Making the move - now to where?

[Nic in Western NYS]

After 16 years with the med school and hospital, I'm leaving for something else.  Two places are interested in having me join them, one in Asheville NC and the other in Roseburg Oregon.  Any experiences with those places from this group?  I would like my family to be in a community that cares about each other a lot but isn't in each other's business too much.  Religion for me is a private thing so expectations regarding religiosity won't set well.  Thanks for reading this odd request.

[Kev m]

I've been through Ashville a couple of times, but not enough to say anything definitively. My impression was of a pleasant community and overall location for a motorcyclist was good.

What did you do at the hospital and school? You know there's a med school in St. Martens right? Now THAT'S a change I could embrace. ;)

Good luck with your decision.

[boatdetective]

From what i know, Ashville has always been rooted in tourism. I was there in 2010. With the general economy around the country in the tank- it seemed that Ashville was hurting very badly. The history of the town sort of reflects this- it has been through a number of ups and downs throughout its history. Because of its "destination" background, it has tended to get hit especially hard in economic downturns.  I don't have hard data on this- and i certainly would do your own research. However- if you move to a place like this where Asheville is the only life support for the entire area, then it might be wise to see how robust the economy is.

While not nearly as picturesque, my guess would be that Charlotte would be much more diversified and economically "hardened".

Just my 2 cents

[clubman]

Can't say anything about living there, but they should both be great places for riding. I've used Ashville as a launch pad to the smokies several times. Generally very nice people. One of my best friends lives in Medford Or. and rides his FJR all over the area, and loves it. Probably come down to who has the best job offer.

[tiger_one]

The J3 Kitten was built in Ashville.  I visited the factory, just as they had decided to drop the 2 cylinder VW type homebuilt engine, castings leaked oil.

I learned that Ashville was a natural stop going north or south (to Florida).

I love riding in Oregon area, tons of roads to explore.  Idaho, Wy, Co.

[John Ulrich]

The retirement articles always have Ashville in the mix.

[Lannis]

After 16 years with the med school and hospital, I'm leaving for something else.  Two places are interested in having me join them, one in Asheville NC and the other in Roseburg Oregon.  Any experiences with those places from this group?  I would like my family to be in a community that cares about each other a lot but isn't in each other's business too much.  Religion for me is a private thing so expectations regarding religiosity won't set well.  Thanks for reading this odd request.

If one of your criteria is to "be in a community that cares about each other a lot", then you are GOING to find that anywhere you go, because that's what you'll be looking for.   There are people that care about each other everywhere ... and if you're one of them, you'll find the others.

Not to critique your question too much, but if someone responded and said "Well, City X is a place where people care about each other, but City Y is a place where they don't", I'd really question how valid that input was.   You get out of life what you put into it ...

Lannis

[zedXmick]

Looks like you picked two good states....I'd go to Oregon,you have the whole west coast area,AND North America,AND Alaska to explore with motorcycles,and A LOT less people.   I have been to both places,Oregon wins hands down. "Go west young man"  STILL holds true today.  ;D

[tobydmv]

I live in Charlotte, which is 2 hrs East of Asheville.  I will say Asheville has a lot of "hippie" or "hipsters" there.  So if you are bothered by people who refuse to wash their hair, refuse to clothe themselves in synthetic materials, refuse to use conventional deodorant, and wallpaper things w stickers you might not want to go to Asheville.  But you are in the Blue Ridge MTS and theirs the Tail of the Dragon and lots of Mountain biking.  The state is also full of college kids and very liberal.  But the people that live in North Carolina are the nicest GD people i've ever met and live within their means.  Coming from Dallas its a complete culture shock.  I love southern folks.  But I cant speak like them yet.  They seem to put W's in places that dont belong, like Basebawll

[Lannis]

I will say Asheville has a lot of "hippie" or "hipsters" there.  So if you are bothered by people who refuse to wash their hair, refuse to clothe themselves in synthetic materials, refuse to use conventional deodorant, and wallpaper things w stickers you might not want to go to Asheville. 

I lived in Denver in 2013, and you might say the same thing about people there.   But I never noticed it, because I never went to the same places as the "hippies" or "hipsters".   A place like Asheville is pretty big - if you want to hang out with the dope addicts, you can do that.   If you want to hang out with the barely-civilized rednecks, you can do that too (and sometimes they're the same).   If you want to be around friendly, churchgoing people, you can do that too, and you'll never see a "hippie", wouldn't even think there are any there.   

I still deny that you can characterize an entire city as being "friendly" or "unfriendly".   In Decatur, GA, I lived in a friendly, laid-back neighborhood in a cheap little apartment in an older section.  Six blocks away was a howling wilderness of drug-dealers, gangs, and poverty, but in 3 years I never saw any effects of that where I lived.   I just didn't go there....

Lannis

[jackson]

I live 60 miles south of Ashevile, over the state line in SC.  I was born & reared here but business lured me to San Diego for 30 years.  We moved back here 10 years ago and before the move, we narrowed it down to Asheville or Greenville, SC.  Taxes, and home prices are slightly higher in Asheville and it's a more "artsy" community with a lot of artists (many think they're artists but are far from it) and tourism.  The Biltmore Estate is a huge tourist draw, year round and the mountains are a huge draw for tourism in the warmer months.

You'll find a high amount of religious people anywhere you live in the south.  It's a large part of southern culture.  Having grown up here, I knew that religious references would be prevalent before we moved back but decided to move back anyway due to the much lower cost of living vs San Diego. We attempt to ignore the religion since neither my wife or I buy into any of the various brands.  

I have spent a lot of time in various cities in Oregon before I retired but have never lived there so I have nothing to add re. the culture that you would find.
Good luck with your upcoming move.

[Motogogo]

You may encounter some of the kindest people you'll ever meet in Asheville, that was my experience ... over and over again. Folks I met there could care less that I was a yankee who didn't even know what chow chow was.

Good luck Dr.!
 

[charlie b]

Don't apply stereotypes just because.

Daughter and her husband have lived in Columbia, SC for many years and do not go to church.  Never had any 'religious' stuff pushed at them.  We will move there in the near future.

Neighborhoods are what you make them to be.  You can make friends with your neighbors or make it clear you want to be left alone.  We get involved with others who have the same hobbies, no matter where we are.  Have lived in two countries and five states and always found friendly people.  Yes, always found the idiots too, just stayed away from them.

Go to the area that has the job you want.  If the job makes you unhappy nothing will fix it.

[rboe]

I'm a western kinda guy so my first response; Oregon. They do have this annoying law where you can't pump your own gas. Otherwise, Save for the coast and the Portland area and the Three Sisters area the population density is really low compared to the east coast.

You have the really green and verdant west coast area but as you head inland the area turns in to an arrid high plains desert eco system. Lot's of diversity.

If you have lived primarily on the east coast, and you're over 50, I'd say you'd probably feel more at home staying there. But if you have moved around a fair amount, I'd say it's time to experience the west coast. I'm old enough that I have no interest living anywhere east of the Mississippi but open to just about any thing except a large city (and yet I live in a large city :p ) in the west.

Some towns are predominately Mormon (e.g. many in Idaho) and if you are not Morman you can be made to feel like an outsider (data from several friends that have experienced it). Otherwise; it has been my experience that you meet like minded people where ever you go; just may not be enough in some towns. :D

The Three Sisters area of Oregon has had a huge influx of Californians (common complaint through out the west) which has caused some folks to move on; being priced out of the areas.

Should be interesting.

[racasey]

Roseburg is well sited.  Two hours to the Orgon coast and about the same distance from the high deserts of eastern Oregon.  Spectacular riding in both directions.  Oregon enjoys no sales taxes, politics that favor the little guy, reasonably good climate, very green vegetation and philosophy, good roads, stable economics, and is a bellwether blue state. 

Eugene, a big university town is not far away, and Roseburg sits on 3 great escape routes to fabulous riding in northern California; the Pacific Coast Highway, I-5, and Hy-97.  The Japanese current keeps the area warm e'nuff to ride year round.  Crowning the experience is the Mcmenamins Brew Pub in the old train station.  Mcmenamins is a chain of well managed brewpubs that dot many towns and villages in Washington and Oregon.

Oregon, unlike some parts of the US, does not have "family trees" that look like a wreath.

I love living in the West,
Dick

[not-fishing]

I'm a native Californian and native of Sacramento. 

I'd move the Roseburg, Medford area because it reminds me of California of the 60's.

If you wanted to start a vineyard I did at one time land is good and inexpensive enough - to a Californian.

You have Ashland for the college town and Shakespearean festival - decades old.  Also there's skiing in Ashland.

You have great fly fishing and are in the premier US steelhead area.  I had a one-in-a-lifetime Deschutes Trout Fly Fishing trip not far from there.  Hunting is also great in Oregon

There is no income tax, unlike California.

Eugene is close and has a decent airport.

I knew a family that grew up in Cottage Grove Oregon and thought that it was the greatest place for kids.  unlike where I spent much of my youth in the "hood" of Sacramento.  This is one of the reasons I raised my kids in Folsom

The only real down side that I see is it does rain more than California.

[Nic in Western NYS]

Thank you guys.  Very helpful.  Let's hope one of the two of them goes from being interested to making an offer.

[Jim C]

Nic,

I was born in Roseburg! Great place to live (or it was).
I came to California (HATE the politics here) when I was
12 or so. I'm now 60. We used to live in Eugene as well.
Had a big gray 2-story.

Mostly great weather, but it does rain there more than CA.
(Shoot, it rains more everywhere than CA)

Parents had a house in Grants Pass before they passed on.

 :+1 on the gas deal. I don't get why they have to pump the
gas, but if I remember correctly, if you're on a bike, they hand
you the nozzle to fill your tank.

Lots of hunting, fishing and camping if that's your thing.
If you've never been to Crater Lake, OR, you should definitely go.

Good luck with your decision.

Jim