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Where to live?

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
I'm 23, currently living in the Boston area. I'll be graduating college in August with a Bachelors in Computer Networking and Information Science, have loads of experience in the field (currently a Senior Network Engineer for an IT consulting firm) so my resume is solid. Recently broke up with my GF of 4 years, so I have nothing holding me down, looking for a change of pace.

I'm looking to move out of Massachusetts, someplace closer to the mountains. If I was to stay in New England I was thinking Portland, ME, southern NH, etc. I was also considering moving out West; that's where i'm mainly looking for suggestions (Colorado, Utah, etc). Never been out that way so i'm not sure what to look for or what to expect. I just keep seeing these places on TV, reading about them in magazines, online, etc. It seems exactly like what i'm looking for.

My priorities are biking and skiing, lift assisted biking would be great, along with a good trail network. Deep powder in the winter is a huge plus as well. I'd have to be somewhat close to a larger city due to my job, but other than that i'm open to suggestions. I'd like to keep it in the US as well.

This will realistically be happening in a year (August 2009), that will allow me to pay off all my debts from school, car, etc and save up a good chunk of change for the move. I just want to start the planning process now and try to get everything squared away in terms of what I want to do and where i'd like to go. Might as well do it now while i'm young, making good money and have no commitments at the moment.

Thoughts/Opinions/Suggestions? I appreciate the help, it's good to have a widespread community like this one.
 

skinny mike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2005
6,415
0
That's what Sparky suggested, I'd just need to find a decent job there.
well there are a surprising number of companies up here, and i'm sure at least one needs an IT guy. housing in burlington isn't very cheap, but neither is boston.

as for your outdoor needs, i'd say burlington is the best place in the northeast to live. close to lift-serviced biking? check (bolton, sugarbush, killington, bromont). close to deep pow(for new england)? check (stowe, mrg, jay, sugarbush, etc.).

it's a pretty rad place to live.
 

in the trees

Turbo Monkey
May 19, 2003
1,210
1
NH
We moved to the Burlington, VT area from Boston in '99. We still miss Boston, but we LOVE Vermont.

toby
 

Tmeyer

Monkey
Mar 26, 2005
585
1
SLC
Another for B-town, check out dealer.com, cool company thats growing super fast and will be hiring many more soon. Burton is also in B-town and will be hiring 300 more people in the near future. As skinny said, riding is unreal, skiing is great and the atmosphere and quality of life can't be beat. You also get a huge lake to play on as well.
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
I LOVE Portland Maine.

There is an island off the coast called Peaks Island, you can get a house there and commute to Portland on the Ferry every morning.

That has always been a dream of mine.
 

MTBstud12

Monkey
Jan 24, 2008
484
0
Tejas
Texas! Not only are we bad a$$ but you're not too far from colorado/NM so you can still get away to enjoy the winter.
 

greenchris

Turbo Monkey
Jun 24, 2005
1,381
0
DA BEARS.
Last summer I took almost a 3 week road trip went from chicago to colorado sw to az and then up california to eugene, or and then back home via utah/colorado... It opened up my eyes and now I have a general idea for the areas and what I like about them.
I'd suggest to pack up your car and just drive... You'll find a spot that you feel comfortable in...
 
If I were you I'd find time this summer to take an epic road trip. Since you need to be near a big city my suggestions are to make sure to go thru Denver into the rockies, then maybe over to Salt Lake (you can't beat Utah when it comes to powder), then drive over to Lake Tahoe(Reno, NV is close to Tahoe for the job thing). Take a different route back, maybe up to Portland, then Seattle, and now your close to Whistler so what the hell you might as well go there. Check out Idaho and Wyoming (Jackson Hole) on the return trip. I know this is a little far fetched as the trip will cost vacation time and some dough. My point is narrow down some places and go see them and then trust your gut from there. Don't listen to any of us or anybody else for that matter to tell you where to live or what's best.

If I was going to make a move it would be to Lake Tahoe.
 

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
Denver seems to have a lot of job opportunities (and I can't believe how cheap the rent is compared to here). Same with Salt Lake City. I've always lived on the East coast so I was thinking on branching out, but Burlington, VT and Portland, ME are certain hopefulls, i've been there before and liked them.

Maybe not this summer but early next spring i'll take a road trip out there. Already have a week planned for the two WC's up in Canada this year so getting more time off from work might be a stretch. We'll see though. Thanks for the input!

Texas....is that some kind of sick joke? ;)
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Denver seems to have a lot of job opportunities (and I can't believe how cheap the rent is compared to here). Same with Salt Lake City. I've always lived on the East coast so I was thinking on branching out, but Burlington, VT and Portland, ME are certain hopefulls, i've been there before and liked them.

Maybe not this summer but early next spring i'll take a road trip out there. Already have a week planned for the two WC's up in Canada this year so getting more time off from work might be a stretch. We'll see though. Thanks for the input!

Texas....is that some kind of sick joke? ;)
What narlus said... Shreveport, La is your key to happiness!
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,940
13,133
Portland, OR
The wife and I have said if there was nothing holding us here, then North Carolina would be the first pick.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,940
13,133
Portland, OR
Not having ever seen Asheville NC it "seems" like I would like to move to that area.
That's what we were looking at. There is a solid market, housing isn't outrageous and the environment is a lot like here, minus the amount of wet.

Still not sure if I could adapt to the east coast, though.
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
That's what we were looking at. There is a solid market, housing isn't outrageous and the environment is a lot like here, minus the amount of wet.

Still not sure if I could adapt to the east coast, though.
I think you would like it because there is just as many hippies in Asheville as there are on the west coast.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,940
13,133
Portland, OR
I think you would like it because there is just as many hippies in Asheville as there are on the west coast.
When Marshal (sideways) was out here a few years ago, he gave me a good idea of the hippie culture there. Wasn't it ranked as #1 mountainbike town one year?
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,238
393
NY
When Marshal (sideways) was out here a few years ago, he gave me a good idea of the hippie culture there. Wasn't it ranked as #1 mountainbike town one year?
I never heard that it was named that. I do like that it gets some snow in the winter. The house prices seemed a little high to me a few years ago when I looked.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Denver seems to have a lot of job opportunities (and I can't believe how cheap the rent is compared to here). Same with Salt Lake City.
The skiing/riding is much closer than Denver in SLC.

People are astounded when I tell them how long it takes for me to get to 5 foot deep powder stashes and alpine singletrack at 10k feet from the middle of a large metropolitan area. The number varies from 15 to 45 minutes. To get to stuff of this quality living in any other large city, you're looking at hours away.

The only glaring downsides (if you like winter) are the culture outside of Salt Lake/Park City and local politics. Living is cheap, food is good, beer is good, lots of cool people.

edit: If you're planning on buying a home, Utah still hasn't felt major effects of the housing collapse. Prices have yet to fall dramatically.
 

skyst3alth

Monkey
Apr 13, 2004
866
0
Denver, CO
The skiing/riding is much closer than Denver in SLC.

People are astounded when I tell them how long it takes for me to get to 5 foot deep powder stashes and alpine singletrack at 10k feet from the middle of a large metropolitan area. The number varies from 15 to 45 minutes. To get to stuff of this quality living in any other large city, you're looking at hours away.

The only glaring downsides (if you like winter) are the culture outside of Salt Lake/Park City and local politics. Living is cheap, food is good, beer is good, lots of cool people.

edit: If you're planning on buying a home, Utah still hasn't felt major effects of the housing collapse. Prices have yet to fall dramatically.
Not looking to buy a home just yet, i'd want to make sure I like living out there before making that type of commitment.

Thanks for the info though, SLC is looking better and better.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
The only glaring downsides (if you like winter) are the culture outside of Salt Lake/Park City and local politics. Living is cheap, food is good, beer is good, lots of cool people.
utah has good beer? when did that happen?


asheville housing prices are pretty high, esp for NC. the riding is great though, and they've got a good club in the Orange Peel.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,940
13,133
Portland, OR
asheville housing prices are pretty high, esp for NC. the riding is great though, and they've got a good club in the Orange Peel.
I guess high is relative. The pay scale for my job seemed to be about the same and the average house seemed a bit lower than here, so I was excited.

When I looked at Southern California at Christmas, the salary was 25% higher and the cost of living was 110% higher than here.

<edit> If you don't mind the rain, job/riding/housing are all nice here.