The s/o and I are making back-up plans in case a foreign position doesn't become available for work.
We're looking at a few places on the East coast. Portland, ME was the first on the list but I'm not sure we want to go back to the harsh winters. Plus, it looks like a small, remote city. The DC area is next on the list but Richmond has also become a possibility.
Any info on the city/area, riding conditions, things to do, etc. The winters don't look too bad.
Thanks
WELL.....I can't speak for Richmond...but DC has alot of everything within an hour of it...all depends on what you want or are looking for and what limitations you are willing or needing to set for yourself.
Quote from: zooom on April 16, 2009, 04:29:38 AM
WELL.....I can't speak for Richmond...but DC has alot of everything within an hour of it...all depends on what you want or are looking for and what limitations you are willing or needing to set for yourself.
All I've heard about DC is that Fairfax and Alexandria are nice suburbs to live in. Georgetown is a cool place I hear? I'd definitely like to see all the historical places!
I'm moving this to NMC. Maybe more input from others who have travelled/lived in these areas?
EXPENSIVE!
check out this town (http://www.staunton.va.us/)
and settle down already. this is no way to raise a kid ;)
Quote from: herm on April 16, 2009, 06:53:44 AM
and settle down already. this is no way to raise a kid ;)
I knew he was hiding something from us!
question that is pertinant to all of this is where will you be working, because travel/commuting type of concerns are very real in this area...
you going to be OK leaving your boyfriend Greg?
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 06:39:46 AM
All I've heard about DC is that Fairfax and Alexandria are nice suburbs to live in. Georgetown is a cool place I hear? I'd definitely like to see all the historical places!
I'm moving this to NMC. Maybe more input from others who have travelled/lived in these areas?
The DC area in its broadest sense has just about every type of living option you could want from urban, to endless suburbia to rural exurbia and all points in between and beyond. You're not going to find Manhattan densities and there is no real industrial feel to the area, but short of that there is a real diversity of housing types and neighborhoods. What you would think about certain areas depends heavily on where you've lived before and your personal preferences. Are you a transit riding urbanite, one of the suburban masses or a fan of country living? As someone else said, where you work is a big deal. My goal has been to never live more than 5 miles from my job and never have to use a bridge to get to work. Due to prices inside the beltway that means my money bought a smaller house than if I commuted longer distances, but the quality of life is worth it for me. Others have no problem riding or driving hour or more to work each way each day. I simply can't deal with that.
The one thing I like about the area is that within 60 miles I can be in the hills or at the ocean. WV is a beautiful state with wonderful motorcycle roads and I can be there in 90 minutes or less.
As for Richmond, again your opinion of it will be determined by your background and preferences. It has its charms and limitations, like most places.
Dude you move more than anyone I have ever seen.
One of my good friends lived in Richmond, he hated it. Said it was a disgusting city. Another friend went to Richmond State, says if you don't smoke you don't belong in Richmond.
This is all second hand, I have never been there for more than a day.
You two have a problem IZ! [laugh]
...just move there. If it sucks, you'll be moving in a year anyway!! ;D
Quote from: Triple J on April 16, 2009, 09:01:02 AM
You two have a problem IZ! [laugh]
...just move there. If it sucks, you'll be moving in a year anyway!! ;D
[bow_down]
Quote from: Triple J on April 16, 2009, 09:01:02 AM
You two have a problem IZ! [laugh]
...just move there. If it sucks, you'll be moving in a year anyway!! ;D
[laugh] I coulda sworn that you had a moving thread about a year ago when you went to Seattle, or was it Austin? Jeez, I can't even remember where you are anymore since you move so much. [cheeky]
Oh yeah, I'm no use in this thread unless you want to move to Cali. :P
I lived in Richmond for 16 years. It is a great small city. If you like suburban living, there are nice, clean and safe neighborhoods in the surrounding counties. There are also suburban type neighborhoods in the city itself.
I prefer urban environments. I lived in a neighborhood called the Fan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_district (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_district) I still think it is one of the best neighborhoods in the whole country.
The best thing about Richmond is that there is a great restaurant scene there. My absolute favorite Italian restaurant (Mama Zu) is there. There is at least one good restaurant for almost all types of food.
There are twisty roads nearby, and some great rides throughout Virginia. There are great running trails, the James River is awesome, and the ocean is two hours away and skiing one hour away.
There are problems there for sure, but overall it is a great place to live and a great place to raise a family. PM me if you have specific questions.
Thanks for the info and like always.. the "spirited" remarks! :P
BTW..MotoGP.. are you referring to Sinister? We left Seattle a year ago.
Having lived in Baltimore, D.C., Richmond, and now Norfolk, I can give you my perspective. Obviously, YMMV.
Baltimore: Good selection of work, but you want to live outside the city and commute, or become a crack dealer. Get out of town before dark!
D.C.: Better than Baltimore as far as living in the city, good selection of working environments, predominantly white collar,politicians, good nightlife, culturally diverse, lots of big city attitude (Good and bad) nightmare traffic,big tourist destination, closer to mountains than ocean.
Richmond: More blue collar than D.C., Older architecture, a little run down looking, northernmost southern city, so a little schizophrenic, discrete neighborhoods; upscale neighborhoods next to run down neighborhoods, about equidistant from mountains and ocean.
Hampton Roads: Seven cities clustered around each other seperated by a river. Less big city than the others, definitely southern, big tourist destination, big Navy presence, good selection of working environments, discrete neighborhoods with upscale neighborhoods next to rundown neighborhoods, on the bay and ocean, 3 hours from mountains, flat as a pancake.
Hope this helps.
IZ, Portland ME is really cool and not isolated. You can be in bean town in no time flat. But yes, East coast winters suck a bit.
Quick, someone please photoshop his head onto a Carmen San Diego body!
If it wasn't for the winter I would be living in the DC area. It's extremely diverse and the food selection is endless.
Quote from: motogpfan on April 16, 2009, 08:22:07 AM
you going to be OK leaving your boyfriend Greg?
Dude, he left Seattle a long time ago.
Where you been?
I live in NE for a few years and loved it, but finally got tired of the NE winters - I'm from S. Carolina.
Lived south of DC on the Pautuxent River for a few years and love it - expensive, but can get into DC quickly and live in the country. West side outside DC is cool too. Did I mention it's expensive. I love DC.
Asheville, NC area is one of the nicest places on earth to live. I've lived everywhere and the S. Eastern mountains are tits. Give it a look. Don't care what anybody says, Ducati roads just don't get any better than this. [thumbsup]
LA
Thanks all. Keep the info coming!
Looked into Asheville in the past. It looks cool but seems a bit isolated and kind of small...reminds me of Flagstaff.
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 12:46:39 PM
Thanks all. Keep the info coming!
Looked into Asheville in the past. It looks cool but seems a bit isolated and kind of small...reminds me of Flagstaff.
Asheville is small and the nearest big city is Charlotte, which is 2 hours away. The riding is amazing though and if you're looking for a slower pace of living and less people, its a good place to go.
But I think you might get bored there.
Yes, I would. I didn't get bored in Southern FL or Seattle and could have stayed in both for awhile except for weather conditions.
OTOH...Phoenix, Tucson, Ann Arbor, Austin... :/
Lil' IZ iz in the planning. Need to get settled in again.
Are you sure these areas really fit the scene that you like?
Phoenix -> West Palm -> Seattle -> Austin -> Maine???? or Asheville?
You dont seem like the type that would remotely enjoy Maine, no offense or anything.
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 01:00:33 PM
Need to get settled in again.
[laugh] [laugh] [popcorn]
No offense taken Cyrus. Portland may be too small. Boston is close though.
**Thought about that more. I would enjoy Portland. It has a lot going for it, i.e.: small city, a history, close to the ocean, restauraunts, rivers/lakes for kayaking, Mtns aren't too far away, the outdoors, climbing, goo roads for riding, change of seasons (although..may be too harsh like Michigan), close to a big city, etc. But..like I said..it may get too small too quick.
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 09:47:04 AM
.. are you referring to Sinister? We left Seattle a year ago.
And life hasn't been the same...I WISH I COULD QUIT YOU!!!
[laugh] [laugh]
check out Portsmouth NH, commuting distance to boston (so is Manchester, NH for that matter)
you should be looking for a place with good schools, low taxes, and mild nightlife (since yur not gonna enjoy it anyway)
I still think somewhere near to DC is ideal. Just the multi cultural aspect draws me.
Carlos..yes, the multicultural aspects of Southern FL and Seattle is what I liked about those areas.
Quote from: Sinister on April 16, 2009, 02:27:13 PM
And life hasn't been the same...I WISH I COULD QUIT YOU!!!
[laugh] [laugh]
Quit blowing smoke up my azz Sin! The only thing you can't quit is the mini burgers and other foods at the UFC parties. [cheeky]
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 02:18:48 PM
No offense taken Cyrus. Portland may be too small. Boston is close though.
**Thought about that more. I would enjoy Portland. It has a lot going for it, i.e.: small city, a history, close to the ocean, restauraunts, rivers/lakes for kayaking, Mtns aren't too far away, the outdoors, climbing, goo roads for riding, change of seasons (although..may be too harsh like Michigan), close to a big city, etc. But..like I said..it may get too small too quick.
My brother lived in Portland for about 4mons a few years back. He is a very simple person, loves the outdoors, etc. He couldn't wait to leave
(no offense to our Maine residents)
New Hampshire is a different place. Nate will tell you that.
As their moto states "live free or die"
been there a few times for work..........yeah, it is a different place. It would be NOTHING like you are used to.
I have lived in Richmond for my entire life. Richmond is a great city, that has a lot going for it. The james river runs right through downtown, including some breif class 4 rapids. Cost of living is very affordable, and you would only be about 2 hours away from D.C. and the beach. we have a great food and art scene, and have recently gotten a great new venue that is bringing big acts back to the city. i am going to see Dinosaur Jr. there next month! The fan is a great area to live in, bu real estate is prettty pricey to buy. P.M. if you have any questions, and we hope to see you soon!
Quote from: cyrus buelton on April 16, 2009, 06:41:23 PM
My brother lived in Portland for about 4mons a few years back. He is a very simple person, loves the outdoors, etc. He couldn't wait to leave
(no offense to our Maine residents)
New Hampshire is a different place. Nate will tell you that.
As their moto states "live free or die"
been there a few times for work..........yeah, it is a different place. It would be NOTHING like you are used to.
I don't know a thing about NH??
Thanks Brix..sounds cool. I'm getting a sea kayak. Maybe I should get one for the rapids too?! [thumbsup]
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 07:13:47 PM
I don't know a thing about NH??
Thanks Brix..sounds cool. I'm getting a sea kayak. Maybe I should get one for the rapids too?! [thumbsup]
Is there a sea in Austin that you can kayak on?
Quote from: Randimus Maximus on April 16, 2009, 07:16:32 PM
Is there a sea in Austin that you can kayak on?
If you got your azz down here for SxSW..you'd see that we have a few lakes in the area.
Quote from: brix821 on April 16, 2009, 07:00:43 PM
I have lived in Richmond for my entire life. Richmond is a great city, that has a lot going for it. The james river runs right through downtown, including some breif class 4 rapids. Cost of living is very affordable, and you would only be about 2 hours away from D.C. and the beach. we have a great food and art scene, and have recently gotten a great new venue that is bringing big acts back to the city. i am going to see Dinosaur Jr. there next month! The fan is a great area to live in, bu real estate is prettty pricey to buy. P.M. if you have any questions, and we hope to see you soon!
I have lived here in Richmond since I was 12. I agree with Brix, we have a great art scene and thanks to some good colleges in and around the city, you have a interesting mix of people that live here. Our city roads are crap but some great routes in the counties. Unfortunately, our european bike scene is pretty weak in my opinion. Alot of harley riders and squids. Our food is some of the best in the nation.
Quote from: 804monster on April 16, 2009, 07:34:45 PM
I have lived here in Richmond since I was 12. I agree with Brix, we have a great art scene and thanks to some good colleges in and around the city, you have a interesting mix of people that live here. Our city roads are crap but some great routes in the counties. Unfortunately, our european bike scene is pretty weak in my opinion. Alot of harley riders and squids. Our food is some of the best in the nation.
That sucks! I see your Duc shop closed too. :-\
The Aikido scene is kind of weak as well.
Hmmm..guess we'll have to make a trip out there to see what's up in all these areas.
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 07:32:23 PM
If you got your azz down here for SxSW..you'd see that we have a few lakes in the area.
lakes do not equal seas.
and where was my invite?
Quote from: cyrus buelton on April 16, 2009, 06:41:23 PM
My brother lived in Portland for about 4mons a few years back. He is a very simple person, loves the outdoors, etc. He couldn't wait to leave
(no offense to our Maine residents)
New Hampshire is a different place. Nate will tell you that.
As their moto states "live free or die"
been there a few times for work..........yeah, it is a different place. It would be NOTHING like you are used to.
4 months? give me a break. Portland is not "maine." besides, thats not even long enough to see the seasons change if you dont time it right.
NH is no different than Oregon, except no income tax.......and a high property tax. same type of folks doing the same thing.
if you come to Maine or New Hampshire Iz, we will take care of you (and we wont razz you too much......)
Quote from: Randimus Maximus on April 16, 2009, 07:47:09 PM
lakes do not equal seas.
and where was my invite?
Oops..did I say you were invited? I meant Stella.
Richmond is nasty! I have had a few jobs in and around the city. I feel like I need to take a shower just talking about it. Nasty!
Quote from: ducrider45 on April 16, 2009, 08:32:32 PM
Richmond is nasty! I have had a few jobs in and around the city. I feel like I need to take a shower just talking about it. Nasty!
Lansing and Detroit are nasty too but there's still some areas around each one that I'd live in.
Nothing to contribute, just an interested reader. ;D
Ours did close, but i hear we might be getting another soon. If not, we still have a great duc shop; Richmond Superbike.
IZ is going to end up moving back to Mexico where he'll become the local drug lord for about a8 months, then move again.
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 09:47:04 AM
Thanks for the info and like always.. the "spirited" remarks! :P
BTW..MotoGP.. are you referring to Sinister? We left Seattle a year ago.
ahhh, I haven't talked to him in about a year, I did not know that,
let me know when you move back to FL,
I figure he is a traveling cook
he moves to an area
cooks some tweak
and
when the heat comes his way he is out
Quote from: herm on April 16, 2009, 07:54:01 PM
4 months? give me a break. Portland is not "maine." besides, thats not even long enough to see the seasons change if you dont time it right.
NH is no different than Oregon, except no income tax.......and a high property tax. same type of folks doing the same thing.
if you come to Maine or New Hampshire Iz, we will take care of you (and we wont razz you too much......)
Who are you kidding?
We'd tool on him mercilessly. ;D
Seriously Portland was recently voted the best small city to live in.
The winters suck...and it's not 4 months of suck...closer to 6
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 07:13:47 PM
I don't know a thing about NH??
Thanks Brix..sounds cool. I'm getting a sea kayak. Maybe I should get one for the rapids too?! [thumbsup]
If a sea kayak is in your future, you should consider Norfolk/Virginia Beach. Some of the best water in the country for a sea kayak, and a very good kayak club (Tidewater kayak anglers assoc. www.tkaa.org (//http://)) with some very knowledgable kayakers. Also home to the East Coast Surfing Championship every year, the Red, White, and Blue offshore fishing tournament, and a decent european bike presence with BMW, Ducati, and Triumph dealers in the area.
Quote from: Mother on April 17, 2009, 05:46:38 AM
I figure he is a traveling cook
he moves to an area
cooks some tweak
and
when the heat comes his way he is out
Well, if tweak is a priority, maybe IZ should consider Kentucky :P
Quote from: herm on April 16, 2009, 07:54:01 PM
4 months? give me a break. Portland is not "maine." besides, thats not even long enough to see the seasons change if you dont time it right.
We are talking about Portland, ME, correct?
He was there in the winter.
He just didn't care for what it had to offer.
What's wrong with that?
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 05:27:10 PM
Quit blowing smoke up my azz Sin! The only thing you can't quit is the mini burgers...
Mmmmmmm...mini burgers... [bow_down]
Quote from: Sinister on April 17, 2009, 12:54:11 PM
Mmmmmmm...mini burgers... [bow_down]
guess who's makin 'em especially for the fights tomorrow! [moto]
BTW.. what about Raleigh, NC? Any info?
Quote from: IZ on April 17, 2009, 09:31:48 PM
guess who's makin 'em especially for the fights tomorrow! [moto]
BTW.. what about Raleigh, NC? Any info?
Raleigh isn't as big as Charlotte. Talk to Rameses and jobu. Ill have more info about it when I get to a computer.
Quote from: JBubble on April 17, 2009, 10:41:56 PM
Raleigh isn't as big as Charlotte. Talk to Rameses and jobu. Ill have more info about it when I get to a computer.
It's closer to the ocean though.
Oh sh*t..those two aren't in Raleigh are they?!
raleigh is great also. My in laws live down there and i always enjoy a visit. Richmond is a lot like Austin, only smaller. We have a great art/ music/food scene here in Richmond. .... just do it already!
Quote from: brix821 on April 18, 2009, 02:56:40 PM
raleigh is great also. My in laws live down there and i always enjoy a visit. Richmond is a lot like Austin, only smaller. We have a great art/ music/food scene here in Richmond. .... just do it already!
He don't know me very well!
;D
Quote from: IZ on April 16, 2009, 08:39:14 PM
Lansing and Detroit are nasty too but there's still some areas around each one that I'd live in.
Ahh, you've lived in Lansing. I grew up in and around Lansing through HS. The first few times I went to Richmond, my thought was that it is slightly larger, southern version of Lansing with a little more crime. I'm still not an expert on Richmond by any means, but I've been back a few times and my impression hasn't changed a lot. It's alright. I've spent a couple of weeks in Austin and other than the fact that they are both state capitals, I see few similarities between Austin and Richmond. IMO they have a totally different feel.
I lived in Detroit for 7 years (5 CBD, 2 Corktown) and despite its "issues" the city still has a soft spot in my heart and I always enjoy anytime someone casts even semi-positive aspersions in its direction. I also lived in Ann Arbor, so we have some similar reference points. I've been in the DC area for several years now. I'm quite satisfied living here. I do like the fact that I can drive or take a train and be in NYC in not much more than 4 hours. Philly is ~2.5 and Baltimore ~45 min. Great riding is ~1.5 hours away.
Raleigh isn't as big as Charlotte and I didn't like it as well either. It's still like over three hours to the beach isn't it? Way too many people in Raleigh and the Research Triangle anyway and it's gotten expensive to boot.
Greenville, SC is a very good place and very close to the good riding beautiful lakes in the area and two hours to Atlanta. Greenville is about 250,000 peeps, good airport, real nice down town and decent theater and music too and living int the country outside town is laid back, but with the city just a few min. away.
I lived in Phoenix for a few years and I liked Flagg (Oak Creek Canyon [thumbsup] was a fave place) OK, but Asheville is better in my book the BRP runs through it. [thumbsup]
You sound a little like a city guy who likes the country rather than a country guy who like the city. DC may be it. [thumbsup]
Good luck.
LA
Quote from: potomacduc on April 19, 2009, 03:40:04 PM
Ahh, you've lived in Lansing. I grew up in and around Lansing through HS. The first few times I went to Richmond, my thought was that it is slightly larger, southern version of Lansing with a little more crime. I'm still not an expert on Richmond by any means, but I've been back a few times and my impression hasn't changed a lot. It's alright. I've spent a couple of weeks in Austin and other than the fact that they are both state capitals, I see few similarities between Austin and Richmond. IMO they have a totally different feel.
I lived in Detroit for 7 years (5 CBD, 2 Corktown) and despite its "issues" the city still has a soft spot in my heart and I always enjoy anytime someone casts even semi-positive aspersions in its direction. I also lived in Ann Arbor, so we have some similar reference points. I've been in the DC area for several years now. I'm quite satisfied living here. I do like the fact that I can drive or take a train and be in NYC in not much more than 4 hours. Philly is ~2.5 and Baltimore ~45. Great riding is ~1.5 hours away.
I grew up a few miles north of Lansing. If Richmond has more crime then it must be a lot like Flint?
Detroit, eh? The s/o's sister lives in Ferndale. We've visited a few times. Greektown is cool. The last time we went was in winter and we were ice skating in the middle of the city. Ann Arbor was the closest I'd live to MoTown.
DC looks cool and there a few good employment prospects for us..I'm not sold on it though. I know the traffic there must to be worse than Seattle?! Being located so close to those other East cities is really cool though!
Quote from: LA on April 19, 2009, 04:30:06 PM
Raleigh isn't as big as Charlotte and I didn't like it as well either. It's still like over three hours to the beach isn't it? Way too many people in Raleigh and the Research Triangle anyway and it's gotten expensive to boot.
Greenville, SC is a very good place and very close to the good riding beautiful lakes in the area and two hours to Atlanta. Greenville is about 250,000 peeps, good airport, real nice down town and decent theater and music too and living int the country outside town is laid back, but with the city just a few min. away.
I lived in Phoenix for a few years and I liked Flagg (Oak Creek Canyon [thumbsup] was a fave place) OK, but Asheville is better in my book the BRP runs through it. [thumbsup]
You sound a little like a city guy who likes the country rather than a country guy who like the city. DC may be it. [thumbsup]
Good luck.
LA
I need a big city or a few cities close together. Austin is good sized but it's still kind of small. Dallas, SA and Houston are all within an hour drive though. Asheville looks cute but it would not be a good place for us. Greenville..the same. 3 years in Flagstaff was 2 years too long. That's how I think both cities would be like.
Thanks for the info everyone.
Keep it coming!
Where's Rams and Jobu? Waiting to hear their input since I know Rams goes to Duke.
You could move your hippie ass to Boulder, CO.
Quote from: Randimus Maximus on April 19, 2009, 07:47:05 PM
You could move your hippie ass to Boulder, CO.
Boulder was cool. Close to the mtns and Denver..but..too many Michiganders in the area. :-\
Quote from: IZ on April 19, 2009, 08:03:07 PM
Boulder was cool. Close to the mtns and Denver..but..too many Michiganders in the area. :-\
the two that you met?
Title change..now Raleigh/Durham, NC.
Any Info??
I almost had a job there once. Actually, it was in Cary. I liked the area, from what I could tell. Of course, that was 20 years ago, so it might be completely different now.
Quote from: Randimus Maximus on April 19, 2009, 08:21:53 PM
I almost had a job there once. Actually, it was in Cary. I liked the area, from what I could tell. Of course, that was 20 years ago, so it might be completely different now.
I'll check into that area. Looks kind of flat like Mid-Michigan there.
Cary..just SW of Raleigh. I'm checking into it. Was that for Toyo?
Quote from: IZ on April 19, 2009, 08:28:23 PM
I'll check into that area. Looks kind of flat like Mid-Michigan there.
Cary..just SW of Raleigh. I'm checking into it. Was that for Toyo?
No, American Airlines had a reservation center there that I was trying to get a gig at.
Shouldn't you just buy an RV and wander? It seems like it'd save so much trouble.
Maybe you have said before, but why all of the moving?
Quote from: littlewiseass on April 19, 2009, 08:37:11 PM
Shouldn't you just buy an RV and wander? It seems like it'd save so much trouble.
There was a thread on that already.
Kopf..how long have you been on here/TOB?
I live and work in RTP. The riding is OK, but you have to go 1.5 to 2 hours away to start getting really good roads up in the mountains. There are a lot of motorcyclist around here though who ride a lot of different kinds of bikes. Plus, there's 2 Ducati dealerships in Raleigh, one each in Charlotte and Asheville. That's not counting Pompetta's garage. [laugh]
As for living, I've been here 10 years after moving down from Indiana for my job. The winters are nice and the summers are only mildly hotter than the midwest. There are a LOT of midwestern transplants in the area, as well as many people from NE. With all the technology companies, there's a lot of international transplants as well. All this combines to offer an enormous amount of diversity in restaurants, bars, and clubs. Everything from a dive like you'd find in a small town in Indiana to an upscale lounge serving tapas. It was also named top "foodie" small town by Bon Appetite.
Someone already mentioned Cary as a place to look for a house. I would also look in Morrisville and N. Raleigh. There are a lot of empty brand new construction right now, so the prices have come down slightly. Chapel Hill is still pretty pricey and there are some nice places in Durham, but it's best of you check those out in person as Durham has a strange layout that sometimes has nice neighborhoods right next to not so nice ones. They also have higher property taxes.
If you have any specific questions or want a read on a real estate listing or something, feel free to shot me a PM.
Quote from: superjohn on April 20, 2009, 05:00:44 AM
I live and work in RTP. The riding is OK, but you have to go 1.5 to 2 hours away to start getting really good roads up in the mountains. There are a lot of motorcyclist around here though who ride a lot of different kinds of bikes. Plus, there's 2 Ducati dealerships in Raleigh, one each in Charlotte and Asheville. That's not counting Pompetta's garage. [laugh]
As for living, I've been here 10 years after moving down from Indiana for my job. The winters are nice and the summers are only mildly hotter than the midwest. There are a LOT of midwestern transplants in the area, as well as many people from NE. With all the technology companies, there's a lot of international transplants as well. All this combines to offer an enormous amount of diversity in restaurants, bars, and clubs. Everything from a dive like you'd find in a small town in Indiana to an upscale lounge serving tapas. It was also named top "foodie" small town by Bon Appetite.
Someone already mentioned Cary as a place to look for a house. I would also look in Morrisville and N. Raleigh. There are a lot of empty brand new construction right now, so the prices have come down slightly. Chapel Hill is still pretty pricey and there are some nice places in Durham, but it's best of you check those out in person as Durham has a strange layout that sometimes has nice neighborhoods right next to not so nice ones. They also have higher property taxes.
If you have any specific questions or want a read on a real estate listing or something, feel free to shot me a PM.
Cool! good to hear there's a couple dealers too! A backyard
garage is also good too!! ;)
The s/o was talking about visiting first. We've never been there.
Diversity/multicultural..good.
What local corp/businesses are there? I know UNC, Duke other colleges are there.
Quote from: IZ on April 20, 2009, 05:52:38 AM
Cool! good to hear there's a couple dealers too! A backyard garage is also good too!! ;)
The s/o was talking about visiting first. We've never been there.
Diversity/multicultural..good.
What local corp/businesses are there? I know UNC, Duke other colleges are there.
UNC, Duke (btw, Rameses goes to UNC, I'm pretty sure you were kidding about him going to Duke but I didn't want you to mess that one up if you weren't), and NC State are all in the RTP area. NC State is in Raleigh itself. You've also got Wake Forest, my alma mater, in Winston-Salem which is down the road a couple hours. The rivalry (Tobacco Road Rivalry) is awesome between them and makes for some great sporting events.
It is still a hike to the beach and to the mountains and I'm not sure if its city enough for you. I'd PM Rameses and Jobu to grab their attention.
And visiting is a good idea. Yuu came down to visit Charlotte several times while he was looking around. He got to meet some locals, taste some good bbq, and get a feel for the layout of the city.
Major employers in Raleigh and RTP: http://www.raleigh4u.com/page/major-employers (http://www.raleigh4u.com/page/major-employers)
Quote from: JBubble on April 20, 2009, 06:32:16 AM
UNC, Duke (btw, Rameses goes to UNC, I'm pretty sure you were kidding about him going to Duke but I didn't want you to mess that one up if you weren't), and NC State are all in the RTP area. NC State is in Raleigh itself. You've also got Wake Forest, my alma mater, in Winston-Salem which is down the road a couple hours. The rivalry (Tobacco Road Rivalry) is awesome between them and makes for some great sporting events.
It is still a hike to the beach and to the mountains and I'm not sure if its city enough for you. I'd PM Rameses and Jobu to grab their attention.
And visiting is a good idea. Yuu came down to visit Charlotte several times while he was looking around. He got to meet some locals, taste some good bbq, and get a feel for the layout of the city.
Major employers in Raleigh and RTP: http://www.raleigh4u.com/page/major-employers (http://www.raleigh4u.com/page/major-employers)
Thanks Bub.
What you think..you like the PDX/NW or back in NC? I really liked Portland/Seattle. I'm not sure if anywhere I've been looking can compare. Well, better weather of course!!
BTW..I know Rams is at UNC. Maybe that's why he hasn't PM me back? [laugh]
Quote from: IZ on April 20, 2009, 06:46:22 AM
Thanks Bub.
What you think..you like the PDX/NW or back in NC? I really liked Portland/Seattle. I'm not sure if anywhere I've been looking can compare. Well, better weather of course!!
BTW..I know Rams is at UNC. Maybe that's why he hasn't PM me back? [laugh]
Well...of course there's pros and cons to both.
I like the weather in NC for motorcycle riding but the summer is awful. 90+ degrees with insane humidity but the fall is so beautiful and there's rarely significant snowfall. There's great riding around, especially in the mountains, but no track. The beach is there and is very nice most of the time and NC is full of great diversity due to all the influx of people we've had. And of course my family and my dogs are here in NC.
But Mother is in Oregon and I go where he goes (I know, I know, sappy). The weather there isn't all that bad. In the winter, I can ride horses in the indoor arena and head 15 minutes up the mountain to go snowboarding. Yeah, the rain is sucky but there's stuff I can do. There's so much to do outdoors, hiking, shooting, whitewater. There's great riding right outside my door and a track within an hour. I'm a country girl that likes the city so living in the boonies isn't so bad. I was getting real tired of the traffic and noise in Charlotte (nothing compared to DC).
The RTP area is great, here's some info about Cary in particular (Cary is home to a lot of soccer stuff so I'm a fan of it): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary,_North_Carolina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary,_North_Carolina)
The colleges and Research Park really make it a diverse area, you may just wanna look into whether you can do the outdoor stuff you wanna do there.
Quote from: IZ on April 19, 2009, 05:52:38 PM
I grew up a few miles north of Lansing. If Richmond has more crime then it must be a lot like Flint?
Detroit, eh? The s/o's sister lives in Ferndale. We've visited a few times. Greektown is cool. The last time we went was in winter and we were ice skating in the middle of the city. Ann Arbor was the closest I'd live to MoTown.
DC looks cool and there a few good employment prospects for us..I'm not sold on it though. I know the traffic there must to be worse than Seattle?! Being located so close to those other East cities is really cool though!
Dewitt?
Richmond has crime that is probably between Lansing and Flint. It is no where near as bombed out feeling as Flint and is probably a little more vibrant than even Lansing. If you can keep yourself entertained in Lansing, you would be OK in Richmond. You can reach all of those same east coast cities from Richmond by car or train, it's just 100 miles farther.
DC traffic hasn't been much of an issue for me, as I have lived and worked inside the beltway in VA since moving here. I 've been here 6 years, walked to work for two of those years and had a commute of 4.5 miles or less the rest of the time. You generally do pay more for the convenience, but for me it is worth it.
On to Raleigh...I have travelled there a fair amount for work and I like Raleigh. Raleigh is interesting in that at times it feels like a small town and at others it feels quite a bit larger. To use the Lansing comparison again, Both cities are state capitals, both have the "_______ State University". in 1970 Lansing was a bit larger than Raleigh (130K to 122K). Since then, Raleigh has more than tripled in size and Lansing has shrunk by 10%. Add in the fact that Raleigh is part of a metro area with other cities that have been similarly dynamic and the contrast between Raleigh and Lansing can be stark. Raleigh and its metro area are simply much larger and much more dynamic. Still, at times it doesn't feel much bigger at all.
My take on NC is that I like the feel and culture of the east side of the state and the topography of the west side of the state. I guess you can't have it all. In general though, I like NC; not enough to go out of my way to move there, but if I was in relocation mode, it would get some consideration.
Quote from: Randimus Maximus on April 19, 2009, 07:47:05 PM
You could move your hippie ass to Boulder, CO.
IZ would fit right into the peoples republic....
seriously though.........skip boulder. 20 square miles surrounded by reality.
if your interested in Colorado, check out Fort Collins.
and avoid the springs unless you are serious about your religion :P
I'm convinced IZ is in the relocation program and he keeps make the beast with two backsing it up by telling people where he's moving.
I have only gone to Raleigh for business and I found it a bit slow. I know I was probably looking in the wrong places. How important is it to be near the beach? Mountains? Is it a deal breaker?
Quote from: JBubble on April 20, 2009, 07:34:18 AM
There's great riding around, especially in the mountains, but no track.
No Track? VIR is an hour away. [thumbsup]
Quote from: superjohn on April 20, 2009, 04:14:46 PM
No Track? VIR is an hour away. [thumbsup]
IZ asked about my experience where I lived in NC (in Charlotte not Raleigh). VIR is 3 hours away from Charlotte. Now I have a track almost in my backyard as well as a very active racing club. Thats just a tad different than my experience in Charlotte.
Quote from: JBubble on April 20, 2009, 06:18:57 PM
IZ asked about my experience in Charlotte not Raleigh. VIR is 3 hours away from Charlotte. Now I have a track almost in my backyard as well as a very active racing club. Thats just a tad different than my experience in Charlotte.
Yes, you do have an active club up that way. Seattle's the same way!
Cool..a track an hour a way in Raleigh? Not bad.
Arghh..I miss AZ in regards to trackdays. Firebird raceway was approx. 5 miles from my house. $20 trackdays for Ducs a couple times/year.
somehow I get the feeling that the end iz near
IZ iz the clock
Once he settlez down the countdown beginz
Upon the unholy birth of hiz spawn
A darkness will spread across the earth
"Corpse of Rebelz"
"Ashez of Dreamz"
"Blood Stained Streets"
and all that
so, you're saying we iz doomed?
izactly
doomed az doomed can be.
iz almost az if he iz the antichrist
Quote from: herm on April 21, 2009, 04:57:29 AM
iz almost az if he iz the antichrist
you're giving his
that much credit? [roll]
not him, hiz spawn
IZ iz merely the carrier of hiz half of the unholy light
Points east of Raleigh/Durham, NC are nice. The whole area is a bit run down. Wilson and surounding areas were booming tabaco centers. They are all run down now. Banking is the big money maker in that area now. I do a lot of work for BB&T down in that area. 300K buys you a very nice home with land. 600K - 1 mill Buys you "OMG!" (my wifes reaction).
Quote from: ducrider45 on April 21, 2009, 08:49:38 AM
600K - 1 mill Buys you "OMG!" (my wifes reaction).
I bet she'd say the same thing to the 1.2m, 1100 sf land-locked house (shack) I saw for sale on Wrightsville Beach this past fall.
Quote from: ducrider45 on April 21, 2009, 08:49:38 AM
300K buys you a very nice home with land. 600K - 1 mill Buys you "OMG!" (my wifes reaction).
Yes, I've been on realtor.com
I've lived in the northwest part of Raleigh for about 10 years now. I really like it. Raleigh is not a downtown kind of city. There is some night life, but other than clubs the downtown area is a ghost town at night.
I don't know what part of the Triangle you're looking at. Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are all in different counties. Our school systems are county based. Since you seem to move a lot, you'll want to take into account for resale. That said, do NOT buy in Durham. The Durham schools are horribly run. If you're renting, there are some okay areas in Durham.
The riding around here is okay. It doesn't take too long to get out in some really rural areas. It's not mountain twisties, but it's not the plains either. The local Monster group is pretty good. Check the M-ROC section. We don't have scheduled get-togethers, but meet up a good bit. We also have a lot of wrench days at Pompetta's garage.
I'm an Army brat and have lived in Cape Elizabeth(just south of Portland), Maine and Hampton Roads, VA. I loved Maine and wouldn't have minded staying there. My fiance and I are getting married in Booth Bay this summer. She lived in Maine as a kid and loved it as well.
Quote from: minkman on April 22, 2009, 01:50:10 PM
There is some night life, but other than clubs the downtown area is a ghost town at night.
My fiance and I are getting married in Booth Bay this summer.
Doesn't the second statement invalidate your first hand knowledge of the first? [laugh]
I can usually find something to do downtown, when I bother to make the trip.
Damn it, I'm starting to sound like the Triangle Tourist Bureau.
Richmond (home of GWAR) is too inexpensive, fun and centrally located to be for you. It's the perfect east coast small city.
http://www.venturerichmond.com/events/ (http://www.venturerichmond.com/events/)
Quote from: IZ on April 19, 2009, 05:52:38 PM
Where's Rams and Jobu? Waiting to hear their input since I know Rams goes to Duke.
>:( >:(
Quote from: IZ on April 20, 2009, 06:46:22 AM
BTW..I know Rams is at UNC. Maybe that's why he hasn't PM me back? [laugh]
You're damned straight that's why!! ;D
Actually, I clicked on this thread back when it was titled as Richmond, VA and didn't keep up with it at all after that.
I think I've covered everything by PM now though haven't I?
Yeah..you have. Appreciate it!!