Looking for Another Vermont - but Warmer.

[mwernert]

Hi to all that visited Vt. for the rally.

I'm a local and will be moving someplace warmer in a few years. I just don't know exactly where yet. Something that is important to me for my next home is the quality of the motorcycle riding. I really enjoy riding here in Vt. during the far too short summer. I find the winters too long ( > 6 months ). I'd like to ride about 9 months of the year.

So, for all you visitors to the rally, you know what I like - rural, scenic, laid back, lot's of twisties and hills. This stuff appeals to me. Traffic, 3 lanes, honking aggressive drivers, and endless shopping developments does not.

Do you live somewhere similar to Vt. in terms of riding pleasure but warmer? If so, pls. tell me about it. I'm looking for ideas.

Thanks,

Marty

[Sue]

Hi Marty -

I think Wisconsin would fit that bill. :thumb There's a reason the riders from Wisconsin are always on top in the mileage contest.

:bliss

[PAULBACH]

When I was in the Navy I was always impressed with West Virginia or the area in Western Virginia near Montecello. Nice rides and kinda rural.

[eddie]

I have to agree on West Virgina.I like ridding there.In the country, on back roads you hardly see any development,aka shopping centers,Walmarts or new subdivisions.Of course I love central and eastern Kentucky also.I can ride at least a few days every month of the year.We would love to have you here in Kentucky so come on down.

[GPRUDD]

I share your pain with the short season.

The area around Lexington, KY is beautiful and has great riding.

Actually sounds like a suggestion for a MOA rally site.

[kbasa]

Northern California. Mountains, twisty roads, lots of rural riding, but no snow. Unlike SoCal, we even have trees. Some of 'em are pretty big too. :evil

Picture the road up to ApGap, only it goes for 200 miles. That's riding around here.

[kbasa]

Hi Marty -

I think Wisconsin would fit that bill. :thumb There's a reason the riders from Wisconsin are always on top in the mileage contest.

:bliss

I thought he said "warmer", Sue. :buds

[fastdogs2]

We have warm weather, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Atlantic Ocean shoreline and three great BMW dealerships (Capitol in Raleigh, Carolina in Greensboro and Cape Fear in Wilmington).

[SheRidesABeemer]

Gee it's 9:00PM and it's 90 degrees in Burlington. You want hotter? :laugh

[rottenbiker]

front range Colorado near Ft Collins/Loveland area is the best, we ride year round and my bike may be garaged a week at most because they don't plow our street when it snows. I am former Vermonter....I love it here!!

[JoeBowen]

I live in southwestern Virginia and we like to call this area "Four Seasons Country." We have all seasons but our snows usually melt within a week. Actually that's not always a good thing -- sometimes it will snow, thaw, snow, thaw, etc. until you just wish it would stay one way or the other. We have enough elevation to be cool and enough southern latitude to have some warm weather. We have a ski resort at Ghent, WV, and some winters are good for them -- others not so good. Thirty minutes south of Ghent is Bluefield, WV -- "Nature's Air Conditioned City." If the official temperature hits 90 degrees, the chamber of commerce gives away free lemonade. I don't think it's happened yet this year, but it may happen in August. (They cheat a little because the official weather service temp is measured at the airport on top of the mountain. That's usually a cool spot.)

I rode with a light jacket on New Year's Day this year, temp around 60. Lots of nice roads, curves, mountains. Reminds me of Vermont but the mountains are closer, valleys more narrow and the church steeples not as tall here. Western North Carolina is close and also lots of good riding.

We are not close to anything except interstates 77 and 81 -- no BMW dealerships. That may be why our housing costs are very reasonable. If you sell in Vermont and buy here you will likely have cash left over.

My county is the source headwaters of the Clinch River which flows to Knoxville TN and on to the Ohio. Almost all of the rivers and creeks flow out of our county -- only one flows in.

My son is attending University of Vermont and was first attracted there because of the skiing and snow boarding. We visit him in Vermont. Actually I think Vermont may have had a warmer than usual winter last year -- more like our winters here.

[bikerfish1100]

hey, forget what Rottenbiker said. Front Range of Colorado is really lousy. it's a hot desert here in the summer, and the winter snows are thunderous and last forever!! And these little mountain things, shoot, the roads around them don't even go over 14,000 ft- i mean, what kind of mountain is that?? Really, just stay away. Oh, and ignore that Money magazine article calling Ft. Collins the very BESTest place to live in the entire country. just hype, ignore it. Really, it's getting pretty crowded here anyway.
Umm, wait, i gotta get...gack, ah, there it is. dang tongue bugging in my cheek, just couldn't handle it! Anyway,,, where was I? oh yeah, front range of Colorado. ah, whatever, it's not so bad, actually. sure do miss the humidity of CT tho- god, i just loved taking a shower, stepping out, and feeling like i needed to go back in again to get the new sweat off.

[Voni]

Paul and I are sold on Alpine, TX.

Great people, great roads, year around riding.

It was 85 degrees there while it was over 100 all last week here in Kansas. Packing household goods in the heat is NO fun.

And there aren't too many people so come on down,

Voni
sMiling

[kbasa]

Gee it's 9:00PM and it's 90 degrees in Burlington. You want hotter? :laugh

Wait until right around the first of the year, when it's dark at 4pm and you haven't seen unfrozen water outside in a month. :uhoh

[dancogan]

Paul and I are sold on Alpine, TX.

Great people, great roads, year around riding.

It was 85 degrees there while it was over 100 all last week here in Kansas. Packing household goods in the heat is NO fun.

And there aren't too many people so come on down,

Voni
sMiling


You guys moving to TX? Giving up the rural beauty of Kansas?

[Montana]

I have a cabin near Estes Park and although I like that Fort Collins area, I have never in my life seen so many vehicles parked at each and every friggin' trailhead, any and every day, any time of day, that area is crowded!

I guess it depends on what you mean by "warm," that's for sure, but the Western slope of the Continental Divide, from here in Missoula all the way to Spokane WA, is damn nice. Just ask the folks who have been to the MOA rallies over here. That little bitty part of Idaho in between is fun, too.

[BradfordBenn]

You guys moving to TX? Giving up the rural beauty of Kansas?

Yup they did. They are now slum lords for their son who is renting the house from them.
:laugh

[Voni]

You guys moving to TX? Giving up the rural beauty of Kansas?


Yes we are.

You know Kansas isn't anywhere but it's not far from anywhere.

We're intending to travel through more of the summer and then winter here:

http://www.mindspring.com/~paul.glaves/adobe.htm

Son Mike has been watching our dog, mowing the grass and checking mail for years. Now he'll live with his new bride in our house. But as Paul says, we still have the shop on the five acres of prairie we own in Kansas.

Voni
sMiling though packing up is NO fun

[Voni]

Back to the original question, I'd suggest you spend some time - two or more months - in the area you like before you make any committments. It's fun to try out new places, new roads, new people. And then your decision will be much easier.

Voni
sMiling

[The_Veg]

Must be nice to have to luxury of being able to check a place out for that long.

[Voni]

Must be nice to have to luxury of being able to check a place out for that long.

It is. But first you have to teach public high school kids for 31 years -
or some similar fun.

Voni
sMiling
:wave :wow

[mullerjd1]

North GA!

[cjack]

It is. But first you have to teach public high school kids for 31 years -
or some similar fun.

Voni
sMiling
:wave :wow

Heh heh. Well said.

[Sue]

I thought he said "warmer", Sue. :buds

Warm? It's warm in Wisconsin! And we can ride year round, too.
:nyah

[BradfordBenn]

Warm? It's warm in Wisconsin! And we can ride year round, too.
:nyah

You can ride year round everywhere
:brad

[Voni]

Go here to find how:

http://www.yearroundriders.com/

Voni
sMiling and finding 100 degree weather to be a real challenge