Help from the DRN network

[firecracker22]

As many of you ST members and DW attendees know, I have decided to break things off with Reese and move. No need for details but we're just not compatible.

I have a degree in journalism that I am not using, and won't have many opportunities to use, where I am now. And as I was flying home from Oklahoma, it occurred to me that there is a whole LOT of this country that I haven't seen and would like to! I have nothing tying me down to WA state and I am ready to pack up and clear out.

Now I have found several websites with journalism jobs and narrowed it down to ones I am qualified for.

What I would like help from the DRN family is to find out what these places are like: cost of living, climate, etc. from anyone who has lived there, or near there, or is familiar with the area in some way.

Are there good places to ride nearby?
Good bike shops?
What is the weather like (compared to the NW anyway, and remember I live on the side where it DOESN'T rain)
How about cost of living--
-average cost of a decent large studio or one bedroom apartment
-utilities
-gas/groceries
-cable/dsl internet
Health care
Distance to nearest city to shop and play in
Cool things to do and see nearby
Nightlife / Music scene
Vehicle tab cost
ORV requirements--license, tabs, S/A, whatever else
Anything else a newcomer to the area should know!

Here are the areas I've considered due to job availability:
Anchorage, AK
Crossett, AR
La Junta and Canon City, CO
Portland, IN
Manhattan, KS
Lafayette, LA
Natchez and Greenville, MS
Austin and Fergus Falls, MN
Poplar Bluff, MO
Dickinson, ND
Columbus, NE
Hobbs, NM
Glenns Falls, NY
Lorain, OH
Houston, Navasota, Marlin, Kerrville or Marshall, TX
Jamesville, WI
Lovell, WY

This list may change as I continue my job search.

Feel free to email or PM me if you don't want to reply in this thread.

Thanks everyone! I am excited to move!

 

[Moteaux]

Young, independent and so many choices.... :thumb: Consider and weigh all options, decide what is best for you and what you really want and prepare for an adventure. Let me know if I can help and I am sure others in here will be a big help as well.


Randy

 

[Jake T]

Well I can tell you if you move to MN be prepared for the cold winters out here.
I hope you have a 4 wheel drive vehical lol.
One bonus is being close to one of the best MX tracks on the national circuit,
MILLVILLE.

 

[CanadianRidr]

Umm I don't see Canada any where on that list? Odd....It MUST be a typo :)

 

[Howser03]

I don't think Canada's on anyone's list :confused: :) :moon:

 

[Danman]

I can't tell you much about the bike shops in Houston. The only place that I have riden down there is the National Forest. It was cool. A good place to check for riding spots is www.texasoffroad.net and for good off-road racing check out www.tscec.org. I'm sure there are plenty of tracks out that way to practice MX on.

Being in a larger city like Houston or surrounding area I imagine that there are plenty of choices for High Speed internet. Not realy that big of an issue now with the 2-way digital Satellite. Weather is hot and humide in the summer and cool in the winter. Riding is year around if you can stand the heat. If it does snow or ice in the winter it won't last long, but just stay off the roads (people down here just can't drive in it). Also, they are just not equiped to handle that sort of thing in the south like up north.

As for the cost of living, not state income tax. Need I say more :cool: They just get it from you in different ways. Like higher property taxes (don't have to worry much about that if you rent as its rolled into the rent) and sales tax (Generaly about 8%). My guess is about 650 to 900 a month of a realy nice place (depends on the area you chose). That was what I had looked at in the Dallas area for just a decent place. Cooling bills can be high in the summer, but its largely dependant on the place you live (ask before you rent). How well the unit has been mantained and if its the right size for the place your in and if that place in well insulated. Food should cost about the same almost anywere you go. Tags for the car are about 60 bucks a year and you only pay tax on it when you register it in your name.

I have been to houston and the night life is pretty good plenty to choose from. Your also close to that coast (couple of hours) for spring break. A pretty large party down there.

As for all the other towns. Most are close (within a couple of hours) to larger cites like Dallas, Austin, or San Antonio. Marshal would be closer to Sheveport, LA All of those should be about the same in climate. Options for night life and high speed internet would proably go down a whole lot. The cost of living might be a lot less though.

I found a good site on the internet when I graduated college and started looking for a job that had a good break down for cost of living increases based on where you are located now to were you want to go. I would search for in google or metacrawler. If I can remember or find the URL I will post it for you.

Good Luck

 

[Danman]

Here is a cost of living calculator.

Another

P.S. I searched for "cost of living" on google.

 

[BadgerMan]

I was in Anchorage this past summer and loved the area, especially the Kenia Penninsula! However, if you were going to live there, you should visit in December. I don't think the winters are too terrible (near the coast) but there is not much daylight at that time of year. You could dual sport forever during the summer though!

Although it's not on your list, Michigan is about as good as it gets for off-roading in the midwest, IMHO. If you chose northern Ahia, Indiana, or Illinoise you would be within four hours of some great riding.

 

[bclapham]

i lived in manhattan KS for a few months back in 96...cold in feb, but hot by june...very much a university town.

dont want to offend anyone, but there were quite a few rednecks around also!

 

[VintageDirt]

You might want to cross Hobbs, NM off that list.

 

[Moteaux]

Originally posted by VintageDirt
You might want to cross Hobbs, NM off that list.

Not exactly a garden spot is it? I have lived in Eunice and Lovington NM right by there.

 

[GETMETOCA]

FC22, take it from me, I have moved with my job 4 times to different states, you will not be sorry for following your heart on this one. Even the states I didn't stay in for very long, I still learned a lot about the local culture, regional cooking, the way of life and historical landmarks. I met a lot of really great people who I still keep in touch with.

As for your list, the only tidbit I can add is about Texas....I've never lived in Texas, but everytime I go to visit or travel on business, I always have such a good time, it keeps me coming back again and again. Plus there's just something about those Texans ya gotta love!!! Look at everyone we met over at Camp Tejas!! Great people, every one of them!! Now how can you go wrong with Texas??!!

 

[biglou]

JMHO here, but, I would also scratch anywhere in MS off that list unless it is on the Gulf Coast like Biloxi or Gulfport. Anything other than those areas is seriously lacking. Again, JMHO. No offense to anyone that lives there. Yes, I spent a few years time in MS. I admit it. I'm not proud of it, but I admit it nonetheless! ;)

 

[evenslower]

FC making the big move.........

I'm with Big Lou, but I'd expand that list to include Arkansas and any part of Louisiana that isn't called Lafayette. I've lived in 4 different cities in LA from far southern to far northern and Lafayette is the ONLY one I would ever want to move back to. I've got family in MS so I know it pretty well and I had the displeasure of having a job that to me to AR frequently. Healthcare really bites in all three states as well. I didn't realize how badly until I lived somewhere else.

I live in the Dallas area now and can tell you that TX ain't too bad. Its actually much better than my wife and I expected it to be. She still gets broken up at the fact that our daughter has a TX birth certificate.

Not sure about any of the other places.

Oh, I got your PM but your box is full, if you ever clean it out.......

 

[Gary B.]

FC- I can try to fill you in on Janesville, WI. It's about a 1/2 hr from here. If you enjoy trail riding, it's gonna be a couple hours away, generally speaking. Taxes are high, the people are friendly, ( it's mostly farm country, with a General Motors plant thrown in) and you can probably ride about 7-8 months out of the year. They have several large malls and all the usual fast food dumps. You'd be about an hour from Milwaukee, 1 1/2 hours from Chicago. If you'd like I can try to get more info for you, just ask.

 

[oldguy]

More on Janesville
You would be about 11 hours from DW03 :)
several MX tracks within 2 hours and a few (Wardys place is one) that have enduros or HS
there is an offroad trail near there but it boring as it is on reclaimed railroad right of way.
Wis summers are hot and sometimes humid- winters can be cold typically 20 degrees but some below zeros thrown in.
Janesville is a self contained city that has most amenities right there. excitement is easier to find in Madison Wi which is about 45 minutes away.

 

[Rooster]

You can go ahead and scratch Columbus, NE off that list too....unless you enjoy constant wind, cold and flat, flat, flat, flat land with nowhere to ride but a sandy bottom river.

 

[BEEF706]

I'm a litle late, but BIG ditto on waht VD saud about, Hobbs, NM. Lots of really great places in this state but Hobbs is not one of them. :p IMO

 

[IrishEKU]

Strange KY was not on the list :think:





Phillip :)

 

[Strick]

What a list. I'm glad I live here. TX & CO - Maybe. Does anyone still live in ND?

 

[firecracker22]

Thanks guys! Keep 'em coming!

Here are some more:
Monessen, Bordentown and Hanover, PA
Nantucket, MA
Oneonta, NY
Morgantown, WV :)

 

[Green Horn]

You can't go wrong with Tejas. Lots of Everything down here. Jobs, riding, and lots of other cool junk. :)

 

[380EXCman]

"Morgantown, WV"

Im on to ya on that one. Your a perfect fit. Are they hiring?

 

[firecracker22]

380: possibly. I called and talked to them, she said "send in a resume," and basically made it sound like if someone has the right skills/qualifications it's a possibility.

 

[jmics19067]

Morgantown West Virginia is home to the Mt Morris nationals in Pennsylvania ,believe it or not. Troy Ohio, Steel City Pa., Binghamton,N.Y,Budds Creek Md, and Unidilla N.Y nationals are easily a long weekend venture. A few national events for enduros,hare scrambles and trials also
no green sticker fees all riding is done on private land with either permision or pay to ride tracks. There is a lot of excellent riding areas that are legally questionable, permision is not really feasible and yet nobody cares you are there. Heard of a place in Hanover where you could easily ride a 100 mile loop on the side of a hill <well mountains but not like Rocky mountains>with out crossing a road or crossing the same path twice. Just dont ride during hunting season unless it is a Sunday.

Although the places in Pennsy area few hours away from me I can tell you 2 percent state wage tax and 6 percent sales tax. 36$ I think for car registration my truck is like 80$ per year. Anual state inspection for road vehicles at 32$ and if you live in the surrounding counties of Pittsburgh and Philly 50$ emision test which is waived if your vehicle is driven less than 5000 miles weighs over 9000lbs or is full time 4 wheel drive.Insurance is pretty cheap outside the major city areas. Cost of residence and wages is pretty much ruled by the amount of money in the town

If your a history buff just about anything to do with the revolutionary war and/or civil war is an easy driving vacation.Appalachian trail , quite a few historic/quaint/tourist trap type of towns all around here just to the east of these places.

have fun with your ventures and be sure to send post cards :)

if you do come out this way see if you can help me sway my wife and daughters that riding isn't anti-female or evil