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Strictly speaking from a rider's point of view the west of NC wins hands down. Raleigh is too hot in the summer, too crowded year around and everyone is doing the soccor mom thing with the cell phone to their ears.
Charlotte on the other hand is two hours from the best riding in the USA. And, when it gets hot in the summer you head to the mountains.
How did we get on bike rides? Anywho . . . In our neck of the woods, you cannot beat the Blue Ridge Parkway anywhere on or off from Front Royal VA to Cherokee NC. After that, the Cherahola Skyway from Rt. 129 in NC over the mountain range to east TN ( please do Tail of the Dragon --- it's awesome but dangerous, appreciate the curves). Second for me is anywhere in the Shenandoah Valley via Route 11 or 81. From western PA right down to Bristol VA, for a relaxing change of scenery and get into the National Forests for camping and fresh mountain air. When do we leave?
Best riding in the USA? Western NC, eastern TN and northern GA. VA: beautiful but too hot in the summer like eastern NC, PA: rough roads, WV: beautiful but roads in disrepair and, like eastern KY, watch for the coal dust in the curves.
Now, back to the original question: I vote for Charlotte and its rounded diversity. I hate to sound like a hick but Raleigh is becoming too crowded.
Unfortunately, I have to start this post of with the familiar refrain that "Hi, I'm from the northeast looking to move to NC."
That being out of the way, I've had the good fortune to spend much of my working life thus far travelling, and lived in Boston, NY, Orlando, Raleigh and some others for varying amounts of time. Raleigh was one of my favorites, thus my wife and I are considering moving there. A little about us:
- Wife is Cuban and I am your average CWG (Chubby White Guy). We'd like to be in an area with some hispanic influence (food, language, etc.) We don't necessairly have to be in an NC-equilavent of Miami, just within driving distance of somewhere we can habla some espanol and "hispanic food" does not mean taco bell. The cubans do a mean pig roast, so I'm sure that aspect of her culture will fit in quite well down there
- We like hiking, cycling, motorcycling and the like, although I am more of a fan of the country and the wife likes the city. Some kind of comprimise is in order. While I liked Raleigh I'd prefer having a small "city" with some character very nearby, and having Raliegh or Charlotte within driving range (~1-1.5 hours). Mountains and beach within "weekend range" would be great. I want somewhere I can ride (bike or MC) without being driven off the road by soccer moms in Ford BattlestarGallacticas.
- Wife is an ESL/history/French teacher and would like to work with Spanish-speaking kids and/or new immigrants who speak ESP. I am self-employeed and just need an airport, cell phone tower and internet connection so job market is not a huge concern on my end, and I assume it's relatively easy to find teaching positions in NC?
- We want to build, and budget tops out at $400K. Waterfront and some lot size (~1 acre) would be nice, although not absolutely imperative.
No kids yet (we're in our late 20s) but they will be coming in 2-5 years.
- Want somewhere with some sense of "fun," i.e. you can go out and find a pub open past 10PM and have a few pops (the kind with booze), not a totally sleepy family town. We could use some churchin' up as much as the next northern heathen, I just don't want to end up in a town of teatottlers.
I loved the people in Raleigh when I was there (4-6 year ago) but it seems to be crowding up. I've got friends in the Charlotte area so that is probably on the list, and we're also planning on checking out Greensboro and Asheville. Any pros/cons or additions/subtractions to that list you'd suggest?
Thanks and hope to be introducing the cuban version of a "pig pickin" down there soon!
PGray, I don't live in Raleigh but if I could settle in next to a neighbor like you I'd move there tomorrow.
PGray, I don't live in Raleigh but if I could settle in next to a neighbor like you I'd move there tomorrow.
Magpies
LOL, thanks. We justs keeps to ourselves; never actually taken the time to meet any of our neighbors in apartments (too much turnover) so we're quite looking forward to having the "real" neighbors over for a cookout or something (notice I didn't say BBQ, I've been told BBQ implies pork in NC).
Any "must see's" or anything while we're in Charlotte at the end of the month? I'll try and post a full report when we return.
Having retired from teaching in NC, being born and raised in Piedmont NC, with children now living in various parts of NC including the mountains, I can say that avoiding a Spanish influence here would be more difficult than finding one. We are almost smack dab in the middle of the state with a second career in real estate. I have already searched the area for the dream you described and there is one home I think you would love in an area of rural caring people who want their area to stay that way but near all the conveniences you described. My email is posted but if you can't find it let me know via forum.
From living in Greene County nearly all my life I can say that if you can tolerate a small, rural county that is within 25 miles in all directions of larger towns with shopping, universities, community colleges, medical centers and hospital, we have a healthy and triving Spanish, hispanic influence going on here. Greene County is in the Eastern part of the state and about 90 miles to the northwest of Wilmington.
I'm Cuban-American and relocated to North Carolina since 1994 from Miami. I got all my college education up here... Its a great place. We live up in the Mountains but close enough to Boone, Wilkesboro plus 2hours from Charlotte or Winston-Salem. We love this area. THe hispanic community is growing too. In Ashe there is also a lot of Cuban-American influence. I tutor part-time at the local college Spanish & English.
We have FSBO 6.5 acres 3/2 with road frontage on main highway.We are close to the Parkway and we love this area. You might look into Wilkes and Ashe County.......
I'm Cuban-American and relocated to North Carolina since 1994 from Miami. I got all my college education up here... Its a great place. We live up in the Mountains but close enough to Boone, Wilkesboro plus 2hours from Charlotte or Winston-Salem. We love this area. THe hispanic community is growing too. In Ashe there is also a lot of Cuban-American influence. I tutor part-time at the local college Spanish & English.
We have FSBO 6.5 acres 3/2 with road frontage on main highway.We are close to the Parkway and we love this area. You might look into Wilkes and Ashe County.......
Hope you like NC as much as I do.
I'm thinking with all the Cubans in Florida and all the people moving from Florida, their would have to be some Cubans in the mix.
I just have to say if their are any single Cuban women moving to Charlotte that can cook Cuban food and keep a clean house keep your hands off my husband, he loves Cuban women, I'm not sure why he married me(Italian).
I'm thinking with all the Cubans in Florida and all the people moving from Florida, their would have to be some Cubans in the mix.
I just have to say if their are any single Cuban women moving to Charlotte that can cook Cuban food and keep a clean house keep your hands off my husband, he loves Cuban women, I'm not sure why he married me(Italian).
I'll keep my wife far, far away!!!!
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