[mtnluvn]

I copied this from the Western Canada section, where I had NO replies ... either no one's a taker or no one saw it, so I thought I would try it over here in the PNW section. Sorry for the annoying redundancy if y'all saw it there!

It's been ages since I posted last - like last fall I think. But now the snow is gone and I'm getting into summer mode. And I'm finally moving out there! Super stoked to be living in Squamish by the end of May/beginning of June! I know a couple of people out that way but would LOVE to hook up with a couple of monkeys to do some riding - I'll need to be broken in easy, though. For the first little while it'll be tame XC stuff until I'm conditioned because: a) I'm sorely outta shape right now and b) my hardtail is all I'm gonna have for the first little while - can't afford the dually right away So yeah, if anyone is up for showing a new monkey around or just doing some riding let me know. I can't wait! It's gonna be such a great summer!

 

[Roasted]

a) I seem to be perpetually out of shape not matter how many days I ride...I can't tell if its the beer...or the beer
b) Welcome to bc.
c) we don't really use that forum. Most of the posts that interest us happen here. Seperating us from our buds in WA isn't working

Serious you have the best of every world. Squamish is amazing for xc, you are 40minutes from north shore (fr and xc) and 45 minutes from whistler and then 1hour from pemby (some of the steepest natural trails around)...welcome to the WC

 

[Mocha]

Congrats! Squamish has fantastic riding!

I just moved from BC to Alberta last month and I miss BC riding already.

Have fun!

 

[Universe]

Not to mention you miss your bike.

 

[Roasted]

Congrats! Squamish has fantastic riding!

I just moved from BC to Alberta last month and I miss BC riding already.

Have fun!

Oh jeez thats gotta be depressing.

 

[Mocha]

Not to mention you miss your bike.

Had to rub it in eh! :mumble:

My new bike will be here soon.

 

[Mocha]

Oh jeez thats gotta be depressing.

Certainly is! The things you do for money. On a positive note, Edmonton which is the closest city, will be offering lift access on one of their ski hills starting this summer. I'm sure it will be comparable to Whistler.

 

[Roasted]

Certainly is! The things you do for money. On a positive note, Edmonton which is the closest city, will be offering lift access on one of their ski hills starting this summer. I'm sure it will be comparable to Whistler.

And you aren't far from cop right ...

I have been tempted to go to Alberta. I was offered a job in Calgary but I just couldn't leave the mountains...maybe someday.

 

[mtnluvn]

Well, as someone living in Calgary I can tell you that there's a reason I've been working on getting my butt to BC. Honestly, Calgary isn't a bad city, and you're still super close to the mountains but nothing beats living right in them. As for Edmonton, or even worse Grande Prairie, you poor thing... Just joking, I'm not one of those Calgarians (former Calgarian in about 3 weeks! Yay!) that's going to dis Edmonton. I actually like it there except that it's so far from the mountains. But it's definitely different from the west coast or anywhere in BC that I've been for that matter.

 

[Universe]

And you aren't far from cop right ...

I have been tempted to go to Alberta. I was offered a job in Calgary but I just couldn't leave the mountains...maybe someday.

Canmore and K-country are very close by. You wouldn't be leaving the mountains.

 

[mtnluvn]

a) I seem to be perpetually out of shape not matter how many days I ride...I can't tell if its the beer...or the beer
b) Welcome to bc.

Thanks! I seriously can hardly wait. I do know what you mean about the beer, but I'm a bit in denial and I'm not ready to admit quite yet that it could be the source of my slugging it on the trails. My problem over the winter was too much beer and not enough riding, now I just need to get some balance and I'm sure I'll be fine... I hope...

Serious you have the best of every world. Squamish is amazing for xc, you are 40minutes from north shore (fr and xc) and 45 minutes from whistler and then 1hour from pemby (some of the steepest natural trails around)...welcome to the WC

I know! That's part of the reason why I picked Squamish - that and a place to live totally just fell into my lap and the rent is cheaper than I'm paying here. It's a decent town that's a little more low key than Whistler, but still close enough to head there for the party if I want to. It's also super close to Van for shows and stuff. Plus you can't beat the riding and hiking. I'm thinking it's pretty much perfect for me! So stoked!

 

[Roasted]

Canmore and K-country are very close by. You wouldn't be leaving the mountains.

I don't drive...seriously. Not at all ..so 45 minute drive is a LONG way for me. Honestly, if I drove. I would have taken the job in calgary. I would have doubled my salary in a VERY low mortgage city.

I know! That's part of the reason why I picked Squamish - that and a place to live totally just fell into my lap and the rent is cheaper than I'm paying here. It's a decent town that's a little more low key than Whistler, but still close enough to head there for the party if I want to. It's also super close to Van for shows and stuff. Plus you can't beat the riding and hiking. I'm thinking it's pretty much perfect for me! So stoked!

Do you have a job lined up already too? Not that it matters there is ALWAYS work. I have thought of moving to squamish but, as I said above, I don't drive so the commute would be a bitch

Welcome to the PNNW..

 

[Universe]

I don't drive...seriously. Not at all ..so 45 minute drive is a LONG way for me. Honestly, if I drove. I would have taken the job in calgary. I would have doubled my salary in a VERY low mortgage city.

Seems like a no brainer to me, even for a few years. Why no driving? Do you let other people drive you?

 

[mtnluvn]

I don't drive...seriously. Not at all ..so 45 minute drive is a LONG way for me. Honestly, if I drove. I would have taken the job in calgary. I would have doubled my salary in a VERY low mortgage city.

That may have been the case a few years ago, and I'm sure home prices here are still lower than out there but the housing market has gone crazy here. It's totally a sellers market right now. A friend of mine was looking at a house and while they were IN the house viewing it 4 bids came in, and the owner that was asking $250 ended up getting over$325!! Again, I'm sure that's still cheap compared to the coast but gone are the days of really cheap living out here

As for the car, I've had one while living here and I couldn't have lived without one. It sucks having to drive half an hour or more with my bike in the car before I can even ride it! There are some ok trails in the city, but unless you live close to them you still have to drive to get there. I'm ditching the car when I move out there, which I'm not too sure about. But other than getting to and from trailheads, which I'm sure I can hook up with other people to do, I figure I'm not going to need a car so why have the extra expense? If I end up needing one, I figure I can get one later.

Do you have a job lined up already too? Not that it matters there is ALWAYS work. I have thought of moving to squamish but, as I said above, I don't drive so the commute would be a bitch

Welcome to the PNNW..

Yeah, I'm transferring out there with my current employer so that I can at least be employed and have money come in while I look for a job in my field... working at a coffee shop doesn't exactly use much of what I learned in skool, but it pays the bills Commuting from Squamish to Whistler would be nuts, even with a car, especially with all the construction right now and over the next few years - good call I was out there 2 weeks ago to check things out and I met a couple of people that live in Whistler and they love it there, wouldn't trade it for anything so either way we're living in pretty cool places I think!

 

[Roasted]

Seems like a no brainer to me, even for a few years. Why no driving? Do you let other people drive you?

Never got my license. I have always lived in small to medium towns where I didn't need to drive. Saves me a tonne of coin per month which is always easy to justify taking a bit of a pay cut.

It actually worked out in my case. The company that offered me the job went under a year later.

 

[Roasted]

That may have been the case a few years ago, and I'm sure home prices here are still lower than out there but the housing market has gone crazy here. It's totally a sellers market right now. A friend of mine was looking at a house and while they were IN the house viewing it 4 bids came in, and the owner that was asking $250 ended up getting over$325!! Again, I'm sure that's still cheap compared to the coast but gone are the days of really cheap living out here

I just had a friend sell her place in Kamloops and move to calgary. She was saying how quickly the houses go and you really have to jump all over them. She lucked out and sold her small place in kamloops for the same price she bought the bigger house in calgary. The house was in the 250 range so no doubt the prices have gone up.

As for the car, I've had one while living here and I couldn't have lived without one. It sucks having to drive half an hour or more with my bike in the car before I can even ride it! There are some ok trails in the city, but unless you live close to them you still have to drive to get there. I'm ditching the car when I move out there, which I'm not too sure about. But other than getting to and from trailheads, which I'm sure I can hook up with other people to do, I figure I'm not going to need a car so why have the extra expense? If I end up needing one, I figure I can get one later.

Just use the car for commutes only. As for coming to whistler to ride hop on nsmb.com and wait for people to post lookng for carpool to whistler from the shore. You should be able to get lots of rides then. And of course lots of people are always coming up here to work/ride from squampton so I doubt you would have a problem getting up here

 

[mtnluvn]

Just use the car for commutes only. As for coming to whistler to ride hop on nsmb.com and wait for people to post lookng for carpool to whistler from the shore. You should be able to get lots of rides then. And of course lots of people are always coming up here to work/ride from squampton so I doubt you would have a problem getting up here

Great tips, thanks! Yeah, I didn't think that getting around in that area would be all that difficult without a car. It's going to be tough the first little while until I meet more people because I'll be doing a lot of stuff solo (because I love riding but I'm a hiker and novice climber too), but I'm not really too worried about that. There's tonnes of stuff to explore that's riding distance from Squamish, so I'll just do all that first!

 

[Mocha]

Well, as someone living in Calgary I can tell you that there's a reason I've been working on getting my butt to BC. Honestly, Calgary isn't a bad city, and you're still super close to the mountains but nothing beats living right in them. As for Edmonton, or even worse Grande Prairie, you poor thing... Just joking, I'm not one of those Calgarians (former Calgarian in about 3 weeks! Yay!) that's going to dis Edmonton. I actually like it there except that it's so far from the mountains. But it's definitely different from the west coast or anywhere in BC that I've been for that matter.

I hear ya. My hubby and I moved from Van Island to North Vancouver for a couple of years just to ride and we don't regret it for a minute. Alberta, especially Grande Prairie, was not our first choice but we couldn't turn down this job offer. With a new baby your priorities definitely change. I agree it's quite different here than BC and it's going to take some getting used to.

 

[Universe]

I hear ya. My hubby and I moved from Van Island to North Vancouver for a couple of years just to ride and we don't regret it for a minute. Alberta, especially Grande Prairie, was not our first choice but we couldn't turn down this job offer. With a new baby your priorities definitely change. I agree it's quite different here than BC and it's going to take some getting used to.

I think a couple of new bikes will help that

 

[Roasted]

Not to run this off topic, but what bikes are you guys going to?...

 

[mtnluvn]

I hear ya. My hubby and I moved from Van Island to North Vancouver for a couple of years just to ride and we don't regret it for a minute. Alberta, especially Grande Prairie, was not our first choice but we couldn't turn down this job offer. With a new baby your priorities definitely change. I agree it's quite different here than BC and it's going to take some getting used to.

No kidding it's different! Not only the geography and riding, but the mentality too. I really do hate to stereotype Alberta, because it has a lot of great things to offer as well - the Rockies for example (if I wasn't moving to BC I would be moving to Canmore), Edmonton has The Fringe... etc. But a lot of the stereotypes are true too, especially further North in oil country. But there's SO much money here to be made right now, so if you have the opportunity you would be silly to NOT take it My problem is the oil and gas industy is the one that I'm not the least bit interested in working in, so there's not much here for me. I've spent the last year trying to find work in my field (biology/ecology) with no luck at all. Hopefully BC will be better, but if not at least I'll be living in a great place and doing some Kick A$$ riding in the meantime

 

[Universe]

Not to run this off topic, but what bikes are you guys going to?...

A couple of Giant Reigns.