Moving out from Florida! (Looking for opinions)

[deftoner]

They are all three totally different IMOP.....

I lived in Austin years ago and im still in Texas.... Austin is pretty fun to visit these days but now its WAY to congested and unless your very wealthy for your own little slice of heaven I would maybe say, NO

My first choice (of your three) would be Colorado, but when you say north of Denver, are you talking Boulder or up near the boarder ? Bolder, YES..... Border, NO...... Have you considered any of the small towns on the west side of the state? So many cool little places over there..... Maybe check that out.

Hello there! thanks for your reply. Boulder would be a dream but the housing prices are nuts. A house that was 500k 2 years ago is 1.2M now. North from Denver I mean exactly those small towns or cities, Like Fort Collins. We actually decided to go to colorado already. We are looking for an rv park to stay 4 month more or less and check the cities and small towns before making the final decision.

 

[deftoner]

Wow, that's two very different types of weather. Texas would be my choice, just not Austin. I'd go North Texas, west of I-35.

Thanks for the reply, yes, very different weather. I prefer colorado weather, but Texas was an option because still good life quality and more affordable than colorado.

 

[deftoner]

All have great aspects but none of those appeal to me as places to live so I'm going to take a different approach. Do some searches for articles on best places to retire.
Those typically are looking for:

Cost of living, including taxes. For example, I keep reading that Colorado has gotten expensive and sucks on vehicle and other taxes but have no personal experience there.
Quality of life
Healthcare - Especially for your back and just getting older
Entertainment which tends to find communities with colleges

The thing the articles don't usually mention is finding a place near people you relate to or even closer to relatives. For example, how you write comes across as having an accent (English as a 2nd language), and that may mean you'll never be accepted in a small community where everybody grew up together or goes to the same church. Thinking about what I just wrote, Guess that would be another vote for somewhere like a smaller college town.

Good luck and it'll be interesting to follow what you learn.

Thanks for you reply!. To be brutally honest, yes we feared about racism, Our main language is Spanish, we came from Argentina, but our families are from Europe (mine from Germany and my wife from Italy), and believe it or not, that helped a lot. We traveled in our rv for 4 month in total in two trips. I went to Alabama, small towns, I made friends there. After a couple of days they asked me about my accent some people were shocked but still friends some other people stop talking to us hahaha. Is sad but true and in a way I understand them.

We actually read a lot, and I did a spreadsheet with all the data:


I'm not retiring now.I would love to... but to be hones my wife took the lead on deciding for denver, I was more near Utah, Sal lake city (despite all the bad things that guides and people says about it). But since my wife is leaving friends behind with all this moving thing at this point is like wherever place that is not in florida will be nice

 

[deftoner]

Cost of living is why so many Californians, and New Yorkers are moving here. The problem is that they are bringing there angry attitudes with them. Other than that. . . . be welcome.

Well is sort of the story of Florida (North Cuba, like I like to call). People came here because "you can speak some Spanish" and now I need to help the cashier at Walmart to communicate with her manager, since manager does not speak Spanish and cashier does not speak English at all. This covid thing is modifying communities.

 

[deftoner]

In the general vicinity of where you are looking is New Mexico. My daughter spent 19 months in Santa Rosa. Loved the people, made many friends, but the town was SO small that she would travel to Santa Fe for shopping, etc. She still goes back there to help her friends on the ranch. She's a very good horse person, and helps with roundups, moving cattle, branding, AI, etc.

When she moved to Santa Rosa, the job came with a relocation to Santa Fe, NM. (Engineer with the USDA.)

Santa Fe is beautiful, not too crowded (yet), and the motorcycling / dirt biking in Northern New Mexico/Southern CO is spectacular. I spent 4 weeks there this spring, and I would move from Bozeman, MT, in a heartbeat. (we live in Bozeman so my wife can ski. The skiing here is better than NM, thus our location.) You can ski in the winter, ride motorcycles in the summer. it's hot, but not humid. Riding dirt bikes on a 90 degree day was no problem - just carry water.

Albuquerque is close, less expensive, but not as nice, and has really high crime rates. (my daughter won't park her tacoma there, but will park "chuck the work truck" when she's there on business. )

Just my $0.02. Some of my graduated students live in SLC, and they are bothered by the air quality. Santa Fe is on a Mesa, so air quality is good (if that is an issue).

Good luck. Thanks, also, for the head light covers.

I LOVED Bozeman. We stayed in an rv park 30 minutes from there. I love snow (yes, I sound like a child...) and it was end of may and I went to Bozeman and that same day started snowing, like they were waiting for me.... I always joke to my wife "Stop looking, we are moving to Bozeman..." I tried but she says that we are not going to connect with people there.

This is me and my wife. I'm wearing my "happy place face" in Bozeman.

 

[deftoner]

[CONTENT DELETED - CW] My suggestion of Page AZ still stands. It's small enough, and it's in the middle of the Navajo Reservation. Politics aren't real important there.

I would love to live in a quiet place like that, but my wife needs some noise, at least a downtown in 1 hour drive

 

[deftoner]

Why does this have to turn into another political argument? The OP wants to get out of Florida. I know quite a few people who retired to Florida only to move back to the midwest. Most of them cite the summer heat, hurricanes, overcrowding, traffic, crime and poor healthcare as their reasons.

The OP states both he and his wife can work remotely and wants a diversity of weather. I wonder if he has ever shoveled snow! Probably not a good idea with his health problems. My short list would include southwestern Colorado, northern California or western North Carolina.

Yes, the snow shoveling would be a new experience. but here in florida I cut the grass every week. My knee is getting better, and I hope for a full recover in a couple of month. And I hoping to finishe the moving thing by the next summer, mostly to get a new S10 and go back to the roads....

 

[deftoner]

My experience with your destinations is limited to Colorado, but damn is it amazing. Probably my favourite state out of all that I have visited of about 40 or so. Huge variety of scenery and various levels of civilization. From Denver, which is a great city, the Rockies, to vast emptiness in the east

Thanks for your reply! The only bad memory that I have on our several visit to colorado is one road coming from Limon, that for some reason the RV TT bumped all those miles... and that happened ONLY on that road hahaha. that the 2 plus of colorado, variety of people and communities and the outdoor. Even the options to drive 4 hours and go to awesome national parks. Here in florida, you need to drive 7 to get to any place that is not e beach or swamp

 

[deftoner]

I've lived in Austin for 65 years, since age 9, and it's the only place I'd live in Texas. Problem is, it's not the town I grew up in, not by a damn sight. They blame the Californians (picture is just for fun) and New Yorkers that moved here, but there are just as many local ne'er do wells that messed it up badly, too. Growing up, it was somewhat famous for having the cheapest cost of living in the USA for a city of its size, but it's gotten over that title, way over it. Lots of good road riding in the hill country, but for all its size Texas doesn't have much public land access if you want to go off the paved byways. Austin is a beautiful city, except we are overrun by homeless camps that were allowed by the city council which, politically speaking, is way out of step with most of the rest of the area. Maybe I'll just say I probably couldn't afford to buy a home here now, so I'm mighty glad I bought my current home in 1986. But it's a neat place.

thanks for your reply. Yes homeless were a big shock for us. We were used to see them in SF 3 years ago when we visit for a couple of weeks. but in this last trip. we saw tent almost under every highway bridge in most of California. And in Houston was massive.

 

[deftoner]

I have lived and/or spent time in each of those destinations, as well as in Florida (Pensacola). I see the appeal of all of them, but for my money I'd choose Utah. Salt Lake/Ogdon is close to Idaho and the nice part of Wyoming, so that's a plus. I prefer southern Utah (St. George) but I could live in either without any issues. Denver/Boulder CO has gotten too busy for my tastes and has lost some if the charm it had when I was younger. Traffic is bad as well. Austin is a great town, but the housing prices after factoring in property tax rates makes Austin a nice place to visit but not a place I could live.

For the record, regarding small towns and accents/non-native speakers (as it was previously mentioned), I am married to a non-native speaker and have lived in small rural towns and big metro cities... her accent has never really been an issue. Sure there are some odd occasions but they are few and far between and just as prevalent in large cities as in small towns. I have found that most people in the world are actually pretty nice and accepting. The general rule is don't be a jerk and people will usually treat you well. Treat people with respect and a smile and they will bend over backwards to accommodate you (or in my case, my wife's acccent).

No matter where you choose I'm sure you'll be fine. I just happen to prefer Utah the most on your list. The scenery is just so beautiful and it has some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Thanks for your reply and your wishes

 

[deftoner]

I’d add Arizona to your list. While I prefer the tax structure of Nevada, Arizona is amazingly beautiful, far more mountainous than most people realize, and in the right areas, very comfortable to live in year round.

Well, we stayed for a little more than a week in Black mountain, that is 30 mins north from phoenix. I liked phoenix, it looked a little bit as a ghost town, because of covid I guess. The big downside for us for AZ is the weather. When we were there (like 2 month ago) temperature was 115f! our rv couldn't keep up. We worked until 3 pm and then we rushed to go to any place with ac. Weather probably change a lot going little north.

 

[deftoner]

Have you visited NW Arkansas? Plenty of great areas to ride on and off road, 4 seasons, pretty mild winters and summers, and the Bentonville / Fayetteville area meets your criteria.

Actually no. But now is on my list!

 

[deftoner]

I know a few folks that sold their homes and bought a huge camper to travel around the country in, so far they say they are very satisfied and don’t plan on ever buying another house.

well we enjoyed our 2 long trips (4 months in total). But yes, my wife is getting crazy to be a mom, and we think that we need to be on a fixed place for that "project" hahaha. I would totally upgrade my TT to a big 5th wheel with all the amenities and being a nomad. So much NICE people we met (specially far from big cities).

 

[Sierra1]

. . . . Weather probably change a lot going little north.

Flagstaff. Their altitude keeps it cooler, even in the summer. Their forecast shows them in the 70s for the next five days. They also get snow in the winter. And, it's smack dab in the middle of AZ. @holligl "winters" in the general area. Check with him for details. AZmike lives there too, but he's down in Tucson.

 

[deftoner]

Flagstaff. Their altitude keeps it cooler, even in the summer. Their forecast shows them in the 70s for the next five days. They also get snow in the winter. And, it's smack dab in the middle of AZ. @holligl "winters" in the general area. Check with him for details. AZmike lives there too, but he's down in Tucson.

I went to Flagstaff, just passing by, I remember going to this winery of the lead singer of tool. Still we already decided to give a try to colorado, we are going to do base in there with the rv, if that doesnt work its a good second option. along with salt lake city
Thanks!

 

[PhilPhilippines]

".......I went to Alabama, small towns, I made friends there. After a couple of days they asked me about my accent some people were shocked but still friends some other people stop talking to us hahaha. Is sad but true and in a way I understand them....."

Their loss. Some f*cked up people in this world!

Fortunately 95% are reasonably sensible

 

[Bill_C]

Ignorance knows no ethnicity nor regional boundaries.
I have literally circled the globe and I have found that the vast majority of people harbor strange preconceptions and biases but are willing to give you a shot if you treat them with kindness and respect. That almost always results in barriers broken down and common ground being found.
The two things I've learned in my time is that people are people no matter where they are from and that 5 percent of the world's population are happy with their ignorance. Can't change those ones so it's best to just ignore them and focus on the other 95%.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[PhilPhilippines]

Ignorance knows no ethnicity nor regional boundaries.
I have literally circled the globe and I have found that the vast majority of people harbor strange preconceptions and biases but are willing to give you a shot if you treat them with kindness and respect. That almost always results in barriers broken down and common ground being found.
The two things I've learned in my time is that people are people no matter where they are from and that 5 percent of the world's population are happy with their ignorance. Can't change those ones so it's best to just ignore them and focus on the other 95%.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

More eloquently put than I.

 

[holligl]

Well, we stayed for a little more than a week in Black mountain, that is 30 mins north from phoenix. I liked phoenix, it looked a little bit as a ghost town, because of covid I guess. The big downside for us for AZ is the weather. When we were there (like 2 month ago) temperature was 115f! our rv couldn't keep up. We worked until 3 pm and then we rushed to go to any place with ac. Weather probably change a lot going little north.

Yes AZ varies significantly with elevation. We have friends who moved to Prescott Valley. They are generally 15* cooler than the East Valley where we winter, and will get some snow. A lot of people in the "valley" have a summer vacation strategy to get out of the heat. In just a single day ride you can go from hot to frigid. Last winter, I think Flagstaff had record snow.

 

[deftoner]

Ignorance knows no ethnicity nor regional boundaries.
I have literally circled the globe and I have found that the vast majority of people harbor strange preconceptions and biases but are willing to give you a shot if you treat them with kindness and respect. That almost always results in barriers broken down and common ground being found.
The two things I've learned in my time is that people are people no matter where they are from and that 5 percent of the world's population are happy with their ignorance. Can't change those ones so it's best to just ignore them and focus on the other 95%.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

This is the best thing that I read in a while. Thanks!