tho i always avoided Lancaster Blvd
 

black noise

Turbo Monkey
Dec 31, 2004
1,032
0
Santa Cruz
What? You are living in Seattle right now?!

Hows the riding up there? When did you move? What the?
Yeah, I'm going to UW. The closest riding is about an hour away but its pretty sick, really unlike Santa Cruz. Real downhill. And there's also a ton of places within a few hour radius for weekend trips (like Whistler).

And yeah, the traffic sucks, picture Santa Cruz in the summer or during rush hour and Seattle is like that most of the time. Luckily the city is making it easier not to use your car. Housing prices are expensive but you're probably used to it, and I'm guessing you could find some affordable options here.
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,882
447
Yes Both Places Are Cool Except for Traffic & Trash everywhere In metro Seattle. Oregon Much Better Than Up Here. I Moved Here From Salem & wished would've stayed now for Black Rock.
Anyway, too late now. BELIEVE ME - - - You Really Don't Want To Move To Wa. State. Think you got Bad traffic jams there In The S. Bay? Imagine San Jose/Milpitas backups everywhere, everyday.

Visit Anytime Though.
:blah:
:blah:
:blah:
I must agree about the bad traffic, being from Oregon as well. However, I like the riding better up here. So it's a trade off.
Coiler7, did you used to build at blackrock? Say's you're in creekside, is that near black diamond?
 

Kornphlake

Turbo Monkey
Oct 8, 2002
2,632
1
Portland, OR
I moved from San Diego to Portland about 8 months ago and I'm pretty happy with the decision. The rain hasn't been as bad as everyone said it would be, but I've only seen the tail end of one winter season so far. Traffic in Portland is just like anywhere else, on Friday evenings it's worse than wednesday but my 15 mile commute is a pretty steady 30 minutes, I'm usually home by 4:30 so I miss the worst of it though. More than half the distance is freeway driving but only accounts for about 20% of the time I spend commuting. Some of the main streets have way too many signals and way too much traffic, after a while you'll find alternate routes to avoid signals, or ways to make only right turns. People generally are courteous drivers and will give you more than an inch to get into traffic. The only real downside to Portland is the way development is handled. The new parts of town look too much like Temecula, Rancho Cucamonga, or whatever part of California you're familiar with where there's nothing but tract homes as far as you can see. Lots are tiny and irregularly shaped, streets aren't straight, the token park is only a few blocks away but it's barely large enough to throw a frisbee. The development is really distracting from what drew me to the state to begin with.

I've only visited Seattle once for a 3 day weekend and I hated it, the traffic, the layout of the city, the people everything about it. It was like Los Angeles and Salt Lake had a retarded child and sent it to a government run foster care program in Washington. Housing values in Seattle are pretty close to what you'd find in California, if you can't afford a home in CA, you won't find one in Seattle much easier. There are a lot more tech jobs in Seattle though, it's tough to live where there isn't work.

If I could have found a job anywhere I'd have chosen Eugene, it's more of a big town than a small city.