SWriverstone Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'm opening the floor here for suggestions on the ultimate, affordable outdoor town to live in. Important criteria: • cannot be a big city; must be a small-to-mid-sized town • cost of living must be reasonable (meaning you could live comfortably on $30K-40K annually) • town must include at least one good coffeehouse and one good bookstore • broadband Internet access must be available Mandatory criteria—must be 30mins or less from the following: • at least one good whitewater river • at least one good carving resort • mountains at least 3,000' high • many miles of great bicycling/motorcycling roads in the area Finally, it's preferable that the town be relatively undiscovered! (I know, fat chance.) By that, I mean it's not overrun by tourists, and the filthy rich aren't buying up every acre of property within 200 miles for their secret getaway mansions (so that rules out just about the entire state of Montana, LOL). Typically towns like what I'm seeking will have certain elements that are a turnoff to the hoidy-toidy...such as... • high redneck/white trash presence • a dirty factory here or there • a run-down, kinda ratty downtown area • extremely limited shopping opportunites (like a Wal-Mart only) I'm okay with any/all of those "turnoff" factors...in fact, I'll seek them out—because only places with those elements will remain relatively modest for a while. Okay, let's here your suggestions! LOL Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.T. Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Crested Butte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'm gonna say someplace between Portland and SeaTac would be your best bet, though I have friends who live in Driggs Idaho who claim those things as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWriverstone Posted February 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Crested Butte Really? I like Gunnison a lot...though it's a tad on the expensive side. And I just figured Crested Butte was unobtanium due to the "hoidy-toidy resort factor." Gunnison is a primo location for outdoor sports...everything I mentioned, plus windsurfing on that huge reservoir right outside of town. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Bend, Oregon. Only it's been "discovered" for ages... but there is a lot of property available at attractive prices right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 in the east you have a ton of options most of VT bethel, ME some factories are in Rumford but that's 20 miles away NH has a couple spots but the state is also crawling with WT where as ME is but there are places you can get away from them in ME and still have cheap cost of living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Buena Vista, CO there was a list in Outside Magazine a couple of years back about the best place to live in all 50 states. Buena vista was #1 in colorado and #1 overall IIRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak_rider Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Bird Creek, AK. It has most of what you're looking for. it's affordable in the range you listed. it's totally not a big city-about 15-20 houses total. i'm currently using high speed internet at my house. however, we don't have a good coffeehouse, but we do have a gas station that sells coffee. there are several hundred miles of great biking, riding roads. google seward highway-it's the msot scenic road i've ever been on, and it allows bicycles-its' technically a highway but it only has 1 lane each way with a double yellow line in the middle. i have 4000-5000ft peaks behind my house, to the side of my house and in front of my house. however, if you want to look at the mtns in front you have to deal with a view of the ocean that the peaks rise out of(i know, life is hard;)) alyeska is a sweet carving resort, no crowds and some good long groomers, and only 10 miles away. whitewater kayaking is pretty popular up here, however, i don't think rafting is. the water stays pretty cold and would make rafting unenjoyable without a wet or dry suit-depending on what type of summer we have. now, we here in bird are by no means run-down, no dirty factories, however, we do have red necks, a hippie commune, and several houses without running water/electricity. no wal-mart either, but there are 3 wal-marts in anchorage. i totally live in the ultimate outdoor town, but i also live in the ultimate outdoor state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 How about you buy yourself a coffee shop in Nelson, BC? Kill two birds with one stone right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWriverstone Posted February 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Ding-ding! You win ak_rider! LOL That sounds perfect. (I can drink coffee from a gas station...) Buena Vista, COThere was a list in Outside Magazine a couple of years back about the best place to live in all 50 states. Buena vista was #1 in colorado and #1 overall IIRC Well, if Outside Magazine pumped it like that, I'm sure it's been ruined by now, LOL. in the east you have a ton of optionsmost of VT bethel, ME some factories are in Rumford but that's 20 miles away NH has a couple spots but the state is also crawling with WT where as ME is but there are places you can get away from them in ME and still have cheap cost of living. Yep...I've been eyeing VT for a long while...and think that would be perfect. Maybe someplace in the Northeast Kingdom near Jay Peak! (And I'm a liberal so I'd be right at home there...unlike NH or ME, LOL.) Maine would be fine too...I motorcycled right across the center of the state once (on my way to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) on Rt.2...and was amazed at how utterly mediocre and white-trashy it was! But that's actually perfect, since the rich folks won't be trying to move in anytime soon... Bend, Oregon. Only it's been "discovered" for ages... but there is a lot of property available at attractive prices right now. Bend would be fantastic...but I thought it had become unobtanium, the "Aspen of Oregon?" Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWriverstone Posted February 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 How about you buy yourself a coffee shop in Nelson, BC? Kill two birds with one stone right there. Oh man, good deal! $145K is reasonable. Hmm...I've been scheming of a way to become a Canadian. If I could live and work in BC I'd renounce my gringo citizenship in a heartbeat! :D Scott PS - How in the hell'd you find that Neil??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 PS - How in the hell'd you find that Neil???Well, you got me wondering if anything in BC was affordable these days. So I thought of Nelson, a town I always thought was really pretty and is close to Whitewater, not exactly the hottest destination resort around. I just googled for Nelson real estate to check affordability and found the coffee shop.Residential property is another matter, you're not going to get under $200K unless you want to live in a trailer or a condo. Most of the other BC ski towns are worse. The rich Vancouver retiree market is screwing it up for the rest of us. If I didn't have such strong family/friend ties here, I'd move to the BC interior in a heartbeat. Real estate has gone so wonky here, I could actually trade my house for a decent place there, which wasn't the case 5 years ago. Just not sure if I could find work to support myself and my family in the way we're used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I have heard Rossland, BC is one of the nicest towns in Canada. If you have kids, they have a very highly regarded high school. It is also just a few miles from the US border so you don't get homesick. Red Mountain is the local resort and they have cat skiing galore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twelsch42 Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Salida, CO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Bend would be fantastic...but I thought it had become unobtanium, the "Aspen of Oregon?" That might have been true in 2005 and 2006, but certainly not in 2009. Plenty of recently built homes in foreclosure. Finding work locally may be tough though... helps to have a career you can bring with you. (For the record I telecommute to the Bay Area...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utahcarver Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I was just there last September and did some looking around. Real estate prices are heart-stopping but, look what you get: Grand Targhee, Jackson and Snow King. You're within distance to make a long weekend at any of the SLC area ski areas. Driggs is still rural and is still cheap compared to what it's going to be in another 10 to 20 years. Or, some town in the northern panhandle of Idaho. That would put you near Schweitzer and Tamarack (not private anymore). Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin A. Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 in the east you have a ton of options most of VT bethel, ME some factories are in Rumford but that's 20 miles away NH has a couple spots but the state is also crawling with WT where as ME is but there are places you can get away from them in ME and still have cheap cost of living. And the biggest problem with northern NH is the fact that nobody will EVER make $30k-$40k a year up there. Unless you're a helluva bartender/waiter/gas station attendant/cook. That and the white trash element is slightly...disproportionate. I thought I could live up there, but I'm back in SNH again. Live up there is so bitter that people have nothing better to do than drugs and drink, and commit various other "I'm bored lets go do something" crime. Vermont sounds like it's perfect for you, but again, you're really going to have to look for $30k+ jobs. And get used to driving ALOT - things tend to be pretty far apart. 30 miles to the grocery store anyone? The Lakes Region of NH isn't too bad. Easy commute to the Concord area and a little bit more industry than the north country. Reasonable cost of living, and some really up and coming towns - Franklin comes to mind; the town SUCKED just 5 years ago, and it's really starting to come around now. VERY cheap to live there, and the second best little doughnut shop that my fiancee or I have ever been to (THE best was in Twin Mountain, but Twin sucks on ice). Southern NH isn't that far from the mountains, but not that close either. Rereading your post, you pretty much described Franklin. It's two towns over from Laconia - where THE motorcycle rally for the east coast is held every year. Gunstock is about 20 minutes away, and it's a pretty good carving mountain - not the best, but good for a fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pushee Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I'm not sure if it fits the $30K-$40K metric, but I decided it was a good place for my retirement. It's a college town (Plymouth State University). Permanent population about 6K, University roughly doubles that. Located on Interstate 93, about 20 miles from Loon Mountain and Waterville Valley. I have at least 3 feet of snow in my back yard at the moment. Cannon Mountain is about 30 miles up the road, and several other ski areas are within a 2 hour drive. I think whitewater is available nearby, but I'm not really qualified to judge. The college town aspect is really a bonus. It means the small town can support a hospital and plenty of dentists and doctors. You also get a great town library and the occasional cultural activity if you are so inclined. It also supports more shops and restaurants than you might otherwise find. We even have a super walmart. Here's a pointer to the chamber of commerce page. http://www.plymouthnh.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I DEFINITLY recommend this site : www dot findyourspot dot com to help you, SWriverstone. I'm still amused with that site, seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I must say the Whitewater ski resort's known for their insane DEEP powder (can you say Ymir peak?)!!! I've read about it in Powder magazine many years ago (almost 20 years ago) and it's just simply insane. If you haven't been to Nelson, do yourself a favor and rent out the movie "Roxanne" with Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah -- it was filmed in Nelson, BC. Absolutely beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crucible Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 In BC, Rossland comes closest to the list of "dealbreaker" conditions you mentioned in your post, although these other BC towns might also whet your appetite: Grand Forks (BC Interior) Smithers (northern BC) Courtenay (Vancouver Island BC) Roberts Creek (Sunshine Coast BC) I have travelled all over the Province because of my work, and these are the towns that I would move to if I wanted to live in an outdoor town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 bikers are one aspect of why I hate some of NH. I ride "JAPCRAP!" and people will talk **** at gas stations. ME has some of that too but generally people are way less bitter in western ME than NH. I don't know why this is....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loc Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 How about moving out west to California? Along Hwy 395 are many small towns with tiny populations. The first that comes to my mind is Bishop. It's located in the Sierra Nevada and about 40 minutes south of Mammoth Mountain. It's a gorgeous mountain and some folks are predicting snow past Memorial Day It becomes a mountain biking resort in the summer. There's great fishing and some of the world most beautiful backcountry along the John Muir/Pacific Crest trail in this region. I don't whitewater so I can't speak to that. Bishop is sort of a pass through town LA folks eat lunch at while driving to Mammoth. Added bonus: it's about 5 hours from Lake Tahoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWriverstone Posted February 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 I DEFINITLY recommend this site : www dot findyourspot dot com to help you, SWriverstone. I'm still amused with that site, seriously. Cool. I took the quiz, and I have to say it was pretty spot-on! It recommended places like Montpelier, VT, Grants Pass, OR, Dunsmuir, CA, and Helena, MO (any of which I could easily live in). I said things in the quiz like... • I don't give a sh*t about seeing sports games • I don't give a sh*t about golf • I don't give a sh*t about museums and theaters (not that i'm not cultured, just don't need 'em) • I don't give a sh*t about what churches are in town • I don't give sh*t about shopping • I hate long hot summers • I hate wide open, flat plains Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWriverstone Posted February 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 How about moving out west to California? Along Hwy 395 are many small towns with tiny populations. The first that comes to my mind is Bishop. It's located in the Sierra Nevada and about 40 minutes south of Mammoth Mountain. It's a gorgeous mountain and some folks are predicting snow past Memorial Day It becomes a mountain biking resort in the summer. There's great fishing and some of the world most beautiful backcountry along the John Muir/Pacific Crest trail in this region. I don't whitewater so I can't speak to that. Bishop is sort of a pass through town LA folks eat lunch at while driving to Mammoth. Added bonus: it's about 5 hours from Lake Tahoe Bishop does look like it's a nice strategic spot. If I were to move to CA, I'd probably focus on northern CA, like the area cornered by Redding, Eureka, and Grants Pass, OR. I think a long motorcycle trip out west is in order so I can scout these places out! Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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