The State of Indiana?

[ne1512blvd]

I think that what you enjoy for recreation and what motivates you to get up off your butt has a lot to do with how fit you are. My husband and I are moving to West Virginia because I can no longer stand living here in Indiana. I was born here 29 yrs ago. But, my family is from West Virginia, so we moved their when I was 8 mo. old. We lived there until I was 4 yrs. old. Then they yanked me up and brought me back here. I have been planning my escape back to the mountains ever since.

I remember when I was a little girl and I was very active, climbing up the mountains behind my house and walking everywhere. I remember how pretty is was. I remember the day we drove into our new town in flat Indiana. I did not understand where the mountains were! lol. Other than riding my bike and swimming at the community pool, there was nothing to do. I became fat. I am fat now. I don't smoke though. My dad smoked until he died of lung cancer. My sister smokes. I can't stand the smell of it or the fact that the people who smoke are so inconsiderate of the people around them. I value my health. Anyway, we are moving to find a place where my kids can grow up having lots of recreational activities to help them to be fit. There are things in Indiana one can do to be fit and stay fit. I just am not motivated by them. I have been white water rafting and have climbed in the mountains on all my visits to WV. Each time I come back, I cry, sit on the couch and grab a bag of chips. I want to get healthy, so that is why I am moving to WV and getting out of Indiana.

I do not mean to offend the skinny people here in Indiana that have found the motivation to get out and do whatever is available here. But, I just know from my own personal experience, that I need mountain scenery to motivate me to get out and do stuff. I am really active every time I am in the mountains. When I am here I am depressed.

So, to make this long venting shorter or to summarize the point I am trying to make, if you can stay active and be motivated by the things offered here (like cycling, cause there are things to do for the people who like them) then you will probably be okay with the move and have ways to stay fit. But, if the mountains there ware the types of recreation that you enjoy and that keep you fit, you won't find it here.

[seattlerainer]

Move to Center Grove, good sports teams, and good schools.

[fallingwater]

Originally Posted by ColoradoMove

My wife, two kids (under 3) and I are considering moving from Boulder, CO to Carmel, IN. We feel as though we have done are research on Carmel (which we like), but we are getting disturbing info on the state of IN from friends that have lived there. I have heard comments saying IN is full of smoking, overweight and not active people. My wife and I get a good feel for IN from everything we have looked up, however people are indicating outside of Indy people are not very progressive (i.e. healthy, active, interested in new things). Can anyone elaborate further? We don't want to find ourselves living on an island (Carmel) never wanting to venture out into a state we are not proud of. Thanks to anyone that can help...

I relocated to Northern Indiana. I felt culture shock right away. I come from a large city and it took some getting used to some of the ideals and other things this state has. My experiences will prolly not affect you since I am not in the area you are relocating too. But I thought I would throw my two cents anyway as I know what its like to a transplant here.

I have lived in several states and dont find anyone here to be more over weight than any other place. In fact, one of the first things I noticed upon moving here is how many people exercise outside. I always see people running, walking, biking etc. Food is pretty stelar as it will locally grown. I actually lost 20 lbs upon moving here and not from being on any sort of diet. The veggies and meat have less chemicals and that makes a huge difference. The local market has a wide array of food choices and I really like it.

We live in the burbs, in a cookie cutter neighborhood and although this would be unappealing to some, I actually like it. I have always owned older homes with older home issues. To live in a newer house that is well insulated with copper plumbing is great. Hubby and I have done the older home rehabs many times and at our stage in life, I'd rather spend the money on decor and furniture. Radon gas is an issue in Indiana and I believe it is in Colorado too. Make sure you get a radon test. Our home tested high and has a unit in the basement to keep levels low. Also Indiana has hard water. That has taken me a while to get used too. Invest in a water softener. It helps a lot but still the water just wears clothes out!

I also discovered that people in Indiana are crazy drivers. I dont know if they think they are cousins of Tony Stewart or what but I have seen some horrific car accidents. Its not from bumper to bumper traffic either. Its people blowing thru stop signs and red lights at high rates of speed.

There are a lot of things I dont like about Indiana and I prolly wont stay after my son goes off to college but I do feel that he will experience a happy childhood here. Sometimes you have to move where the job opportunities are and make the most of the area its in. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

[Grandma(in waiting)]

Why does this thread remind me of the South Park episode where Kyle and his family move to San Francisco?

I moved to Indiana quite some time ago...a fluke actually...from the SF Bay area, and I have to say, it was a culture shock. After I got over it (and myself), I have to say, I couldn't have picked a better place to settle and raise children.

Indiana is not Colorado and never will be, just as it will never be California. If you move here with preconceived notions, you will notice things to back them up and your brain won't be able to process the good points about life here.Needless to say, not everyone in the state smokes, is overweight or a hick. Yes, you will find those individuals here, just as you will in Colorado but the state isn't teeming with them.

Carmel is really just an extension of Indianapolis, so you're going to be in one big metro area. If you ever have the chance, pop down to Bloomington for a visit. You might find it's a little closer to Boulder in "vibe". It's hilly as is most of the southern part of the state and if you go a little further south there are actually places where you can ski. Granted, it's not the Rockies, but you can still strap on a pair of skis and schussh down a couple of hills. Cross country skiing is pretty popular as well. There are some beautiful state parks in Indiana with hiking trails of varying difficulty and some places where you can white water raft. I'm a lot older than I was when I originally moved here, but managed to find plenty of things to stay active.


If you decide to move here, welcome to Indiana.