Would I jive well with Portland? (Salem: apartment, to rent, how much)

[Rob Allen]

A year in Portland:

Dry and sunny - three months.
Sometimes dry and sunny - four months.
Hardly ever dry and sunny - five months.

[Port Pitt Ash]

Originally Posted by Karmest

I somewhat fear that my preferences may pretty much clash with the city already, but I would at least like to get some opinions. I mean, who knows, I could be wrong in my assumptions.

1. I don't mind rain on occasion but would prefer to be dry and sunny.

2. Politically I'm conservative/libertarian. high taxes.

3. Would prefer to keep rent/mortgage at around $1500/mo for a 3/2/2 type of home.

4. Not a fan of traffic congestion or "famously long" commute times.

5. Not a beer drinker (since I know breweries are a big thing there).

6. Kind of a fan of the outdoors. I wouldn't mind having access to scenic hikes, but I doubt I'd make it a weekly thing.

7. Ride a motorcycle so it would be nice to have access to some curvy roads. (this is also where sunny weather helps)

8. Would probably call myself a foodie. Enjoy trying new restaurants.

1. It rains in Portland about 8 months out of the year. A sort of misty rain to a steady downpour. (Not many thunderstorms though). That said it is usually only partly cloudy for much of that time and dark for about 3 months give or take. Summer is nice. Dry & sunny. Used to be as close to perfect (minus 2 weeks) as summer can be. In the last few years it has been hotter.

I personally like the type of weather Portland has, but it's the winter darkness that's hard to take not the rain.

2. So long as you don't mention this or feel the need to comment on far left opinions expressed you should be fine. Otherwise Portland folks will want you out. It's a big group-think, far left, militant, PC sort of place (within the city). Outside of Portland a lot of OR is a red state.

I'd call myself a moderate liberal with libertarian leanings and it was far too liberal for me. The politically correct thing got to me most.

Taxes, however, are high. 9% income if I remember correctly. No sales tax is nice, but it doesn't save you much in the long run.

3. Good luck.

4. Depends on if you have to get on I-5. Not as bad as say Seattle.

5. People won't look at you funny if you don't drink. Probably the only time this would have anything to do with you is in extra traffic downtown due to a few of the beer festivals.

6. Shouldn't bother you one way or the other.

7. Depends on the type. My neighbor got cited for having a leaf blower that was too loud. The noise ordinance is a real thing there.

I know most bike guys are diehard when it comes to their bikes so if you're a Harley guy this alone is likely to be your deal breaker (also if you are restoring Muscle Cars these are probably too loud).

8. Portland is a great city for this. Although being able to try stuff on the cheap is going to become a bit harder as they are removing 60-70 food carts downtown in the near future.

So basically you have to ask yourself if you could deal with being someplace where you'd be stifled politically, live in darkness for 3 months, and give up your bike & muscle cars.

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by Port Pitt Ash

7. Depends on the type. My neighbor got cited for having a leaf blower that was too loud. The noise ordinance is a real thing there.

I know most bike guys are diehard when it comes to their bikes so if you're a Harley guy this alone is likely to be your deal breaker (also if you are restoring Muscle Cars these are probably too loud).

8. Portland is a great city for this. Although being able to try stuff on the cheap is going to become a bit harder as they are removing 60-70 food carts downtown in the near future.

So basically you have to ask yourself if you could deal with being someplace where you'd be stifled politically, live in darkness for 3 months, and give up your bike & muscle cars.

Interesting. Your entire post, but... did you read any posts previous to yours? #7/8 were universally agreed upon to be positive attributes. Give up his bike and/or muscle cars? Really? I don't think so. In another recent post it was revealed that 60 - 70 food carts are to be moved/closed... out of more than 5,000+...

[patches403]

OP, what you're looking for is pretty much the opposite of Portland.

[Port Pitt Ash]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Interesting. Your entire post, but... did you read any posts previous to yours? #7/8 were universally agreed upon to be positive attributes. Give up his bike and/or muscle cars? Really? I don't think so. In another recent post it was revealed that 60 - 70 food carts are to be moved/closed... out of more than 5,000+...

I highly doubt there are even close to 5,000 food carts.

As for the motorcycle thing it is going to depend. If it's a crotch rocket then it'll probably be fine, but if it is a Harley or something similar with a loud exhaust then he's risking a ticket every time he goes out. Same for revving the engine of classic muscle cars. Portland folks can be real a**holes when it comes to noise. I ran into them in several areas of the city when I was living there. Best case he starts getting passive-aggressive notes about it.

Originally Posted by patches403

OP, what you're looking for is pretty much the opposite of Portland.

I have no idea why everyone seems to think the city is a place for everyone. It's been pretty well established what sort of city it is, yet people hear something is cool and want to move there. Some people on CD even move places without visiting and then have the nerve to complain about it!

[bler144]

Originally Posted by Port Pitt Ash

I highly doubt there are even close to 5,000 food carts.

I think he's citing me - I'd made up a similar number as a joke in another recent thread. Though I think someone else cited an actual number of licensed carts that was around...1300? Whether or not all of those are actively operating IDK.

[Sherwoody]

Originally Posted by patches403

OP, what you're looking for is pretty much the opposite of Portland.

^^^
Exactly.

Texas maybe?

[boulder2015]

Originally Posted by Sherwoody

^^^
Exactly.

Texas maybe?

Yeah, this one feels like a buildup to a post like this:

"Been in pdx for six months now, here's whats wrong with it:

1. The weather! Omg!
2. The radical liberals run this town and allow naked bike rides and have fees for everything.
3. The traffic. I had no idea it was this bad."

Etc. No offense, OP, good luck somewhere sunny, dry, and conservative. Lots of places in the american west fit that bill.

[nwpete]

Hello,

1. Not a fan of cold, snowy weather. I don't mind rain on occasion but would prefer to be dry and sunny.
- It rarely snows in Portland. The coldest is probably in December and it's still around high 30's and low 40's.

2. Politically I'm conservative/libertarian. Wouldn't really call myself a Republican because I don't care for religion, am pro-abortion, pro-stem-cell-research, pro-MJ-legalization. That being said, I detest gun control, ethanol mandates, EPA pollution regulations, single payer health care, and high taxes.
- I think being a libertarian is not an issue here. Most Oregonians secretly have some underlying libertarian attitudes. Being a conservative, you can still probably find like minded people in Portland metro. We have FOX 12 Oregon for you.

3. Would prefer to keep rent/mortgage at around $1500/mo for a 3/2/2 type of home.
- It will depend on where you are in Portland and the amt of downpay for a home but that's probably not going to be in pricey inner portland neighborhoods.

4. Not a fan of traffic congestion or "famously long" commute times.
- Consider MAX. It's a great transportation system here. It goes to a lot of places in the metro w/ park & ride. Driving to downtown PDX, you WILL experience traffic.

5. Not a beer drinker (since I know breweries are a big thing there).
- It's only one thing you will miss out. You can drink Willamette Valley pinot noir instead.

6. Kind of a fan of the outdoors. I wouldn't mind having access to scenic hikes, but I doubt I'd make it a weekly thing.
- Then you will love it here. There is a ton of outdoor opportunities around here. Within the city of Portland, try Forest Park. It's a gigantic foresty park with miles and miles of hiking trails.

7. Ride a motorcycle so it would be nice to have access to some curvy roads. (this is also where sunny weather helps)
- West Hills area has a ton of curvy roads though they're residential. Sunny weather will be here in the late spring and the entire summer. No lane splitting in Oregon for motorcyclists FYI.

8. Would probably call myself a foodie. Enjoy trying new restaurants.
- Portland is a foodie paradise! From low-end food carts to some high-end, we have some really good foods here.

[Port Pitt Ash]

Originally Posted by nwpete

I think being a libertarian is not an issue here.

Well it is and it isn't. Portland loves to make up all sorts of stupid little rules. It's incredibly PC. Somebody certainly seems to like their taxes, but at the same time they seem to not have an issue these days letting the developers come in an do whatever they want. Homeless tend to have lots of support to the point where back in my student days they were eating better than I was & had arguably better living conditions than the dorms.

That said it still lacks many of the real ills of big city life. It's more of an annoyed to death situation.