Ducati Monster Forum

We currently live in Hawaii but I'm considering a job offer from a company in San Francisco.
We've been there many times but never for more than 3-4 days each visit. If I accept the offer I'll need to be there early next year.

I need some advice.
1) We need to rent a house. Married, no kids, three small dogs (biggest is about 35 lbs)
Because of the dogs the city itself is out of the question. I need a house with a fenced yard.
I'm looking to spend a maximum of about $2k a month on rent. I'll be working in the city but I'm planning on a significant commute. We'll probably buy a house later but not for 6 months to year.

I'd really appreciate some advice on areas to look at, realtors to talk to, etc.


2) I've got termi slip-ons. Are they legal in CA?

Good luck, it's a great place to live. [thumbsup]

1. Actually there are probably more dog-friendly rentals in SF than many other places, but take a look at CL and see what you find.  Your budget definitely makes it harder.  The more affordable places close to SF include Pacifica, Daly City, and South SF, but some parts of them are not so nice and the weather will be cold and foggy.  Since you're willing to go farther out you can look in the east bay which will have better weather, just be wary as some areas are worse than others.  There is public transit from some parts of the east bay.

2. No, but it's not stopped the rest of us. [evil]  Just keep your stock exhaust handy in case you ever get a fix-it ticket.

Somegirl-
Thanks for the reply.
So would my options get better at $2500 to $3k? I'm trying to figure out finances right now as I'd be paying a mortgage here and rent there for a while.

Yes, but I'd do a search in your original budget on CL and see what you can find.  Then post up here and ask, we can tell you what the area is like and how your commute would be (might depend on if you are planning on commuting by moto, car, or public transit).

Commuting by car and Monster. Probably most days in car, maybe one or two days on the bike.
I really only know the city itself and not very well.

House size doesn't matter so much (ours here is only 1200 square feet). The yard is more important because the dogs need at least a little space.

I really have no idea where to look. Concord seems like a possibility. Maybe Marin but probably too pricey.

Any suggestions?

Where in the City would be working?  (if you know)  That can have a significant effect on your commute time.  It's a small city, but can be a PITA to work through if you have to commute from one side to another.  You might also want to consider places that are close to BART. 

Concord is pretty far out from SF.  

If you're looking for a house, 2k might not work in most places.  However, it would be possible to find an apt with backyard for the dogs in the City.  Like somegirl said, check CL.  I'd stay away from northbay as it'll be expensive, and the Golden Gate bridge commute in a car can be a real pregnant dog.  There are pretty cool ferries that run across the Bay though.  I'd only consider it if you're working somewhere near the Marina.

Here's the BART map:

(http://www.bart.gov/images/global/system-map26.gif)

Map of the bay (for discussion purposes)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=san+francisco,+ca&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.901528,78.837891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=San+Francisco,+California&ll=37.745743,-122.360229&spn=0.528833,1.231842&z=10 (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=san+francisco,+ca&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.901528,78.837891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=San+Francisco,+California&ll=37.745743,-122.360229&spn=0.528833,1.231842&z=10)

You might want to look in the Avenues (west side of the city) in SF.  It's foggy and feels kinda suburban, but it might fit what you're looking for:


An example:  http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1444927851.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1444927851.html)

I would definitely gather up the reasons to live here and focus on keeping that collection tried and true. California is a place where you can find paradise but it can also swallow you up with expenses, long commutes and exhausting surroundings.
An hour commute = 8 hours a week. That's pretty much a day you loose a week in traffic.

If you live in Marin, say San Rafael, you can take the Ferry to the city. Instead of being exhausting, its quite energizing and fun. The people are great, social. You can read the paper or get work done over a coffee. Walk outside and get a blast of sea breeze. Next thing you know you're at work or back home. Park free in the ferry lot in Larkspur. Its bliss.

Places south of the city you can take the train in. Same deal, not as nice, but pretty nice. Stay away from long bus rides. IMHO.

Expensive to less expensive in Marin--->>> Mill Valley, Larkspur, San Rafael, San Anselmo, Fairfax. Map it.
All great places to live. Green, quiet, MUCH warmer and sunnier than San Francisco. All 5 - 10 min.s to the ferry. Fairfax is more like 15 - 30 min.'s with traffic. The Ferry is 45mins and lands at the base of Market St. (ferry building) where you can take trains, street cars, BART, Bus etc anywhere else.

There are plenty of places in the city with little yards by the way. They are a bit pricier. But if you factor in commute expenses it can almost even out. The bridge costs $6. (Only going into the city) gas, parking, wear etc. Parking $ is like a second rent.
Motorcycles cross the Golden Gate bridge free during commute hours as well as other bridges. You can find free places to park in the city if you're clever (MOTORCYCLE NOT CAR). Really cheep otherwise.

Decent places in the city that are less $$$ Potrero Hill, Bernal Heights, Diamond Heights, Some parts of the Mission are pretty cool depending on your taste. Check them out.

Good luck [thumbsup]  We'll grab a  [beer] when you get here!

Man, now you have me cruising CL for housing stuff instead of doing my work.  Island-dwellin' bastard!!!  :P

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1445758882.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1445758882.html)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1445590461.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1445590461.html)

Alameda (East Bay):  http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1443876187.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1443876187.html)  (A friend/co-worker of mine is running for City Council there -- dunno why that matters).

Soon to be former Island-dwellin' bastard!

Thanks so much for all the help. I'm surfin the web like crazy. Most of the people I know in SF work for my current employer or are former clients and filthy rich (with VERY unrealistic housing suggestions RE ATHERTON)


We (SO and I) always loved SF and I'm really excited to ride with out being covered in sweat and clinically dehydrated.

Desmostro-
We are definitely trying to take a realistic view of the pros/cons of SF living. Hawaii is crazy expensive also but in a different way. Housing is high, groceries insane, and shipping on motorcycle parts is just painful.

Plus I have lived in various tropical locations for 20 years and I'd like to be cool once in a while. Plus city-living has a lot to offer.

A ferry ride commute sounds great. I had not thought of that.

 [laugh]  If you up your monthly rent from 2k to 20k, you might be able to find something there.  Though I'm sure renting is a misdemeanor in Atherton.

Check out the ferries and other commute options at transit.511.org.   [thumbsup]

Yep. That one ZERO makes a huge difference!
I find the mega-rich very entertaining.

Foster City is terribly dog friendly. Not a lot of fenced in yards but a lot of dog parks and trails. Almost everyone who lives out there had a dog, btw.

Yes, when I was looking for dog-friendly rentals a few years ago it mostly came down to SF, Berkeley and Foster City.  I chose Foster City because it was convenient for my work.

I think we need rent a house instead of an apartment. Our dogs are accustomed to a "dog door" & a yard.
I would feel terrible restricting them after they've had that freedom their whole lives.

Been cruising CL all day. There are some definite "maybes" out there.

It seem like my price point needs to be$2-3k. Which is OK.

If anyone has any other specific areas to look at, I'd really appreciate hearing about them.

I got nothin', but definitely post up where you're considering, and one of us can probably scope out the neighborhood for you. We can also warn you if the place you're looking at is the suck.

This list might help with your CL search in SF.  Also, note that often one apartment will have exclusive use of the backyard, so if you're not having luck with houses, keep that in mind. 

Good areas in the City that will probably have houses available with yards:

The West Side-- Sunset, Richmond, Stonestown, anything around there.
South Side -- Bernal Heights (south part of SF), Portrero (South east, some parts good, some parts sketch).  Anything around those areas be sure to ask.  Some are really nice, some are really not nice at all.

Places in SF that are probably going to be too expensive or will be mostly apartments:

Russian Hill
Pacific Heights
Presidio Heights
Laurel Heights
Marina
Castro
Cole Valley
Noe Valley (*may* be able find a house on the outskirts, but it'll be on the upper end of where you're lookin')
North Beach
Twin Peaks (I don't really know what the housing stock is -- I think it's
mostly apartments and if it's a house, it's gonna be expensive and not have a backyard (it's on the side of a hill).
Duboce Triangle/Hayes Valley -- mostly apartments.  Some parts nice, some parts sketchy.
Oh yeah, and Seacliff.  ($$$$$$$!!!!!)

Areas you don't want to live:

Bayview
Hunter's Point
Tenderloin/Parts of Western Addition
SOMA -- you won't find houses there, just yuppie lofts and homeless people.  It's all near Tigre, which depresses land values and draws in all sorts of riff raff
Parts of Mission (other parts are nice -- ask about specific locations)

Outside SF, I don't really know that well.  I'd definitely look in Alameda, Berkeley and in parts of Oakland.  Oakland is hit or miss.  Some areas are like a war zone.  Others are really nice (Lake Merritt).  Make sure to ask here if you are looking at something. 

Just keep posting up as you cruise CL and we'll tell ya what it's like.

Thanks so much guys. This info is really helping me narrow the search. Now I know where to look at least!
I'm feeling better already that finding a place to rent is a viable option.

Viable doesn't matter...we have roads like this:
Marin County - Highway 1 - The Racetrack (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BStKjA3ZIu0#normal)

I hadn't even thought of the roads! I was thinking TRACK!
Oh and restaurants, concerts, general availability of goods and services.
Roads!?!? SWEET!

Yeah, and they're a bit longer than the H3 ;D

I'm on the Big Island. We don't even have an "H"
There are a couple of nice roads here, but not many.

Ah, true.

BTW - That vid was from today. Like 31 Oct 2009. Halloween.  ;D

Allright, now you are just gloating. :P
That's really cool. What a perfect way to spend Halloween! Was it scary?

Only in the shadows...where the road was wet.

Yep. That is scary!

Been on CL off and on ALL DAY. Still huntin' but it looks doable.

Been referring back to Spidey's post about the different neighborhoods.

There seems to be a lot of places for rent.

Sign of the times. Like he said, check with us on location if you're unsure. Google Street View is a great tool to take a virtual look around, and everyone here will have an opinion.

I've got CL open in one Safari tab, DMF in another, Google maps in another and Google Earth open as well. My Mac's fan is running full speed!

Side note; the new Google Earth is amazing!

Don't take my list as gospel.   For example, there are houses with backyards in the Mission.  But it totally depends on the block.  Some will get you shot and some are filled with families with kids.  Just kinda depends.  So if you see something, ask about it. You definitely don't want Hunters' Point, Bayview (the southeast part of the City, near Candlestick Park) or the Tenderloin.  Excelsior can be hit-or-miss as well.

Oh, add Glen Park to the list of 'good' places where you'd possibly find a house and backyard.  It's next to Bernal Heights and on the edge of Noe Valley.  As you head south of there, as long as you stay west of 280, that's fine, albeit foggy and a bit boring.

Thanks Spidey.
As a rule I would like to avoid gunplay in the area. I tend to frown on stabbings as well, though I do understand how these things occur. My wife is from a cul de sac in Connecticut and therefore less than tolerant of these types of activities.

I've seen a ton of places on CL. Hear is one that got my attention;

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1442221059.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1442221059.html)

Not a bad spot...albeit a bit out of the way. It does get a little foggy up there, and they're lying when they say it's close to SOMA. You'd end up motorcycling a lot from there, as the public transit is a question up there. And it looks like they don't understand teh interwebz:

For more picture visit C:\Users\Eugene Z\Documents\Picasa HTML Exports\upper market\index.html

That's probably less than 1/2 mile from my place, but it's straight uphill.  It's a nice but quiet area on the west side of the biggest hill in SF.  Spec-make the beast with two backsing-tacular views.  Foggy as hell.  Somewhat less populated because of the fog, because it's not particularly close to the streetcar or BART (you'd have to catch a bus first, but I'm prettys sure that one runs straight down Portola to Market to the Muni station in Castro), and because there's not really a 'central' area for the twin peaks neighborhood.  For example, going to a restaurant would likely be a drive rather than a walk.  If you've got a bike, that's what you'd probably use to get around.  There's a Safeway and Walgreens and some other shopping stuff nearby (I think it's on the google map).  Oh, and if the gheys freak ya out, you'll wanna stay away from Twin Peaks, Upper Market and Castro. ;D

If you find one spot in particular and get all excited about it, one of us can check it out for you.   [thumbsup]

Edit:  Yeah, that bit about SOMA is wrong.  The only way it has all the 'amenities' of SOMA (lots of bars, clubs, restaurants, human feces, methodone clinics, etc.) is if you were to drive from that place in Twin Peaks down to SOMA and then walk around.  

BTW - If you're going to be working downtown, be aware that they recently raised motorcycle meter rates to $0.70/hr.

.70 an hour for motorcycles?
Hell, I've been on the island too long. I didn't think anybody paid to park bikes.

Spidey-
Thanks a lot for the insight.
That one caught my eye because it was in the city, with a yard, and dog friendly.
I never thought that we would be able to be in the city with the dogs, but hell maybe so.
That would be sweet.

I was expecting to be in Concord or somewhere, which may be fine. But good to know there are options.

OK, I'll admit I'm late to this party, and heavily biased toward Marin, so I thought I'd throw these into the pot:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1446043174.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1446043174.html)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1446160981.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1446160981.html)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1445648465.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1445648465.html)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1440866613.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1440866613.html)

From Marin your options for commuting are:
a) the ferry (Larkspur or Sausalito). Great option if you work downtown, but it isn't the fastest choice.
b) the Golden Gate Transit bus. Not a bad choice, but if you tend to work late the bus frequency drops
c) ride the bike into the city. Golden Gate Bridge is free if you go during commute hours and parking is (relatively) cheap. Oh, and you can lane-split in CA, which can take some getting used to, but is a godsend during rush hour.

The good news is that in minutes you're out riding amongst the cows, the weather's better, and the city's close if you need to go in for dinner etc.  Plus we have a better Ducati dealer than the city.  :P

Michael Moore-

Truthfully, I didn't think we could afford Marin. I also thought Marin rentals wouldn't have yards.
Thanks for the links!

I think we'd like it there, though I've never been.
Sadly I don't think public trans will work for me as I'll be all over the city for work.

Commuting into the city by bike isn't bad at all. I did it for a couple of years, and if you're going to be moving about the city, it's a good option. Or get a freeway legal scooter or beater bike if you don't want to rack up the miles on your Monster.

I'd take the miles on the Monster. My wife says I'm in a much better mood returning home on the bike than in my company vehicle here. I'm sure the same would be true in SF.
It seems like a great way to release tension from the work day.

The problem with Marin is dealing with all those aged hippies. (see above).   :P

Wow; aged.
It is way too early in the morning for me to have to read that word when related to my contemporaries.
Ouch.

How about we go with fully developed. That has a nice ring to it.

Don't you think?

Plus I much prefer fully developed hippies to new hippies.

I was talking about Grandpa Michael.  You're welcome to be "fully developed."   ;D

New hippies are awful.  Notice that I completely left the Haight off my list of neighborhoods .

You have not truly disliked new hippies until you live in Hawaii. Beautiful day at the beach, quiet, a nice breeze. Then you go snorkeling, exit the water...

...and there is drum circle. Twenty dirty, but middle class white kids, beating on any misshapen, POS bongo they could get their patchouli stained fingers onto.

I have never really wanted a grenade launcher before.

You might wanna think hard about whether you include the People's Republic of Berkeley in your search.  Or get your hands on that grenade launcher.   ;D

...or until you catch a bunch of dumb hippies using your sidewalk as a bathroom. We were going to bed the other night when BikerGoddess noticed some hippie girl peeing next to my commuter bike. I grabbed the nearest intimidating weapon...an old cane BG used when she had sciatica. It must've been a pretty funny sight...me chasing a hippie up my street with a cane. I almost wanted to yell "YOU KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN!"

It's a good thing you're not thinking about Santa Cruz! [roll]

I have sooo become that guy. I really am in favor any lifestyle that makes people happy until someone else's stupidity violates my level of tolerance. Someone urinating on or near something of mine would definitely fall into that category.
I think we'd like to live in the city, but man it would take some getting used to. I'm sittin' by the pool right now and the only sounds I hear are birds and one of my dogs rooting around under a shrub. It is absolutely quiet. We are about 800 feet above sea level and a mile and half from the ocean, but I can often hear the surf at night.
BUT, I've never lived near a big city and I think it would be really exciting. The idea of renting in the city while looking for a place to buy is especially enticing. The ONLY concern is space for mutts. Now that I think of it, I also need to park a car, a truck, and the bike.

I think we'd dig Santa Cruz, based solely on reading about it.
Is there a hippy infestation there?

Santa Cruz probably has the highest hippy per capita ratio of anywhere in the US I can think of.

You'd love the landscape and the roads and many other things though.

The landscape does look spectacular.

I loved your Halloween pic of the dogs!

I don't know if it's been posted earlier in the thread, but I found housingmaps.com to be very helpful when moving to the west coast. 

Here's an example -- my sister went to school at UC Santa Cruz.  She spent her last two years without a dorm room.  Instead, she and a 'community' of folks--some students, some locals--lived in the woods.  Yup, they lived in the woods with drum circles and pagan rituals and all.  She'd keep stuff in a locker on campus and would study in the library, but otherwise, had a lean-to or a tent or sumptin' like that for shelter.  She didn't use deodorant or shave her legs (hadn't for years) and started making her own clothes and growing her own food.  

Fast forward two decades, she moved to Arizona and became a Republican. [laugh]

Clearly AZ has some mad powerful republican mojo! :o

Ya. Roooooooooads...
Official Favorite roads & twistys pics:
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=30212.msg523455#msg523455 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=30212.msg523455#msg523455)

So many you can't count them all on your fingers and toes. Just around here.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2657/3970307859_c12e20884d_o.png)

I now have road envy [bow_down]

Thanks. That is a hugely helpful supplement to Craigslist. I had not heard of that site.

oh .... the shame!!!  :-[

using his best "hank hill" impersonation ...

(http://bestuff.com/images/images_of_stuff/210x600/hank-hill-28783.jpg)

(http://api.ning.com/files/wRAOiUZcd5Pl5Jbw4gwbaYjBWBPUtR2LZC-yGxTIGWLReaaOjjD3P-XY3sO0Mu67qFN8SJlFr4QFi0W*C0Al6UXTJxvRETFE/MiddleFingerSmileyLOL.jpg)

F'in whippersnappers.

the finger, but with a smiley face... I am befuddled.

(http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs098.snc3/16539_190432314223_589624223_3967328_5745884_n.jpg)

He's been doing that a lot lately...

Hehe, thanks! ;D

Whippets?
Rescued?

Yes, both of them.  Watson (the black one) I got when she was 6 months old, she is 11.5 yrs old now.  Grover (the white/brindle one) I got at 3 years, he is 12.5 yrs old now.

What about your pups?

All from the pound here in Hawaii;
Sweet Pea and Bu are about 8 years old and Sophie is about 2. We have had each of them since they were puppies.

Finding a house that suits the wife and I is of little concern. Finding a place that is good for the dogs is what really matters!

So, what is the general consensus on Walnut Creek?

Nice area.  Good schools.  Well-off families.  On a BART line.  It's the place SF yuppies move when they have kids and can't live in the City anymore.  Piedmont, Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, etc.

The downside?  I think it's in Oregon.  Or Nevada.  Or somewhere around there.   ;D

[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
Being from east coast originally, I find the geography west of mississippi very confusing.

 [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

Walnut Creek is a nice area.  Ash lives there, he doesn't post much anymore but you might try sending him a PM if you have specific questions.

BikerGoddess and I took a sunset walk up to Bernal Heights Park yesterday...there must have been 200 dogs...running up & down the hill, chasing tennis balls, chasing the soapbox derby racers using the path in the park. Suffice it to say that this is a dog-friendly city [thumbsup] In fact, I think dogs outnumber children here.

I used to live in WC. Still work there. I'm willing to rep the east bay. For me it would be absolutely dependent on where in the city you'd be working, because if it's BART-able that's fine and opens up a whole new realm. I personally would absolutely not commute driving over the SFOBB or Golden Gate.
If your work is relatively near a BART station, or ferry terminal, the possibilities are quite wide.
Albany / El Cerrito:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1446722917.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1446722917.html)
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1446362659.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1446362659.html)
Berkeley:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1447314491.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1447314491.html)
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1444963030.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1444963030.html)
Rock Ridge:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1439870019.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1439870019.html)

Etc., ad nauseum.
 

NFA weapons are illegal in Kalifornistan...  [roll]

Thanks for the links [thumbsup]

Office is in an industrial area about a 1.5 miles from Candlestick Park. I don't think BART is going to work for me because on any given day I'll need to be all over the area...not necessarily in the office.

Why wouldn't you commute over SFOBB or Golden Gate... other than the obvious problems of late?

Because traffic is wretched and they're both scary. Just frustrating and takes time and dangerous. If you can ride the moto and use the HOV bypass it's not so bad... but this sucks.
(http://sf.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08_13/bay_bridge_traffic_1.jpg)


Doyle Drive construction is going to make the Golden Gate an even bigger nightmare for a few years too. Also, in Marin, you'd got a little ways to go (http://www.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/inmarin/2009/10/02/101_traffic2450x337.jpg (http://www.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/inmarin/2009/10/02/101_traffic2450x337.jpg))  before you get to the bridge.
If your commute is off-peak it changes dramatically though. Also, if you are close, like Berkeley or Oakland, then the 20 minute wait at the toll plaza / metering lights isn't so bad, but you may not want to come from Concord and then go across, it's starting to get pretty long at that point.

Uh . . .  are you a MOB member?


+1.  Yeah, if you're planning a commute with a car rather than BARTing, living in Walnut Creek would be a serious pregnant dog.  It's better on a moto cuz you can lanesplit and use the HOV lane, but it takes some serious cajones to ride the Bay Bridge during rush hour, to say nothing of doing it when it's rainy and windy (you'll want a 'stich).  For a car commute from the East Bay, look for something close to the Bay Bridge like Alameda or Berkeley or Oakland.   Also, figure in commute costs.  My assistant commutes on BART from Antioch (Pittsburgh) and it's $12 day or $250/month.   Ouch.  Makes my Muni Fast Pass is look pretty good.  Is leaving a car at work during the week and BARTing in most days an option?  

If you're not in SF, living on the Penninsula (south) is a better bet for a car commute, particularly if you're working near Candlestick.  You'd miss most of the traffic back-up because you'd exit before you reach the northern part the City.  And you don't have to deal with the metering lights and toll plaza of a bridge.  I think Ms. Incredible mentioned Foster City as having a lot of dog friendly places.  You'd find lots of houses down there and some nice places to live.  

Also Marin/North Bay starts lookin' further away if you're near Candlestick.  Your commute would require you to go through the whole City.  It's all surface street and can take a while.  

That is actually a fact. Dogs outnumber children in San Francisco. And that looks to exaggerate further in the near future.

There are hotels for pets here. & "Pet Day spa's" if you will. No make the beast with two backsing kidding.
http://www.waghotels.com/inside_look.cfm (http://www.waghotels.com/inside_look.cfm)

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42912000/jpg/_42912763_animal_ap.jpg)

Wag Hotel is three blocks from the homestead...they charge like $90 per night to board your dog. I think it costs extra if you want to watch them on a webcam. I don't think people spend that much on their children...

Or you could just not work in the city and live up here in the North countys like me and do whatever you want. Yard? Who needs a yard. just let the dogs out to run all over the country side and bark at shadows in the night.  ;D

Plus rent are way lower.
http://mendocino.craigslist.org/apa/1446756132.html (http://mendocino.craigslist.org/apa/1446756132.html)

http://mendocino.craigslist.org/apa/1444124352.html (http://mendocino.craigslist.org/apa/1444124352.html)

http://mendocino.craigslist.org/apa/1430014191.html (http://mendocino.craigslist.org/apa/1430014191.html)

http://mendocino.craigslist.org/apa/1426166305.html (http://mendocino.craigslist.org/apa/1426166305.html)

Plus the roads up here are the best. Sorry north bay but it's true. (Having lived in Corte Madera and working in Oakland and the city I get to say this) The down side is that the dealership is hours away, but you can always mail order stuff.

He already said he didn't like hippies. That pretty much rules out Mendocino County.

My last vacation, we paid a girl $80 a day to dog sit for us IN MY HOUSE!

Friends & family are great for that. We do the same thing for vacations. But there are professional cat/dog sitters as well.

Ya, but you can supplement the income with a little agricultural side bidness. hihhs is from HI, so he knows what I'm talking about...  ;D

...and where are all the dispensaries selling said product? Across from Zeitgeist. Next to the pizza joint.

I may need to supplement my income. Leave it to me to move from terribly expensive Hawaii to terribly expensive San Francisco.  [bang]

So it seems like, not surprisingly, people in SF are very opinionated about where to live.

I really appreciate everyones responses.

And it seems there are a lot more options than I originally thought. Which is good news.

Except, I am now completely perplexed.

As soon as he does that this bill will pass and the bottom will fall out of the market.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1306052.html (http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1306052.html)

Don't let all these West/North Bay nose in the sky types (j/k) lead you away from the Beast (pig latin; East bay = Beast). We have killer roads here too, it just depends on how much commute you can handle and at what time do you plan on doing it.

If I worked in SF I'd go BART but I live in the EB (San Leandro) and work deeper in the east bay (about 52 miles 1 way). Some of the communities are still RE-developing here and getting in on the ground floor can drastically reduce the cost for a decent place. Lots of these areas are being developed by the same companies that turned the SOMA around.

As someone said before, living in the Creek and commuting by vehicle would be a pregnant dog, the tunnel is packed EVERYDAY, count on hours of waiting. So if you did decide on the East Bay I'd suggest west of the oakland hills.

agree on the roads, am a S.F. native but lived in Mendo. Co for 10 years and am now in Sonoma Co.....anyway, don't know if you are aware, but the former Moto Meccanica in Santa Rosa has reopened as a used MC shop but still has some Ducati parts and still services them

Don't be.  Everyone is saying the same thing (just with a lot of words).    If you're going to car commute as opposed to a BART commute and don't want to spend your entire life in traffic, North Bay is ok only if you're close to the Golden Gate (Mill Valley, etc.).  East Bay is ok if you're close to the Bay Bridge (Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda).  SF is ok (check my list for areas).  Penninsula is ok.  All of them have pretty immediate access (less than 20 mins) to insanely good twisties.

And if you don't mind an LA-style commute, you can live wherever you want.   ;)


I didn't know they sell in in quantities that small up in growin' country.   ;D

That's just a freebee sample amount.  8)

There is a duc mechanic from San Diego that opened up a service shop in Pt Arena.

http://www.thezenhouse.net/ (http://www.thezenhouse.net/)

...or the amount you lose in the couch cushions.

Exactly. The Bay Area is pretty broad, like 7000 sq miles, and has about 7M people. We were sort of throwing things out without knowing your commute and so on. Obviously you can scratch the South Bay and Sonoma and easterly Contra Costa or Alameda off pretty easy unless you are cool with an hour plus drive.
Then there's all our personal preferences. I personally don't like the peninsula that much for the cost, I'd much rather live in Oaktown or Berkeley or Albany / El Cerrito. But... that's just me. The proximity to SJ doesn't help me at all though; if it did I'd feel differently.
One other thing mentioned above, San Francisco is diverse enough to have pretty much any kind of housing you need, unless it's over about a 5000 sf lot, but it's different in that driving in it sucks, like, more than you'd think. People who live there might feel differently, and are probably better at it, but driving across the city involves a lot of slow surface streets. If you're in like Outer Richmond it's going to take a while to get to Bayview or wherever your work is.
That's exciting for you though, there's a lot of choices!

Reminds me that when I was looking for a place to live in the Bay, I found some really great houses in San Carlos.  Ultimately I got a place in San Jose, but I would have preferred San Carlos. 

wow!  would never have expected that in such a remote area, hope it flys and will check it out next time I'm up there, good excuse  for a ride [moto]....

so far as the original question, lived in San Mateo briefly in the mid-90's and liked it much better than I expected, it has a real downtown, an excellent library, and commuting to S.F. is reasonable by vehicle or Caltrain....

The name of the place seems eerily similar to a recent book:
http://bit.ly/4FaOt3 (http://bit.ly/4FaOt3)

Are they connected? Or just a bit of copyright infringement?

Opinions please!


http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/1440918514.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/1440918514.html)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1439209782.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/1439209782.html)

The Half moon bay one would definitely be a shorter commute. You could take 1, or zip over 92 to 280.

Half moon bay is a nice place-fairly quiet (gets touristy on weekends), big enough to have a number of good stores with good hours, south enough on the coast to get plenty of sun.

The North bayers can chime in on the larkspur one.

Getting to Half Moon on west-bound 92 can be a painful experience on the weekends. 

Larkspur = Picco (http://www.pizzeriapicco.com/).

Yes but leaving from HMB is not so bad.

Pacifica is another option, much better for commuting to SF and prices are probably better than HMB, but parts of it are very foggy (there are some non-foggy parts, believe it or not) and it's just kind of a blah town.  Convenient for SF and HMB.

HMB's pretty foggy too.

So Larkspur has good pizza? I absolutely consider pizza one of the food groups and firmly believe it should be eaten in quantity at least once a week.

Someone I know recommended Pacifica, and I looked on CL. It rally does seem kinda blah.

Dave sells the book there. Evidently Zen & motorcycles is his philosophy where it comes to his shop. Hes been open about a year and seems to have plenty of business.



Larkspur is a pretty good location because of the proximity to 101 & 580 It just minutes from the east bay and 10 minutes from GGB.

Picco friggin rocks. And there's good pizza in SF too...like on the street (http://thepizzahacker.com/).

Larkspur is great, since there's a ferry to SF there. But it won't get you near Candlestick.

Half Moon Bay is nice, but quiet.  It'll be an easier, though not easy, commute to the city -- 30 or so mins without traffic.  No idea what it's like with traffic.  I'm not sure what is the best commute (92->280 or Hwy 1 the whole wa up).  If you take Hwy 1, Devil's Slide (just south of SF) can be uh . . interesting . . . with traffic.

Half-Moon Bay itself is foggy, but nice.  It's not that developed -- lots of open land and the town doesn't feel like row after row of suburban tract homes.  Also, don't think of it as a beach community like you would in Hawaii.  While there are beachers, the water is freezing and the waves are huge and unfriendly -- it's the home of Mavericks.  All the towns on Pacific Coast Highway (aka PCH or Hwy 1) are a bit isolated from hum of the Bay Area, 'cept for the weekend tourist traffic/traffic jams.  The main developed areas on the Penninsula are along 101 and 280.  The hills that separate 280 from the coast are great riding hills, but they form a bit of a barrier.  A lot of people live in Pacifica (north of Half Moon Bay) and commute to the City. Again, you're dealing with serious fog.  A Pacifica commute might be shorter than if you lived in the outer Richmond in SF.

I moved here from Chicago and can assure you that California does not have good pizza.  Pizza in California is an abomination. 

Same for wings, steak subs, and sporting teams.

That's not pizza. That's bread with tomato sauce and heart-attack-special sausage. Real pizza has a thin crust and comes from a wood oven. Or a BBQ that's been converted into a wood oven.

You know nothing of good pizza, nor does any vegetarian/Californian.

Not for nuttin... but if you really were in it for the good pizza then the only place to move would have been NYC.... :)

But then again you would have had to settle for at least a 45 minute commute to good riding. lol Ahhh life is full of compromises.... and navigating Manhattan traffic on a bike is something of the local sport... we have a decent team.

Thanks for calling this book recent. My parents read this book to me as a kid.

WOW.
I thought people were opinionated about where to live...
Who would have known PIZZA could stir such debate?

All I can say is SF, Chicago, and NYC, ALL have better pizza than Hawaii!

Fixed.  

Man, I'm glad datv isn't in on this thread.  Talk about an opinionated food snob (then again, he gets paid to be that way).  He even took a two week course in sourthern Italy about how to kneed the dough correctly in order to make "proper" pizza.

And a bacon-addled Bostonian rocket scientist does? Catching your bike on fire doesn't count toward pizza oven knowledge...


And hence we get to the crux of the matter. Real pizza comes from Italy. From an oven that gets close to 1000 degrees.

Damn. Now I gotta move to Italy?!?!
But I don't have a job offer from there!

Can you make pizza?

I'm not very savvy in the kitchen...
I am however expert in dealing with waitresses and menus.

UPDATE

I have emailed the owners of both the Larkspur property and the Half Moon Bay property.

Well the, it sounds like you will fit right in with this group.

It wasnt something like this was it?

Dear Sir's

I am interested in your property for rent as i am prince coming from Hawaii. My inheritance check cannot be made out to me so i have signed the 1,000,000 check over in your name. Please cash for the amount to rent and send me the rest.

Nope. You spelled everything correctly. The "nigerian prince" never does. [laugh]

not really, New Haven pizza is superior to Manhattan pizza.

mmmm . . . Sally's.  mmmm . . . Pepe's.   [thumbsup]

hihhhs, if you needs someone to get an eye on a place and take some digital pics, give a holler.  Someone should be close enough to Larkspur to take a look.  And someone riding the Penninsula hills on the weekend can swing by HMB to check a place out.

Even the now-vegan who grew up in Chicago agrees New Haven has the best pizza. [thumbsup]

Yeah, but it's not 24/7 foggy.

Parts of Pacifica, Daly City, and the Sunset are so foggy that living there you will question whether the sun still exists. :P

I think I'm closest to HMB. I buy me groceries there. It's a city compared to me house.

Thanks very much. I may take you up on that.

Just got an email, someone rented the Half Moon Bay TODAY.
Haven't heard from Larkspur yet.

Are you looking for January or February or when?

We will probably arrive in January. But may ship a container in December. So will probably need a place rented in December. But, if I found a great place, I would rent it now, just to lock it in.

I can pop over to the Larkspur place and take pics if you like.

Beyond pizza, Larkspur has an excellent Italian-style cafe (Emporio Rulli (http://rulli.com/)) and 4 great restaurants (Picco the non-pizza restaurant, Left Bank (French), Yankee Pier, and the Tavern at Lark Creek) The last two are managed by our own chef du vitesse, DATV.

There are also Mexican, Thai, Chinese and assorted other places, plus a suitably skanky bar, the Silver Peso.

That's all in "downtown" Larkspur, which is really just one street. Beyond that there are tons of places to eat and roads to ride in Marin.  Plus, as I mentioned before, a good crackDucati dealer.

Lemme know if you need those pics.
Michael


Edit: PS - I think the fog thing in Pacifica/HMB is totally overblown, and a myth perpetuated by locals to keep tourists away. I don't think it's any foggier than the western parts of SF for sure.

Thanks very much.

I think Marin or HMB would provide the least culture shock for us. Being in the city would be very cool, but I think we might have to ease into that. Plus my work is going to take me all over the city. I might prefer not spending all my time there.

I used to live in Pacifica and I go to HMB a lot.

There are some places in Pacifica that never see the sun.

There are also (relatively) sunny parts of Pacifica.  I think HMB has decent weather.

Not to be a giant wimp about it, but I think after several with no sun,  i would be wildly depressed.

For me, HMB is too foggy and cold. It's pretty but the average high in summer is like 65 degrees. Larkspur for example should get into the 80s pretty easily.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USCA0459?from=36hr_bottomnav_outdoors (http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USCA0459?from=36hr_bottomnav_outdoors)
Stay on the bayshore or eastshore if you want sun or to wear shorts reliably. If it's not that big a deal, you're fine then. I like the fog a lot but western SF and the coast are too cold. I am an unabashed wus about that.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm not a big fan of being cold either.

Does anyone have any feelings about the Woodside area?

Great riding, except when the squids show up. MrIncredible and somegirl live nearby. Not a horrible commute to SF, but would be a bit of a slog. Usually the first place this side of the ridge to get fog, but otherwise good.

Woodside is really nice.  Super pretty.  Lots of trees and undeveloped land.  It's right by Stanford.  You'll have Steve Jobs and other CEOs as neighbors.  Lots of large estates and lots of horseback riding.  Not a lot of suburban tract homes.

The commute depends how far into the mountains you go.  There's Woodside-by-the-freeway and then there's Woodside-up-into-the-hills.  The further into the mountains, the tougher the commute, but oh, what a commute!  It's right in the heart of insanely good twisties.  On the flipside, you'll have to get used to the sound of lifeflight as motorcyclists are flown out to Stanford Hospital on a lot of the summer weekends.  Mr. I and Somegirl live in the hills.  The 280 commute is one of the prettiest freeway commutes you'll see and is relatively easy.  It won't back up until you're close to the SF and  even then isn't too bad, particularly if you're going to Candlestick area and don't have to get further into the City.  

I did the commute from SF to Palo Alto (south of Woodside) for two years.  It was ok.  Traffic flowed most of the way so it wasn't too bad.  

If you can find a nice place in woodside for your budget, do it. Let us know if you want me & MrI to check out a specific place for you.

Woodside is beautiful. Really.

If I could live anywhere I wanted in the Bay Area, Woodside would be it.

It's a bit worse now. I do the reverse commute (SF-San Mateo) 3 days a week, usually taking 280 home. While it's better than 101, it gets backed up at 92 and 380, and some places in between...in both directions.

Sure, but it's not sit-in-traffic-not-moving-at-all-for-20-minutes type of backed up.  The back-up near Serramonte can be annoying, but it moves along.  And the same if true of 92. 

650.  Blech.   :P

Are you lookin' at this one?  http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/1452180701.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/1452180701.html) 
That is NOT 30 minutes to SF.  And if you don't like cold, talk to Mr. I and Somegirl about living up in the hills.

This
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/1448874595.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/1448874595.html)
looks easier.
I can't weigh in on the 280 commute though.

I can't see CL at work, so if the Op wants something looked at, I drive through Woodside every day, just post up.


If it's at all near me, it gets *considerably* colder than the rest of the bay area.

Take 280 to 380 to 101 to the city, commute works better than 280 the whole way.

I drove by one of the listings (15 Skyline Dr) as it was on my way home (we live 20 minutes farther into the hills).  Unfortunately I didn't see the other listing (Fox hollow road at Woodside  ) until I got home so didn't check that out.

15 Skyline Dr
That would be about 12 minutes to 280, about 45 minutes to the Candlestick part of SF assuming normal conditions.

It is basically just off of Skyline Blvd (35) on a little single lane road, area looks nice but I wasn't able to get out and look at the cottage as it is by appointment only.

It is surrounded by lots of beautiful trees, and you will be right in the middle of the twisties which makes for great riding.  It will be very peaceful except for hearing motorcycles drive by (on 35), particularly on summer weekends.

Things to consider / potential downsides:
- unlikely you will have cell phone service there
- unlikely you will get DSL/Cable Modem there
- you probably have well water, not sure of the quality there but we have to put ours through multiple filters to make it nice to drink, potentially you might have to buy drinking water
- more likely to have power outages during storms
- commute is worse on the weekends
- commute could be terrible during/after a storm if there is a fallen tree (doesn't happen often, but it sucks when it does, those are pretty busy roads though so they will try to clear them quickly)
- commute could be terrible if someone wrecks their bike (more likely on a summer weekend)
- you will be right by Alice's restaurant and the Skywood Trading Post which has a gas station and basic necessities, but you'll have about a 10 minute drive to Robert's Market in Woodside and a 15-20 minute drive to Lucky's Supermarket (in Redwood City)
- I would highly recommend asking what the parking situation is ahead of time
- more likely to be cooler / foggier than, say Palo Alto (maybe 10-20 degrees cooler) but it can also be sunny and hot, I've seen it be 100 degrees (occasionally) on a hot day.  You are more likely to get fog in the morning and evenings at certain times of the year.

Fox Hollow Road
- has DSL
- will be about 30-35 minutes to the Candlestick part of SF
- very convenient to Robert's market for shopping, quite close to Redwood City for major stores
- far less likely to have issues with road closures, etc. due to bad weather
- may have some fog in mornings and evenings at certain times of year but not as much as the skyline one, will be warmer than the skyline one
- cell phone service may be spotty around there but there is some in that area

I think that Fox Hollow one is definitely worth following up on, the Skyline one maybe, depends on what you like.  Let us know if you want us to check them out in more detail.

And as I mentioned before, the best commute is 280 N to 380 E to 101 N (and depending on where you are going in the city, possibly getting back onto 280 N from 101 but that's not necessary for the Candlestick area).  I do this quite a lot and have not had to split lanes. [thumbsup]

WOW.  ;D

Crazy day at work and  I couldn't post on the forum.

Thank you all for the comments and insights.  [thumbsup]

Woodside sounds great.

I was looking at this one http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/1448874595.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/apa/1448874595.html)
It is at the top of our price range, but looks worth it.

The other looked too small. And after reading Somegirls comments it is definitely out of the question (gotta have high speed internet)

Thanks especially to Somegirl for checkin' the place out for me!

Happy to help, we can check out the other one too. [thumbsup]

Well, the Woodside people did not get back to me. The lack of any response is very annoying. :-[

On the other side, I have accepted the job offer, so we will definitely be there (somewhere) in January.[thumbsup]

My first day of work will be sometime in February.

So, if any of you kind people feel like continuing to offer advice to this sun-baked simpleton about moving to THE BIG CITY, it would be greatly appreciated.

Sure.

San Francisco is not a big city-they just like to think they are.  :P

Coming from a guy who never actually lived in The City, you can almost be forgiven for making that mistake.

We're actually a small city...and we like it that way ;D

Anyway, congrats on the job offer. You'll definitely find something here, so keep looking and let us know when you need help.

"The City" would be NYC.


San Francisco is just San Francisco.

I gotta admit "The City" means NYC to me also.

"The City" means whatever major city you live close to. Growing up here, it always meant San Francisco. I'm sure in parts of Ventura and Orange counties it means LA. And I'll take SF over NY any day. NY is a nice place to visit.

Bummer, sorry to hear that. :(

Congrats on the new job and I'm sure you'll find someplace nice to live and we'll still be here to help you.


No, it doesn't quite work that way.  Anywhere in the northeast it means NYC.  Only in the bay area does it mean SF.  In Chicago we just said Chicago.

That was my point...it means different things to people in different areas.

Congrats on the new job, hihhs.  We're here to help.   [thumbsup]   [moto]

This might be stating the obvious, but places for rent in January should come up on CL at the end of the month or beginning of Dec. 

Thanks very much to all of you for your help and insight. [bow_down]
I'll keep watching CL.
If any of you hear of anything in your areas please let me know.
If the right place comes along I would rent it now.

Hey Gang!
I'v got a very strong maybe and  would like your opinions.
Here is the CL listing;
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1466826908.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/1466826908.html)
The house is a bit small, but I think we'd be fine with that. Property would be great for the dogs, and the owner is willing to do a three month lease w/month to month after that.

Property is a little east of Castro Valley/Hayward.
From google map s it seems like I'd be able to take the Bay Bridge or the San Mateo to get to the city.

So, what do you think?

The parts of Castro Valley I've been to are nice, I used to take our dogs to agility training at a farm out there.

I suspect 580 to the bay bridge will be better than the San Mateo bridge.  Traffic will suck either way though. :P

Riding your bike or taking BART will be better than driving.

Let us know if you want someone to go check out the property.

Yeah, Castro Valley is pretty far afield. Plus it seems to me that traffic on the east bay freeways is worse than other parts of the bay.

That commute will suck unless you take BART.  It's at least an hour and maybe more.  That might be fine if you're looking for short term (year or so).  Mebbe the eastbayers can chime in about what it's like.  Great roads around there, but that'd be true no matter where you choose to live.

I am kinda planning on a "suck" commute for a little while.
The attractive thing about this place is the owner's willingness to do a short term lease without a ridiculous increase in the rent.

Somegirl,
So far, the owner has sent me a bunch of pictures but if anyone is out that direction, a drive-by would be great! Please let me know if you know anyone out there or if anyone is heading that way.

I'm heading out 580 on my way to LA on Tues morn.  If no one lives nearby and if I'm not stuck in nightmare traffic with a howling baby, I may be able to swing by. 

Well, I may have lost my mind, but we are renting the house that is a little east of Castro Valley/Hayward (CL add lower in the thread). If nothing else it will be perfect for the dogs. The owner is very flexible and easy to get along with. We are only committing to a few months.

So, anybody want to by a house in Hawaii? [laugh]

Hopefully I'll be meeting some of you early next year.

It's probably a good to just pick something and move. You're not locked in, which is good, so if you find you really like someplace else better you're not stuck. There are so many climates, cultures, topographies, demographics all in this one area you're sure to find something you like - it's just hard to do that from a distance.

 [thumbsup]

It'll be much easier to figure things out after you've spent a bit of time here.  Congrats! [beer]

When's the move?

Our thinking exactly! I am sure it will be fine for the short term.


We will move in January and be there full time by early February. My first day at the new job is March 1.
We are really excited to get there.

Excellent!

Congrats. That's gotta relieve a lot of the stress of moving.

You'll be arriving during the cold, wet months, so don't expect a ton of riding 'til April or so.  We still ride in winter, but not as many people ride as frequently.

Looking forward to meeting you.  [thumbsup]

Cool. The listing is gone, where is it? Some o' those canyons are quite pretty.
I agree on taking 580 to the SFOBB. It will suck, though.
If I lived there I would eat at this place 3 or 4 times a day. The tacos are awesome.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tacos+el+grullense&sll=37.677605,-122.07113&sspn=0.005061,0.021586&ie=UTF8&hq=tacos+el+grullense&hnear=&ll=37.688643,-122.065101&spn=0.010256,0.026908&t=h&z=15&iwloc=A&cid=6317834945616528162 (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tacos+el+grullense&sll=37.677605,-122.07113&sspn=0.005061,0.021586&ie=UTF8&hq=tacos+el+grullense&hnear=&ll=37.688643,-122.065101&spn=0.010256,0.026908&t=h&z=15&iwloc=A&cid=6317834945616528162)

How is the move going?

Complete horror show!!!!.
Just kidding it is going pretty well, thanks. Moving is an enormous PITA.
I spent all of last week in SF on business. It went very well, but I ended up getting sick...too many hours in airplanes and not enough sleep...
Our first container shipped today.
I decided to ship my Monster in the second container later this month.
We plan on being there "officially" in early February.

I gotta admit, riding on those busy roads is a little scary to me! :-\

Just think about it like a race and shoot for the holes.  [laugh]
Don't ever let yourself target fixate on the idiots in cars, keep moving. You'll get used to it fast. hopefully.  [roll]

What's scarier is that you'll get used to it. Nay, even learn to enjoy it.

I moved here (SF Proper) from rural Vermont. It can be done. And remember, lane splitting makes it better.

Lane-splitting scares me senseless!!! :o

We'll get you out on a city ride and give you a gentle intro to it.

DEAL!!!

If you're here at the end of the month, Zeitgeist is in SF on the last Thurs of the month.  Come by after work.   [drink]

Sadly, I won't be there until early February. But I'll make the next one.

Its all perspective, try this...

Driving in Hanoi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV_pfamDX10#normal)

Well, we will be arriving tomorrow night.

Sadly the Monster will not be arriving for several weeks. It is happily strapped into a shipping container in the driveway right now and will not departs the islands for a few days.

Thanks for all the input/advice during the run-up to the move.

I hope to meet you all soon.

I'm going to quote that just because it'll come back to haunt you  ;D

I hope that I won't be able to see the bones in your face anytime soon.

Congrats on the move and hope to meet you soon! :)

Unbelievable;

Do to some absolutely ridiculous circumstances involving one of our dogs and a reaction to a bee sting we were not able to fly yesterday.

So we are going to try again tomorrow.

This is starting to feel like an episode of LOST.
We can't leave the island!

I think we'll start calling you John Locke.

MADE IT!!!!

And forgive me for pointing this out but it is, um, how should I put this, um,
FREAKIN' COLD & WET!!!

Truthfully, we are really happy to be here.
My monster should arrive in about 3 weeks.
I am gonna have to get some gear. In HI, wore helmet, jeans, boots and a perf leather jacket... need more leather here.
I am also going to have get used to ALL THESE CARS, feeling like real yokel here in the big city.

 

Well, it's winter doncha know?  :P

Welcome!

Welcome! Glad you made it.

Definitely get some gear. Take a jaunt up to SF one day (but not Monday...they're all closed) and check out some of the shops. They're listed in local resources (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=562.0).

You work in the City, right?  Try Scuderia West.  Great for gear.  Really, really knowledgeable staff.  I also hit up Cycle Gear a few blocks away on Harrison.  They don't know squat, but their selection is ok.  Oops:  somehow forgot the Dainese store.  That's right there as well. --within a coupla blocks.  Great selection (of Dainese) and great & knowledgeable folks. 

Thanks gang.
When is the next MOB get together?

By my calculations that'd be the 25th. But it's not exactly hard to convince us to have an impromptu beer night at Zeitgeist or Ace Cafe. Just post up!

Really. We're ridiculously easy.

Especially Heather.

Spidey, Thanks for the suggestion.

Went to Scuderia West yesterday. Met salesperson named Crystal. She was a tremendous help.
Very understanding about my limited budget (moving from Hawaii is just crazy expensive).
Got everything I need...pants, jacket, gloves.
Container with the Monster is available tomorrow.
Of course, weather is supposed to suck for the next several days.

Thanks again for the help.

Glad that worked out.  Scuderia is great.  Love them.  BTW, the SF Zeitgeist night is next Thurs.

On my calender!
I'll definitely be there if I can.

Took My first ride in SF today.
Picked up my bike in the City today. Got lost. Drove around in circles in the Mission. Finally found 101 headed home.

My new gear from Scuderia was mostly outstanding. I picked up some AStar gloves that are not warm enough. And my Sidi Air boots (brought from Hawaii) are NO good in the chilly air. I gotta go back to Scuderia and get some warmer boots and gloves.

The ride was great. I even lane split. Which was sweet. I never lived anywhere that it was legal before.

Yeah, your ventilated gear might get used a few days some September. That's about it. Unless of course you move to Phoenix AZ.

But cheer up, it'll get into the 70s pretty soon.

Hell, I enjoyed the cool weather. I have not ridden without being hot in YEARS! I'll hit Scuderia on Tuesday and hopefully show up at Zeitgeist on Thursday

What time were you in there? I was ogling the RSV4 around 11AM...

I was there about 4:30. I also was checkin' out the Aprilla. Did you see the white one in the back?
Luckily there is no way in hell I can afford one right now. So it wasn't too painful to look at. Those things are mean looking. WANT...

The dainese store is quite nice and nearby too-we have no end of moto love in the city. It's worth checking out, even if you're not buying.

I'll swing in there to check it out. This last round was buying for pure utility. Hopefully late this year I can  get some sweet Dainese gear purely because I dig it.

I was ogling that one...that's the Factory model, with Ohlins & such. And we're both right to pass on it...first model year, no true traction control, etc. I think the 1198s is a better bike right now.

Yep, if I where shopping I wouldn't consider the Aprilla over the 1198s. But... with no chance in hell of buying anything like that I'll look at practically anything! That Aprilla is cool though.