Should we even consider Bend???

[thehamster]

"I'm currently envisioning a quaint rural town with the Cheers atmosphere of "everybody knows your name" being paved over for endless tract housing, big-box stores, freeways, etc."

Your vision is right on the money. My wife and I moved to Bend 24 years ago from Northern California because we were looking for a nice, quiet small town. Bend isn't that anymore. It's turned into San Jose with a lousy climate.

[thehamster]

Originally Posted by Smiled

I'll bet Estherp has houses for sale. How much you wanna bet?

I bet a LOT of the people who are on here singing the praises of Bend to the skies have real estate to unload.

[thehamster]

"6 months of mostly wonderful weather"

Six months??? You've gotta be kidding! Four months of decent weather (mid-June through mid-October) if we're lucky. The other eight months -- cold, gray and dismal. Today (Oct. 13) it's 27 degrees and sleeting. Makes it kinda tough to enjoy all that glorious outdoor recreation that supposedly makes Bend such a "paradise."

Yes, we do get less rain than Portland -- but so does almost every other city in the world.

[Specialbuddy]

Originally Posted by thehamster

"6 months of mostly wonderful weather"

Six months??? You've gotta be kidding! Four months of decent weather (mid-June through mid-October) if we're lucky. The other eight months -- cold, gray and dismal. Today (Oct. 13) it's 27 degrees and sleeting. Makes it kinda tough to enjoy all that glorious outdoor recreation that supposedly makes Bend such a "paradise."

Yes, we do get less rain than Portland -- but so does almost every other city in the world.

I must have lived there on a dry year then because it hardly ever rained. It would rain for about 5-10 minutes and be over with. It was the driest, sunniest place I've ever lived. I was praying for rain in the summer because I wanted something different from the 80-90 degree weather everyday. The winter was also the tamest I had ever experienced. I never had to buy a shovel. December was one of the worst winters on record and it was still one of the tamest Decembers I had ever lived through. I would say 8 months of nice weather and even then it still never got very cold(5 degrees was the coldest in town). It gets cold at night but other then that the sun is out a lot. They even had that stupid commercial for the mall where the lady complains about the rain. That always gave my wife and I a laugh. It might be a lot of rain if you are from Arizona.

I can't tell if you hate it or if you are trying to scare people off. I would love to move back but the unemployment rate, lack of jobs, and high housing prices keep me from settling there. The weather was fine in my eyes.

[Smiled]

"I can't tell if you hate it or if you are trying to scare people off. I would love to move back but the unemployment rate, lack of jobs, and high housing prices keep me from settling there. The weather was fine in my eyes."

I don't think I could stand living in Bend while I'm working... every day of the short summer would be painful sitting at my desk. Here on the rainy side, at least it's not so cold, so I can do more outside. My .02 your mileage may vary.

[Specialbuddy]

Originally Posted by Smiled

I don't think I could stand living in Bend while I'm working... every day of the short summer would be painful sitting at my desk. Here on the rainy side, at least it's not so cold, so I can do more outside. My .02 your mileage may vary.

Grass is always greener... It wasn't cold to me but I'm from Northern Michigan. Now that's a short season and snow doesn't go away like it does in Bend. The temp can get down to -20's during February. I don't think it ever got that cold at Mt. Bachelor while I was working. The people I worked with would wear balaclavas and I thought it was funny. So I'm sure people agree that Bend is cold. Central Oregon is known for it's nice weather and it's a true statement from my experience.

I guess it just depends on what city is being compared to Bend.