Move to Iowa (Des Moines area) from Australia

[Qazulight]

Originally Posted by ION1010

It should be mentioned that there are crossing gates that are used to close the expressways in times of bad weather. They seem to be used a couple times a year. We have to be insane to live in a place like that.

Insane? Every place has its problems. I loved Fargo, they don't salt the roads as much in the winter. Still loved it. Drove across Minnisota while it was snowing because the snow just wouldn't fall that year, December 2014) all the way to Duluth just to stay at Jay Cook State park a couple of nights and drive back.

I would live in Fargo or Duluth in a heart beat. In fact I turned down Northern California for Des Moines. (The area was too remote, 45 minutes to the nearest town and it was only 7500 people.)

Cheers
Qazulight

[ElleTea]

I don't know if Des Moines uses much actual salt anymore, but they do this pretreatment thing on the streets before the snow falls. It actually makes the roads worse, IMO. It creates a weird, very slippery snow/slush mess. It makes the job easier for when the plows finally come, but it makes it harder to drive on for cars until the plows do their job.

IMO Des Moines did a pretty terrible job of clearing the roads. I worked on a major street with a major hill, and it always seemed to be the last thing they plowed after a snow. I would always assume that my drive to work on a snowy morning would be a scary one with nothing plowed where you may or may not make it up that hill and no lines on the road to guide you.

[Wozz]

thanks for all the replies guys, sorry for not being active. i have been travelling around the country checking some things out.

we head out to dsm next week. glad to be getting there in the temperatures that are forcast. get a bit of a "feel" for winter :P

I know have some places to check out. from some research, adel and van meter sound good. might head out there first

[Scotttty]

Wozz, how'd you go mate?