[Andyman_1970]

That's why I have a minivan.

Seattle's better, no? (in terms of affordability)

I can't imagine these places being worse than Boston.

Compared to Bend the job market is much larger in Seattle and thus the possibilities of finding a decent paying job go up. However Bend is on the "dry" side of Cascades (and I would say the better weather = more riding days) , Seattle is on the "wet" side of the Cascades.

I can't speak if the cost of living if comparable to Boston, I've not done any research into living on the East Coast.

 

[blue]

Boise is too big.

Boise is crap. And Idaho. Move to Logan, land of ice and...more ice.

 

[Enginerd A2]

Boise is crap. And Idaho. Move to Logan, land of ice and...more ice.

A good friend of mine just moved to Logan (I think) to work for the Utah Conservation Corp. I'd consider Utah, but I have issues with crazy conservative religions, and it seems like Mormonism practically rules the whole state. Amazing geography, though. Is is cheap?

 

[El Jefe]

That said there are some downsides: first it's referred to by the "normal" people (those who are not loaded) as "poverty with a view". The cost of living is crazy high (at least compared to Arkansas) - my brothers house which is 500 sq ft smaller (built same year), similar sized lots, no central heat or air (ours does have that) cost 100k more than our house.

Funny how perspectives are so different depending on where you live now. Here in OC, quite a few of my friends have moved / are moving up there, and are crowing about how they are selling their homes here, buying a bigger home there, and still having cash left over to just goof off and not worry about what they're going to do for a living for a long long time.

 

[Pau11y]

I'm w/ RM on Salida, CO. I try to visit there every summer to ride the Crest/Rainbow trail. And by CO standards, it is cheap. It's so nice and lazy there, but I question the avail of descent jobs.
Never been to OR, ID or MT so no basis for comparison. I was going to suggest Sandpoint, ID, but that's where all the lead is. The only other place I'd think about is BC, specifically Vancouver. It's friggin' huge, but you can get the hell out of Dodge really quick. Quebec is another thought, but I'm not too sure about the attitudes there. The entire province seems to be the "Boulder" of Canada as far as jokes go.
Unfortunately, when an area starts getting popular, assholes w/ money want to take it over and ruin it. I'm not sure if this applies to Bend, but here in Steamboat, most of those $1.2 mil (which is pretty average here) houses sits empty more than 1/2 the year as its owners are in NY, LA, TX, killing themselves so they can afford these monuments to their egos. And when they come, it's like they think the town owes them something. Luckily I don't work directly in a guest related industry (as an IT geek in a hotel, I really don’t interact w/ the guests) as I'd have to find another job every other day. Living here has really developed my dislike for SUV driving dim wits w/ money whose bill fold is only exceeded by their egos and butt-holes.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

How far is Bend from Portland?

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Funny how perspectives are so different depending on where you live now. Here in OC, quite a few of my friends have moved / are moving up there, and are crowing about how they are selling their homes here, buying a bigger home there, and still having cash left over to just goof off and not worry about what they're going to do for a living for a long long time.

But there's a big catch, many who move out of the state can never afford to move back, even if they wanted too.

 

[Andyman_1970]

How far is Bend from Portland?

When we flew into Portland, it was like a 3'ish hour drive (over the Mt. Hood pass) to get to Bend. I'm sure the Bend'ites here on the monkey can give you a more accurate number.

 

[Andyman_1970]

Funny how perspectives are so different depending on where you live now. Here in OC, quite a few of my friends have moved / are moving up there, and are crowing about how they are selling their homes here, buying a bigger home there, and still having cash left over to just goof off and not worry about what they're going to do for a living for a long long time.

Yeah perspective is a funny thing. I can't imagine what the cost of living is like in SoCal...........yikes. Salaries are pretty comensurate with the cost of living in SoCal are they not?

 

[Ciaran]

But there's a big catch, many who move out of the state can never afford to move back, even if they wanted too.

I think that many who move out of state don't want to come back. I too am trying to get out of here eventually. I just want out of So Cal though. Oregon or Washington is where I want to be, but I would be fine in Northern Cal. The GF and I are thinking of buying acerage in Northern Cal and becoming hermits. Then I could build all the trails I want and ban hiking. Bikes only.
Any idea how much 40 - 80 acres goes for in Oregon?

 

[Heidi]

I think that many who move out of state don't want to come back.

Bingo!!!

 

[blue]

A good friend of mine just moved to Logan (I think) to work for the Utah Conservation Corp. I'd consider Utah, but I have issues with crazy conservative religions, and it seems like Mormonism practically rules the whole state. Amazing geography, though. Is is cheap?

The Mormons don't QUITE run the whole state, but almost. It probably qualifies as the most conservative state in the nation, but the riding here, especially in Park City/Salt Lake (And for a 5 hour drive, Moab and St. George), can't be beat.

Cost of living is going to be a bit higher in a place like Salt Lake, but compared to other places like Seattle, Bay Area, SoCal, it's dirt cheap. Salt Lake is sprawling, however, about twice the size of Boise, with around a million people living in the valley.

Logan is even cheaper, my parents are building a 3200 Sq. Foot house on the east bench for 210k (including about 1/4 acre of land). Cache Valley itself has about 100k people, but Logan and surrounding "suburbs" is around 60k. Tech and engineering sector here is doing well and booming compared to the rest of Utah. I'd estimate 1/3 of the people living in Logan work at Utah State University.

Riding here isn't quite as good as Salt Lake, but there is plenty of opportunity for trail expansion (something I'm working hard on). I'm considering seeing if the local ski resort would be willing to allow a summer lift-served DH operation. There are 4 shops in town, 2 of which I'd consider horrible, one is good, and one is excellent. For roadies, this is more or less a paradise compared to anything else in the intermountain west. Tons of outdoors stuff, with a very active population, mostly because of the university and proximity to mountains. There is plenty of climbing, hiking, running, riding, horsey riding, camping, fishing, and water skiing/wakeboarding nearby. In the winters, there's a little (well...probably big compared to Eastern resorts) local resort, Beaver Mountain, where you can ski Late Nov.-March. Also lots of tele/backcountry stuff, snowshoeing, xc skiing, and snowmobiling.

You can expect to be able to ride for about 8-9 months out of the year. Winters are colder than the rest of Utah (due to higher elevation), and the snow will not melt until late Feb/March. You can expect the coldest days of winter to drop into subzero temps. For example, it's 8*F outside right now. Also in the winter, the inversion sets in occasionally. High pressure squishes low into the valley, making temperatures extremely cold and trapping all air pollution from the cars and cows. Summers are warm and dry, with the hottest days being in the high 80s. Expect very low humidity here.

Hows that for a writeup?

 

[Andyman_1970]

Any idea how much 40 - 80 acres goes for in Oregon?

Outside of Bend try 15k an acre.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> but at least Boulder knows how to create a community for ALL people - without compromises.

As long as you're rich I agree with this statement. Except if you're a mt biker, since the local Boulder parks won't let 'em in......

Have you seen the cost of housing in Boulder lately?

-S.S.-

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>I'm more concerned with why the city has to grow. Close the friggen doors and quit issuing building permits and the city won't grow. DUH!

Hey! That's *exactly* what Boulder did! You should see the cost of housing there.............

-S.S.-

 

[Heidi]

Hey! That's *exactly* what Boulder did! You should see the cost of housing there.............

-S.S.-

I know. We looked at moving there once.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Just FYI: living in Colorado can be *cheap* - if you want to live about an hour from the mountains. We have towns that are basically dying an hour east of the Front Range. You'd have to commute a long way to work and a long way to the mountains........

*Any* desirable place to live in the U.S. has a premium on housing prices. And if you find someplace *really* desirable and the prices seem reasonable, there's a reason...... neaky:

-S.S.-

 

[Ridemonkey]

As long as you're rich I agree with this statement. Except if you're a mt biker, since the local Boulder parks won't let 'em in......

Have you seen the cost of housing in Boulder lately?

-S.S.-

Those are market conditions. Boulder has generous subsidized housing programs. You won't find that here either.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I've been "eyeing" Albuquerque NM - there is a new aircraft company starting up there. Albuquerque seems like it would be somewhat close to some decent skiing as well in the winter. I'm not sure how big it is, but size is not really a factor for us (just can't be too big).

I still like Bend though, just got to fix that cost of living deal............or hit the jackpot.

As a native New Mexican I have to say, STAY AWAY!

The summers are brutal, the winters freezing, the people unfriendly and the water is limited.

 

[Captain Cogset]

Yeah perspective is a funny thing. I can't imagine what the cost of living is like in SoCal...........yikes. Salaries are pretty comensurate with the cost of living in SoCal are they not?

Yeah, unless you want to buy a house. A decent run of the mill older house in San Diego will cost you at least $500,000. Compared to 5 years ago where the same house would have cost about $200,000. Saleries have not increased over the last 5 years like the housing prices have. I really don't know where people are getting money like that.

 

[Andyman_1970]

I really don't know where people are getting money like that.

I think the same thing about Bend. My brother worked at Hutches for about 3+ years an although it was a good job with benifits and all (one of the better paying "normal" jobs) he still couldn't afford a car - which was not a problem in Bend getting around, but if you want to go somewhere else that's another story. Then he spent about a year as a welder for Downtown Ornamental Iron (he was a welder for Co-Motion cycles in Eugene before he moved to Bend) and that surprisingly paid less than the bike shop. Now he's an apprentice electrician and when he gets his journeymen license he'll be making decent money (enough to live on there).

Bend is small enough (which is one of the attractive qualities of it) that there is not alot of industry and and supporting businesses that generate higher paying jobs - I think the biggest deal there is the window/door factory (I forget the name of it).

Bend has (as I'm sure you can tell) been somewhat of a curiosity to me, it's beautiful but has (at least in my opinion) a strange economic market.

 

[Heidi]

Strange economic market = people cashing out in Cali and moving here. hehehe

I hear ya on the lower paying jobs. Pozzi is the company you are thinking of. Although, industry seems to be attracted to the area...I think it will just take time. You definitely don't move here for your career. You move here for the lifestyle.

 

[Andyman_1970]

You move here for the lifestyle.

Agreed........................

 

[Ciaran]

Outside of Bend try 15k an acre.

That's not too bad. I looked at the Humboldt county area of northern cal and saw prices from 1000 an acre up to about 20,000 an acre. Depending on the location.

 

[Enginerd A2]

That's not too bad. I looked at the Humboldt county area of northern cal and saw prices from 1000 an acre up to about 20,000 an acre. Depending on the location.

The price for Humboldt acreage depends on "growing conditions". :evil:

 

[narlus]

I'm more concerned with why the city has to grow. Close the friggen doors and quit issuing building permits and the city won't grow. DUH!

so there's no more room for ex-californians? i got mine, f the rest? interesting outlook.

i 1st visited bend in '98 or so, then went back in '00. could not believe the difference in two scant years. it seems to be a victim of its own success.

 

[Fathead]

so there's no more room for ex-californians? i got mine, f the rest? interesting outlook.

Interesting, maybe, but also common. I think it started sometime after the Mayflower landed

Seriously, almost every growing community is peppered w/people, oldtimers and newcomers alike, who want the growth to stop.

 

[Heidi]

so there's no more room for ex-californians? i got mine, f the rest? interesting outlook.

.

Exactly!

 

[dh girlie]

The price for Humboldt acreage depends on "growing conditions". :evil:

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No doubt...

 

[dh girlie]

so there's no more room for ex-californians? i got mine, f the rest? interesting outlook.

i 1st visited bend in '98 or so, then went back in '00. could not believe the difference in two scant years. it seems to be a victim of its own success.

People really start to need to focus on the other states from where people are overcrowding California are from and pick on them and call them names...stop baggin on Cali folks and think about this...CALIFORNIANS are leaving California in droves because of the out-of-staters that are pushing their way in...driving the cost of rents, housing prices, etc. up. Why, Mr. Jello Biafra once headed a campaign to 'Take San Francisco Back'. NOT...NOT that I dislike outta staters...for obvious reasons!

 

[narlus]

Exactly!

does your licence plate read NIMBY?

 

[Heidi]

does your licence plate read NIMBY?

I don't get it.

 

[dh girlie]

I don't get it.

me neither...

 

[Heidi]

I don't get why he's all angry and bitter. I moved from Cali to get away from hordes of people. Why would I want where I moved to turn into another Cali?

 

[N8 v2.0]

NIMBY as in Not In My Backyard.

Usually relates to people who want stuff like cheap plentiful electricity but don't want the power plant in their town...

 

[N8 v2.0]

What cracks me up is that people move to some new place like OR or NM or CO to get away from all the BS from where they're from, YET, the first thing they start bitching about is how Such-and-such (where they came from) was SO much better. Then it isn't long until they start trying to transform the new place into the old one.

A perfect example is Santa Fe, NM. It was a great NM town until New Yorkers and the Hollywood set 'discovered' it... now it's over regulated, too expensive for local families (some of whom have lived there for 500 years), and sucks.

 

[narlus]

I don't get why he's all angry and bitter. I moved from Cali to get away from hordes of people. Why would I want where I moved to turn into another Cali?

angry and bitter? that's funny. i was pointing out the hypocrisy of these sorts of "shut-the-gates-on-newcomers" edicts. when at one point, almost everyone is a newcomer.

if a place is attractive to you, odds are it'll be attractive to other people too. growth is not gonna stop on anyone's account, esp in the US. the only ways i see around this are being ultra-rich (so that only a very small % of people can join in the fun of being in the new area), or be willing to move occasionally as the great unwashed steadily migrate to this hot new place.

 

[SkaredShtles]

angry and bitter? that's funny. i was pointing out the hypocrisy of these sorts of "shut-the-gates-on-newcomers" edicts. when at one point, almost everyone is a newcomer.

if a place is attractive to you, odds are it'll be attractive to other people too. growth is not gonna stop on anyone's account, esp in the US. the only ways i see around this are being ultra-rich (so that only a very small % of people can join in the fun of being in the new area), or be willing to move occasionally as the great unwashed steadily migrate to this hot new place.

Yup. It's especially bad out West......... everyone laments how it "used to be," but pragmatically - no place will ever be like it "used to be"

And the places are soooooooo desirable out here in the mountains that things change especially quickly. Two choices: accept it, or become a hypocritical NIMBY.

-S.S.-

 

[Ciaran]

People really start to need to focus on the other states from where people are overcrowding California are from and pick on them and call them names...stop baggin on Cali folks and think about this...CALIFORNIANS are leaving California in droves because of the out-of-staters that are pushing their way in...driving the cost of rents, housing prices, etc. up. Why, Mr. Jello Biafra once headed a campaign to 'Take San Francisco Back'. NOT...NOT that I dislike outta staters...for obvious reasons!

EXACTLY! People have always flocked to California. Now we're just restoring the balance.

Me personally, I just hate the heat and the sunshine (yeah I am weird), the smog and the traffic. And I want to have many acres of land, and you just can't have 80 acres in SoCal.

 

[narlus]

Yup. It's especially bad out West......... everyone laments how it "used to be," but pragmatically - no place will ever be like it "used to be"

And the places are soooooooo desirable out here in the mountains that things change especially quickly. Two choices: accept it, or become a hypocritical NIMBY.

-S.S.-

someone gets it.