Is Southern Cali worth the move?

[mkellycole]

I didn't say Cali is worth stayin in forever. He was considering a move to get out of smalltown NY. Yeah, the houses cost a bunch, illegals are running around everywhere and Boxer and Feinstein have the state handcuffed politacally. Is is still a nice place to be in business and to live in, ride in and have a great pre-retirement life in. I'm leavin for Nevada, Arizona and Idaho in between in the motorhome after I turn 60. Make your money, ride like hell, marry off the kids and get the hell out! And someone take the flag with you when you leave, please.

 

[holeshot]

I think me, 89r and I.....

All three of you?....... :yikes:

 

[Farmer John]

I just wanted to get opinions from people who ride dirtbikes what they think of SoCal?

SoCal is okay, but not all the same. I would be more than happy to live in San Diego, Santa Barbara, & a few other places, but there are a lot of sections I wouldn't consider.

If you are young, it really doesn't matter where you go. You can always move back, or somewhere else. You will never know where you would like to be unless you try it.

Setting the political environment aside, I could stay in the San Francisco Bay area for the rest of my life & be happy. Some peeps will complain that the median home value is $650K, but that is OK with me, keeps the peeps with cars on blocks in their lawns away. ;)

 

[KC10Chief]

There are a lot better places to move to than So. Cal if you are just looking for somewhere to move. I would suggest you take a big road trip out west and see what you like. I love the west. I used to live in New Jersey. I loved it there but wouldn't want to stay there forever. My wife hated it. I love California too. Beautiful fun place. But it's not for me for a permanent residence. To each his own.

I'm tellin ya, check out Oklahoma. Oklahoma is a well kept secret. Don't worry about tornado's. I've lived here most of my life and have yet to see one. Probably because I'm hiding in a closet! Just kidding. Actually, the weather is great here. You can ride all year round. We have cold spells and every once in a great while we'll get snow, but it melts off in a day or two. So far this year, it's like summer never really left. It's been cold a few times but it's like springtime keeps coming back for the weekends! It was in the 70's this past weekend. We're having an ice storm today, but it's all good since it's supposed to be close to 70 this coming weekend as well!

The riding is great too. There are a TON of places to ride. Most of Oklahoma has red soil. About the same color as tomato soup. But it's superb soil for riding a dirtbike. Here in OKC, Cooperland (dirtweek) is about an hour drive if you go the speed limit. There are plenty of people around here to ride with, and the rest of the people are very friendly as well. BIG difference between New JErsey or Cali. We have a few redneck idiots but there were rednecks in Jersey too.

Oklahoma also has all types of terrain. Central OK is somewhat flat, but not as flat as everybody thinks. West of OKC is prairie land with shallow rolling hills and you can see for miles. East of OKC has more hills and is wooded. Down in the SE part of the state we have mountains or really big hills. Whichever you prefer to call them. They're over 2,000 feet so technically, they're mountains. It's all wooded down there. In the SW part of the state we have some more mountains that are mostly treeless, but rocky. Good riding there. We have sand dunes in the NW, and tons of lakes and rivers. It's a good place for the outdoors.

Oklahoma is also centrally located. I can be to the Colorado border in 5 hours, to the gulf of Mexico in about 7. It's about equal distance to either coast. Dallas is less than 3 hours away.

Did I mention the cost of living here? Yup. It's cheap. You can get a nice 3 bedroom, 2 bath 2 car garage house with about 1,800 square feet on a big lot in a nice neighborhood with good schools for about $85 to $90K. $100K will get you a nice new house, and if you have $150K to spend on a house, you're going to get a damn nice place. For $150K, you could get a nice house and enough land to build your own place to ride! Oklahoma always has the cheapest gas in the country as well. Always. The other day, I paid $1.42. Cheap compared to anywhere else.

Anyways, on your way to Cali, stop through Oklahoma and spend a few days. Ride your bike. You may just find you like it here and you'll never leave. I'm in the military and about 90% of the people that retire here, stay here because they like it so much! Matt

 

[mtk]

While $650k homes may be OK with you, it also prices 95% of the folks in the USA out of the housing market.

No thanks.

 

[Casper250]

Well, I've grown up on Long Island and have been around boats and the water my whole life. I need to live near water, it's a must, so Ive kinda eliminated anything that's not on the east or west coast. Oklahoma sounds nice but i can't see it as a place I would want to live when i'm 25. I'll keep an open mind about it though, i'm pretty much down for anything.

I just read about how all these people know of all these riding areas and tracks near them and I feel like i'm missing out. There are NO(zero, zilch, nada) legal riding area's on all of Long Island and 1 MX track that is crazy expensive($150 to be a member each year and $30 every time you want to ride). There are riding area's but you are always looking out for jonny law and worrying about getting your bike impounded.

I was on vacation in Hawaii and I met people that moved there just so they could go surfing all the time. It made me wonder why I don't move to a place where I can go riding all the time.....

 

[Okiewan]

Having a big fancy house, car, etc. isn't as important to me as being near my family and friends and being where I feel happy.

Big fancy house? How about just something more than a $500K mobile home with a 100 year mortgage? LOL. I'm just odd I guess, but my home is the number one thing; a nice place for my family. I sure won't have them live in a shack and drive a wreck just to enjoy the weather :) .

The family/friends thing is no doubt important though. I just cant see the "I don't need anything but to live in SoCal" though. Having lived a LOT of places in my time I'm a firm believer in the home is where you make it mentality.

FYI, the "lived there" list (in order):

OK
So Cal
Michigan (Dearborn)
San Antonio
Indy (Speedway)
KY (Lexington)
Indy again
Ohio (Mansfield)
Illinois (Deerfield)
Houston (Humble actually)
Dallas
OK Again
Colorado (springs)
OK Again
Illinois
OK
Dallas (moving now)

 

[gospeedracer]

I'm just old I guess

I won't argue with you there. :p

We both know where each other stands on this issue so there is really no point in debating it. Everyone is different, thank goodness! :)

 

[Okiewan]

Oh come on! I love debating this with you Aimee.. I live for it :p

 

[a454elk]

Ok, Scar, thanks, now I'm happy here again and I'm staying put! Man, I love this place, and Yes Hole, all 3 of us. :moon: :) Think I'll go riding tomorrow, sounds like it'll be a good day for it, who's in?

 

[kelsorat]

Okie--Dallas--that ain't Texas. Why don't you move someplace real like Ft. Worth

 

[Casper250]

Okie, were you in the military at one time? That's alot of moving!

 

[Okiewan]

Cowtown? Yeah, would be nice (cheaper), but the job is in Dallas.

 

[Okiewan]

Okie, were you in the military at one time? That's alot of moving!

Yup, thats why Colorado Springs is on the list (Fort Carson) and OK (Fort Sill.. basic and AIT).

 

[gospeedracer]

Okie, were you in the military at one time? That's alot of moving!

They keep running him out of town! That's life on the lamb. :p

 

[a454elk]

He's a wanted man, especially in Ca. hehehe

 

[twoofeach]

While $650k homes may be OK with you, it also prices 95% of the folks in the USA out of the housing market.

No thanks.

You should see that $650K home.

 

[KC10Chief]

I was on vacation in Hawaii and I met people that moved there just so they could go surfing all the time. It made me wonder why I don't move to a place where I can go riding all the time.....

My little brother is stationed in Hawaii. The house he lives in costs $4,500 a month in rent. It's a big 5 bedroom house and he has 4 room mates. It's a neat place. He's about a half mile from the beach and about 600 feet in elevation. His street is really steep. Even his new Accord has a hard time getting up that hill. I've been to Hawaii a few times and I would LOVE to live there. If you can afford it and won't get island fever, go for it! Matt

 

[mtk]

You should see that $650K home.

Sure, except that same $650k would buy me an equally large building here, sitting on a few hundred acres of land, and also buy me the earthmoving equipment to build a few tracks. Not to mention build me a 5000 sq. ft. shop to work on my toys (say it with me, boys, 50' by 100' of workshop space :yeehaw: ).

While he's getting hassled by his neighbors about not having a zero-emissions lawnmower, I'm walking naked in my backyard :yikes: (simply because I can, since the closest neighbor is over a quarter mile away :cool: ) while trying to decide if I'm going to ride the supercross track, the motocross track, the vintage motocross track, the hare scramble woods loop, or the XR100 dirt oval today. :ride:

 

[twoofeach]

Sure, except that same $650k would buy me an equally large building here, sitting on a few hundred acres of land, and also buy me the earthmoving equipment to build a few tracks. Not to mention build me a 5000 sq. ft. shop to work on my toys (say it with me, boys, 50' by 100' of workshop space :yeehaw: ).

While he's getting hassled by his neighbors about not having a zero-emissions lawnmower, I'm walking naked in my backyard :yikes: (simply because I can, since the closest neighbor is over a quarter mile away :cool: ) while trying to decide if I'm going to ride the supercross track, the motocross track, the vintage motocross track, the hare scramble woods loop, or the XR100 dirt oval today. :ride:

What, no freestyle ramps?

I lived in SoCal for about 6 years and those were some great years. I frequently drive down and miss it. The prices are very relative to the wages. Most people in SoCal or the Bay Area earn very good wages. So 650K or even a Mil, isn't that much for two working professionals. I just couldn't stand the traffic so I left. California is a big place. It is very populated in some areas and very isolated in others. Houses are as affordable here as in almost anywhere in the country depending on where you want to live. It seems as though the farther away you get from the big cities, the more affordable the houses become and the lower your wages. I don't really know any environmental extremist and sometimes forget to apply my stickers. I haven't had any run-ins with the sticker police.

 

[rickyd]

That 650k house isnt such a bad idea, you can make some FSAT $$ if you want.. For instance, my Mom & Dad built there house for 20K back in 1972m now it is worth almost 700K, my Friend and his wife bought there house(189k) here in the Bay Areaabout 8 years ago, they sold it about 4 yrs later too My Borother and Sis inlaw for 325k, they werent even the highest bidder.. So he and his family moved too Phoenix and bout a 4,000 sq ft house for 211k..With what they put down, their house payment is next too nothing and they put some $$ in the kids college savings..

Cali isnt so bad, very rarely do i run into a eco freak, homo or anything else out of the ordinary.. Lots of places too ride, i have 2 tracks within 45 minutes, numerous OHV parks within an hour and 15 minutes.. And be at the beach in half an hour :aj:

 

[Uchytil]

I've been in the military for 28 years and seen a few places too! Alaska, Great riding - by yourself, New Jersey, Very limited riding at one place for big bucks, North Carolina, Great Riding all around, Maine, Riding is OK but fairly restricted, SoCal, Great Riding but read the posts, Michigan, Great Riding and for some it's year round. What a great country! I too grew up near the water and have worked it all my life, hey the Great Lakes are pretty cool concerning water and guess what? Hardly any corrosion in your boat systems! On your way to SoCal check out western MI and the beaches (that beat LI and Jersey shore beaches hands down). Like most have said to each their own. Here where I live there's a huge number of MX tracks that you can ride, state and national trail systems, hillclimbs, hares, enduros, ice racing, etc.

You and my one of my sons should talk, he thinks he's moving to SoCal in about a year.

 

[JPIVEY]

Man, I can't think of a better place to live, it has it's problems, but when you go out to the Desert and your in the middle nowhere, no sound ( until the banner drops ), no traffic, nobody around, just you,your bike and miles of desert, there is no problems.

I'm sure you can find that spot in almost any state, but how many could give it to you year round.

 

[KC10Chief]

I agree that the weather in So. Cal is awesome most of the year. If I wanted to move out west, I might move out to southern Arizona. Sure it gets hot as hell in the summer, but the humidity is low as well. In the winter, their temps are nice and comfortable. I've never rode out there but I hear that there are cool places to ride. You said you wanted to be close to water though so I don't know. Move to Salt Lake City. Utah is an incredible place. Probably my favorite state and I've been to all of them except Alaska. If you want water, go to the Salt Lake! It's big enough and you can pretend it's the ocean. The surfing sucks though.

Back to Oklahoma. It rocks. A friend of mine bought a run down house out in the country on five acres for $20K. He spent another $12 fixing it up. He and his wife did most of the work themselves. Their house is beautiful. It's about 1,800 square feet and it's like brand new. Their house payment is like $180 a month.

So, save yourself the hassle and just move to Oklahoma. You'll like it. Everybody else does. Cheap good living, good people, centrally located, awesome riding and awesome weather. We're even getting a lottery this year! WOO HOO! Matt

 

[Kav]

I just moved to the high desert north of Mojave in July. (every one keeps telling me it's SoCal) In the last few years I’ve lived in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Florida, North Carolina, Spain, and Afghanistan. And so far the best places I’ve been for riding have been Cali and Az. My cost of living is not bad at all I live in an apartment with two full baths, three bedrooms, and a garage. And the rent is only $450 a month for the whole thing. People are good to dirt bikes here and I normally wake up on weekends to the sound of one riding around behind my place. I also live with an hour of some of the best desert riding (Jawbone) and woods riding (Kennedy Meadows so I have been told, I haven’t been able to ride there yet) there is to be had. And Cali has some truly great riding every where in the state. This weekend I went to Hollister Hills and even though it’s been raining for a few days there the was one of the most awesome rides I’ve been on.

The only thing I don’t like about here is the Red Tape for almost every thing. At times I feel very restricted in what I can and can’t do. But that’s also mainly with the DMV with my trucks and my bike. (Thank goodness it’s a ’01 and was grandfathered in as a green sticker bike.)

It’s not too bad where I’m at, and I’m glad I moved here