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Relocation locations?...

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
16,448
13,784
Appreciate all the input everyone, it's tough facing that we might need to leave. This is the first "home" I've had as an adult, other places were where I just lived. But it's way worse for my wife, just the thought of having an attack puts unfair levels of stress on her.

I believe they spend a lot of time on road bikes, of which I cannot recommend anywhere in Western Washington. Plenty of gravel, but why?

For less heat and gutter punks than Asheville, I'd throw in a recommendation for Harrisonburg VA.
Our riding has always been mixed between trail, DH, road, gravel/adventure or fat bike, all depending on the time of year and conditions. There's been more road riding this year due to injuries and now her diagnosis of arthritis in her thumb means DH isn't likely to happen any longer, so those bikes will need to get sold. Not even sure how she'll be on rowdy trail riding at this point, so there might need to be a lot of gravel riding in our future...
I've always loved the riding hear Harrisonburg, but don't know the town at all. She does have a niece there in college though...

PA is decidedly low on the elevation charts, but otherwise would check some boxes.

But in all honesty, hasn't been that humid this summer due to lack of rain.
I'd been wondering about State College, again, don't know the town, but always enjoyed the riding near there and camping in Rothrock was always one of my favourite places when I lived in NYC. It's not monster vert, but there's at least some climbing there.
South East Michigan.
Unfortunately you might be right...
Can you pull some commonwealth strings and do BC?
Commonwealth has no bearing on being able to move there unfortunately. Younger brother is in Sun Peaks BC, but that's probably even hotter than here and has the same dry climate.
and ANE, as mentioned.
ANE?
have you tried a humidifier?
Two of them running in the house constantly. The issue seems to arise outside in the sun.
84% here this morning. was 100% on monday morning... fucking disgusting biking the kids to camp. yuck. for all of you recommending places on the east coast, 6th said the problem was heat... does that include humidex heat? caus' in that case, the east isn't much better in the summer....
She was fine on a recent big road trip up through Michigan, Wisconsin etc. It didn't get super hot, but it was a lot more humid than here. I think dew point is the more critical metric isn't it, versus relative humidity? Dunno. I just know I prefer a dry climate with relatively few bugs.

I'd happily do west coast, despite working for an east coast client. But I think she also has a strong desire to be closer to her family in Michigan. She also doesn't really know the north east above NYC at all. I've visited NH and VT and had Stowe on my list of places to consider moving to at one point in the past. Outside of loving CO, I'm not tied to anywhere as I have no blood family in the US. For me, I'm relatively lucky in that I think work won't care where I am as long as I keep earning them as much as I do. I'm very much in the work to live and maximize my life outside of work hours - which is why moving back to a big city on east coast time, finishing work at 5PM instead of 3PM and not having a big national forest or any vert near me is depressing.
 
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Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,793
8,135
Exit, CO
NC obviously has the riding, but it's very different socially than CO.
Teh Spousal Unit™ found the vibe out on the trails to be a bit to "dude centric" for her, there were fewer ladies out on trail and the random gents we'd interact with while riding were often dismissive of her presence. Wherever we went in town (bike shop, brewery, dinner, etc.) everyone was super nice and no issues, no weird vibe. It was really just out on the trails. I think living there you'd find your people and maybe it wouldn't be an issue?

Atlantic Northeast, I assume.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,046
20,937
Sleazattle
For another data point I was planning on spending a few days in Lake Wenatchee this week. Of course we get a heat wave and then a fire started yesterday and air quality in that area is already dangerous.

Early July used to be the earliest you could ensure no rain here. Now we have two seasons, rain and fire.

I am 0 for 3 in the past few years for non fire cancelled vacation.

The west is dead.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,749
25,290
media blackout
I'd been wondering about State College, again, don't know the town, but always enjoyed the riding near there and camping in Rothrock was always one of my favourite places when I lived in NYC. It's not monster vert, but there's at least some climbing there.
SC is definitely a college town. fall weekends when there's a home football game are an absolute shit show. clears out a lot in the summer at least.

it is very much a speck of civilization smack dab in the middle of deep pennsyltucky.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
16,448
13,784
SC is definitely a college town. fall weekends when there's a home football game are an absolute shit show. clears out a lot in the summer at least.

it is very much a speck of civilization smack dab in the middle of deep pennsyltucky.
Ann Arbor couldn't be more college town if it tried.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
16,448
13,784
Come out to monkeyfest and check out VT. It's on my list of retirement locations. I like the rochester/stowe strip, but stowe is expensive.
If we do relocate, I think what might have to happen is I suck it up for a year in Michigan, but that makes the NE a lot easier for us to explore than it is now. And with a year of dull flat riding it might open the door to a different move. Maybe MF next year, can't swing it this.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,046
20,937
Sleazattle
Appreciate all the input everyone, it's tough facing that we might need to leave. This is the first "home" I've had as an adult, other places were where I just lived. But it's way worse for my wife, just the thought of having an attack puts unfair levels of stress on her.


Our riding has always been mixed between trail, DH, road, gravel/adventure or fat bike, all depending on the time of year and conditions. There's been more road riding this year due to injuries and now her diagnosis of arthritis in her thumb means DH isn't likely to happen any longer, so those bikes will need to get sold. Not even sure how she'll be on rowdy trail riding at this point, so there might need to be a lot of gravel riding in our future...
I've always loved the riding hear Harrisonburg, but don't know the town at all. She does have a niece there in college though...


I'd been wondering about State College, again, don't know the town, but always enjoyed the riding near there and camping in Rothrock was always one of my favourite places when I lived in NYC. It's not monster vert, but there's at least some climbing there.

Unfortunately you might be right...

Commonwealth has no bearing on being able to move there unfortunately. Younger brother is in Sun Peaks BC, but that's probably even hotter than here and has the same dry climate.

ANE?

Two of them running in the house constantly. The issue seems to arise outside in the sun.

She was fine on a recent big road trip up through Michigan, Wisconsin etc. It didn't get super hot, but it was a lot more humid than here. I think dew point is the more critical metric isn't it, versus relative humidity? Dunno. I just know I prefer a dry climate with relatively few bugs.

I'd happily do west coast, despite working for an east coast client. But I think she also has a strong desire to be closer to her family in Michigan. She also doesn't really know the north east above NYC at all. I've visited NH and VT and had Stowe on my list of places to consider moving to at one point in the past. Outside of loving CO, I'm not tied to anywhere as I have no blood family in the US. For me, I'm relatively lucky in that I think work won't care where I am as long as I keep earning them as much as I do. I'm very much in the work to live and maximize my life outside of work hours - which is why moving back to a big city on east coast time, finishing work at 5PM instead of 3PM and not having a big national forest or any vert near me is depressing.

I lived on the other side of the mountain north of Charlottesville but worked in the Shenandoah valley for a while. Charlottesville is a snobby liberal college town surrounded by wealthy rural estates and poverty. Good cycling scene but dominated by roadies and dentists. There are however a good number of great people on bikes and a fair scattering of professionals. The soil on that side of the mountains was ruined by tobacco and poor farming practices long ago. Harrisonburg is also a college town surrounded by actual working farms. I never lived there but it seemed to be a strange but diverse place. Part old south, part liberal college town, hardworking agricultural vibe, good chill riding scene, more MTB focused than C'ville. Despite being more rural than where I lived it didn't have the same ignorant redneck vibe as farmers have to be smart. It used to be a pretty cheap place to live but that was 10 years ago.
 

Montana rider

Turbo Monkey
Mar 14, 2005
1,812
2,317
I won't speak to the humid bike-friendly locales, but I've suffered from really bad auto-immune issues for most of my life [eczema] though for the last 6 years it's finally mellowing out.

Soaking in sulphury springs or salt water has always been my savior.

So buy a [salt water] hot tub and keep it warm [not hot] for her flare ups wherever you land or consider some closer to the coast locales, i.e. Western North Cackalacky...
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,046
20,937
Sleazattle
I won't speak to the humid bike-friendly locales, but I've suffered from really bad auto-immune issues for most of my life [eczema] though for the last 6 years it's finally mellowing out.

Soaking in sulphury springs or salt water has always been my savior.

So buy a [salt water] hot tub and keep it warm [not hot] for her flare ups wherever you land or consider some closer to the coast locales, i.e. Western North Cackalacky...

1720543161885.png
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,346
6,400
borcester rhymes
I lived on the other side of the mountain north of Charlottesville but worked in the Shenandoah valley for a while. Charlottesville is a snobby liberal college town surrounded by wealthy rural estates and poverty. Good cycling scene but dominated by roadies and dentists. There are however a good number of great people on bikes and a fair scattering of professionals. The soil on that side of the mountains was ruined by tobacco and poor farming practices long ago. Harrisonburg is also a college town surrounded by actual working farms. I never lived there but it seemed to be a strange but diverse place. Part old south, part liberal college town, hardworking agricultural vibe, good chill riding scene, more MTB focused than C'ville. Despite being more rural than where I lived it didn't have the same ignorant redneck vibe as farmers have to be smart. It used to be a pretty cheap place to live but that was 10 years ago.
This is what I recall of charlottesville as well. Real pretty town, kind of fun music scene and beautiful downtown area. My WASPy boomer parents picked up a mcmansion in Fishersville, IIRC.
 

Jozz

Joe Dalton
Apr 18, 2002
5,914
7,469
SADL
Just a quick chime in.

I'd do VT. Not in Stowe though.

And another vote for North Conway. I'd go die there. Lots of Trumpers, but he'll die soon.
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,555
9,321
Crawlorado
Come out to monkeyfest and check out VT. It's on my list of retirement locations. I like the rochester/stowe strip, but stowe is expensive.
Wife and I were originally thinking VT when moving back from CO, but it was largely a little too rural for her. Stowe is a cool place to visit, but not sure if I'd want to live there?
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,046
20,937
Sleazattle
This is what I recall of charlottesville as well. Real pretty town, kind of fun music scene and beautiful downtown area. My WASPy boomer parents picked up a mcmansion in Fishersville, IIRC.

Let me guess, it looks like this but with more neoclassical vinyl siding?


1720543739000.png
 

Fool

The Thing cannot be described
Sep 10, 2001
2,832
1,569
Brooklyn
HI, KITTY! HI!

Man that house looks AI generated. Like too many fingers on a hand but it's fuckin' roof triangles.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,346
6,400
borcester rhymes
Just a quick chime in.

I'd do VT. Not in Stowe though.

And another vote for North Conway. I'd go die there. Lots of Trumpers, but he'll die soon.
NorCon is the only place in NH I'd even remotely consider. Maybe portsmouth as well. Still, the "vibe" in VT is always more mellow than NH, even in Conway. There's just too much anger over there.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,346
6,400
borcester rhymes
Mercifully there is no street view of their current home in NC. It's an entire neighborhood of mcmansions, to the point of seeing multiple "infractions" on each house.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,346
6,400
borcester rhymes
It's like the architect/builder conspired to add cost and complexity without any benefit or increased functionality.
You don't like offcenter windows? In your face garage as the biggest feature? Ginormous lawyer foyer? What about the bonus window for the 3rd floor that doesn't exist and is placed just to take up the empty space? At least they kept like 4 different roofing companies in business just trying to cover all that immense space
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,046
20,937
Sleazattle
Fake storm shutters need to be on @jonKranked 's list.
Even better, fake plastic storm shutters that aren't even the correct height. Close enough I guess.

I would also guess to avoid the unsightly visage of a heat pump, both the air handler and compressor are placed in the attic where it tries to cool the house down while in a 130 degree environment.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,046
20,937
Sleazattle
ooh, I didn't even notice that above the main entrance door. that is egregious
Not to mention that window above the door is slightly narrower than the door.

And the walkway lamp being a retro style lamp from a different period than the retro styled lamps on the rest of the house.

Rounded window tops with octagonal attic vents

faux muntins

mini-eaves

Combination of hip and gable rooflines


This is why I cannot live in Virginia anymore.
 
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