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Best place to live (to cycle)

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Best place to live (to cycle)

Old 11-06-12, 12:17 AM
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St. George, UT! Between Las Vegas, NV and Salt Lake City. Good Airport, growing community.

Gooseberry, Moab, Escalante Staircase, Virgin River Valley for Mountain Biking. Tons of good roads for skinny tire biking. Small and large lakes with good roads and trails. Good moderate weather all year long, but Brian Head Ski resort is 90 minutes north. Lake Mead south of St. George, Grand Canyon, Wasatch Mts.

Can't miss on SW UT. Plus incredible affordable golf.
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Old 11-06-12, 12:24 AM
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Cali...hands down; 80 degrees today
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Old 11-06-12, 12:53 AM
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Originally Posted by foresthill

Before that, I lived in the the South Bay and a little ways up the peninsula in Menlo Park. I still go back there for work once a month. Also great year-round riding. It never gets too hot to ride, and is rarely too wet or cold in the winter. It is super super expensive. Unless you can do something that's valuable to the tech industry, it can be really hard to make ends meet here.
yeah, very true. I'm a real estate broker, and I still can't make sense of why the cost of living is so high here, and I'm supposed to be the expert. Manhattan and the SF Bay are are just these strange places that don't follow the normal course of economics.
i do have a theory based on my three hobbies...sailing, cycling, and skiing. Last winter I went skiing in the morning in Tahoe, drove back home, Saturday. Went for a ride the next morning, and spent the rest of the day sailing on the bay.
So three addictions satisfied in a weekend....from a purely business perspective it makes no sense to live here, but from a leisure perspective, there are few places that can deliver such.
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Old 11-06-12, 03:58 AM
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The Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon, Medford & Ashland, is a great area for riding and quality of life. Our REI and Trader Joe's just opened so that makes many transplants very happy. We also don't get anywhere the amount of rain or clouds Eugene and Portland do, the climate is more like NorCal without the higher taxes.

We have plenty of climbing here, 3 HC climbs within easy riding distance from either city. I moved here from DC and now that I've adapted to the hills I love it.

Have fun exploring the area on Strava.
https://app.strava.com/segments/explo...p_type/terrain

Last edited by Trek760; 11-06-12 at 04:02 AM. Reason: more info
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Old 11-06-12, 05:56 AM
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Originally Posted by RoboCheme
Grenoble, France. About 45 minutes to Alpe d'Huez, Col du Galibier, and col de la Croix, etc.
+1
The cycling can be just about year round too. You'll need cold-weather gear but it's certainly not "that" cold.
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Old 11-06-12, 08:36 AM
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Originally Posted by sternzeit
Whidbey Island in Washington.
As a WA resident, I don't think so.
Too much rain and clouds.
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Old 11-06-12, 08:36 AM
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How about Tucson, AZ?
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Old 11-06-12, 09:03 AM
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Originally Posted by benajah
yeah, very true. I'm a real estate broker, and I still can't make sense of why the cost of living is so high here, and I'm supposed to be the expert. Manhattan and the SF Bay are are just these strange places that don't follow the normal course of economics.
i do have a theory based on my three hobbies...sailing, cycling, and skiing. Last winter I went skiing in the morning in Tahoe, drove back home, Saturday. Went for a ride the next morning, and spent the rest of the day sailing on the bay.
So three addictions satisfied in a weekend....from a purely business perspective it makes no sense to live here, but from a leisure perspective, there are few places that can deliver such.
???

It's EASY to figure out why Palo Alto South Bay is so expensive.

Between the natural beauty, amazing weather, convenience of living near all things you need, true multiculturalism, high level of education and income, and abundance of protected nature preserves even in busier residential areas, it's stunningly obvious to most people why this place is so expensive. The leisure is great, but the everyday LIFE is even better - as long as you can afford the place you live in.

One drive down the 280 in the stretch between Stanford and Burlingame tells you a lot about the area - that's a major throughfare for commuter traffic in the South Bay, yet it's more beautiful than probably 98%+ of highways in the US.

I'm not surprised that nearly everyone I knew who grew up in this area is fighting tooth and nail to find a way back in (given the insane housing costs etc.)
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Old 11-06-12, 11:14 AM
  #59  
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I'm sure there are a whole bunch of great places to live/ride but the OP's criteria described inland North County San Diego really well. I personally think Woods Valley Road is one of the most scenic stretches of road around here...you just pay for it by needing to ride up Lake Wohlford Road to get there. lol.

The only downside is in my opinion, there's really no option of a good, flat 30 mile ride around here.

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Old 11-06-12, 11:20 AM
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Originally Posted by hhnngg1
???

It's EASY to figure out why Palo Alto South Bay is so expensive.

Between the natural beauty, amazing weather, convenience of living near all things you need, true multiculturalism, high level of education and income, and abundance of protected nature preserves even in busier residential areas, it's stunningly obvious to most people why this place is so expensive. The leisure is great, but the everyday LIFE is even better - as long as you can afford the place you live in.

One drive down the 280 in the stretch between Stanford and Burlingame tells you a lot about the area - that's a major throughfare for commuter traffic in the South Bay, yet it's more beautiful than probably 98%+ of highways in the US.

I'm not surprised that nearly everyone I knew who grew up in this area is fighting tooth and nail to find a way back in (given the insane housing costs etc.)
I completely agree, inasmuch as it is due to the quality of recreational and aesthetic life. That just doesn't follow the normal economics, in that vacancy rates are still pretty high, which should drop cost of living more than it has in reality, but the Bay Area is an anomaly, an outlier economically, like I was saying comparing it to NYC. There simply is no place on the planet like New York, or like the Bay Area.
But then again, as a cyclist with a child to think about, the quality and availability of education, and the ratio of income versus cost of living comes into play. I need to be able to save enough money to send my daughter to college, and we also need reasonable assurance that freshman seats will be available at good universities for qualified students.
my bosses daughter couldn't get into Berkeley with stellar qualifications, simply because the seats filled up. I've never heard of getting wait listed anywhere else in the US but here it is routine to get wait listed at three or four schools.
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Old 11-06-12, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by afilado
Chattanooga.

J
I keep seeing chattanooga poping up on the forum. Does it actually have tons of bike infrastructures? (Besides the trails in smokies, I guess).
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Old 11-06-12, 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by benajah
I completely agree, inasmuch as it is due to the quality of recreational and aesthetic life. That just doesn't follow the normal economics, in that vacancy rates are still pretty high, which should drop cost of living more than it has in reality, but the Bay Area is an anomaly, an outlier economically, like I was saying comparing it to NYC. There simply is no place on the planet like New York, or like the Bay Area.
But then again, as a cyclist with a child to think about, the quality and availability of education, and the ratio of income versus cost of living comes into play. I need to be able to save enough money to send my daughter to college, and we also need reasonable assurance that freshman seats will be available at good universities for qualified students.
my bosses daughter couldn't get into Berkeley with stellar qualifications, simply because the seats filled up. I've never heard of getting wait listed anywhere else in the US but here it is routine to get wait listed at three or four schools.
I agree.

Life >>> cycling for choosing a place to live.

As much as I rave about the Bay Area, I used to live in Rochester NY and even now, I could see myself living happily there. It all tends to even out when LIFE is considered as a whole, and you don't just focus on cycling or work or one thing. Rochester NY is cold as $$#@# but it's so inexpensive and convenient but still has enough culture and great schools that you can live the equivalent of an upper middle class family life on $60k, replete with 2 (if not 3) car garage, 3000 square foot house, and school districts that send top kids to ivies regularly. That same lifestyle would require $350K+ per year in the Bay area due to the real estate.

I can afford live here in the SOuth Bay CA, but honestly, if I lived in Rochester NY, I would be able to retire 10 years earlier than I would here. Or I could work literally half as much and spend those extra days doing anything else (like cycling.)


So as much as I love the Bay Area for cycling, I'm still totally under the belief that the best place to live for cycling is the best place that works for your LIFE. The weather, roads, etc is all blah blah blah. It looks good in magazines, but if the jobs aren't good for you, or the family can't support you in the way you'd like in a different place, it's not going to be as good.
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Old 11-06-12, 01:45 PM
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I like the Vancouver area, but it does rain a lot. Vancouver Island is better, good terrain and better weather. Only problem is the highway system is poor in certain places for cycling.
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Old 11-06-12, 01:45 PM
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I could bike, ski, sail in Vancouver on the same day.
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Old 11-06-12, 02:08 PM
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Originally Posted by mpath
I could bike, ski, sail in Vancouver on the same day.
Yea it's a nice spot. I mean, I have two 'cat 1' mountains within an hour's cycle, and a velodrome 20 minutes away.
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Old 11-06-12, 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Lamabb
- Living near a big city but not in one. (jobs/activity)
- Good hills/mountains ( I can't stand flat)
- Good cycling community
- Good Mountain bike trails AND good-condition roads
- Low traffic in immediate area
"Near" a big city... does that mean you will commute?

Meeting your other criteria wouldn't be tough, in addition to a couple of others that are very important... low cost of living and good year round climate. Many of the places suggested here are pretty dismal for much of the year.
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Old 11-06-12, 04:42 PM
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Buffalo NY?
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Old 11-06-12, 05:53 PM
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Originally Posted by hhnngg1
In the US - it's really hard to be where I live, "South bay" near san francisco. It's Silicon valley, which means the towns around Stanford/Palo Alto.

Pros:
- TRUE year-round riding. It never really snows here, and stays sunny year round. Rains just enough in the spring (only) to have good tree cover, unlike LA/San Diego, which are mostly bereft of tree cover. You can't really compare Boulder or or other lovely areas as many other places have inclement weather (snow or heat) that shut down cycling for several months of the year.
Sure you can since the inclement weather in Boulder usually only shuts down cycling for part of a day (snow is often gone by the afternoon).

The climate isn't as temperate as the Bay Area (average highs in December and January are 45 not 60 degrees, lows are 20 not 40) and you probably don't want to do much riding in real mountains where the snow does stick around.

( I lived in Boulder, CO for 15 years and have been hanging around Silicon Valley for 5)

- There is only one con, but it's a big one. It's hella expensive to buy/rent real estate here. Not NYC bad, but pretty much more expensive than any other suburb-type place in the US.
Another way of looking at it is that you get less for the same money. You can buy a nice 1200 square foot 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom double-wide mobile home and rent the slot it sits on for $1500/month with a $20,000 down payment including earthquake and flood insurance although nearby 2-bedroom apartments in the area run $2000-$3000/month.

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Old 11-06-12, 07:08 PM
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You mentioned you were open to other parts of the world. If you speak Spanish (or have an interest in it), consider the colonial city of Patzcuaro in Mexico. If you have the ability to work online or on the phone for an American employer, you're all set! Patzcuaro (pop. 80,000) is one of the 20 places in Mexico with the "magical town" designation. We spent two months over the summer and LOVED it not only for biking, but also for its low cost of living and its interesting colonial architecture. Lots of expats have moved there, but it's still overall a best-kept secret. The countryside really rivals that of Southern France, Northern Spain or Tuscany. It has well-maintained quiet countryside roads with overall courteous drivers, beautiful lakes and interesting nearby towns rich with traditions and culture. English is widely spoken. The LBS told me there are tons of MTB trails around but I didn't have a MTB to explore them. Even though the city is lively during the day, it becomes quite sleepy at night. Morelia, however, is 45 mins. away and it's one of the most beautiful big cities in Mexico (pop. ~600,000.) Morelia has a Costco, Sam's Club, Home Depot, a Best Buy and several nice malls with movie theaters showing current movies for about USD $3.50. Morelia airport has daily flights to/from the U.S. (less than 4-hour flight.) Recommend a visit from mid-September through mid-November and mid-February to late March. April-May are the hottest months with temperatures in the high 80s/low 90s. The rest of the year daytime temps vary from low-mid 60s to high 70s. Patzcuaro sits at 7,500 ft. elevation (perfect for high-altitute training.) It rains mainly from mid-July through mid-September. The beach resorts at Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo (~4 hr. drive from Patzcuaro) we thought were first class.

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Old 11-06-12, 07:11 PM
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Boulder is great. I live just outside Boulder on the northeast side. We are here on purpose for
- rock climbing
- cycling
- jobs
- liberal/educated population
- weather
- skiing
- cost of living

I moved here from California - Santa Cruz area and then east bay for a while, before that Berkeley, before that San Diego. I like it here. If it wasn't for the rock climbing requirement, I would prefer California's weather, but that said, I do ride all winter here. And any day you can't ride is probably good to ski.
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Old 11-06-12, 07:32 PM
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Originally Posted by chi-james
not chicago.
I lived there. It's not bad for five months of the year or so.
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Old 11-06-12, 07:35 PM
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Originally Posted by valygrl
Boulder is great. I live just outside Boulder on the northeast side. We are here on purpose for
-
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- liberal population
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.
Everything else you described sounds good though
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Old 11-06-12, 07:42 PM
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I used to live in Rochester NY and even now, I could see myself living happily there.

I grew up there and on the relatively rare occasions that I visit I'm always impressed with the variety the city offers. For a smaller city it has tremendous culture and great food. But I could never adapt to a northern climate again.
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Old 11-06-12, 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by StanSeven
Everything else you described sounds good though
Obviously the university comes with liberals although Boulder also has a significant libertarian contingent, rifle and pistol range within city limits, and trap at the VFW post.

The rifle club waiting list is 7-10 years long, although they are open to the public one weekend a month (every weekend on hunting season) and the matches are open to non-members (there's high power, all-steel, IPSC, defensive pistol, cowboy, you can probably find something to amuse yourself every weekend if you care to).
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Old 11-06-12, 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by hhnngg1
???

It's EASY to figure out why Palo Alto South Bay is so expensive.

Between the natural beauty, amazing weather, convenience of living near all things you need, true multiculturalism, high level of education and income, and abundance of protected nature preserves even in busier residential areas, it's stunningly obvious to most people why this place is so expensive. The leisure is great, but the everyday LIFE is even better - as long as you can afford the place you live in.
28.6% of Silicon Valley employees are in the tech industry with an average salary of $144,800 and many of those people are in dual-income households (some with spouses in the business). The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area also has the most millionaires and billionaires per capita in the United States.
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