Asheville social scene (Raleigh: lawyer, home, college)

[NC_Paddler]

Hi folks -- I'm an single man in my early forties who is seriously considering a move to Asheville, primarily due to the abundance of natural beauty and access to outdoor adventures (hiking, paddling, camping etc.). I currently live in the Raleigh area, but find myself spending so much of my free time in the mountains that I feel compelled to live there. Not to mention I appreciate the more laid back lifestyle of WNC to the rat race.

It's very likely that I would be able to keep my existing job with my software company in RTP and work remotely (I wouldn't move to Asheville otherwise, given the lack of related job opportunities in the area) .

However, based on my visits to Asheville, I fear that it might be really difficult to meet like-minded people in the area. For starters, working from home does not lend itself well to developing friendships and social circles.

In addition, I get the impression there aren't a lot of people in Asheville that fit my demographic (i.e., lots of college students, retired folks, and young hippie types, but not many single, professional folks).

So my question is this: are my observations pretty accurate about the lack of other single, professional folks in Asheville? I mean, *someone* has to be eating at all those restaurants downtown, right?

Thanks for any feedback!

[gigimac]

Look at the Mountain Xpress online, there are 50 million clubs and organizations in there for people of all ages, including hiking groups (I knew a lawyer in one of those). The online version may be incomplete, so you could get a subscription for it.

[NC_Paddler]

I'll check out the Mountain Xpress.

[Flatlander]

Also, be sure to check out Use the Internet to get off the Internet! - Meetup.com (there's a great hiking group listed) and don't forget Craigslist.com and look under groups and events; you'll find a ton of things going on in Asheville.