Living in Eureka - 2019 (Long Beach, Berkeley: law, moving, transport)

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Thanks for sharing this, Derek. I take it they're pretty happy there? What has he said, if anything, about some of the downsides of Humboldt that others have commented about?

Ruth,

I honestly haven't spoken to him about the downsides, more about his family and new job up there which he likes. Regarding the environment, all I know is he liked it enough to move back and make a his permanent residence.

I also have a friend who lived in McKinleyville with his wife and young children while stationed there in the Coast Guard. He looks back on those times with fondness, mostly about surfing while there. He was also stationed in Coos Bay. Though he has since moved to warmer climates now that he is retired. They live in Puerto Rico and loves tropical climates.

Derek

[opossum1]

If I went for rainy and overcast climate (which I don't like), I'd go for nicer, peaceful and not heavily methy Western WA places like Raymond, where crime is 50% lower than national average, not places where crime is much higher than average and druggies galore. I've been there, no junkies on the streets.
As to SF, it's a very scary place.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by opossum1

If I went for rainy and overcast climate (which I don't like), I'd go for nicer, peaceful and not heavily methy Western WA places like Raymond, where crime is 50% lower than national average, not places where crime is much higher than average and druggies galore. I've been there, no junkies on the streets.
As to SF, it's a very scary place.

Thanks. I've actually considered Raymond and South Bend. Any cedar forests in the area? If I can't have redwoods, I've gotta have cedars!

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by opossum1

If I went for rainy and overcast climate (which I don't like), I'd go for nicer, peaceful and not heavily methy Western WA places like Raymond, where crime is 50% lower than national average, not places where crime is much higher than average and druggies galore. I've been there, no junkies on the streets.
As to SF, it's a very scary place.

Yep, that's why I say anyone thinking of living there must spend some time there first. Personally, I don't care it after visiting multiple times over the years. Even though I love the CA coast, there are other factors more important to me when living somewhere like the overall community environment, crime levels, services, activities, vibe, etc... It is actually the only depressed coastal area I've visited in CA next to Crescent City. It just seems dark there with a very funky vibe and I don't mean the skies. It kinda reminds me of the darker side of the 60s including all the spaced out druggies, criminals, homeless, etc... roaming free and wild. Though as I said, some can accept the good with the bad and still enjoy it. So different strokes for sure in this part of the state. And yes, there are parts of SF that I wouldn't want to walk around at night or live in either. But I don't think of SF as a coastal town even though it has a beach west of the city. And it has its nicer parts even though very $$.

Derek

[opossum1]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Thanks. I've actually considered Raymond and South Bend. Any cedar forests in the area? If I can't have redwoods, I've gotta have cedars!

I don't recall if there're cedars there. There're heavily forested areas close which I believe are owned by lumber companies (which allow to use these lands) but don't remember the exact type of trees. Western Cedar range:
https://www.plantmaps.com/nrm-thuja-...tive-range-map
but Western WA had been heavily logged and hard to tell what grows where now.
On the old forest types map, there's actually the largest area in WA containing at least 40% cedar a bit south of Raymond that had not been clearcut, but things might have changed - but there definitely had been native heavily cedar forest in the area.
Here're some more maps for western redcedar:
https://databasin.org/maps/new#datas...39f136e3e83710

and tree type inventory map that allows to filter by tree type (one has to un-select box under FIA_tree_plots and all tree species not of interest, leaving yellow and red cedar):
https://databasin.org/maps/new#datas...7f94f07f40304e

Western redcedar inventory map (I guess they're using certain sample locations so it's not comprehensive):
https://databasin.org/maps/acb71c251...d396dd3/active

I remember Raymond/South Bend being very peaceful and safe when I visited, it had very good vibes - no depressed mill town vibes. Houses are cheap there compared to the rest in the West coast states. Like with Eureka and OR coast, one has to check the house against tsunami and flood zone maps.

[opossum1]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Yep, that's why I say anyone thinking of living there must spend some time there first. Personally, I don't care it after visiting multiple times over the years. Even though I love the CA coast, there are other factors more important to me when living somewhere like the overall community environment, crime levels, services, activities, vibe, etc... It is actually the only depressed coastal area I've visited in CA next to Crescent City. It just seems dark there with a very funky vibe and I don't mean the skies. It kinda reminds me of the darker side of the 60s including all the spaced out druggies, criminals, homeless, etc... roaming free and wild. Though as I said, some can accept the good with the bad and still enjoy it. So different strokes for sure in this part of the state. And yes, there are parts of SF that I wouldn't want to walk around at night or live in either. But I don't think of SF as a coastal town even though it has a beach west of the city. And it has its nicer parts even though very $$.

Derek

Regarding different strokes for different folks... As a woman who lives and travels alone (aka 2nd class person when it comes to dealing with crime), I like to camp, with a tent, and I like to keep my windows open at night for fresh air, I also enjoy sleeping in my backyard when the weather is nice. I also like to walk without looking over my shoulder in fear, here, in the 1st world country, especially in the state that doesn't allow law-abiding citizens to carry guns to protect themselves. Also like not to have meth neighbors and not have things stolen or fear my car windows bashed out at some trailhead. Apparently a few locations along Northern CA coast don't allow me to feel safe doing that. A burly 6'2" fall guy might have a different stroke, so to speak, but apparently, from Nomadic Fanatic video, it's still not the case. I'm not going to "still" enjoy the threats to my safety and peace.

My impression that the police force is corrupt in Humboldt. Just a hunch, and I've been to places with corrupt police outside the states: I know the duck when it quacks. There's unusual number of young people missing in Humboldt; some dismiss it blaming it on their involvement with weed industry but this doesn't make it any less bad. I know of people who "wouldn't take their wife" out there to some of these forests for recreation because of some bad stuff. I felt safe in State Parks but outside the parks I've seen shady stuff or just not nice stuff. Bad vibes. When you see a kinda-scary-looking big guy saying he won't buy land at place x because there's too much riff-raff round there you know you're in the wrong part of the Planet. Sierra Nevada and NorthCal Cascades are much more preferable, even with wildfire threat, I'd rather take that.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by opossum1

I don't recall if there're cedars there. There're heavily forested areas close which I believe are owned by lumber companies (which allow to use these lands) but don't remember the exact type of trees. Western Cedar range:
https://www.plantmaps.com/nrm-thuja-...tive-range-map
but Western WA had been heavily logged and hard to tell what grows where now.
On the old forest types map, there's actually the largest area in WA containing at least 40% cedar a bit south of Raymond that had not been clearcut, but things might have changed - but there definitely had been native heavily cedar forest in the area.

Oh man, I remember when I first entered a Western Cedar forest and it reminded me so much of the redwood forests. Large, beautiful trees with very lush ferns and other plants on the canopy floor. We've got one grove near our house in Vancouver that is a favorite place to visit.





Derek

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by opossum1

I remember Raymond/South Bend being very peaceful and safe when I visited, it had very good vibes - no depressed mill town vibes. Houses are cheap there compared to the rest in the West coast states. Like with Eureka and OR coast, one has to check the house against tsunami and flood zone maps.

One of the other benefits of that area is that although it's coastal (very near it) and somewhat remote, its a lot closer to a major city with more services available if/when needed. It's only a little over an hour to Olympia which is not bad at all. Compare that to Humboldt which is much more isolated from any larger cities with services such as a major airport, more advanced medical treatment centers, etc...

I wonder if Aberdeen would be similar to Raymond/South Bend? I've never visited these towns before. However, they seem to be situated in a nice location near the coast and not far from other great places to visit. That includes Olympic NP, Mt. Rainier NP, the WA coastline, Hood Canal and all the water inlets off the Sound just to name a few.

Derek

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

One of the other benefits of that area is that although it's coastal (very near it) and somewhat remote, its a lot closer to a major city with more services available if/when needed. It's only a little over an hour to Olympia which is not bad at all. Compare that to Humboldt which is much more isolated from any larger cities with services such as a major airport, more advanced medical treatment centers, etc...
Derek

Interesting point. How far is Raymond from Vancouver, WA? And what about medical services in the area; where's the nearest hospital? Clinics?

[tikkasf]

Looks like the city the above poster is referring to has a below average crime rate.


//www.city-data.com/city/Raymond-Washington.html