Why live, where you live?

[the Ferret]

in another thread about price gouging on a motorcycle, Guth made the observation it was because of the location (So Cal) where the dealers had a 12 month business and didn't have to discount. It got me to thinking about why I wouldn't live there and enjoy living where I do. I know for most of us jobs and family dictate where we live. But for others there are choices of where to make their homes. I choose to live in sw Ohio. We do have family here, but my wife and I are both retired and could realistically live anywhere.

For me there isn't enough good weather, pretty scenery or good roads in Cali to make up for the cost of living, congestion, rudeness of the public, cost of gas etc, and although the scenery was spectacular on our recent trip to Colo with LR, the same thing applies there, along with 8 months of winter. Up where CA200 and Ole live, it's really pretty in summer, but winter is far too long and far too cold for me so I couldn't live there, and down in Fla where Nemo lives it's too hot for too long, too many insects and snakes and reptile and the roads are horrible and traffic is bad as well. Hurricanes are a real threat. Over where Flyn lives it's too stinkin hot to go out for 4 months of the year, but the rest of the year is nice, beautiful scenery too. Not sure about cost of living but it's can't be cheap seeing as how it's so popular.

Good thing I live in SW Ohio I guess..not too hot ...we've had three 90+ days this summer (usually about 19 days though but rarely, rarely over 100 degrees), Not too cold (We do get below freezing but rarely below zero... I was able to ride all but 13 days in Jan and 3 days in Feb this year which are our two months we can count on for winter. Rains too much to suit me, but honestly I ride everyday and manage not to get wet most of the time. It might rain in the morning or evening a couple days a week, but not usually both on the same day, so plan rides accordingly. We rarely have tornadoes and never hurricanes that I recall. Drought has never been an issue and either has forest fires. Flooding is only an issue next to the Ohio river, or a major feeder creek in the spring every 10 years. Cost of living is cheap, people are friendly, roads are good traffic light outside of the major cities, bugs snakes and reptiles are few (lotta coons and deer though). The city I live close to is conservative but pretty vibrant with professional baseball, football and soccer teams, a nationally ranked zoo, and orchestra, a nationally ranked amusement park, hosts a major tennis tourney every year. Plenty of downtown growth, niche restaurants and micro breweries for those that enjoy such things.

It's also an easy 1 day ride from here to Michigan, Indiana, Illinois,Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina, The Blue Ridge Mountains, The Great Lakes, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

I would like to have a second home in AZ maybe where I could go in Jan and Feb. Leave after Christmas and return to Ohio in March or April, so to miss the worst of our weather, but that isn't going to happen.

Can't imagine living anywhere else.. how about you? What are the good and bad about and what influences for a motorcyclist living where you live? :biker:

 

[kennyw]

I grew up in Illinois but never cared for the winters. That was reinforced when I moved to Minnesota after graduating high school. Later moved to Washington state and Oregon. I love the climate and scenery out here. There are some reasonable areas to live in with the cost of a longer commute. But that is more time riding the CB1100 for me. It rarely gets hot or cold, it rarely rains in the summer, it rarely snows in the winter.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

I was born in Ottawa, Canada. I really did not travel much until I was 20 and started motorcycling. Then I realized that I did not want to live in either of the larger cities nearest to me: Montreal 125 miles southeast and Toronto 250 miles southwest. Nor did I want to live in any of the small towns in southern Ontario because they did not have the amenities that Ottawa did.

I learned to appreciate how fortunate I was to live in this beautiful, quiet and peaceful city with good job opportunities. My final choice for an employer was the Federal Government. What a good choice that turned out to be. A lot of interesting jobs and opportunities to move up the ladder. I enjoyed my 35 years of work and retired at 58 with a good pension and free medical coverage.

I learned as early as 10 years old to appreciate all the green spaces, lakes and rivers in southeast Ontario as I like to fish. Being in a boat on a beautiful lake on a nice day is as relaxing and enjoyable as a good day of riding. As a motorcyclist, I have also learned to appreciate the beautiful motorcycle friendly roads in the area.

While I do like a 10 day vacation in Florida in February, I am always happy to return home. The winters here are long, but they are a time to sit back, reorganise, recharge, and plan for the summer. Winter also makes me appreciate the Spring, Summer and Fall seasons more.

 

[Guth_imp]

I'll first note that one man's meat is another man's poison (feel free to replace this with your favorite equivalent). To each their own and all that.

I grew up in the Midwest (that experience was good and will always define who I am to some degree). I spent another 20 years in Texas. So I am very familiar with what those places are all about, I've also traveled throughout most of this country with the exception of perhaps a handful or so of states. There is lots of variety to be found here in the USA, which is awesome.

For me personally, no other place can top the scenery found in the Pacific Northwest. I love the fact that on any given day I'm just a short ride or drive away from the mountains or the ocean not to mention the beautiful valleys and forests that exist between those two extremes. I have passions other than motorcycling including fly fishing (for steelhead in particular) where this area is world class. Any place that does not have a true four seasons just isn't going to keep me happy. I'm okay with warm and cold weather and rain and snow. I just don't enjoy any of those things to the extreme.

While I'm growing increasingly tired of Portland, I'll most likely remain in the Pacific Northwest for the rest of my days. If I were to leave the PNW then chances are I'd end up in New England. I can suffer the cold better than I can suffer the heat. Although NE gets both, the scenery and the variety of outdoor activities on tap there would help to make up for it.


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[paulw_imp]

Well, I was born and raised in Vancouver, BC which still holds a soft spot in my heart as it is, in my opinion, home of some of greatest scenery and nice weather anywhere. At age 40 as part of a promotion with the federal government I moved to Ottawa, Ontario. where I lived for the next 16 years until my retirement. While I didn't dislike Ottawa I never got used to the full 5 months of bitter winter.

In 2014 upon retirement at 58 after 30 years my wife (born in Michigan City, Indiana) who had persevered 15 years in Ottawa and I decided to move to Indiana. We currently live on a nice 5 acre hobby farm with a menagerie of critters from horses to chickens. We are now located in Plymouth Indiana. While not the west coast I love it here and the people are friendly and welcoming.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

For me, it's always been about career. I grew up near San Francisco but attended university in Denver and South Bend, Indiana. Later, work brought me to San Diego and then back to Denver (with a brief but all-too-long stint in Omaha). Doubt I'lll retire here -- the cost of lving is low, but the winters are too cold, too snowy and too long. Once my career is over and I don't need to keep living here, I'll probably end up somewhere along the central California coast, or perhaps in northern California if I can afford it. Or if I get a wild hair, maybe Portugal. I'm single and have no family obligations.

 

[aschem_imp]

Grew up lived in LA and San Diego in the 60s/70s/80s, then Bay area of CA in 90s/thru 2012. I loved So Cal in the 70s and 80s; the beaches were totally awesome; the roads in the mtns uncrowded; plus the cost of living wasn't bad as I was able to purchase a small home in San Diego proper for 67K when I was 24.
Northern Cal was OK, but then cost of living went crazy in all of coastal CA in the 90s. In addition, it became super crowded and the politics in CA were oppressive to individual rights (pew pew pew).

I left CA in 2012, and ended up with a University job in SE Idaho. It isn't crowded, kinda isolated, roads are good for riding (except in winter). Close to Tetons, Yellowstone, and Frank Church Wilderness. No tornadoes, humidity hurricanes, and earthquakes are quite rare. Just have to worry about Yellowstone erupting, but that would be a extinction event anyway, and I would be vaporized due to proximity. Overall it is a conservative area, and the people are generally friendly; neighbors look out for one another. The cost of living is pretty good and a there is decent hospital in town (important as you get older). And for people people that enjoy pew pew pew stuff you don't need a permit to CC and you can hunt just about anything with a permit (deer, elk, grizzly, bighorn, moose, wolf, Bigfoot etc..) Snake river is real close and allot of boating in the area. Mtn biking is also big where I live. Might retire here might retire in ????
SE Idaho is good for me right now, I am very happy I left California!

 

[Frulk_imp]

I live in Utah because somebody has to.

 

[curlyjoe]

Like LongRanger, career has been the dominant force in my life. I grew up in ND, went to university in ND and Iowa and then a 2-year fellowship in San Francisco area. I got a job offer in Cambridge, MA and never looked back. I love New England and really don't want to live anywhere else. The winters can be a bit harsh but nowhere nearly as bad as ND, lol. I usually can get a few rides in January and February if the weather cooperates. My riding is pretty much localized to middle to western Mass, southwest NH and southern Vermont.

 

[redbirds_imp]

I live in south Georgia because it has lots of snakes, bugs, spiders, lizards and other interesting creatures. I would not live anywhere there was a chance of snow sticking for more than five minutes or more than a half dozen days of below freezing temps. I like that I can drive 30 miles to where I used to work without encountering a single red light. I have hundreds of miles of rural two lane to ride with little more than tractors and P/U's to share the road with and get a friendly wave from most everyone I meet. It's nice to live where people stop to ask if you're okay when you stop at roadside. Our church has a motorcycle ministry that has opened the door to dozens of fellow riders I now call brothers and sisters. I call it my own heaven on earth and best of all, it's not in Florida.

 

[Vic_imp]

I moved to Indianapolis IN from Longmont, CO 5 years ago. Moved here and live here because of, or for, family. I loved Colorado and rode everywhere in that state. But I realized over time that the traffic situation was getting offensive there. My daily commutes to work and such bummed me out. I was unsure about moving to Indiana, but once settled in the new house and new job I'm happy to be here. I don't ride all that much, but when I do it's easy to get out in the open and there are good roads with cool stuff to see. The cost of living, for housing, is less than CO so it's nice to get more for the $$. Also as I get closer to the mythical dream of retirement I feel more secure that I could do it here than if I was back in CO.

 

[Capo]

I am fortunate to work in the greatest city in the world, yet live in a beautiful beach town, the very town I grew up in, with relatively easy access to great riding and surprisingly uncrowded rural places. It's expensive versus other places, but to me, worth it and more.

I have no interest in living somewhere less dynamic and interesting than the NY area. The professional opportunities are unmatched, and I've still got a great job and prospects for more, even at close to 60 yoa. We still go to plays, concerts and live performances and museums, and even in retirement, couldn't imagine counting off days or pennies if it meant not having access to all of that. We have some of the best healthcare in the world, and educated and diverse friends and neighbors that we enjoy. We ski in the winter, a few hours away, and visit other parts of the country and the world as the spirits move us. I've seen prettier and cheaper places, but none that interest me more than NY/NJ. As long as I can afford it, I'll stick around, perhaps adding a small getaway place in a warmer clime for a few winter months. We want to do a shed load of travel over the next 20 years, so I don't want to take on more real estate and fixed overhead.

SoCal is still a draw for me, and now that my daughter is at USC, we'll spend even more time there (actually, here, as I'm in LA now.) Yes, it's not the same as it was in the '70's but few places are, and I love much about it. Traffic sucks, but it does in every city worth a hoot.

I'd love to do a stint in London or Rome for a few years, not sure if that's going to happen at this stage of the career.

I love the country, as long as its close to the city, and that's what I've got. And bikes!!


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[flynrider]

in another thread about price gouging on a motorcycle, Guth made the observation it was because of the location (So Cal) where the dealers had a 12 month business and didn't have to discount. It got me to thinking about why I wouldn't live there and enjoy living where I do. I know for most of us jobs and family dictate where we live. But for others there are choices of where to make their homes. I choose to live in sw Ohio. We do have family here, but my wife and I are both retired and could realistically live anywhere.

For me there isn't enough good weather, pretty scenery or good roads in Cali to make up for the cost of living, congestion, rudeness of the public, cost of gas etc, and although the scenery was spectacular on our recent trip to Colo with LR, the same thing applies there, along with 8 months of winter. Up where CA200 and Ole live, it's really pretty in summer, but winter is far too long and far too cold for me so I couldn't live there, and down in Fla where Nemo lives it's too hot for too long, too many insects and snakes and reptile and the roads are horrible and traffic is bad as well. Hurricanes are a real threat. Over where Flyn lives it's too stinkin hot to go out for 4 months of the year, but the rest of the year is nice, beautiful scenery too. Not sure about cost of living but it's can't be cheap seeing as how it's so popular.

Good thing I live in SW Ohio I guess..not too hot ...we've had three 90+ days this summer (usually about 19 days though but rarely, rarely over 100 degrees), Not too cold (We do get below freezing but rarely below zero... I was able to ride all but 13 days in Jan and 3 days in Feb this year which are our two months we can count on for winter. Rains too much to suit me, but honestly I ride everyday and manage not to get wet most of the time. It might rain in the morning or evening a couple days a week, but not usually both on the same day, so plan rides accordingly. We rarely have tornadoes and never hurricanes that I recall. Drought has never been an issue and either has forest fires. Flooding is only an issue next to the Ohio river, or a major feeder creek in the spring every 10 years. Cost of living is cheap, people are friendly, roads are good traffic light outside of the major cities, bugs snakes and reptiles are few (lotta coons and deer though). The city I live close to is conservative but pretty vibrant with professional baseball, football and soccer teams, a nationally ranked zoo, and orchestra, a nationally ranked amusement park, hosts a major tennis tourney every year. Plenty of downtown growth, niche restaurants and micro breweries for those that enjoy such things.

It's also an easy 1 day ride from here to Michigan, Indiana, Illinois,Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina, The Blue Ridge Mountains, The Great Lakes, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

I would like to have a second home in AZ maybe where I could go in Jan and Feb. Leave after Christmas and return to Ohio in March or April, so to miss the worst of our weather, but that isn't going to happen.

Can't imagine living anywhere else.. how about you? What are the good and bad about and what influences for a motorcyclist living where you live? :biker:

If you think 90 is hot, then you probably wouldn't like it here for about 6 months of the year. As I lifelong desert rat, I suppose I've built up a tolerance for it. June through August are the absolute worst for a motorcyclist, but now that I'm retired, I'm spending much of the summer in the cool mountains of the northern Rockies. It works out perfectly for me and when winter comes, I won't have to deal with snow or freezing temps (I am not a cold weather person).

Overall, I think that I've worked out the ideal situation for both flying and riding year round.

BTW, the cost of living around here is surprisingly low for a large metropolitan area (lower than Cincinnati or Indianapolis, for example).

 

[Guth_imp]

The interesting thing about this thread is that we all like different things and have our own set of priorities. It's not clear to me that any of us have chosen where we live specifically for the motorcycling, but rather a combination of things of which motorcycling is one of them (okay, I'd probably have to go back and re-read every post again to be sure of that, lol).

I find the best way to judge my happiness with where I live is by the reaction I have when I've visited a great place away from home and it's time to return. If I look forward to returning home, then I know that I'm doing okay. If not, then I'm probably going to start asking myself some more questions about what my true priorities are.

Here's an offshoot of that situation to ponder, if you no longer rode motorcycles would you still want live where you do? (My guess is that most people would say yes.) Or, what if you could only ride motorcycles in a state where you otherwise wouldn't want to live, would you choose to move or stay put?

 

[Blockhead_imp]

For me, I was born in St. Louis Mo, we lived in a little town along the Mississippi River. My father worked for PPG Industries, was transferred to Pittsburgh in 1966 when I was four years old, been here ever since.

When I read The ferret's original post it sounded like he was describing my town. I live in the suburbs bordering farmlands. It's not uncommon for me to see deer and turkeys in my yard at the same time. We have a four season climate which I enjoy, the season changes are beautiful here. We have all of the pertinent sports teams, great cultural diversity, and some of the best hospitals in the world (my wife is an RN).

For riding I have a lot of choices. I can be on the country roads in five minutes or be in the city with twenty minutes, the mountains within 45. The road conditions (potholes) can be a little rough but I know which ones to avoid.

I will stay here at least until I retire, I have about seven years to go (I'm 55). My job in sales for a dairy has me out on the road about 65,000 miles a year and I love it so I'm in no hurry...very blessed.

 

[redbirds_imp]

The interesting thing about this thread is that we all like different things and have our own set of priorities. It's not clear to me that any of us have chosen where we live specifically for the motorcycling, but rather a combination of things of which motorcycling is one of them (okay, I'd probably have to go back and re-read every post again to be sure of that, lol).

I find the best way to judge my happiness with where I live is by the reaction I have when I've visited a great place away from home and it's time to return. If I look forward to returning home, then I know that I'm doing okay. If not, then I'm probably going to start asking myself some more questions about what my true priorities are.

Here's an offshoot of that situation to ponder, if you no longer rode motorcycles would you still want live where you do? (My guess is that most people would say yes.) Or, what if you could only ride motorcycles in a state where you otherwise wouldn't want to live, would you choose to move or stay put?

I enjoy visiting new places and most everywhere there is much to like. The diversity of opinions on this subject is what makes this forum so interesting and lively.

To answer your question Guth, I would not live anywhere else. As much as I like going new places and meeting people there is nothing that compares to coming home to the place that gives me ease.

 

[WK57ABF_imp]

Born in south London in 1939 - evacuated away from the bombing to Northern England - been there all my life - a true north country hick - and quite proud of it.
John

 

[Rocky_imp]

I'm like redbirds, I was born, grew up, educated, raised my family and had a successful career here.
I couldn't live anywhere else because this is home; this is my life. That's just the way it is.
I've traveled to many parts of the world and had the times of my life, but was always happy to get home.
As wonderful as many of those places and countries are I have never wished I was still there or somewhere else.

 

[Nortoon_imp]

I'm like redbirds, I was born, grew up, educated, raised my family and had a successful career here.
I couldn't live anywhere else because this is home; this is my life. That's just the way it is.
I've traveled to many parts of the world and had the times of my life, but was always happy to get home.
As wonderful as many of those places and countries are I have never wished I was still there or somewhere else.

The Maritime Provinces are beautiful, and the people the most polite and friendly Canadians of all. I wouldn't move either if I was born there.

But my family and friends are all here, so this is home to me.

 

[Capo]

The interesting thing about this thread is that we all like different things and have our own set of priorities. It's not clear to me that any of us have chosen where we live specifically for the motorcycling, but rather a combination of things of which motorcycling is one of them (okay, I'd probably have to go back and re-read every post again to be sure of that, lol).

I find the best way to judge my happiness with where I live is by the reaction I have when I've visited a great place away from home and it's time to return. If I look forward to returning home, then I know that I'm doing okay. If not, then I'm probably going to start asking myself some more questions about what my true priorities are.

Here's an offshoot of that situation to ponder, if you no longer rode motorcycles would you still want live where you do? (My guess is that most people would say yes.) Or, what if you could only ride motorcycles in a state where you otherwise wouldn't want to live, would you choose to move or stay put?

Yes. Conversely, I wouldn't live where my version of motorcycling wasn't optimal. Florida, where I spent 9 years of my motorcycle interregnum, for example.


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