Some not so often asked questions (Knoxville, Oak Ridge: crime rates, home, safe area)

[Pro-mo]

Safe areas, great schools, crime rates, jobs, yeah yeah I was smart enough to find these and many more questions on my own using the good ole search button. But some things I just havnt found so im going to ask them here, forgive me if I have missed them elsewhere.

First off my youngest son is now 12 and is currently in his first year of football, pee wee is his division here, junior midget next year, and he absolutely loves it and plans on playing on through to high school. Here in SWFL there are a couple different leagues, some are money hungry, some with bad coaches, some are in it for the kids. Luckily we found one thats very good with a mixture of all. That being said can anyone recommend a good spot/league/affiliation in the general Knoxville area? It will be a good year or so before we can make a move but we generally like Western Knoxville ( lenoir city, loudon, oak ridge...)

Secondly we are into going off road, mudding mostly but any off roading is great for us. We make it a family day always. I say that because here you get a lot of kids and generally unruly folks that like to go out and party more than off road. We like to go out and enjoy the outdoors without getting drunk, running over trees, or trashing/littering the place up. So my question is is there places to go do this legally?


Thanks for your time, Jeff

[Pro-mo]

Also another big concern of mine is none of us have ever driven in the snow/ice. How bad does it get in these areas and how well are they salted/plowed?

[Barking Spider]

I can't help with the football questions.

As far as off roading, I only have a hunch. I'm guessing there is a good place because I see off road vehicles traveling out of the Oak Ridge area with mud all over them. But its only a guess that its a good place, legal, and close to Knoxville. You might try to Google both topics and see what comes up.

As far as snow and ice go.... I have lived here since 1994. In 1995 we had a pretty bad winter and there was a LOT of snow and ice. Since it was my first winter, I thought that everyone had just lied to me about KNoxville having "mild winters". Turns out they didn't.
Since 95, there has really only been 1 other winter that had a lot of snow.

Its really not a huge issue, however, the back roads can be really bad, even in mild snows, because the snow plows don't plow them, and they tend to be narrow, sometimes steep, and rarely have shoulders. Ice can be a problem, but its usually short lived.

If you have to drive early in the morning, it can be a bigger issue. On snow days, they will either have schools open an hour later, or cancel them (buses can't get on back roads).

[Pro-mo]

I did find this place, Coal Creek OHV | OHV Trails | Campground | ATV Riding | Adventure | ATV/OHV Sport Events | Off-Road Riding | East Tennessee Mountains | Windrock | OHV | Rock Crawling | Rock Climbing | Mud Bog | Poker Run | Directions & Lodging | Coal Creek OHV , I was just curious about place local that you can go without it being a park or having to pay to get in.

Thanks for the info on snow, its one of my biggest concerns about moving North. I have a family of five and four of them are driving. Down here everything is flat and very little curves in roads. And while my wife and I have both seen snow neither one of us have ever driven in it. I can remember as a youth in Ohio being in a car in the snow and seeing people slip sliding all over the roads.

EDIT: wow that link is huge, if its not allowed Ill gladly remove it.

[Beretta]

MUD? You want MUD? Here's your MUD! (now I bet you will be moving here pronto!) You just missed a great event!!! There is a destination mud resort right here in Sweetwater (southwest of Knoxville).

off road 4x4 riding, Redneck Resort Mud Park Sweetwater, TN Sweetwater, TN Home

Redneck Resort opens in Sweetwater

https://www.facebook.com/redneckresort

and news coverage in Australia of the event: http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/a...-1226463738014

[hiknapster]

My ex lived in IL until he was 12 and then Cape Coral/Fort Myers/Bonita for 25 years. When we moved up here it was his first time driving in the snow and he did great. It rarely snows here and when it does it just doesn't last, usually melting anywhere from immediately to a few days (that is pretty rare). I'm from the northeast and Florida. I love, love, love it here. There are jerks everywhere but people are usually very respectful here. I have a 12-year-old girl and she was in the schools down there for five weeks. ugh. The schools are great here and I bet you will love them. Such a difference in the teachers, parents and students. If you have a friendly attitude and don't want to cut people off in traffic and like to chit-chat in the grocery store line you will do well.

[knucklehead_vol]

Originally Posted by Pro-mo

I did find this place, Coal Creek OHV | OHV Trails | Campground | ATV Riding | Adventure | ATV/OHV Sport Events | Off-Road Riding | East Tennessee Mountains | Windrock | OHV | Rock Crawling | Rock Climbing | Mud Bog | Poker Run | Directions & Lodging | Coal Creek OHV , I was just curious about place local that you can go without it being a park or having to pay to get in.

Thanks for the info on snow, its one of my biggest concerns about moving North. I have a family of five and four of them are driving. Down here everything is flat and very little curves in roads. And while my wife and I have both seen snow neither one of us have ever driven in it. I can remember as a youth in Ohio being in a car in the snow and seeing people slip sliding all over the roads.

EDIT: wow that link is huge, if its not allowed Ill gladly remove it.

Check this out. I used to go to Tellico when I lived in Knoxville, but apparently it was shut down. Check out Georgia, NC, and Kentucky too. There are, or at least were, some good ones not to far from Knoxville.

[knucklehead_vol]

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association - Conservation | Education | Recreation

[EastTNSuthernBelle]

I'll happily answer the football question I can only speak to Knox County's youth football program because that's where I live. To my knowledge, outlying areas (Oak Ridge, for example) have similarly structured programs. In Knox County, the youth football program is a bit confusing. The programs are typically divided up into what area you're zoned for high school. Our youth program, for example, is Bearden because that's what high school we're zoned for. It costs about $150 (can't quite recall but that's close) to play per season. Each program is a little different in terms of intensity, coaches, etc. My son didn't start playing until middle school and he started practice 5-6 days a week starting in mid-July. There will be times the younger boys get to practice at their namesake high school and play some games on the high school field as well. That's a big deal for the boys and their jerseys typically mirror the high school jerseys as well. Knox County does not have an "official" football program in their middle schools so this rec league is it. To make it even more confusing , the Farragut area's football program is called CBFO football (CBFO stands for Cedar Bluff Farragut Optimist Club)

I'm not sure I've made much sense at all. I'm including some links for you. If I can answer any specific questions, I'd be more than happy to, just PM me. My son is a freshman at Bearden High School playing on their freshman team.

Parks & Recreation - Knox County Tennessee
CBFO Football - Home
Bearden Bulldogs Home Page

Good luck!

[Pro-mo]

Originally Posted by Beretta

MUD? You want MUD? Here's your MUD! (now I bet you will be moving here pronto!) You just missed a great event!!! There is a destination mud resort right here in Sweetwater (southwest of Knoxville).

off road 4x4 riding, Redneck Resort Mud Park Sweetwater, TN Sweetwater, TN Home

Redneck Resort opens in Sweetwater

https://www.facebook.com/redneckresort

and news coverage in Australia of the event: Americans get down and dirty at Tennessee's Redneck Resort | News.com.au

Thanks !!!
I just had to sell my rig but plan on getting another as soon as I can.

Originally Posted by hiknapster

My ex lived in IL until he was 12 and then Cape Coral/Fort Myers/Bonita for 25 years. When we moved up here it was his first time driving in the snow and he did great. It rarely snows here and when it does it just doesn't last, usually melting anywhere from immediately to a few days (that is pretty rare). I'm from the northeast and Florida. I love, love, love it here. There are jerks everywhere but people are usually very respectful here. I have a 12-year-old girl and she was in the schools down there for five weeks. ugh. The schools are great here and I bet you will love them. Such a difference in the teachers, parents and students. If you have a friendly attitude and don't want to cut people off in traffic and like to chit-chat in the grocery store line you will do well.

Yeah I think we'll do fine, just nervous about that first winter.
Hard to find anyone around here there isnt rude. Biggest reason we dont want to live here anymore.

Originally Posted by knucklehead_vol

Check this out. I used to go to Tellico when I lived in Knoxville, but apparently it was shut down. Check out Georgia, NC, and Kentucky too. There are, or at least were, some good ones not to far from Knoxville.

Originally Posted by knucklehead_vol

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association - Conservation | Education | Recreation

Thanks man This looks like a good club.

Originally Posted by EastTNSuthernBelle

I'll happily answer the football question I can only speak to Knox County's youth football program because that's where I live. To my knowledge, outlying areas (Oak Ridge, for example) have similarly structured programs. In Knox County, the youth football program is a bit confusing. The programs are typically divided up into what area you're zoned for high school. Our youth program, for example, is Bearden because that's what high school we're zoned for. It costs about $150 (can't quite recall but that's close) to play per season. Each program is a little different in terms of intensity, coaches, etc. My son didn't start playing until middle school and he started practice 5-6 days a week starting in mid-July. There will be times the younger boys get to practice at their namesake high school and play some games on the high school field as well. That's a big deal for the boys and their jerseys typically mirror the high school jerseys as well. Knox County does not have an "official" football program in their middle schools so this rec league is it. To make it even more confusing , the Farragut area's football program is called CBFO football (CBFO stands for Cedar Bluff Farragut Optimist Club)

I'm not sure I've made much sense at all. I'm including some links for you. If I can answer any specific questions, I'd be more than happy to, just PM me. My son is a freshman at Bearden High School playing on their freshman team.

Parks & Recreation - Knox County Tennessee
CBFO Football - Home
Bearden Bulldogs Home Page

Good luck!

Thanks so much for the info, it seems it is a little different than down here. Second game into the season and Ive paid close to $300 already. And up until Labor day practice has been five days a week since July here too. It will probably be summer time when we do move so Id like to know as much as possible before the move. Thanks for the links I will be checking them out for sure.