Trying to get out of Texas to a good bike friendly state. If a job comes up we're moving. Anyone looking for a microscopist?

I dunno- how little are you?

You can't come to WA unless you bring some of that warm sun. and I mean a lot of sun too...

Sorry, I'm a headwind and rain magnet. Texas will go into drought when we are gone. We had the chance to move to seattle about 5 years ago but declined. I will take rain and vocanoes over hurricanes and mosqitoes.

I think he might be illegal.
Better check his papers before he enters.

Be careful what you wish for. I'm dying to go home to Texas for the holidays. The rain has past the depressing point already this winter. Also, in case you were wondering, the BBQ and Mexican food here really sucks!

I hear that Colorado has nice riding, and a more oil based economy too.

It's true, the quality of Mexican food in the PNW does leave something to be desired. That's why I make all my own. The basic ingredients are readily available and I really enjoy my kitchen time. (Probably a bit too much, judging by my waistline.)

On the bright side, our politics is just as hilarious and strife-ridden as those in Texas. The only difference is the team wearing the other color tends to win here, but not by much.

We've got plenty of good taco trucks 'round here. Good sit-down Mexican is available in Hillsboro, OR. Actually there's some good sit-down Mexican about 10 miles from me also.

Best move I've made. Where are you in Texas?

I might be illegal but will blend in better up there. The food is better down here, must admit that. Been in Highlands (north of Baytown) for the past 6 years. The problem is getting jobs up there. Texas pays the best in my field and wife have good a job now. She just sent a resume to Seattle, we have about 2% chance for a move early next year.

Just looked up housing costs. My 87k 1,500' house would be in the 300k range in Seattle? Ouch.

Are you and your wife both working?

Yep, housing up here is ridiculously expensive, even post bubble. It's a little better out here in the 'burbs. I'm checking out a small 900' home, my first, for $97K.

Overall, food is WAY better in Portland than anywhere in TX. TX style BBQ is gonna be very lacking (consider yourself lucky that you're not an Eastern Carolina BBQ fan like me, there ain't nothin' at all like that out here) and Tex-Mex and Mexican choices are slightly more limited, but Portland has quite possibly the best array of $10 dinners of anywhere in the nation. I must reiterate, if you like taco truck Mexican, the city is littered with 'em and most are really good.

If you're averse to Thai, Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Japanese, wacky fusion stuff, etc, then you won't really be able to take full advantage of Portland's food choices.

Seattle doesn't have as much in the $10 range, but has more to offer in the $25+ range than Portland.

One thing about Portland is paucity of Buffalo Wings. It's a far better situation than it was in the 1990s, but it's a far cry from Phoenix, AZ (and most big cities in TX) in that realm.

mex and bbq food

i cry everytime i try to find some here (and im from here!)

You do have this in Seattle, though... MMmmm.

https://www.salumicuredmeats.com/

Oregon beer is the best but I was not impressed with the food. Wife is working full time plus taking the vanpool to the med center, over an hour each way. I work part time in Dayton now and commute via Schwinn, 1.3 hours each way. My pay would be about 8k a year more in Seattle. If they offer a job to the Mrs. it would neet to be 8-10k more a year plus relocation package for us to consider a move. A nice house costing half a million or more is hard to comprehend.

One thing about Portland restaurants - poor service. It's pervasive.

My favorite widely available beer is from (gasp) San Diego!

I imagine if I lived in Baytown, TX I'd die from not having a handful of locations where I could grab a Dutch taco.

Then there's the Stumptown Coffee withdrawals.

Are you PCM and PLM trained?

I send my work to https://www.nvllabs.com/
you might try them.

Thanks CB HI, its the wife thats a micoscopist. She works for HHMI doing neuro science and genetic research. She just applied for a job that has lots of fancy words in it that I don't understand.

OK, she is making way more money doing her kind of microscopy.

The money is not that good. Its the benefits that are great. The link you sent sounds a little boring to me, no offence. I would make 5-10k a year more too, still does not put into ballance the cost of homes. I just don't understand how a little dirt and some lumber cost 5 times more than here.

If it was cheap and occasionally sunny then everyone would be here

It's not just the cost of housing - things like groceries, gas, and eating out cost a lot more here, and I'm really not sure why. I make about $15k a year more than I did in Austin but I actually have less free spending cash after I add it all up. I don't want to discourage you if you are dreaming of living here, but it's something to keep in mind when making your decision.

I lived for 29 years in Dallas/Fort Worth, in Sept 2009, I moved to Vancouver,Washington, I'm a motorcycle/bicycle riding guy, finding out I'm not getting as much riding time in as I did in Texas, I don't miss the slimely/sweaty summers, housing is a lot more $$. I did ride the motorcycle over to Bend,Oregon last August, Beautiful.

I'm glad I made the change, still adjusting to the Pacific Northwest.