More Medford Questions (Ashland, Talent: job, homes, nightlife)

[Kalliope]

I am looking at a possible move to Medford next summer to take a job for a year, and I'm wondering a few things about the city. I have read many posts about Medford, but none that I'm finding are answering a few questions I have.

I hear that the summers are dry and hot there. Is this true? And if so, do homes there usually come with A/C?

I'm not religious and I'm in a same-sex relationship of 8 years. We pretty much keep to ourselves and have a "live and let live" way of life and are for the most part Libertarians. Are we likely to run into problems in the area?

Also, according to Mapquest (which I know can be wrong), the closest beach is 2 hours away in Crescent City, CA. Is this correct, or are there other roads that lead to the OR beaches in a shorter amount of time?

Thanks in advance.

[westvillemama]

Originally Posted by Kalliope

I am looking at a possible move to Medford next summer to take a job for a year, and I'm wondering a few things about the city. I have read many posts about Medford, but none that I'm finding are answering a few questions I have.

I hear that the summers are dry and hot there. Is this true? And if so, do homes there usually come with A/C?

I'm not religious and I'm in a same-sex relationship of 8 years. We pretty much keep to ourselves and have a "live and let live" way of life and are for the most part Libertarians. Are we likely to run into problems in the area?

Also, according to Mapquest (which I know can be wrong), the closest beach is 2 hours away in Crescent City, CA. Is this correct, or are there other roads that lead to the OR beaches in a shorter amount of time?

Thanks in advance.

Yes, the summers are hot and dry! The green goes away, with the exception of the conifers. Expect water rations as if you were in the desert for at least a couple of the summer months, and temps which can range from the mid-80's to the low-100's, sometimes staying in the 100's for a week or so. Average temp in Medford itself will be in the mid-to-high-90's. The less heavily paved areas will be somewhat lower.

In Medford itself you may have a few occasional problems, I'm not going to lie. It can be a redneck sort of town in a lot of attitudes, but on an individual basis most people will be very accepting. Some bad apples, and they are loud. The nice people are more quiet. That said, Medford has a decent GLBT population for such a small town. Many go to Ashland for socialisation and entertainment. It's much smaller, but also much more liberal. Also more expensive, so much of the working, people have been pushed into outlying areas such as Talent, Applegate, and Medford.

No, there aren't any faster alternate routes to the coast. The reason being, there is a large protected forest area between S. OR and the coastal area, and you have to drive around it either north or south, you can't go straight through. The southerly route is well worth the drive though! You get to go right through the N. CA redwood groves! It's so lovely. You can stop and hike around in the giant trees before finishing your journey.

[Kalliope]

Originally Posted by westvillemama

Yes, the summers are hot and dry! The green goes away, with the exception of the conifers. Expect water rations as if you were in the desert for at least a couple of the summer months, and temps which can range from the mid-80's to the low-100's, sometimes staying in the 100's for a week or so. Average temp in Medford itself will be in the mid-to-high-90's. The less heavily paved areas will be somewhat lower.

In Medford itself you may have a few occasional problems, I'm not going to lie. It can be a redneck sort of town in a lot of attitudes, but on an individual basis most people will be very accepting. Some bad apples, and they are loud. The nice people are more quiet. That said, Medford has a decent GLBT population for such a small town. Many go to Ashland for socialisation and entertainment. It's much smaller, but also much more liberal. Also more expensive, so much of the working, people have been pushed into outlying areas such as Talent, Applegate, and Medford.

No, there aren't any faster alternate routes to the coast. The reason being, there is a large protected forest area between S. OR and the coastal area, and you have to drive around it either north or south, you can't go straight through. The southerly route is well worth the drive though! You get to go right through the N. CA redwood groves! It's so lovely. You can stop and hike around in the giant trees before finishing your journey.

I appreciate your reply. It was very helpful!

[westvillemama]

You're welcome! If it's still open, check out the Abdil-Ellis (i think that's how it is spelled) Center in Ashland for local GLBT info. When I last lived in S. OR 5 years ago that was the main local resource. If you don't get anywhere with that, try the local branch of the HRC, which is in Medford.

I forgot to answer your question about a/c! Most places won't have central air conditioning, I'm afraid. The primary heat source for OR is gas, baseboard or some form of wood heat, so not many central units except in newer developments. There are always exceptions, of course.

All in all it's a gorgeous area. Much to do if you're outdoorsey, not quite so much if your prefer nightlife, but that's usually the case in smallish towns.