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01-20-2015, 08:58 AM
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8 posts, read 10,995 times
Reputation: 20
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About me, 25, a year left in the Military, no debt, no family. I've got a dog and we like to be outdoors doing stuff. I like the winter and would like to be within an hour of snowy winter camping during the season. The coast is a bonus too.
I'm trying to figure out where I want to move to! I want to settle down and buy a place where I can have some room to move. Living in barracks and small apartments is getting very old. I'm pretty much employable in any major/minor city (certified network engineer/security focused) and can't decide where to go.
I grew up all over the world and never settled anywhere. Always wanted to try the smaller town lifestyle where you actually know your neighbors and can borrow some eggs on the weekend if you don't want to go to the store.
I'm torn between the northeast and North west. After living in Europe the past 3 years, I've really gotten the feel for driving on a weekend expedition somewhere, soaking up the culture or the nature, finding a small town eatery and having lunch before coming home for the day. It seems like the northeast is best for this kind of lifestyle while still having all the outdoors I can handle.
The northwest seems more sterile and career oriented. Seems like finding property is easy, but space between the towns is huge and you can't easily go for a Sunday drive to your favorite pizzeria in the next town over without making it the focus of your trip. The one exception i found was port Angeles, WA but I'm not sure how easy finding a job in such a small area would be.
A couple of random things that would be great bonuses are: swimming outside during the summer (cold is ok) without being clouded by mosquitos; having an indoor pool for the winter (Macon GA doesn't have this lol) and maybe having hot springs/baths that are nearby.
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01-20-2015, 09:26 AM
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
1,070 posts, read 2,808,830 times
Reputation: 1440
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I currently live in Flagstaff, AZ and love it.
It's not how you'd picture Arizona. Instead, it looks like Colorado -- a snowy mountain town in the forest (although this winter has been terrible so far for snow!). Dogs are a way of life here, and several businesses are dog friendly. Downtown is about 25 minutes to the ski slopes. Within an hour's drive, you can be in Sedona, Prescott, Page / Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, several different Native American ruins, and almost to the Grand Canyon. A few more hours away are several national parks in Utah, and the Sonoran Desert / Phoenix is 2 hours to the south.
NAU is a very military-friendly university, with a great VA. Flagstaff is a college town, which could be a bonus or a bad thing, depending on your preferences. Weather is dry and sunny (300 days a year of sunshine), with plenty of snow in the winter.
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01-20-2015, 10:14 AM
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81,775 posts, read 109,708,678 times
Reputation: 17108
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01-20-2015, 10:30 AM
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8 posts, read 10,995 times
Reputation: 20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ckhthankgod
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Haha, as nice as the lists are, I'm not going to be retiring at 26. :P
I'm actually trying to do the opposite, and integrate back into regular society away from all the pitfalls that come with a military career/lifestyle. I consider it a great phase I am going/went through, but I don't want it to define my life. I will probably get VA rated above 30% (thanks to three deployments) and having a VA hospital would be great for travel/healthcare purposes, but I am under the assumption that I will have healthcare provided to be via my employer (one of the perks of being an in-demand IT security/design worker).
I'm more looking for extracurricular stuff that I can do without being held back by lengthy travel times or extreme traffic congestion (which is why I am trying to avoid Boston/Seattle/DC as much as possible). Plus, I lived in DC for 5 years, it's where I got my first Civ IT job, and I never want to move back there again.
Interesting suggestion with Flagstaff. Never really though about the whole cloud islands areas of AZ/NM. I looked at Colorado briefly, but kinda discounted it.. I really like that area of AZ though, looking at it. I have an Uncle who lives in Deming NM (a bit far out), but thats really the closest I have to any permanent family. My parents are both planning to retire and move away to ~~unknown locations~~ when they decide what they the exact month they plan on retiring... |
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01-20-2015, 10:40 AM
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81,775 posts, read 109,708,678 times
Reputation: 17108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drakan290
Haha, as nice as the lists are, I'm not going to be retiring at 26. :P
I'm actually trying to do the opposite, and integrate back into regular society away from all the pitfalls that come with a military career/lifestyle. I consider it a great phase I am going/went through, but I don't want it to define my life. I will probably get VA rated above 30% (thanks to three deployments) and having a VA hospital would be great for travel/healthcare purposes, but I am under the assumption that I will have healthcare provided to be via my employer (one of the perks of being an in-demand IT security/design worker).
I'm more looking for extracurricular stuff that I can do without being held back by lengthy travel times or extreme traffic congestion (which is why I am trying to avoid Boston/Seattle/DC as much as possible). Plus, I lived in DC for 5 years, it's where I got my first Civ IT job, and I never want to move back there again.
Interesting suggestion with Flagstaff. Never really though about the whole cloud islands areas of AZ/NM. I looked at Colorado briefly, but kinda discounted it.. I really like that area of AZ though, looking at it. I have an Uncle who lives in Deming NM (a bit far out), but thats really the closest I have to any permanent family. My parents are both planning to retire and move away to ~~unknown locations~~ when they decide what they the exact month they plan on retiring...
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I posted the retiree list in regards to other aspects that may interest Vets. For instance, Syracuse University has many programs for Vets including entrepreneurship programs, which may be of interest to a Veteran regardless of age. SU Veterans Initiative There are ski areas, snowmobiling trails and outdoor activities nearby, with mountains about an hour and half away. Albany may be another NY area to look into due to its proximity to the Adirondacks, Catskills and Berkshires.
Pittsburgh seems to come up a lot and may be an area to consider.
What was your MOS, by the way?
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 01-20-2015 at 10:49 AM..
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01-20-2015, 10:59 AM
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8 posts, read 10,995 times
Reputation: 20
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I'm a 3D1X2 or "Cyber Transport Systems"
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01-20-2015, 12:04 PM
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4,059 posts, read 5,312,166 times
Reputation: 2890
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drakan290
The northwest seems more sterile and career oriented.
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Are we talking about the U.S. northwest? Stereotypically I'd say the reverse is true - that the northeast is career oriented and the NW is full of dreamy artists. But there are pockets of each in both places.
That said, winter camping in the NW is a dicier prospect than in the NE imo. The reason is that you don't really get "winter" down in the valleys with any regularity, and camping at elevation adds risk because of the potential for sudden and severe weather change, falls, etc. all with some pretty significant isolation.
Still, in the west I think Flagstaff is worth a look. You may also want to look at the Eugene/Corvallis/Salem environs, or possibly Bend. |
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01-20-2015, 02:46 PM
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8 posts, read 10,995 times
Reputation: 20
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Haha, I guess I'm kinda turned around in the IT field. It seems like a lot of people move to Seattle or DC to "tick a box" of having a high-salary high-intensity job, then move out to where they want to settle, with that job experience and connection. The NE seems more insular, people get jobs there, transfer from city to city, but generally stay in the NE.
This is entirely from online research though.
I've been to the NW plenty of times, but I'm not sure how I'd do with the reduced sunlight/rain mix for the entire winter. I like having snow underfoot and sun overhead.
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01-20-2015, 03:20 PM
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Location: Phoenix, AZ
1,070 posts, read 2,808,830 times
Reputation: 1440
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Nearest VA hospital to Flagstaff is in Phoenix, about 2 hours north. Plenty of warm weather and retirees down in the Valley, it might be on your parents radar! (and they would probably enjoy the idea of being able to "escape" the summer heat and drive 2 hours to visit their son).
Winter camping here is literally perfect. The whole town is in Coconino National Forest. Boondock camping is allowed for up to 2 weeks at a time (though it's hardly enforced, I know people who live off grid in campers and move around). There's no weather restrictions either, but it's all "at your own risk".
About 30 minutes west of town is the Flagstaff Nordic Center, where there's Yurts (Mongolian-style, wood framed, canvas covered tents) and cabins for rent. No electricity but there's propane grills and woodburning stoves included (and in the winter, wood is provided). All the yurts and cabins are accessible by ski or snowshoe only in the winter.
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