California's Beautiful Central Valley (Los Angeles, San Diego: sales, skateboarding, lofts)

[FresnoFacts]

Quite a bit of farmland left Nita, we still do country drives and stop at fruit stands and wineries.

The area is developing a boutique winery industry now. There are about 20 small wineries around Fresno with new ones planned.

Three weeks ago we stopped at a winery that makes nice Tempranillos and Alicantes.

[Waterlily]

I enjoy stoping at the small cities in central California. I usually stop at one of them off 1-5 on the way down to Southern Cal. They are peaceful places with farmland outside of town.

I like all the sun they get even in months like November.

[LZKay1]

Originally Posted by bipolarpunk

Yes.. Gotta love the Central Valley.. Illegal Aliens, Crime, Bad Air Quality, Meth Labs..

Half of the towns in the area may as well be in Mexico, literally you cannot tell the difference. This doesn't include the upper valley though, just Stockton to Bakersfield. North of Stockton White people make an average majority of 70%-80%.

[Bluesbabe]

Originally Posted by LZKay1

Half of the towns in the area may as well be in Mexico, literally you cannot tell the difference. This doesn't include the upper valley though, just Stockton to Bakersfield. North of Stockton White people make an average majority of 70%-80%.

I'm told that the Hispanic ratio in Watsonville ~ coastal ~ is even higher than that.

[e_cuyler]

I've had way more frustrating experiences with limited English speakers in the Bay Area than I ever have in Fresno.

[Jay100]

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

Better opportunities also exist in Fresno, a search here will show you threads from people moving to Fresno for good job offers. It goes both ways.

LOL, Nothing? Absolutely nothing to do?

OK, lets look at just a very few things going on in Fresno just this current weekend (summer is slower for events because many people are on vacation):
** The California State University Summer Arts programs with college students from all CSU campuses. The public can also attend the lectures and performances.
CSU Summer Arts

** Woodward Park Shakespeare
Woodward Shakespeare Festival

** Concerts - Last night was Keith Urban, tonight its Counting Crows, Tuesday night it will be Il Divo doing their mix of classical, opera, and pop.

** Nightlife: This is a posting of flyers for nightclubs around Fresno showing this weeks music and club events. If you click the link give it time, they have a lot of flyers to load.
Post No Bills: Fresno Fliers for 7/17 - fresnobeehive.com

** BMX - Fresno just opened the largest concrete BMX park in the US (with a 19 foot cradle for loops) and also just opened what is currently considered one of the top 5 dirt BMX race tracks in the US. They have been drawing professional riders from around the country.

** Plus there are the River Parkway for canoeing/kayaking, sports events, theater events, fundraisers for charity, museums, the zoo, waterparks, etc, etc, etc.


Again it is only over 100 degrees for an average of 35 or 36 days each year in Fresno.

That just means you limit afternoons outside for part of the summer, there are still mornings and evenings that are nice. Other cities like Phoenix never cool during most people's awake hours.

Fresno so far has had 14 days over 100 with a 2 week break in the 90s in between the last heat wave and this week. So there was a week over 100 then a 10 day break, now another week to 10 days will be over 100 then they expect another break.

Other cities see no break in the 100+ temps all summer.

And yes, humidity does make a difference, high humidity hits you even in the shade or when temps are only in the 90s. I've stepped outside at 7am in high humidity in the south and my shirt was quickly soaked. Unless someone experiences it, they may not understand.

Lets look at the next few days in other places using weather.com:
Phoenix - 115 today 113 tomorrow with night lows of 92 (it has not been below a high of 100 since June 26)
Las Vegas - 113 today 111 tomorrow (June 26 was also their last day of highs under 100)

And also at what age? Teens and early 20s look at places differently than someone in their 30s and older.

I have to agree. The one who said Fresno has the worst quality of life, is out of control. I will say that much like the rest of California, I don't like what Fresno has become (gangs, crime, illegals, etc.) but it's still a part of California. It's not like the backwoods of the deep south or west virginia.

[e_cuyler]

I've lived in the Bible Belt, and while Fresno has some elements in common with some of those cities, living in Fresno is nothing like living in the Bible Belt.

[FresnoFacts]

Originally Posted by Jay100

I don't like what Fresno has become (gangs, crime, illegals, etc.) but it's still a part of California. It's not like the backwoods of the deep south or west virginia.

Actually crime in the city of Fresno is now at a 45 year low.

Fresno now has a per capita crime rate that is similiar to Omaha, and lower than Des Moines or Spokane. But many people haven't heard about the drop in Fresno crime.

The Fresno PD has been putting a lot of pressure on gangs (sweeps for probation violations, etc) the last few years which has cut crime dramtically. Fresno has been running a lower violent crime rate than Sacramento, San Francisco, and others.

[e_cuyler]

The only downside is that they have pushed a lot of the gangs out into the smaller towns, where law enforcement is less equipped to handle them.

I've always felt safe in Fresno. I don't think the crime is any worse than any other city of that size. There are bad areas, but I've never had any reason for going to any of those places. A lot of the bad cases that are publicized often involve victims that were involved in some kind of criminal activity themselves.

[FresnoFacts]

Originally Posted by LZKay1

Half of the towns in the area may as well be in Mexico, literally you cannot tell the difference. This doesn't include the upper valley though, just Stockton to Bakersfield. North of Stockton White people make an average majority of 70%-80%.

That percentage is only correct for the far nothern counties of the Valley.

You may not realize that Sacramento County is only 58% non-hispanic white, Yolo County only 58% non-hispanic white, Sutter County only 60% non-hispanic white, Glenn County only 62% non-hispanic white, etc.