Bemidgi? (Duluth, Bemidji, Park Rapids: houses, theater, college)

[griz134]

My company has posted a job opening in Bemidgi which has intrigued me. I currently live in Portland, OR, but grew up in Iowa. Anybody here live in Bemidgi? Do you like it? We used to go to Northern Minnesota on family vacations, and I loved it up there. What's like living up there in the north woods? Any decent restaurants, natural food stores etc.? Is the fishing still good up ther?

[MidwestWeekender]

Bemidji is great. It's a college town, so you've got the coffeehouses, the Irish pub, the theater, the live music. There's a natural-foods store, a few good restaurants (Tutto Bene, Brigid's, Wild Hare). Of course, it's also a big outdoors town: downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, the Paul Bunyan State Trail for bicycling. I see people fishing in Lake Bemidji all the time (the Mississippi River goes through it).

[whatnow]

Bemidji is in a good spot of MN -it's before you get too far north. It is the place I go to shop, because I DO live too far north. I always enjoy myself there plus Bemidji has a beautiful historic downtown - where you'll find those coffeehouses another poster mentioned. Also, it is not too far from one of Minn's best state parks, Itasca S.P. - gorgeous - between Bemidji and Park Rapids (another cool town). Good luck.

[griz134]

Bemidgi sounds nice. I remember traveling through there on my way to Canada back in the 80's. Looked like a neat little city on the lake. It's -30 there now, and 50 degrees here. 80 degree difference! I think my wife would kill me, she being from San Francisco and all. I don't think she could handle it. I still might apply for the job. She would have to get used to it. How is the humidity that far north in the summer. I know Iowa got pretty bad.

[knke0402]

Originally Posted by griz134

Bemidgi sounds nice. I remember traveling through there on my way to Canada back in the 80's. Looked like a neat little city on the lake. It's -30 there now, and 50 degrees here. 80 degree difference! I think my wife would kill me, she being from San Francisco and all. I don't think she could handle it. I still might apply for the job. She would have to get used to it. How is the humidity that far north in the summer. I know Iowa got pretty bad.

Its BEMIDJI!

No G in BEMIDJI!

[golfgal]

There is not much humidity up there. It never gets all that hot in the summer so even if there is humidity it is still comfortable.

I love Bemidji. My Dad grew up there so we spent many summers and Christmas' in Bemidji. I remember one trip up there in the early 90's where the air temp was -45°. You would hear the occasional "gun shot" from the pine trees-the sap exploding basically in the trees. That is COLD weather.

[Globe199]

Originally Posted by griz134

My company has posted a job opening in Bemidgi which has intrigued me. I currently live in Portland, OR, but grew up in Iowa. Anybody here live in Bemidgi? Do you like it? We used to go to Northern Minnesota on family vacations, and I loved it up there. What's like living up there in the north woods? Any decent restaurants, natural food stores etc.? Is the fishing still good up ther?

No offense...and nothing against Bemidji since the area is beautiful and the lakes are awesome...but you'd have to be completely out of your gourd to leave Portland for Bemidji. Totally whacked out. Serious.

[roneb]

Originally Posted by Globe199

No offense...and nothing against Bemidji since the area is beautiful and the lakes are awesome...but you'd have to be completely out of your gourd to leave Portland for Bemidji. Totally whacked out. Serious.

Different strokes for different folks. I'm familiar with both MN (having relatives there and gone to college there) and Portland (I live here). I love many of the things that PDX is famous for: outdoor recreation, climbing, skiing, coffee houses, microbrews, Powell's Books... And yet I'd trade living in Portland for Bemidji, Duluth, or a few other MN locations in a heartbeat. Trust me, everyplace, including over-hyped Portland, OR, has it's own lists of positives AND negatives.

[slamont61]

I would seriously consider that move possibility if I'm you. I love Bemidji. My wife and I make a hour and a half drive to get there regularly, at least twice a month.

We love that area and all it has to offer. The city is bustling with activity and it seems to have an economy that is resilliant to the current down turn.

The lake right now is a city on the ice with all the ice fishing going on. It's really something to see. Now that thing isn't frozen year round... it's pretty darn nice come summer too. I just love the region. Bemidji is the right size and is located just far enough from large cities to remain sustainable. I love it.

If I had the option to work there, you couldn't hold me back.

[griz134]

Sorry for my spelling error. Thank you the information. I guess I have a lot to think about. Globe199, why do you think leaving Portland would be whacked out? Have you been here? Have you lived in both Bemidji and Portland?