Deciding where to live after retirement

[R J]

Where to live after Retirement


You can live in Phoenix , Arizona where..... 

1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade. 

2. You've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl. 

3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town. 

4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food 

5. You know that 'dry heat' is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door. 

6 The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! 


You can Live in California where.. 

1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house. 

2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway. 

3. You know how to eat an artichoke. 

4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party. 

5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.

6. The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought


You can Live in New York City where... 

1. You say 'the city' and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan . 

2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map. 

3. You think Central Park is 'nature,' 

4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual. 

5. You've worn out a car horn. 

6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression. 

You can Live in Minnesota where... 

1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco . 

2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas. 

3. You have more than one recipe for moose. 

4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons. 

5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.

You can Live in the Deep South where...

1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store. 

2. 'y'all' is singular and 'all y'all' is plural. 

3. 'He needed killin'' is a valid defense. 

4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob , Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, MARY BETH, etc. 

You can live in Colorado where..

1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car. 

2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and he stops at the day care center. 
3. A pass does not involve a football or dating. 

4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail. 

You can live in the Midwest where...

1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name 

2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor. 

3. You have had to switch from 'heat' to 'A/C' on the same day. 

4. You end sentences with a preposition: 'Where's my coat at?' 

5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, 'It was different!' 


 AND You can live in Florida where..

1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon. 

2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars. 

3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist. 

4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state. 

5 Cars in front of you are often driven by headless people.

[Black Dog]

 

Thanks RJ

Black Dog

[Daniel Meyer]

 

[Flat6Valk]

IT ALL SEEMS TRUE TO ME.  I HAVE WORKED IN EVERY REGION! 

[DarkMeister]

 

[RainMaker]

 

[Valkahuna]

All of it is very true. Add the sweltering heat of the South, and in Florida, and it is justification for us living in two places. The problem with that is that now I have two houses to take care of.  Oh well, nothing is perfect I guess.

[Master Blaster]

Come on down to Louisiana 'all y'a all', lifes good down here in the woods, believe it or no, its not all swamp.   Gotta agree he needed killin is valid, but only about 1/3rd of the folks are named Joe Bob or such.   

[Slick]

I'd say ya hit the nail on the head-

[2K-Valk]

Stay up north!  Too hot and humid down here, too many people, nowhere to ride, sorry roads, Hells Angels taking over with a challenge from the Outlaws.  Not a place you would want to retire to.  Stay up north!

[DarkMeister]

Stay up north!  Too hot and humid down here, too many people, nowhere to ride, sorry roads, Hells Angels taking over with a challenge from the Outlaws.  Not a place you would want to retire to.  Stay up north!

Yeah right. The old farts are the most dangerous ones:

http://news.yahoo.com/four-elderly-georgia-men-charged-terror-plot-160127373.html

[old2soon]

Little bit of the south and a little bit of midwest but i DO like it here. Got decent roads i can actually get by on my SSI and lotsa friendly folks down here. I've trucked/traveled all over this fair country of ours. R J that be a pretty fair assesment you came up with I've forgotten to close my garage door when we have been out and about all day and nothing missing when i got back home. When winter do show up it's nowhere near as nasty as when i lived in Colorado or Illinois. Yup-i'll stay in the ozarks. Thanks R J i enjoyed that. RIDE SAFE.

[Big IV]

I can be bald and have a pony tail anywhere I go in the country. I'm not there yet, but I'm also a long way from being retired. One day.

[alph]

don't care how cold it might seem down south, it's still warmer then wisconsin!

i watched the weather report this morning, our low was 21*, in one month that'll be our high (if we're lucky!)

[Hoser]

I like living in the middle, anywhere is the same distance away, just different directions!  hoser

[R J]

Actually, I like the 4 seasons, and hate ICE, so this is far enough South for me.

I grew up here and it has grown on me..    That's one reason I applied for Lake Tahoe, South when I was a CHP motor officer.     Loved Donner Pass in the winter.    20' + snow drifts along side the highway.      Early on, we used to accompany the big snow blower up and around the summit.    We used a 6' rod, stuck it in the snow bank twice about 4' apart, if we hit nothing, the blower went about 5' ahead.       Yeah, we missed a few times and had VW Bug sausage when we hit one.      God that big old blower would take a chunk out of them bugs.    Then they got Technical and had a unit on the top of the blower cab that got a signal if it found metal.       Yupper, the good old days.

[Ricky-D]

I've never been able to get over the answers I've always received when asking how far something is from here!

it's always time, like "an hour & a half" or something to that affect.

How the hell do they know how fast I drive (or ride).

I want to know MILES, not time.

Been fighting that losing battle forever.

***

[Mn. Norseman]

My wife and I own a small business. The only choice I have to make when I retire is whether they have avons or dunlops. Then, after I retire, ....... I ride back to work.

[Fatboyman05]

Well if those are my choices, I'll take the midwest.....

[Paxton]

Here in Kalifrikinfornia we do have "the 9-9-9 plan." most taxes add up to 27%! 

[R J]

Here in Kalifrikinfornia we do have "the 9-9-9 plan." most taxes add up to 27%! 

I was in California for several years.    You can keep it.

[barbarianthemadserb]

Well, after all these years of thinking I have made my descision on where to live.
Serbia-ya that's right Serbia. Inherited a lot of land, house, wedding hall etc . It is located in the southern part of Serbia near a city called Uzice. Population of Uzice is 100,000 plus while population of my small village is 800. Kool. I visit several times a year and each time stay longer. Temperature is same as here in the USA.  But, it is so relaxing. Plenty of good food and slivovitz and beautiful country to look at. I have yet to see any police in my village called Karan. Lots of good riding areas if ya want, but at this stage of the game I probably won't get a bike if I permanently move to there. Bin there don that. My kids are grown up, married with excellent wives and jobs so my job is done. Looking for an uncomplex living condition like in Serbia.  Ya hear lots of negatives about Serbia in the news but it is a bunch of bullkaka and lots of lies.  My girlfriend (my young babe that is) loves Serbia but doesnt want to permanently move there so I figure 6 months there and six months back in the states is my final goal. WHo knows, maybe I will ultimately permanently move there?
The Mad Serb (still hahaaha)
Former member of BOH for those of you who remember-RJ does! ha

[Farther]

Good one RJ.  I grew up in South Dakota and now live in Northern California (aka: the State of Jefferson).  I moved here when I was 50 years old, 11 years ago.  The State of Jefferson does not fit the steriotype of the rest of California.  I live in the Shasta Valley, surrounded by mountains: Cascades to the east, Klamath to the west and Siskiyous to the north and a three hour drive to the coast.  It is snowing today so no riding but I think I will stay.   

[musclehead]

being able to cuss someone out in their native tongue semi qualifies as mutli lingual!

Serb I remember the BOH, I wasn't a member tho.

[Stormrider65]

I lived there for 2 years 364 days 10 hours and 5 minutes too long.   Found out there are 3 things you need in California to survive, money, money, and money.  If you do not have these, you are screwed.    Driving through New York I found out that a pack of cigs were about 9 dollars a pack.  Yes, this was 8 years ago. I asked the lady behind the counter how could she afford to live here.  She told me she had a second job and was trying to save money to move.  .  I love Texas. Especially the DFW area.  Yeah its hot sometimes but I don't mind it at all.  Decent people, and the best  Valkyrie Chapter.    Opinions do vary though

Walt

[Paxton]

Friends;
I have resided in various US states (NY, Mass, Conn, Illinois, New Jersey and Louisiana). Also, off the mainland (for 22 years) during my life time.
I have visited virtually every state of this BEAUTIFUL nation. I have zig zagged the continent over 12 times in the past 35 years.

Every time I visit a new place, when I am there, I find that it is not what I had anticipated. Sometimes it's worst than expected.  
Most times I find the beauty of every place and focus on it. Many times the "beauty" resides within the locals themselves.

Mind you, my judging is limited by the scope of what I see or experience in each place I visit, including the way the locals treat me... etc.

I now live in Los Angeles County, California. During my travels outside the state, I often times hear people who say
"... oh, some day I want to visit Hollywood... and the beaches of San Diego. I want to see the Sequoias and drive through the roots of that huge tree...
I'd love to see the San Francisco Bay from atop the COIT tower; etc" ... But California sucks!

Ok.I've spent time in everyone of those places. If I really wanted to revisit each of them places and other natural beauty, which I do,
it would take several months and thousands of miles w/o ever crossing state lines to visit them.
The fact is that you could spend 20 years riding through this state and never see the same thing twice.

Consider that the distance from L. A. to San Francisco (round trip) is merely 850 miles.  ???
From the southern tip of California (San Diego) to the northern state line with Oregon, there is approximately 1,500 miles of coast line.

I am not a native Californian but I have made my life here in L.A. because of the great opportunities that I have experienced here...  

From those who have lived in this state but moved elsewhere, one often hears that they moved out of California's "arm pit" etc,
in reference to Los Angeles and adjacent counties.  
When I hear these statements I smile. I always wonder, where within the Los Angeles county has that person lived.
NOTE: There are 98 cities and 104 "territories," just within this county. And just the same as other places,
it has its share of less than desirable neighborhoods.

Notwithstanding, there is way more beauty in this state and in L.A. county than the bad and juicy stuff that makes the news.  

As for me, I live in the heart of L. A. surrounded by the "concrete jungle." Just 3 miles from Dodgers' Stadium...
8 miles from Downtown Los Angeles.
Yet, once you ride through some of these towns, you'd think you might as well be in beautiful Mississippi.  ???

You can ride up this canyon road through the twisters and up into the Los Angeles Forest w/o ever seen a semaphore,
or a freeway or slow traffic for 150 miles and beyond! One can take-in the beautiful views and the unique landscapes
that this place has to offer.  

As you drive through my town of 270K people (30 sq. miles), you'd be hard pressed to find a pot hole, rival gang-violence,
bumper-to-bumper traffic or Graffiti  .  

It hardly ever rains in southern California and there is never any snow. But if I want snow, I ride / drive 30 miles up the canyon
and there it is... beautiful and unmolested... over-looking the "Cities" and the Pacific Ocean, 35 miles away.

Indeed, L.A. is a bummer, as there isn't any time for "winter projects." Rather, you'd be riding anywhere practically every day of the year...  
Hard to beat if you are a rider... Moreover, if you are retired, freeway rush-hour-traffic is a thing of the past.  

As I write, the Sun is shinning through my window, and the outside temperature is a chillin' 71F degrees.

One can find ugliness, junk and spectacular beauty in just about any place in this beautiful USA. However, I submit that one's attitude towards
a particular place is shaped by the quality of life and the experiences you had while living or growing up "there."
Or worse, by reaching conclusions 'bout any place one has never visited.

As in every place I have ever resided or visited, in L.A. there are beautiful sights and there are also places definitely
not worth visiting a second time.  

Los Angeles is not my place of birth. Here, nobody owes me anything; and I owe nothing to nobody. thank God,
I can reside in just about any state or country that I'd choose. Indeed, there is a lot of beauty out there.
Yet, considering all the pro's and con's, there is no other place I'd rather live...

just sayin.'

"California is indeed a State of Mind."

[musclehead]

Actually, I like the 4 seasons, and hate ICE, so this is far enough South for me.

I grew up here and it has grown on me..    That's one reason I applied for Lake Tahoe, South when I was a CHP motor officer.     Loved Donner Pass in the winter.    20' + snow drifts along side the highway.      Early on, we used to accompany the big snow blower up and around the summit.    We used a 6' rod, stuck it in the snow bank twice about 4' apart, if we hit nothing, the blower went about 5' ahead.       Yeah, we missed a few times and had VW Bug sausage when we hit one.      God that big old blower would take a chunk out of them bugs.    Then they got Technical and had a unit on the top of the blower cab that got a signal if it found metal.       Yupper, the good old days.

  too cool  I had to go over Donner two winters ago and had to 'throw iron', 'hang the jewelry' (put on chains) they had it well plowed and I had close to 80,000 I would have been fine as I only had it in 5th gear on a 13 speed. but rules are rules and the highway patrol would have made my life sickening if I tried it without chains.

there were some entrepreneurs up there that will put the chains on for you, for a price.

it was friday morn, they were expecting 2' of snow by saturday afternoon 

[art]

Friends;
I have resided in various US states (NY, Mass, Conn, Illinois, New Jersey and Louisiana). Also, off the mainland (for 22 years) during my life time.
I have visited virtually every state of this BEAUTIFUL nation. I have zig zagged the continent over 12 times in the past 35 years.

Every time I visit a new place, when I am there, I find that it is not what I had anticipated. Sometimes it's worst than expected.  
Most times I find the beauty of every place and focus on it. Many times the "beauty" resides within the locals themselves.

Mind you, my judging is limited by the scope of what I see or experience in each place I visit, including the way the locals treat me... etc.

I now live in Los Angeles County, California. During my travels outside the state, I often times hear people who say
"... oh, some day I want to visit Hollywood... and the beaches of San Diego. I want to see the Sequoias and drive through the roots of that huge tree...
I'd love to see the San Francisco Bay from atop the COIT tower; etc" ... But California sucks!

Ok.I've spent time in everyone of those places. If I really wanted to revisit each of them places and other natural beauty, which I do,
it would take several months and thousands of miles w/o ever crossing state lines to visit them.
The fact is that you could spend 20 years riding through this state and never see the same thing twice.

Consider that the distance from L. A. to San Francisco (round trip) is merely 850 miles.  ???
From the southern tip of California (San Diego) to the northern state line with Oregon, there is approximately 1,500 miles of coast line.

I am not a native Californian but I have made my life here in L.A. because of the great opportunities that I have experienced here...  

From those who have lived in this state but moved elsewhere, one often hears that they moved out of California's "arm pit" etc,
in reference to Los Angeles and adjacent counties.  
When I hear these statements I smile. I always wonder, where within the Los Angeles county has that person lived.
NOTE: There are 98 cities and 104 "territories," just within this county. And just the same as other places,
it has its share of less than desirable neighborhoods.

Notwithstanding, there is way more beauty in this state and in L.A. county than the bad and juicy stuff that makes the news.  

As for me, I live in the heart of L. A. surrounded by the "concrete jungle." Just 3 miles from Dodgers' Stadium...
8 miles from Downtown Los Angeles.
Yet, once you ride through some of these towns, you'd think you might as well be in beautiful Mississippi.  ???

You can ride up this canyon road through the twisters and up into the Los Angeles Forest w/o ever seen a semaphore,
or a freeway or slow traffic for 150 miles and beyond! One can take-in the beautiful views and the unique landscapes
that this place has to offer.  

As you drive through my town of 270K people (30 sq. miles), you'd be hard pressed to find a pot hole, rival gang-violence,
bumper-to-bumper traffic or Graffiti  .  

It hardly ever rains in southern California and there is never any snow. But if I want snow, I ride / drive 30 miles up the canyon
and there it is... beautiful and unmolested... over-looking the "Cities" and the Pacific Ocean, 35 miles away.

Indeed, L.A. is a bummer, as there isn't any time for "winter projects." Rather, you'd be riding anywhere practically every day of the year...  
Hard to beat if you are a rider... Moreover, if you are retired, freeway rush-hour-traffic is a thing of the past.  

As I write, the Sun is shinning through my window, and the outside temperature is a chillin' 71F degrees.

One can find ugliness, junk and spectacular beauty in just about any place in this beautiful USA. However, I submit that one's attitude towards
a particular place is shaped by the quality of life and the experiences you had while living or growing up "there."
Or worse, by reaching conclusions 'bout any place one has never visited.

As in every place I have ever resided or visited, in L.A. there are beautiful sights and there are also places definitely
not worth visiting a second time.  

Los Angeles is not my place of birth. Here, nobody owes me anything; and I owe nothing to nobody. thank God,
I can reside in just about any state or country that I'd choose. Indeed, there is a lot of beauty out there.
Yet, considering all the pro's and con's, there is no other place I'd rather live...

just sayin.'

"California is indeed a State of Mind."

i agree with you 100%. I was born in Ma. an moved to the sanfernando valley in 65 moved to Redlands in 79 an prescott ,az in 96.Now in Or. Like you said socal has everything plus good weather an if you don't like it it is a short ride to someplace with diff. weather.The countryside is beautiful.You have the ocean ,desert,an mtns. all close by.I'm going to be there this winter for a few months for some good riding with my son.













i

[Paxton]

Art;
When you are ready to come down this way, PM me in advance. I have the weirdest of schedules but since you'll be down here for a while,
perhaps I can join you and your son for a ride.

Would you be riding your Valk down to L.A.? The So Cal Chapter schedules frequent rides year-round. Check their message board for upcoming rides.
I've been out riding with them twice. Great friendly folks!  You are not required to be riding a Valk.

PS: These are my "Winter Projects." https://picasaweb.google.com/103917731019176896112/TheThreeAmigas?authkey=Gv1sRgCIe0wJLpibP_ZQ

"I had plans to live forever but am having second thoughts."

[Chattanooga Mark]

Try this:

http://www.findyourspot.com/


Mark

[barbarianthemadserb]

I lived there for 2 years 364 days 10 hours and 5 minutes too long.   Found out there are 3 things you need in California to survive, money, money, and money.  If you do not have these, you are screwed.    Driving through New York I found out that a pack of cigs were about 9 dollars a pack.  Yes, this was 8 years ago. I asked the lady behind the counter how could she afford to live here.  She told me she had a second job and was trying to save money to move.  .  I love Texas. Especially the DFW area.  Yeah its hot sometimes but I don't mind it at all.  Decent people, and the best  Valkyrie Chapter.    Opinions do vary though

Walt

Ya, cigs are also expensive up here in Taxer Massachusettes-sometimes upwards of 8.85 a pack! On the other hand, about $1.80 a pack in Serbia!!  Tough if you are trying to quit though as most everyone smokes even in the non smoking areas.

[barbarianthemadserb]

being able to cuss someone out in their native tongue semi qualifies as mutli lingual!

Serb I remember the BOH, I wasn't a member tho.

hahahha. Hey, I can cuss in Serbian and no one can understand! Easy way of venting without confrontation eh. hahahah
Ya, BOH was fun back then for sure.  Did ya see the skit we put on with "Lamonster vs Bad Dude something" way back?.  It was all in jest but some thought it was serious chit. ahhahaha.
Oh well, back to my corn cob pipe-whar's my rocking chair? Caint find my seegars either. Dang, off to a bad start today. hahahah

[R J]

I remember the Drag Race.    LaMonster had to hit your kill switch when it was over.     


I was the Geritol Hauler, and I still carry a bottle in my right saddlebag....

Also remember the timethey had getting the Drag Machine over the curb.   Dragbars trying to pull it over with his dually when it got stuck.    Yupper, that was a good evening.

Lots of people made new friends, for life.

[barbarianthemadserb]

I remember the Drag Race.    LaMonster had to hit your kill switch when it was over.     


I was the Geritol Hauler, and I still carry a bottle in my right saddlebag....

Also remember the timethey had getting the Drag Machine over the curb.   Dragbars trying to pull it over with his dually when it got stuck.    Yupper, that was a good evening.

Lots of people made new friends, for life.

hahah. Actually I think he hit my kill switch just as we were starting the race. That's why I lost! hahahhh. 
Ya, it took a while for that drag machine to get over the curve. And to think we also tried to help by pushing that big rig! hahahahah
Still have Geritol eh.  Save it for when you get old (er older) hahahah.

[art]

Art;
When you are ready to come down this way, PM me in advance. I have the weirdest of schedules but since you'll be down here for a while,
perhaps I can join you and your son for a ride.

Would you be riding your Valk down to L.A.? The So Cal Chapter schedules frequent rides year-round. Check their message board for upcoming rides.
I've been out riding with them twice. Great friendly folks!  You are not required to be riding a Valk.

PS: These are my "Winter Projects." https://picasaweb.google.com/103917731019176896112/TheThreeAmigas?authkey=Gv1sRgCIe0wJLpibP_ZQ

"I had plans to live forever but am having second thoughts."

I'll do that .I am going to be towing the bike behind a motorhome an maybe staying in Santa Clarita by magic mountain for a while then San Bernardino.I hope to be there for a few months.Atr

[Paxton]

Sounds great, Art;

Santa Clarita is 'bout 20 miles north from me. You could get from SC to "San Berdue" the LONG WAY... riding through
the Los Angeles Forest (Los Angeles Crest Hwy CA 2).

BTW: There is a large Motorcycle Store in the Santa Clarita area . Lots of nice stuff. It is right off the Lyons exit (I-5)...
east side of the Freeway. Then, there is "Chaparral," an even larger all- Motorcycle store in Riverside (San Bernardino area).