Any Californians want to move to Vermont? (Winters: how much, to live)

[wac_432]

Originally Posted by EckyX

Why might Californians not want to move to Vermont? I'd like to hear some feedback.

It's boring.

I once drove to somewhere in Vermont when I was living in Boston. It was depressingly empty. Sure, it was nicer than the midwestern state where I grew up, but there was just... nothing. Small towns and lots of trees. Cold nearly all the time. A long drive to beaches with very little surf. A long drive to any city. A long drive to icy sub-par skiing. Drive drive drive drive. I'd rather sit in traffic for an extra 20-30 minutes on the rare occasion I'm dumb enough to transit LA at the wrong time, than have to drive 30-200 minutes any time I wanted to go somewhere interesting.

[EckyX]

Originally Posted by wac_432

It's boring.

I once drove to somewhere in Vermont when I was living in Boston. It was depressingly empty. Sure, it was nicer than the midwestern state where I grew up, but there was just... nothing. Small towns and lots of trees. Cold nearly all the time. A long drive to beaches with very little surf. A long drive to any city. A long drive to icy sub-par skiing. Drive drive drive drive. I'd rather sit in traffic for an extra 20-30 minutes on the rare occasion I'm dumb enough to transit LA at the wrong time, than have to drive 30-200 minutes any time I wanted to go somewhere interesting.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel the same about cities. There's so much you can't do. I tend to just see crowds of people packing into an endless variety of places selling things I don't need or want. I have the impression there's very little you can do in a city that doesn't have a price tag on it.

By comparison, I have thousands of square miles of playground I don't have to share with anyone.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fyYyfnEjkE

[artillery77]

It's too far to the left. For all of the moaning Sanders has to rail against what the billionaires are doing, it's worth noting that Vermont is one of the few states that doesn't actually have any billionaires in it.

As long as our billionaires talk the talk, they're wonderful.

[EckyX]

Originally Posted by artillery77

It's too far to the left. For all of the moaning Sanders has to rail against what the billionaires are doing, it's worth noting that Vermont is one of the few states that doesn't actually have any billionaires in it.

As long as our billionaires talk the talk, they're wonderful.

We have a couple, I've done work for them. But, not like California certainly.

Edit: seems an interesting criticism, not enough billionaires.

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by EckyX

It may be hard to believe, but I enjoy winter. I enjoy driving in winter, especially when the lake freezes and everyone takes their cars out onto it. I enjoy shovelling snow (in moderation). I enjoy how clean and crisp everything gets. I'm of the opinion that a warm bath or cup of tea by the wood stove is much nicer after coming in from outside. I like the constant change. In late February the maple sap starts running, and it's fantastic to tap the trees, and then open all of the windows while boiling down a pot of maple sap, steam billowing out of the house.

One advantage of being so far north is that summer days seem practically endless, with sunset after 10pm. You can get that in Seattle too, granted.

That is great that you enjoy the winter lifestyle. I can see why some people enjoy it. However, shoveling snow and bearing the elements to go outside (or having to remain inside for several months) is not for everyone.

I do think Vermont is beautiful and that I'd enjoy the summer months (probably parts of fall as well with leaves changing color). I just don't think I'd enjoy it year-round.

[joosoon]

Originally Posted by EckyX

By comparison, I have thousands of square miles of playground I don't have to share with anyone.

Neat pic, however you can find plenty of solitude in the wild here too.
Also, I don't think you're going to win the battle of Vermont vs. California when it comes to outdoor activity. For the adventurous type, you can hit the beach, urban hiking, deserts and mountains all in a day if you really want. One of my favorite areas in the state is Sequoia/Kings Canyon and the John Muir wilderness. I googled highest elevation in Vermont to compare and it was disappointing. Vermont certainly looks like a nice place to visit but you'd have to pay me a stipend to uproot and move there.

[EckyX]

Originally Posted by joosoon

Neat pic, however you can find plenty of solitude in the wild here too.
Also, I don't think you're going to win the battle of Vermont vs. California when it comes to outdoor activity. For the adventurous type, you can hit the beach, urban hiking, deserts and mountains all in a day if you really want. One of my favorite areas in the state is Sequoia/Kings Canyon and the John Muir wilderness. I googled highest elevation in Vermont to compare and it was disappointing. Vermont certainly looks like a nice place to visit but you'd have to pay me a stipend to uproot and move there.

I agree! But, how about from the perspective of someone who already lives in Vermont? I've been out to California a few times and have always greatly enjoyed the state. But when I consider moving, cons I see compared to where I'm at:
-Similar salaries in the field I work in
-Astronomically higher home prices
-Homelessness
-Much higher taxes and cost of living
-Much higher unemployment
-Cleanliness of cities (admittedly Vermont doesn't have any, but it's an extremely clean state)
-Crowding
-Traffic
-Air quality
-Safety
-Lower quality of education (on average, for the majority)
-Natural disasters such as fires and earthquakes
-Water rationing
-Blackouts
-Covid-19 at much higher rates
-Not a fan of summer heat, and California gets pretty hot away from the coasts

Which is not to say California is a bad place to live. And, if these issues did not exist, I'd probably want to move there. But, if you lived in an area with none of these issues, would you immediately pack up and move back to California?

[joosoon]

Originally Posted by EckyX

I agree! But, how about from the perspective of someone who already lives in Vermont? I've been out to California a few times and have always greatly enjoyed the state. But when I consider moving, cons I see compared to where I'm at:
-Similar salaries in the field I work in
-Astronomically higher home prices
-Homelessness
-Much higher taxes and cost of living
-Much higher unemployment
-Cleanliness of cities (admittedly Vermont doesn't have any, but it's an extremely clean state)
-Crowding
-Traffic
-Air quality
-Safety
-Lower quality of education (on average, for the majority)
-Natural disasters such as fires and earthquakes
-Water rationing
-Blackouts
-Covid-19 at much higher rates
-Not a fan of summer heat, and California gets pretty hot away from the coasts

Which is not to say California is a bad place to live. And, if these issues did not exist, I'd probably want to move there. But, if you lived in an area with none of these issues, would you immediately pack up and move back to California?

In order:

-Depends on the field and where you're at. We're a huge state. This varies greatly.

-You get what you pay for and twenty - thirty years ago prices weren't obscene. The current values are a benefit to those like me who bought houses back then.

-Overblown in the media, imo.
- Balanced by higher income for the most part, but definitely costly. Agree there.
- Again, depends on the area and industry, plus with covid, it's skewed wildly now. Also, we're a huge state so naturally it's more prevalent here than a tiny one.
- I don't know... pretty clean in my neighborhood. "Clean" is sort of relative to the environment (city/rural).
- Same as above. You can choose to live in the higher density areas or not. Big state.
- Definitely is an issue but I have a feeling covid is going to reshape how people work, so... Also, it's not unmanageable if you plan your commute.
- Honestly, it's better than it was when I was a kid. I spent a lot of hot summers with relatives in the San Fernando Valley in the 70s and the air was chewy back then. Now, not so much.
- San Diego is one of the safest "big" cities in the U.S.
- Eh, world class universities? Vermont can't compare to the UC system. And you're probably basing primary schools on simple test scores which is a terrible metric for gauging education.
- Let's see... in over half a century, I recall a handful of notable earthquakes. In all cases, the worst I remember was some toilet water sloshing out of the bowl. Fires, sure. But even the worst in our history where I'm at left us with ash to wash off the sidewalk and stucco.
- Pretty sure the drought is over. Also, smart people have moved to artificial turf, xeriscape and native plant landscaping instead of big water-sucking lawns. I haven't had to ration water ever.
- Only one I can recall was the big 2011 one which was caused by a glitch for the most part.
- Higher population density.
- Can't beat the weather where I'm at. A few weeks of slightly oppressive heat but the trade off is shorts and a tshirt nearly 365 days a year. Cold weather to me is anything below 65f.

[apple92680]

Originally Posted by EckyX

I agree! But, how about from the perspective of someone who already lives in Vermont? I've been out to California a few times and have always greatly enjoyed the state. But when I consider moving, cons I see compared to where I'm at:
-Similar salaries in the field I work in
-Astronomically higher home prices
-Homelessness
-Much higher taxes and cost of living
-Much higher unemployment
-Cleanliness of cities (admittedly Vermont doesn't have any, but it's an extremely clean state)
-Crowding
-Traffic
-Air quality
-Safety
-Lower quality of education (on average, for the majority)
-Natural disasters such as fires and earthquakes
-Water rationing
-Blackouts
-Covid-19 at much higher rates
-Not a fan of summer heat, and California gets pretty hot away from the coasts

Which is not to say California is a bad place to live. And, if these issues did not exist, I'd probably want to move there. But, if you lived in an area with none of these issues, would you immediately pack up and move back to California?

Anybody else find it a bit weird that a Vermonter is interloping in the California forums and putting our state down?

I mean...c'mon Mods. This is getting to be quite ridiculous now. I think I prefer the Reddit boards more.

[mascoma]

In the Event of Zombies - Proceed to Bethel Vermont


Bethel Vermont, location of "Safe Colony" in I Am Legend


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iNiuTyXR6Q