Find me a good place to live for cycling

[.RJ]

Background: grew up in the DC area & currently live in the VA suburbs. Things are pretty good, but looking for a change of scenery soon.

Needs: good area for cycling (mtb/gravel riding and season of CX racing a plus - DC area has spoiled me on those things), availability of cleared jobs for my wife (DoD/Intelligence program/projecdt management), IT or software industry jobs for myself, fewer assholes than the east coast rat race.

Wants: winters not any worse than DC (preferably warmer climate), same or preferably lower cost of living in an area that you'd want to live in that's close to jobs, being able to live in an urban/walkable/bike friendly place, smaller community even if its in a large city/sprawl.

Places on my radar are Charlottesville VA, Charlotte NC, Denver and somewhere in SoCal - I realize thats impossibly vague given the sprawl, but either in OC on the coast or maybe closer to the mountains near Pasadena.

Go.

[Mzilliox]

well as far as socal, id say skip it since you mention you wanted to avoid the assholes in the east coast rat race. different rat race, but same amount of assholes. Denver is a cool place with cool folks, but the city itself leaves something to be desired. luckily the surrounding area is pretty rad.

good luck in whatever you decide!

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

well as far as socal, id say skip it since you mention you wanted to avoid the assholes in the east coast rat race. different rat race, but same amount of assholes

I always felt that the left coast was far more laid back, especially around working culture.

Maybe the masters dopers cyclists make up for it on weekends?

[fuzzalow]

Originally Posted by .RJ

...fewer assholes than the east coast rat race.

"Assholes" is a relative term and also very dependent on your own professional standards and how that meshes, or not, with the culture in the places of your employment.

I am chiming in because it occurred to me that I often defend NYC which some view as very unpleasant to live in and cut-throat to work in. But it is all relative and anyplace worth living in, no matter where it is, with niceties and opportunities, will never come easily and will always extract a price. As such, I think that the first step always lies with a critical review of yourself and not a false hope of greener pastures somehow free from the ugly downsides of modern life.

I am not trying to dissuade you in finding a better situation but for a request as far ranging and as wide open as yours given here, there are hundreds, if not thousands of variables. How could anyone help, other than in the most general of ideas. What can I tell ya, life isn't a bowl of cherries but I'd also encourage you that you can find your way if you are honest with yourself, take things one step at a time and have/make a plan to get where you want to be.

Best of luck.

[texbike]

I'm not sure how this stacks up on the DoD/intelligence requirement, but how about the Seattle area?

Along the same lines (not sure about the proliferation of DoD/intelligence jobs), how about Reno? Close to the mountains, close to great skiing, great riding right out of the door, no state income tax, lower cost of living, etc.

Perhaps Nashville or Chattanooga?

Oh, and Charlotte seems like a great option as well!

Texbike

[BobO]

Originally Posted by .RJ

Background: grew up in the DC area & currently live in the VA suburbs. Things are pretty good, but looking for a change of scenery soon.

Needs: good area for cycling (mtb/gravel riding and season of CX racing a plus - DC area has spoiled me on those things), availability of cleared jobs for my wife (DoD/Intelligence program/projecdt management), IT or software industry jobs for myself, fewer assholes than the east coast rat race.

Wants: winters not any worse than DC (preferably warmer climate), same or preferably lower cost of living in an area that you'd want to live in that's close to jobs, being able to live in an urban/walkable/bike friendly place, smaller community even if its in a large city/sprawl.

Places on my radar are Charlottesville VA, Charlotte NC, Denver and somewhere in SoCal - I realize thats impossibly vague given the sprawl, but either in OC on the coast or maybe closer to the mountains near Pasadena.

Go.

Tucson checks all of those boxes, even the walkable lifestyle depending on where in town you live.

Though admittedly,... it does get a bit warm in the summer.

[FlashUNC]

Not Charlotte.

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

well as far as socal, id say skip it since you mention you wanted to avoid the assholes in the east coast rat race. different rat race, but same amount of assholes. Denver is a cool place with cool folks, but the city itself leaves something to be desired. luckily the surrounding area is pretty rad.

good luck in whatever you decide!

Wow, thanks for stereotyping!!!

I assume you have met every person who lives in socal so you can make this well informed decision.

[eBAUMANN]

there are "assholes" everywhere. this is america.

that said, ive heard good/surprising things about chatanooga as well.

[54ny77]

life's what you make it.

that said, i vote somewhere in tuscany, italy.

[blakcloud]

I would suggest Huntsville, Alabama. Yes, I stereotyped it before I got there and boy did I change my mind. Small city but plenty of good cycling. Lots of hills to train, mountain biking and cyclocross. You never get the snow that you did in your neck of the woods. You can ride all year around with just a little discomfort.

I have been in around Fairfax Virginia at least a dozen times and Huntsville reminds of very much of Fairfax.

Housing is still affordable and available. Homes that would be about a $800,000 dollars in Toronto, sell for about $300,000 in Huntsville and surrounding area. As for jobs, there is the Redstone Arsenal and of course NASA which might be good for your wife.

The downside of Huntsville is flying in and out of the airport. It has the most expensive tickets to fly in the country, so many fly to Nashville and take the shuttle into Huntsville (this is what I do). They also don't sell Powerball which means driving to Tennessee. Tornadoes can also be troublesome. I had the rare privilege of seeing my first Tornado as I was driving from Nashville to Huntsville and it was pretty scary.

Check it out online, it might be a contender.

[hoonjr]

I'm in Charlottesville myself. I'm on the fence about this area in terms of riding. There is plenty of it and there is a large community, however most of the rural roads scare the crap out of me. I'm used to having a lined shoulder where most drivers give us clearance. As for the jobs, there is NGIC and UVA is a huge tech employer but after that it's a little thin on opportunities. Feel free to PM me.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by fuzzalow

"Assholes" is a relative term and also very dependent on your own professional standards and how that meshes, or not, with the culture in the places of your employment.

I am chiming in because it occurred to me that I often defend NYC which some view as very unpleasant to live in and cut-throat to work in. But it is all relative and anyplace worth living in, no matter where it is, with niceties and opportunities, will never come easily and will always extract a price. As such, I think that the first step always lies with a critical review of yourself and not a false hope of greener pastures somehow free from the ugly downsides of modern life.

Yeah, I think that's a fair point. I suppose anyone that doesnt agree with my (or your?) world view is an asshole

I'm categorizing the east coast job first/job focused, rat race, long commute, climb on top of each other to get up the ladder types as the assholes in question. Of course they probably call me the asshole that leaves "early" (after working 9 hours!) to ride his bike around in funny clothes. I find a lot of people here get too wrapped up in their work/life/rat race and end up miserable people that forget to have fun. I've been able to insulate myself from that quite a bit with short commutes, bike riding, and great friends, but where I live is starting to get more crowded and after spending most of my 37 years here I'd like a change of scenery and maybe a slower pace of life or being around people that value their recreation & leisure more than their jobs.

keep firing, assholes.

[exapkib]

While neither city exactly lines up with your point about winter, if you are willing to consider Denver you should also give the Wasatch Front (Salt Lake City and environs to the north and south) in Utah a look.

Unexpectedly large number of cleared jobs available (NSA, FBI, military). Lots happening in the tech sector. Great mountain bike and road riding.

We moved here from NoVA, and it is much more laid back. It's been a great move for us.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by exapkib

While neither city exactly lines up with your point about winter, if you are willing to consider Denver you should also give the Wasatch Front (Salt Lake City and environs to the north and south) in Utah a look.

Interesting idea. Can you live/work in the city with things to do on evening/weekends (i.e. restaurants, outdoor concerts, coffee shop, parks, etc)?