Dude, to be honest it's insane to me too. Is it worth it? HELL NO.. You kinda have to live here to understand though.BurlyShirley said:
What makes YOUR state unique?
- Thread starter BurlyShirley
- Start date
Having lived in VT. for 5 years, I can assure you that there are very few native hippies. All the "hippies" are transplants from out of state. ::coughcollegekidscough::I Are Baboon said:
I'll put in a plug for North Carolina. I'm smack in the middle of the state. 2.5 hrs east, we've got beautiful beaches and bays, awesome fishing and some of the best pork BBQ you've ever tasted. Take it just a little south of there about an hour, and you're right in the middle of the "Redneck Riviera" ......Myrtle Beach--home of the neon "Party Naked" T-Shirt, all the fireworks you can stuff into your car, and some of the drunkest redneck girls you've ever seen. Classic.
2.5 hrs. to the west, our Blue Ridge mountains offers a unique beauty that is shared in part, with Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. Obviously not the biggest mountain range on the continent, it is one of the oldest--with the New River that runs right through our Northwest corner being the 2nd oldest river on the planet---in many geologists opinion, it once flowed side-by-side with the only other river in the world that is older--the Nile. Cool, huh? Of course, all this beauty comes with a price---hillbillies and Lexington-style BBQ.
I love the fact that we pride ourselves on being courteous and patient here in the Old North State. Most would chalk that up to being "slow" or "redneck" but that's OK..........we also have a powerhouse of colleges and universities such as Wake Forest, Duke, NC State, East Carolina, and UNC. We also like our sports, too. Come ACC basketball tournament time, everything shuts down to root your favorite team on to victory. We have the Carolina Panthers, the (Stanley Cup Champions) Carolina Hurricanes, and the Charlotte Bobcats to enjoy.
2.5 hrs. to the west, our Blue Ridge mountains offers a unique beauty that is shared in part, with Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. Obviously not the biggest mountain range on the continent, it is one of the oldest--with the New River that runs right through our Northwest corner being the 2nd oldest river on the planet---in many geologists opinion, it once flowed side-by-side with the only other river in the world that is older--the Nile. Cool, huh? Of course, all this beauty comes with a price---hillbillies and Lexington-style BBQ.
I love the fact that we pride ourselves on being courteous and patient here in the Old North State. Most would chalk that up to being "slow" or "redneck" but that's OK..........we also have a powerhouse of colleges and universities such as Wake Forest, Duke, NC State, East Carolina, and UNC. We also like our sports, too. Come ACC basketball tournament time, everything shuts down to root your favorite team on to victory. We have the Carolina Panthers, the (Stanley Cup Champions) Carolina Hurricanes, and the Charlotte Bobcats to enjoy.
You can't really count Aroostook County though, that's god's country.Rockland said:
:looney:stosh said:
They ar evile cockroaches of the sea. 
Illinois...
we ain't got no mountains...
just places that market themselves as mountains.
we ain't got no mountains...
just places that market themselves as mountains.
Do you remember they wanted to secede from the rest of the state.McGRP01 said:
Oregon is terrible. Absolutely an awful state in every way. You don't want to move here...
In all seriousness: Amazing coast, forests, mountains, and desert. We DO have every major type of landform, and many unique to the state. We're almost the size of CA, but have less than 1/10th the people. Only one major city, but it makes up for it by being a great one. What do you like to do?
Ride mtn. bikes? We have a buttload of single track, USFS land with endless trails, two budding and well known downhill / freeride areas. Two lift serviced mountains. Roadie? There is an ungodly number of secondary roads through farmland, forests and mountains.
Surf? So long as you don't mind sharks and cold water, there is plenty around.
Ski and Snowboard? While they call it Cascade Concrete, I find the conditions here to be peachy. Good dense snow makes for a strong snowpack with killer backcountry and decent lift service. Plenty to keep you entertained, and you can be on a mountain within two hours of any town east of the coast range and around Bend.
Fish? Are you kidding? Salmon, steelhead, trout, bass, etc. Big rivers, small streams; it doesn't matter what kind you enjoy, it's all here.
Camping/Backpacking? The amount of wilderness in this state is ridiculous. Whether or not you like wilderness as a matter of principle, it's hard to deny the beauty of the snow-capped Cascades.
Mountaineering? Did someone say snow-capped Cascades? Glacier skiing, technical routes, etc.
Climbing? Smith Rock is one of the premier sport climbing areas in the country. No big wall stuff here, but plenty to keep anyone that enjoys the sport quite happy.
Music? Portland has a great local music scene, especially if you like indie stuff. All the major acts that are worth a damn make a point to stop in Portland on almost every tour, and many of them have surprise shows in Eugene.
Paddling? Premier Cascade rivers and steep chutes abound. Waterfalls to scare the most seasoned professionals, and plenty of mellow stuff to get into the sports.
Hunting? Elk, deer, upland game birds, waterfowl, epic goose hunting (if that can be epic), turkey. If you're the killing type, there is plenty to do here.
Democrat? Republican? It's a liberal state, but the political lines are roughly divided by the Cascades. Lefts live left (west), rights live right.
Work? Well, jobs are harder to come by here than in some other states, but there is something for everyone. They call Portland the "silicon forest." Lots of tech jobs around the area. How about natural resources? Whether you're on the green side or brown side of that game, there is plenty to pay the bills. Bend has a rapidly growing healthcare industry. Design? Portland is a design stronghold, with more black-glasses-and-turtleneck-clad yupsters than you can shake an uzzi at.
Drink beer? Oh dear god... please make it go away before I kill my liver. Rogue, Deschutes, Terminal Gravity, Full Sail, Bridgeport, Siletz, et al. It is the microbrew capital of the country by far.
Cost of living? It isn't cheap to live here, but it isn't expensive either. The median home price in Portland and Corvallis is pretty high by midwestern standards, but there are plenty of other affordable towns.
Climate? Temperate, coastal moderation. Sure there is A LOT of rain, but that's what keeps the state so beautifully green and lush. The first time anyone I know steps off the plane, they don't shut up for an hour about how green and sylvan the landscape is. If you're tired of the rain, you just pop over the Cascades for a weekend and head to the high desert.
Hot springs? Our mountains are active volcanos, though not to the point of concern. Lots of geothermal activity makes for plenty of secluded areas to soak your bones and relax. Some are crowded with sketchy hippies, but most of them are too lazy to hike to the best of the pools.
I'm sure lots of states out there could one up Oregon in one or several of these categories, and I know the climate bugs some people out (myself included, at times), but for a total package I don't think any other state comes close. If all goes well, I'll be here for the long haul.
In all seriousness: Amazing coast, forests, mountains, and desert. We DO have every major type of landform, and many unique to the state. We're almost the size of CA, but have less than 1/10th the people. Only one major city, but it makes up for it by being a great one. What do you like to do?
Ride mtn. bikes? We have a buttload of single track, USFS land with endless trails, two budding and well known downhill / freeride areas. Two lift serviced mountains. Roadie? There is an ungodly number of secondary roads through farmland, forests and mountains.
Surf? So long as you don't mind sharks and cold water, there is plenty around.
Ski and Snowboard? While they call it Cascade Concrete, I find the conditions here to be peachy. Good dense snow makes for a strong snowpack with killer backcountry and decent lift service. Plenty to keep you entertained, and you can be on a mountain within two hours of any town east of the coast range and around Bend.
Fish? Are you kidding? Salmon, steelhead, trout, bass, etc. Big rivers, small streams; it doesn't matter what kind you enjoy, it's all here.
Camping/Backpacking? The amount of wilderness in this state is ridiculous. Whether or not you like wilderness as a matter of principle, it's hard to deny the beauty of the snow-capped Cascades.
Mountaineering? Did someone say snow-capped Cascades? Glacier skiing, technical routes, etc.
Climbing? Smith Rock is one of the premier sport climbing areas in the country. No big wall stuff here, but plenty to keep anyone that enjoys the sport quite happy.
Music? Portland has a great local music scene, especially if you like indie stuff. All the major acts that are worth a damn make a point to stop in Portland on almost every tour, and many of them have surprise shows in Eugene.
Paddling? Premier Cascade rivers and steep chutes abound. Waterfalls to scare the most seasoned professionals, and plenty of mellow stuff to get into the sports.
Hunting? Elk, deer, upland game birds, waterfowl, epic goose hunting (if that can be epic), turkey. If you're the killing type, there is plenty to do here.
Democrat? Republican? It's a liberal state, but the political lines are roughly divided by the Cascades. Lefts live left (west), rights live right.
Work? Well, jobs are harder to come by here than in some other states, but there is something for everyone. They call Portland the "silicon forest." Lots of tech jobs around the area. How about natural resources? Whether you're on the green side or brown side of that game, there is plenty to pay the bills. Bend has a rapidly growing healthcare industry. Design? Portland is a design stronghold, with more black-glasses-and-turtleneck-clad yupsters than you can shake an uzzi at.
Drink beer? Oh dear god... please make it go away before I kill my liver. Rogue, Deschutes, Terminal Gravity, Full Sail, Bridgeport, Siletz, et al. It is the microbrew capital of the country by far.
Cost of living? It isn't cheap to live here, but it isn't expensive either. The median home price in Portland and Corvallis is pretty high by midwestern standards, but there are plenty of other affordable towns.
Climate? Temperate, coastal moderation. Sure there is A LOT of rain, but that's what keeps the state so beautifully green and lush. The first time anyone I know steps off the plane, they don't shut up for an hour about how green and sylvan the landscape is. If you're tired of the rain, you just pop over the Cascades for a weekend and head to the high desert.
Hot springs? Our mountains are active volcanos, though not to the point of concern. Lots of geothermal activity makes for plenty of secluded areas to soak your bones and relax. Some are crowded with sketchy hippies, but most of them are too lazy to hike to the best of the pools.
I'm sure lots of states out there could one up Oregon in one or several of these categories, and I know the climate bugs some people out (myself included, at times), but for a total package I don't think any other state comes close. If all goes well, I'll be here for the long haul.
in Kansas, we have the world's largest ball of sisal twineskyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Cawker/twine
the riding isn't too bad in the eastern part, and we're fairly close to arkansas and missouri, and only 8 hours from Keystone in colorado, so not a bad location
the riding isn't too bad in the eastern part, and we're fairly close to arkansas and missouri, and only 8 hours from Keystone in colorado, so not a bad location
Here come the Californians!sam_little said:
Im majoring in Fisheries Management/Conservation, my girl is almost a Physical therapist. Oregan is DEFINITELY on our short list.sam_little said:
Ha! No. But I knew what all the little critters in there were.stosh said:
I felt violatedstosh said:
First, it's "Oregon".BurlyShirley said:
Second, it's pronounced "Oregun".
There is a lot to ride here too, but house prices suck!
I had a native american friend from a reservation there who called it "The Oregon"jimmydean said:
House prices...whatever. You're in debt till you die one way or another.
Ha, too late! After 4 days down in Central OR. last weekend. We are looking at moving down theresam_little said:
After living in WA. forever we had no clue how awesome the terrian was down there.
Oooh! Oooh! S.S., I know why CO sucks...SkaredShtles said:Ummm........ hmm...........
Ahhhhh......
Crap.
Never mind. Please drive through.
California.
sam_little said:
maryland = crabcakes
Yeah but you are still in Tennesse!BurlyShirley said:
I have lived in Ca for most of my life(all but 3.5 years...goddamed military) I hated Upstate NY and didnt really like TX all that much. Arizona was cool. But none compared to California.
I have driven through TN and I will definitely return someday to visit...beautiful drive reminded me of parts of NorCal.
It's tough to lumb a state as large as CA in one category - there are places in this state that I wouldn't live if you gave me a house for free, (Needles or LA for instance) but others that are as good as or better than anywhere in the world. My own CA has sweet trails one mile from my front door that I can ride year round. The beach is a 10 mile ride on trails. I don't have to worry about rain until November. There aren't any annoying bugs when I'm drinking beer in my back yard. I ride my bike in bike lanes to work every day, again with no concern about the weather - or I can ride from work to home on singletrack. I have a great view on the mountains from my house. I made 140 grand on a condo in 2 years.
Not to like? Being from the east I miss the woods. The price of admission out here is high. Living in a place where people actually want to be brings people - craploads of people. And I hate people.
Not to like? Being from the east I miss the woods. The price of admission out here is high. Living in a place where people actually want to be brings people - craploads of people. And I hate people.
C'mon....beestiboy said:
get a cluestosh said:
In CO, everything cool is lightyears away from civilization.SkaredShtles said:Bull$hit. Utah beats it hands down. Everywhere. Except beer.
Here, its 500 yards from my front door.
Square that with the highest number of golf courses per capita in the U.S., if not the world.I Are Baboon said:
it's close to new york.johnbryanpeters said:
I Are Baboon said:One more good thing about our neck of the woods: There are at least a couple dozen monkeys within a two hour drive who actually SHOW UP for rides and events. Just look at the Monkeyfest attendance, 24 hour races we've done, and all the pics we've posted.
Just off of the top of my head:
-High paying jobs and plenty of good companies around
-Tons of stuff to do every weekend
-Lots of mtb riders
-DH via relatively short car ride - Mt Snow, Attitash, etc.
-Tons of good highly technical riding. In addition to 'Nam and Lynn, there are dozens of great places to ride. (I think a lot of people take it for granted)
-Boston <1 hour. (Food, concerts, sports, etc)
-Numerous beaches
-New Hamshire and the White's 2-3 hour drive
-Maine (beaches and Portland) 2-3 hour drive
-VT with Burlington and KT (2-4 hours)
-Different seasons
-Long Trail, Otter Creek, Allagash, and Harpoon beer (lots of other good microbrewery locally throughout NE)
-Organizations like Nemba that have formed great relationships with land managers and parks that allow tons of trail building and access.
-Having several good LBS's to choose from
Well, Brian lives more in "middle" california if you ask me. If you live anywhere north of sacramento that really Norcal. Houseing is much better, riding is much better, You are way close to Lake Tahoe, Shasta, and almanor. In the summer its freakin awesomeBurlyShirley said:
Sub Warshington for Oregon and it's the same. Biggest difference is pro-sports.sam_little said:
Like I said......... CO sucks!blue said:
being away from civilization can suck, though...i've probably been to about a dozen shows in clubs so far this year. if i lived more than 30 miles outside a major city, that number would probably be zero.
awesome! hood river area or further south/east?Snacks said:Ha, too late! After 4 days down in Central OR. last weekend. We are looking at moving down there
my thoughts on the places i've lived:
nyc (manhattan, upper east, lower/mid west side, 4 yrs at each):
- was great when it was all i knew
- good for teaching young children (that is me, ages 1-9) that the world has all types, including drunk crazy dudes wandering around naked in front of the hospital at 2 am
- everywhere else seems much greener in comparison
- architecture and the sheer scale of everything lends a certain feeling of alienation and pride simultaneously
- subway system is good, taxis are crazy, some areas of the city are downright depressing
- $$$$ to live
- smog, see photo below (all snapped by me):
boston (cambridge, not the depressing suburbs):
- decent xc riding really close by
- not much to speak of in terms of climbing, nothing like the west coast
- skiing/snow sucks
- seems to have a high incidence of late-20something people in/done with grad school who don't really have a clue what they want
- as a corollary to the above, a good place to go to school
- very nice in terms of getting around town, except that the T (subway) closes at midnight, sooo lame
- lots of nightlife if you figure out how to get home
- late night chinese restaurants!
- $$$ to live, eat, breathe
- tanglewood is nice in the summer
- architecture is an interesting mix of old and new:
portland, oregon (lived in the pearl district for 6 months):
- GREAT RIDING within 1.5 hours, both xc and dh
- not so great riding within the city
- quite a few local riders on rm
- good transit system, nicely laid out city as long as you stay on the west side of the river
- lots of young people there trying to live out the "ideal life" set forth in vw commercials
- $$ to live
- a modest city, both in its personality and its skyline:
seattle (lived in mercer island for a year, tacoma for 7, seattle proper for 2-and-counting):
- great xc riding, but no legal dh to speak of short of oregon, whistler
- whistler is pretty close, 4.5h
- awesome skiing all around, mt. baker, alpental, stevens pass, whistler, backcountry if that's your thing
- good bike path system within seattle (burke-gilman) that lets you ride from downtown to the wineries up north if you wish
- casual culture, by which i mean that people don't dress up much, and many people are "outdoorsy" without being granola
- ample opportunity to get out on the water, whether sailing, kayaking, scuba, whatever
- uniformly attractive people.
ok, maybe not- $$$ to live in a trendy neighborhood, $ to $$ if you live a little off the beaten path
- UW is a monster school: #2 in NIH funding so there are two labs doing whatever your research interest may be
- decent bus system, but not so great on weekends
- very good symphony, lots of local music opportunities (maybe a dozen? community orchestras in the area)
- traffic sucks hard if you have to go any distance around rush hour
- the outdoors life:
Some where between Hood River and OakridgeToshi said: