Looking to Move from NY/NJ area .. (Houston, Dallas: best city, transplants)

[cBach]

"People who have lived here their entire lives can't just go out for a bike ride in the middle of August. You are completely ignorant if you think you can."

I guess you haven't heard of the "Hotter Than Hell 100"

I see bikers out even in August, I've even seen them midday, but mostly in the early morning. What is different than the Northeast is that when the Northeast is still deep in winter in March, we are already into spring and 80 degree days. Nothing can compare to spring here, from March to May it's absolutely paradise.

I understand that you don't like it here as much as the Northeast. In my experience, people from the Northeast have a harder time adapting than people from say, California, where the weather and culture is more similar. Can you lie in the sun in a park on a mid August afternoon here? No, but the shade is always okay. But can you lie in a bathing suit in a park in the Northeast in March? No, but you can here. I think the problem I've found from northerners is that they have this paradigm that summer is a time you should be able to do everything and winter is "hibernation" time except for skiing. We just spread our activities throughout the year a little better.

[cBach]

mm57553,

Like I used to tell my ex, who was from the Northeast: "It's a lot easier if you don't resist. You cannot try to change our culture to what you were used to, just as I would be unable to convince a New Yorker to become more Texan if I lived in NYC. However, you can adjust to what our culture is, learn to accept it for what it is."

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by mm57553

Trust me when I say, you can't stand the heat. People who have lived here their entire lives can't just go out for a bike ride in the middle of August. You are completely ignorant if you think you can.

That is 100% false. I can only assume you are quite sedentary and don't get a chance to go out much.

People ride year round here. It's a heck of a lot easier and more pleasant to ride on a 100 degree Austin day than it is to try to ride in the snow or cold. I do it all the time, and I'm from the northeast originally (although I have been in TX over 20 years). I can only imagine the native Texans have even less discomfort riding in the August heat.

[amit_shah25]

Originally Posted by atxcio

It's a heck of a lot easier and more pleasant to ride on a 100 degree Austin day than it is to try to ride in the snow or cold.

He heee ! Yeap ! In a bicycle unfriendly suburbia where almost all of the right lane is taken by shoveled snow, drivers half asleep at 5 in the morning, you never know when one of the cars is going to loose control over snow and hit you ! Not to mention you have got your ears, face, all covered, may be you have some chemical warmers in your skii gloves and boots, and your finger tips are still frost bitten anyway as a 15F windchill blasts over your face when you go down the hill trying to swerve the ice in your lane I am pretty convinced that a nice cold water bottle, shorts and T-shirts would serve good on a 100, even a 110 F day Not to mention the 25 minutes that you have to spend layering up on a 20F day every time you intend to get out of your house, office, restaurant etc.

Just goofing around ! Not trying to start a flame war here ! I really appreciate all the opinions that I am getting here.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by atxcio

That is 100% false. I can only assume you are quite sedentary and don't get a chance to go out much.

People ride year round here. It's a heck of a lot easier and more pleasant to ride on a 100 degree Austin day than it is to try to ride in the snow or cold. I do it all the time, and I'm from the northeast originally (although I have been in TX over 20 years). I can only imagine the native Texans have even less discomfort riding in the August heat.

I agree. I'm more of a runner than a cyclist, and I run all year, even in the 100 degree heat. I actually run at high noon to my gym then workout, then run back (then shower of course).

I think mm57553 probably is a more warm natured person that was acclimated to the weather up north and frankly just can't take the heat.

[CarnivalGal]

What I am trying to tell the OP is that Texas is not like the Northeast with warmer weather and more jobs. His post made it sound as though that is what he is expecting.

And although I am not a cyclist, I am a runner. And I absolutely can not run in the middle of the day in August. Do people do it? Yep, I see them all the time. But I have no idea how, and I've lived here for 20 years. My mother-in-law, who has lived in Houston for all of her 65 years, refers to Summer as "Our (meaning Texas') winter" because so many people stay inside in air-conditioned comfort, much like North-easterners spend a lot of the winter inside in heated comfort.

I don't hate Austin - really I don't. But I think a lot of people moving here from the Northeast expect it to be the same - demographically, topographically, etc. I merely wanted to emphasize how different it is.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by cBach

I agree. I'm more of a runner than a cyclist, and I run all year, even in the 100 degree heat. I actually run at high noon to my gym then workout, then run back (then shower of course).

I think mm57553 probably is a more warm natured person that was acclimated to the weather up north and frankly just can't take the heat.

The irony is that come July, there will be 100 posts complaining about the heat by people other than me. Yet, I'm am being singled-out as not being able to "take the heat," when apparently it's not just me.

[hoffdano]

When I was younger, I regularly rode my road bike on 360 after work - all summer. Including July and August. It was hard, and I drank a lot of fluid in 20 miles of riding. But fit people can do it - and you can see them today.

I don't cycle anymore. But cyclists and runners don't quit in the summer. They tend to run/cycle early or late - and we have lots of daylight to make it possible.

[amit_shah25]

Originally Posted by mm57553

I merely wanted to emphasize how different it is.

Originally Posted by mm57553

Yet, I'm am being singled-out as not being able to "take the heat," when apparently it's not just me.

No mm57553 .. I definitely get your point loud and clear ...

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by amit_shah25

He heee ! Yeap ! In a bicycle unfriendly suburbia where almost all of the right lane is taken by shoveled snow, drivers half asleep at 5 in the morning, you never know when one of the cars is going to loose control over snow and hit you !

In the interest of full disclosure, I should warn you that there is tons of bicycle unfriendly suburbia here in Austin too. It is the sunbelt, remember, and the cities are sprawling. Also lots of careless (or rude) drivers. But no snow or ice to worry about, except maybe 1-2 days every few years.

If I'm taking a long ride (or hard mountain bike ride) on a 100+ degree day, I'll just stick my filled camelback in the freezer for a few hours prior to going. Then you have combined A/C and water when you need it! You do need a lot of water on those hot days. Definitely work up to it.