Help convince me to move to Oregon/ Washington! (flatlander here)

[socalrappy700]

are you close to your family?

[r00st]

That depends on what day of the week it is... lol

The answer is "kinda". After living at home PLENTY long I am ready to be on my own and find a new place with my GF. I think the best answer to this situation is, pending our visit out there that we find a place and stay for a few years. Once/if we decide to pop out a kid we can move back here so family is not a problem.

At this point in my life I would rather not have kids...ever lol. We will see when im 26-29 if I change my mind. I am 23 soon and I have a LOT of living I want to do (toys, trips, quads...more toys...did I mention toys?)

[Colorado700R]

I've been away from my family for 13 years now.  At first it was great to be out of the family "fray", and I enjoyed not hearing the gossip and rumors (Still don't miss that). 

Holidays get rough.  At first I tried getting back home for most of them, but eventually it became too expensive and incovient.  So, I figured my family could come visit me.  So far in my 13 years, my folks have visited half a dozen times, my sisters once each.  I know they have every intention of coming out often, but it just never pans out.

Family is important to me, but home is not home for me anymore.  And my family knows that, and struggles sometimes with the fact that I have no plans of ever moving back.

I guess my point is that, IMO once your new living location becomes less of a vacation spot for family, the less you'll see of them.

Aaron

[socalrappy700]

Aaron, I could see if I stayed out west I would end up feeling the same as you.  I feel bad that you're stuck out there...plus it would be nice to have you back this way.

Mike, I was the same way about kids as you are when I was that age, but at 30 I started to think different.  Now I love my son, by far the best thing that has ever happened to me, I would give up EVERYTHING for him. 

[r00st]

Thanks for the different points of view Aaron and Erich.

There is definitely a lot to take into consideration when moving.

I think I will be the same way in wanting kids, for sure by age 30. I think my GF would like it a bit sooner but I cant see myself wanting to start that part of my life until im around 27/28 at the earliest (still 4-5 years down the road). This gives me enough time to get settled (married), hopefully land that great career im still waiting for (same for my GF) and also buy that one single new car I have always wanted! (I am thinking WRX - STI...at least it can be used year round but still a blast to drive with ability to move junk/people!)

I am hoping to arrange flying to Oregon/Washington from Little Sahara Utah this year as long as we dont need another driver to bring the quads back home.

[Headrope]

Not too much to add that hasn't already been mentioned. I''m 35 now and followed my dad and the Army around the world until I was 23. Washington State is the most diverse place I've ever lived.

I live near Tacoma, which is 45 minutes away from Seattle, 1.5 hrs away from Mount Rainier (big mountain anyone can play on that climbers train on before attempting Mount Everest), 2 hours from skiing, 3 hours from the ocean (15 minutes from salt water), 5 hours from the eastern side of the state, 3 hours from Portland (9 hours from sand dunes in Oregon), 4-5 hours from Canada, fourteen hours from Billings, Montana (Washington is the terminus of Interstate 90), etc.

I'm surrounded by glacier-fed rivers, mountain streams, lakes AND saltwater (Puget Sound). At the same time, my side of the state is mostly paved with highways and the Interstate seemingly everywhere.

You'll hear and read that it rains a lot here. Not as much really. The skies are usually gray all winter though. Some call it overcast. I call it permacast. You have to be able to deal with that to make it here or invest in sun lamps. Seriously. Gray skies will take their toll on you the first go 'round.

You might check out these: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/states/WA.html

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/states/OR.html

Good luck on your decision.