Introduction (Roseburg, Ashland, Cottage Grove: real estate, budget, trip)

[yakker]

Heres another one of the falls below Clear Lake, with a name only an American Indian could pronounce!

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[Waterlily]

Nice pictures Yakker! That's what I like about Oregon. The wonderful forests and water in lots of places. It's fun to go explore the out of the way places.

[tiffela74]

the log thats closest to the green tower has been there for as long as I remember. When I was about 10-16 yrs old, sittin there w/a book in one hand and a fishing pole in the other was my fav. fishing spot. - were you able to row over and look down at the petrified forest under the far end of the lake (by the resort/cabins)- used to freak me out as a little one, but as i grew i found it more and more fascinating. - thanks so much for posting the pics - brought back some wonderful memories!!! - btw, you oughta go there in the summertime too, its a long but well worth it hike all the way around the lake. - do they have the pumps at the campground still? The water there was always so good, we used to fill up our jugs on the way home. lol.
thank you again for posting the pics!!
Tiff

[yakker]

Tiffela74,

I spent a lot of time gazing down into the petrified forest where the stream enters the north end of the lake. It completely freaked out my wife at first though, because the water is so clear it gives you a sense of vertigo. In most lakes, good visibility is around 30 feet, but the visibility at Clear Lake is over 120 feet, exposing the petrified trees that were inundated by the river when the lava flow blocked the south end of the lake thousands of years ago.

[Clear2land]

Hi Dave:

Those are some really great pictures showing Oregon at its best. Oregon is a nature lovers paradise.

Thanks for posting them for all to see!

Dan

[bobmulk]

Yakker: Roseburg can get hot in the summer, but not as hot as Medford or Grants Pass. And you're right, you can always trot up to the mountains or the sea and be refreshed. As with all people, it depends on what you want when you relocate. Sounds like you're outdoor enthusiasts. I think Douglas County (Roseburg) is a perfect fit for you. It's not urban, has hundreds of lakes, streams, etc. Parks are everywhere and you're close to Crater Lake and the Coast. Urban, cultural amenities are available in Eugene an hour north. I think Roseburg will give you a decent variety of climate. You'll get rainstorms, but you'll also get hot days and you'll get glorious days that make you forget any fog or rain. Douglas County is actually quite reasonably priced in housing (I live in the Willamette Valley which is getting pricey) so you should be able to do quite well.

[freedom]

sweet pics Yakker; Thanks

[VRC]

After 20 years of thinking about and planning for our retirement, we have finally made the decision to move to Oregon -- I have been self-employeed for most of my working life as a management consultant [ Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology ] and college professor -- wife is a teacher and Early Childhood Education specialist -- we have lived in Princeton NJ, Los Altos CA, and Sleepy Hollow [Marin County] CA

I'm happy to find this "blog" for old, young, working, and retired people to share ideas -- when we first seriously considered relocating, I asked my wife, Kathy, where in this beautiful country of ours she would consider relocating -- she ruled out extremes of heat, cold, humidity, ice, snow, rain, beaches, mountains, big cities, and anywhere that lava flows -- I told her that that effectively eliminated about 47 states ... all but WA, OR, and parts of NoCal

The short story is that we started our search in Bend, considered Roseburg, Ashland, Jacksonville, and Grants Pass -- no one suggested the City of Rogue River but that's where we wound up -- found a house with lots of land, green, running water, close enough to small cities, and away from the madding crowd -- in place of city water, city power, and cable Internet and TV, it's now a 12 gpm well, propane tank, a dish antenna, and DSL

We intend to add to the economy of RR, not take from it, volunteer for community activities, teach at the JC or SOU, possibly start a childcare center, and do what it takes to be contributing members of the community -- hobbies include tennis [ me ], computer repair, gourmet cooking [ wife ], and fine wine -- oh yeah, our politics are definitely NOT Marin County

Would love to hear from others that have relocated to the area

Best wishes for the holidays,

Vince and Kathy

[Clear2land]

Hi Vince: Hi Kathy:

Looking to retire too, we combed Rogue River in October. I must congratulate you on picking one of the best spots in the world. It is crowded with beauty in every direction. I don’t know if you have any dogs or cats but stop in and introduce yourself to Mike Motschenbacher’s Veterinary Clinic. Mike is the son of one of the most important people to have ever touched my life. Homes in the area are well kept and have a bit of land to call your own. You will enjoy some of the best weather Oregon has to offer and you are stones through away from Medford and Grants Pass and Ashland too for that matter. It is quiet, peaceful, and quaint.

Because I fly, we will likely locate in Merlin or Grants Pass. Southern Oregon has the best of everything including the mountains that I learned to love as a child growing up in Roseburg.

I’m envious!

Dan

[yakker]

Vince and Kathy,

We stayed several days right on the Rogue River in Rogue River. What a great place to live! You'll find a lot of transplants from California if you haven't already. We stayed at the Bella Rosa Inn which was reasonable and friendly. The owners were genuinely interested in our plans and were willing to give us valuable advice on where to look, property taxes, etc. Apparently the property taxes are cheaper where you settled than ten miles further north. As I'm sure you know, property taxes vary widely from county to county in Oregon.
Here's a picture of the river right in front of where we stayed.

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For the edification of others, the river at that point is known as "The Dam" section because of its placid look that is caused by the small dam downstream. The sections upstream above Gold Hill and in the Shady Cove area are breathtaking also, but contrastingly wild and unpredictable.

If you haven't checked out the Oregon Caves above Cave Junction you owe it to yourself to do so. The story about how the caves were discovered is fascinating.

You and your wife sound like interesting people. Who knows, maybe someday we'll be neighbors.

Dave and Lynette