Moving to the NW - Whats the MonkeyScat

jonKranked · Oct 24, 2016

@HAB is another east coast transplant in that region.

gonna miss ya dude.

jstuhlman · Oct 24, 2016

@Westy just moved to seattle as well, no?

HAB · Oct 24, 2016

If riding out your door is what you're after, Bellingham or Issaquah-North Bend(ish) are the way to go.

Westy · Oct 24, 2016

For riding and reasonable proximity to Ballard I second issaquah or similar east side locales. Seems like that is the focal area for future trail development too, so it should only get better.

Jim Mac · Oct 24, 2016

Spy shot of Huck checking out the forests of Bellingham:

MinorThreat · Oct 25, 2016

I would put in a plug for the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene area because we have it all: awesome riding out the back door, un-traffic-jammed trailheads; plus motorsports, hunting and fishing are still politically correct over here. I would tell you that...but if people actually knew what we had here, there'd be too damn many of you coming.

xy9ine · Oct 25, 2016

^and particular hot spots in coeur d'alene? we're in the region every summer; would be curious to check out something new.

shirk007 · Oct 25, 2016

I can't see why you would move to Seattle when you could potentially live in Bellingham. Unless you're going to be visiting the family in Ballard daily.

Live in the south end of Bellingham and ride from home. If you've never had a quality riding area right out your back door that you can ride from home it's a game changer.

HAB · Oct 25, 2016

shirk007 said:
I can't see why you would move to Seattle when you could potentially live in Bellingham. Unless you're going to be visiting the family in Ballard daily.

Live in the south end of Bellingham and ride from home. If you've never had a quality riding area right out your back door that you can ride from home it's a game changer.

I agree that that's awesome, but you can do the same thing in Snoqualmie Ridge/North Bend and be way closer to the family in Ballard.

Serial Midget · Oct 25, 2016

I would look a Bellingham for much local goodness and proximity to Vancouver. Why live with 6 billion of your closest friends if you dont have to?

MinorThreat · Oct 25, 2016

xy9ine said:
^and particular hot spots in coeur d'alene? we're in the region every summer; would be curious to check out something new.

Canfield Mtn is one. Caribou Ridge/Trail 257 (east side of the lake) are shuttle-able. Silver Mtn (lifts) is just a little over half-hour away.

kidwoo · Oct 25, 2016

Just live on a hill.

The juan de fuca fault will kill everyone you know.

marshalolson · Oct 25, 2016

Living where riding to your rides is a thing will seriously make your life better. Good for you.

Driving down into Ballard from outside town kinda sucks no matter what, so don't let that hold you back.

kidwoo · Oct 25, 2016

If'n I was moving to that area, I'd focus on I90/Issaquah

B'ham is cool but it's kind of enclosed in the winter. Cain't go west cuz you hit the ocean. Cain't go north cuz you hit socialism. Cain't go east cuz the road's closed. So then you're going south. Into seattle. Into seattle traffic.

That winter rain needs some escape and 90 provides that. Plus riding. Good riding.

boostindoubles · Oct 25, 2016

Fall City is the new Issaquah, or so I've heard.

Jm_ · Oct 25, 2016

kidwoo said:
If'n I was moving to that area, I'd focus on I90/Issaquah.

That's what I'm thinking based on my experiences there. That and the Spokane/ID area, both seem like they might have a lot of potential.

jstuhlman · Oct 25, 2016

plus in issaquah . . . cougar mountain! :brows:

(and poo poo point!)

this looks like a good place to leave this classic, too.

HAB · Oct 25, 2016

jstuhlman said:
plus in issaquah . . . cougar mountain!

(and poo poo point!)

Yeah, but there's Cougar Ridge in Bellingham...

FarkinRyan · Oct 26, 2016

I've moved half way round the world for the riding so if you're doing it for the riding (not to be close to family), I say move where the riding is best and let the rest sort itself out. So for me, it's gotta be Bellingham. Small town but easy to locate yourself with good riding literally out the door which as many people have said changes everything. Easy access to Baker for day trips and Whistler for weekends in the winter so not quite the hellhole woo envisions.

kidwoo · Oct 26, 2016

FarkinRyan said:
I've moved half way round the world for the riding so if you're doing it for the riding (not to be close to family), I say move where the riding is best and let the rest sort itself out. So for me, it's gotta be Bellingham. Small town but easy to locate yourself with good riding literally out the door which as many people have said changes everything. Easy access to Baker for day trips and Whistler for weekends in the winter so not quite the hellhole woo envisions.

No this is hellhole: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma

It's obviously far from that but what I said is genuinely how I felt when I turned down a job there a few years ago. I fucking hate seattle and it's either dealing with vancouver or seattle to get out of there in the winter (not counting heading towards the fraser valley direction). And me personally, I'd need a break from the humidity.

It's just a perspective. It's all gonna be better coming from manhattan.

Da Peach · Oct 26, 2016

As an outsider to this discussion, but recently having committed to living in North Vancouver for the long haul, I'd vouch for Bellingham.

I still say my best day on a bike happened in Bellingham. Of course it was a combination of factors...

A buddy of mine raves about Baker, and some of the bike riding to be had not far from there as well.

If you don't crave big city living, Bham sounds like a great option.

Beef Supreme · Oct 27, 2016

Huck Banzai said:
Good feedback, thanks monkeys!

I am slightly concerned with access to people, socializing - immersion! Im a bit of an independent soul, so I dont want to exacerbate that too much.

I did find I nice 2br house near WWU w/ Garage and nice stuff for less than I pay for my 550sf 1br in Manhattan....

Keep the feedback coming, Im not launching until April.

Since it turned into a Issaquah/Bellingham debate, I've spent time in both. Both are nice. Bellingham has more of a small town/college town feel while Issaquah feels more like a bedroom community. I'd take Bham personally.

IH8Rice · Oct 27, 2016

wait. youre moving now??

Electric_City · Mar 16, 2017

I don't think the roads/runways will be clear in 32 days.

Moving to the NW - Whats the MonkeyScat

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