Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've been to coastal Maine two times. Between the mosquitoes and the biting flies one cannot walk after one hour before sundown. I hated the place. There are nicer beaches and countryside all over the country without all that insect crap. No wonder no one lives there.
Maine has terrible 'beaches'.
Do not go to Maine for beach, most of Maine's 3.000+ miles of coast line is rocky.
We have everything we need, hell or high water, stay put
If I had everything I need, I suppose I'd stay put, too. I'm glad you are so confident that you do. I hope you won't find out the hard way that you don't, like about 99.9% of everyone else will (including me).
The Umbaygog is real peacefull and very private in the middle of black fly seasons.
NH amd Maine have black fly season from Spring right thru Fall. VT too
I haver camped on the Umbaygog with a 2 stroke engine dead up wind of my tent and listened to the black fly whine all night as they bend the bars on the screens of my tent.
I know of other ways to get them to not bite me with no insect repelents, but that's my secret.
I really like the looks of a black fly bit tourist. Man their eyes are slammed shut!
Waves? I nevwer saw waves of black flies, but once I saw a moose so covered in them it looked like a cartoon character. The moose jumped up from layin' down and the clould of flies popped up and came back down on the moose. Ya really wanna avoid a moose that torrmented. Really.
The first thing most tourist notice is a haze before their eyes, then bloody socks. Then the itching begins... I love black flies.
The Umbaygog is real peacefull and very private in the middle of black fly seasons. NH amd Maine have black fly season from Spring right thru Fall. VT too
Waves? I nevwer saw waves of black flies, but once I saw a moose so covered in them it looked like a cartoon character. The moose jumped up from layin' down and the clould of flies popped up and came back down on the moose. Ya really wanna avoid a moose that tormented.
The worst fly nightmare I ever had was hiking through the Whites up by the town of Jefferson a few times, sometime around late spring (that's in NH for the others who may not yet know the awesomeness that is the White Mountains). I got to the summit of a mid-sized mountain after a moderately arduous two hour traverse, expecting to be rewarded with some peace and quiet up top where I could lay on the rocks for a while and grab some shuteye before going on. Much to my dismay, I get to the top and black flies are just everywhere, like a plague of locust. No rest for me.
I do so hate flies. Mosquitos never much bothered me (perhaps beyond the possibility of contracting disease from them). I know some people really hate mozzies, but flies are what do it for me. Aside from just thinking they are nastier creatures, they can be so much more relentless than mosquitos, they'll seemingly follow you for great distances. I have found that sometimes jogging or 'double-timing' for a quarter mile is enough to lose them, if one insists on stalking you.
But perhaps more than anything is the noise which can be 'deafening' if you are unlucky enough to wander into a swarm of them like I did at the top of that summit. But even just a few of them is more than enough noise to seriously kill the tranquility that one is hoping to get when being in the woods all alone.
Mosquitos = bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (Annoying, but tolerable.)
Flies = BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!! (Very annoying. Must destroy flies!)
This seems like the most appropriate thread to put this in.
Over at survivalblogs.com, there is an article which makes some suggestions on what areas/states might make for good retreat locations either for longer term living, or shorter term living during times of need.
While it doesn't necessarily cover any ground not discussed here prior, it's worth reading just as food for thought. The author is a bit biased against the east coast, but you can read his methodology anyway, for what its worth.
This seems like the most appropriate thread to put this in.
Over at survivalblogs.com, there is an article which makes some suggestions on what areas/states might make for good retreat locations either for longer term living, or shorter term living during times of need.
While it doesn't necessarily cover any ground not discussed here prior, it's worth reading just as food for thought. The author is a bit biased against the east coast, but you can read his methodology anyway, for what its worth.
Has rankings with explanations for each chosen state.
Another great couple of links. Thanks! After viewing these, it seems my "intuition" about North Dakota is a good one. I especially like the looks of North Dakota and eastern Montana on the Conterminous United States map. Looks like the best location based on that criteria in the whole country. There are a few nagging down sides (in my opinion) for North Dakota. But none that have made me change my plans to move there.
Another great couple of links. Thanks! After viewing these, it seems my "intuition" about North Dakota is a good one. I especially like the looks of North Dakota and eastern Montana on the Conterminous United States map. Looks like the best location based on that criteria in the whole country. There are a few nagging down sides (in my opinion) for North Dakota. But none that have made me change my plans to move there.
I've been eyeballing the Dakotas for a while but have a tough time differentiating between South and North, since they both seem to have pros and cons. Both seem a bit flat for my taste, though I've been leaning North between the two.
Additionally, the tree cover seems a bit sparse.. possibly making it harder to find a property with an adequate amount of wood for heating that'll last you long term. Also, little tree cover might make it a little tougher to hide ones off-the-grid property if one is going to sort of build the house off-the-books without much bothering with the whole permit and inspecting thing. If it's tucked away under trees, the building code enforcement department is less likely to come a' knockin'.
Just out of curiosity, are you looking for a flatter Plains type environment, as opposed to a rugged mountain environment; if so, why? Just personal preference because you like the look of wide open spaces, or does it fit in with your plan better, whatever that may be (gardening, etc...)? I'll just mention in passing that Plains tends to = colder.... The lower altitude tends to just be a big ol' cold sink. Along the continental divide and west of it tends to be better weather.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
