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Post by inger on Oct 21, 2018 12:35:49 GMT -5
Most of my flights on the East Coast have passed through either Baltimore or Philly. After testing them both, I wound up preferring Philadelphia. I'm sure a lot of the reason has to do with my preference to avoid driving anywhere near to Baltimore or Washington, DC. Philly's air port isn't pretty, but for me, it was functional...That's about all I demand. This airport in Denver is of course, amazing...Even the art work has a lot to say...(controversy abounds)... thechive.com/2012/03/08/something-is-rotten-in-the-denver-airport-25-photos/ |
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Post by inger on Oct 21, 2018 13:13:27 GMT -5
Pipps, would you offer an opinion on the part of the USA that owns the best climate that has pleasant summers with a touch of winter? To make it MUCH more difficult, let’s disallow California. Only because you asked for my two cents, Inger. (And two cents is overvaluing its worth.) Eliminating California does increase the degree of difficulty, no question. Up to the part about "a touch of winter," I was about to launch into rhapsodies about Coronado or Goleta or some of the other pleasure domes on the California Coast. I went through a stretch of about 12 years in my life when I never saw snow unless I deliberately drove someplace to see it, and I can tell you I didn't miss it even one little bit. Anyway, the aforementioned Santa Fe meets some of your criteria, I think, although it gets more than just a touch of winter. It gets those dry, fluffy snows that melt in less than a day, I am sure you are familiar with that in the Rockies. But at 7,000 feet, it does indeed get snow, although summers and falls are beautiful. Albuquerque is at least climatically closer to the description you asked about. A little snow in the higher elevations, but relatively moderate through most of the year. It does get its dry hot days in summer (although not remotely comparable to Phoenix or Las Vegas). I am not a huge fan of the place because I find it a rather bland sunbelt city, but everyone has his own taste and many people I know love it there, with climate playing a big role in that. The area around Flagstaff Arizona also meets many of your weather demands. Lots of neat old Route 66 towns, magnificent scenery in the area, a fairly lively arts scene. You could do worse. I think Reno/Tahoe also fits some of that, depending on which part you hunker down in. In the East, Asheville NC also checks a lot of your boxes. Fairly sophisticated for a small town, beautiful setting, nice change of seasons. Nashville TN as well. Has its moments for sure, and has become a really interesting city without being overwhelming. For that matter, an area you are probably familiar with, the lower Delaware shore, offers some of what you are asking for. But of course there it helps to be not far from the coast or the summer humidity becomes a factor. I think you know that if you want dry, you have to stay West. Every time we have a very rainy year like this one has been in the East, I start grumbling to my wife that I want to move to Yuma, Arizona, which has the least rainfall of any sizeable town in the United States (not counting places like Death Valley). I've been there and know it is a hellish place, like something you would see outlaws inhabiting in a 50s Western. But after a few straight days of pouring rain, I admit I start checking out real estate there. I show my findings to my wife, who usually just glares at me and then goes down to check on the sump pump. Your check for 2 cents is in the mail, Pipps. I have given consideration to all of those cities you mentioned (the western ones only) with the exception of Santa Fe. I had eliminated Albuquerque for it's reputation for high crime rates and quirky spelling. After the mountain drive Ruthie and I took this past week end, I realized that any future moves will likely be with the combination of scenery, weather, and cost of living. I discovered a beautiful, near uninhabited rolling valley with the Sante de Cristos as a back drop that was just jaw dropping. We set out with a goal to drive up a mountain road to where it ended at a bit over 11,200 feet in elevation. When the drive was completed, I spotted another dirt road that peeled off into the west and decided to at least drive to the top of the first hill. That's always a dangerous thing for me to do, as I begin to want to see what's over the NEXT hill, and around the next curve, and...About 6-7 miles into that drive there was a dramatic change in scenery. Somewhere about 15 miles by land (but most assuredly not by road) the alluring small town of Westcliffe was behind some of those hills. I know that town to be quite isolated from the major cities of Colorado, but to be quite functional on it's own, with a grocery store, bowling alley, restaurants, etc. and some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen anywhere. It seems Westcliffe keeps calling out to me...2 hours from Pueblo, 2.5 or so from Colorado Springs, 3.5 hours from Denver. You can live in town, near town, or out far enough as to require off-grid living (which it most assuredly did where we were). I've seen magnificent homes, hand-built cabins, modular homes and even one that was built from converted storage containers in that area... If it's not Westcliffe, there is another valley that will call my name someday...To live above that valley and overlook it with a mountain backdrop would be top of list...For now, I will ply my trade, such as it is, in Pueblo and roast during the summers...I've grown more accustomed to it, and the roasting only lasts 10-12 weeks per year...and even then, only during the day. At night, it's always quite comfortable. One last note about Yuma. I was looking at the small towns north of the Grand Canyon the other day. There are only a few such towns. I checked out some of them on Sperling's Best Places and noticed that the high temps in the summer are still pretty stiff, like 93-95 average in July (same as here on Sperling Best, yet we exceed that by a good ten degrees on many days), but also that they typically get only 6 inches of rain per year. Where I live, we get about 13 inches per year. There are many areas near to Pueblo that don't get supplied with municipal water and have to have a cistern. So part of the cost of living would be a requirement to get water delivered. It's not usually real expensive for that, though there are some gougers in certain areas that are hard to serve. It always makes me nervous if a home requires a cistern. There's always the possibility the truck won't show up (except for those brave souls that keep their tanks for refill on the back of their pick up trucks and go pick it up themselves. But I would think there would always be a possibility the source would somehow not be made available...Water is something taken so for granted out east. And even I have a sump pump...I don't know if it ever works except for when I test it with a bucket full of water...Once a year... |
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Post by greatfatness on Oct 21, 2018 17:40:10 GMT -5
Speaking of travel, I’m flying out of JFK today. How embarrassing is it that the greatest city in the world offers JFK and LGA as the experience people enjoy when they first fly into NYC? Two disgusting dumps. Pretty much every decent city in America has better airports than NY. Concur, GF. Plus, at least when I lived there, it was nearly impossible to get to either one by public transportation, which is also not the case in most major cities. It does not make a good initial impression on anyone visiting NYC for the first time. Small consolation, but it was even worse back in the heyday of the so-called Gypsy Cabs. Took me four hours to get here today, for what should be a 2 hour drive. Missed my flight and had to rebook on a flight that will get me in after 1am east coast time. Fuck this bullshit. |
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Post by kaybli on Oct 21, 2018 17:44:22 GMT -5
Concur, GF. Plus, at least when I lived there, it was nearly impossible to get to either one by public transportation, which is also not the case in most major cities. It does not make a good initial impression on anyone visiting NYC for the first time. Small consolation, but it was even worse back in the heyday of the so-called Gypsy Cabs. Took me four hours to get here today, for what should be a 2 hour drive. Missed my flight and had to rebook on a flight that will get me in after 1am east coast time. Fuck this bullshit. Damn, sorry to hear that GF. That's rough. |
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Post by pippsheadache on Oct 21, 2018 18:59:12 GMT -5
Concur, GF. Plus, at least when I lived there, it was nearly impossible to get to either one by public transportation, which is also not the case in most major cities. It does not make a good initial impression on anyone visiting NYC for the first time. Small consolation, but it was even worse back in the heyday of the so-called Gypsy Cabs. Took me four hours to get here today, for what should be a 2 hour drive. Missed my flight and had to rebook on a flight that will get me in after 1am east coast time. Fuck this bullshit. Oh man, that does suck. Life is too short for that. I can relate, and you have my sympathies. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2018 19:10:12 GMT -5
Sorry, GF. I concur regarding both airports in NY.
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Post by greatfatness on Oct 21, 2018 19:47:43 GMT -5
Could be worse, I’m sure.
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Post by inger on Oct 21, 2018 20:13:28 GMT -5
Could be worse, I’m sure. What you’re describing is basically how I recall east coast living if you needed to get somewhere by road or any other means. It consistently sucks. The same things can happen out here, too... but it doesn’t happen nearly as often. More people = more pressure and more problems... |
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Post by domeplease on Nov 4, 2018 11:57:07 GMT -5
It sounds like you stopped at the south rim of the Black Canyon. It’s no slouch, but for my money the remoteness of the north rim and the different angle added to the charm. Believe or not, I have been to ManMannassa and saw the JD Museum. Those little towns on the south end of the San Luis Valley are pitiable for their quaint poverty. But the folks living there wouldn’t have it any other way. And doggone, it does get mighty cold at night in thst entire valley. I got to see a herd of wild horses a bit north of Mannassa, too. They were pretty far away, but sho’ nuf, I saw them! Are you aware there is now an alligator preserve near to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument? The guy that owns it started with a talapia farm. As the farm grew he began to have a waste disposal issue and brought in a gator at suggestion of a friend, followed by another and another and do on until people started to stop to see them. Now he’s got several dozen gators and a bit of a tropical forest and charges admission to let folks in. He even has a white gator that was famous for being in a movie that I forget the name of... Well I have to admit that does not sound like a typical setup for an alligator preserve. I'm glad there is some living creature that likes to eat tilapia. Near as I can figure out, tilapia is any fish that can't otherwise be identified. Kind of a living version of Oscar Meyer Sandwich Spread (I know you remember that one, Inger!!) Happy to know you've visited the Manassa Mauler's Museum. Dempsey had a hold on his generation that was always hard for me to figure out -- he lost twice to Tunney, and almost nobody talks about Tunney as one of the greats (well, Ali did actually -- he was a counterpuncher like MA) -- but Dempsey clearly had charisma and fought like a barroom bouncer. My grandfather was a big Dempsey guy -- he saw their first bout (not the famous long count, which was in Chicago) in Philly in 1926. He and 120,000 others. Listening to him talk about Dempsey was like me or Jwild or MrG talking about Mickey Mantle. Hero worship. I guess the last thing we need is a boxing thread. Shouldn't hijack a thread that is already off-topic. Back to travel -- anyone else here ever traveled in Africa? Dome, you've been to 30 countries -- care to elaborate a bit? Other than the US, a few of my personal favorite countries to travel in -- France, UK, Greece, New Zealand (paradise), Australia, Japan, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Chile, South Africa. Almost any island in the Caribbean (not as part of a cruise. Totally different experience.) Most beautifully situated cities -- Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, Cape Town, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Sydney. Cities normal people usually don't like but I do -- Mexico City, Cairo, Damascus, Nairobi, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Athens. Oh yeah, I could throw in LA here too. I think you have to live there to get it. Favorite US cities -- New York (always number one), Chicago, San Francisco (they have some serious issues to address, even with the natural beauty). Also love LA, Miami, Boston (only to visit), Nashville, Charleston, San Diego. And of course Philly -- it's home -- will never live up to its potential (it wouldn't be Philly if it did) because of a high percentage of morons living there. And before anybody says anything, I moved out to the more civilized suburbs where I grew up in 2009. Happy to hear anybody else's thoughts. There are no wrong answers, these are just opinions. Sorry, that it took so long in answering your question, but I have been very busy. Sorry...
I thought I had been around to 30-countries, but once I went thru my photos etc. I realized I have been to around 48 Countries as follows:
EUROPE: 11 Countries CARIBBEAN: 20 Countries (I love the Sun/Beaches, etc.) SOUTH AMERICA: 3 Countries SOUTH PACIFIC: 6 Countries ASIA: 4 Countries AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST: 2 Countries CENTRAL AMERICA: 2 Countries (includes Mexico Naturally)
I also have lived & worked in some of the above countries.
Like I have said so many times to the Youth & Retirees = "Travel is the Best Education you will ever get."
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Post by pippsheadache on Nov 4, 2018 19:49:01 GMT -5
Sorry, that it took so long in answering your question, but I have been very busy. Sorry...
I thought I had been around to 30-countries, but once I went thru my photos etc. I realized I have been to around 48 Countries as follows:
EUROPE: 11 Countries CARIBBEAN: 20 Countries (I love the Sun/Beaches, etc.) SOUTH AMERICA: 3 Countries SOUTH PACIFIC: 6 Countries ASIA: 4 Countries AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST: 2 Countries CENTRAL AMERICA: 2 Countries (includes Mexico Naturally)
I also have lived & worked in some of the above countries.
Like I have said so many times to the Youth & Retirees = "Travel is the Best Education you will ever get."
Impressive stuff and good list, Dome. I love the Caribbean myself, but, probably like you, not as a day-trip cruiser. My wife and I like to pick a single island, or maybe two, and spend some time there getting a feeling for the place. In fact this Thursday we are heading off for a week in the Bahamas -- believe it or not, the first time I have ever been there, although my wife has been there several times from her travel business days. It's among the easiest foreign destinations from the East Coast, and I have deliberately been saving some of the easy trips for my old age. There have been only a handful of major league players from the Bahamas. A few I recall from my younger days are Andre Rodgers, Tony Curry and Ed Armbrister. Andre Rodgers was an accomplished cricketer (cricket is a much more popular sport in the Bahamas than baseball) and the first Bahamian to play major league baseball. Still on my bucket list is San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic, where the vast majority of Dominicans in the majors come from. I have to see for myself what is in that water. When you get a chance, tell me your favorite Caribbean spots. A few of mine would be Dominica, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Trinidad. Also the British Virgin Islands and St. Bart's. Oh yeah, and the little island of Bequia in the Grenadines. Like Gilligan's Island. But I love pretty much every place down there. Even places lots of people hate, like Port of Spain and Kingston. The music and food alone is enough for me. |
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Post by kaybli on Nov 4, 2018 19:58:08 GMT -5
Sorry, that it took so long in answering your question, but I have been very busy. Sorry...
I thought I had been around to 30-countries, but once I went thru my photos etc. I realized I have been to around 48 Countries as follows:
EUROPE: 11 Countries CARIBBEAN: 20 Countries (I love the Sun/Beaches, etc.) SOUTH AMERICA: 3 Countries SOUTH PACIFIC: 6 Countries ASIA: 4 Countries AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST: 2 Countries CENTRAL AMERICA: 2 Countries (includes Mexico Naturally)
I also have lived & worked in some of the above countries.
Like I have said so many times to the Youth & Retirees = "Travel is the Best Education you will ever get."
In fact this Thursday we are heading off for a week in the Bahamas Have fun pipps! |
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Post by inger on Nov 4, 2018 20:07:47 GMT -5
Indeed, Pipps. Do have a blast, and please regale us with your tales of joy when you return...
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Post by pippsheadache on Nov 4, 2018 20:08:29 GMT -5
In fact this Thursday we are heading off for a week in the Bahamas Have fun pipps! Thanks Kaybli. It is completely my own fault if I don't!! |
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Post by domeplease on Nov 6, 2018 8:32:00 GMT -5
Sorry, that it took so long in answering your question, but I have been very busy. Sorry...
I thought I had been around to 30-countries, but once I went thru my photos etc. I realized I have been to around 48 Countries as follows:
EUROPE: 11 Countries CARIBBEAN: 20 Countries (I love the Sun/Beaches, etc.) SOUTH AMERICA: 3 Countries SOUTH PACIFIC: 6 Countries ASIA: 4 Countries AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST: 2 Countries CENTRAL AMERICA: 2 Countries (includes Mexico Naturally)
I also have lived & worked in some of the above countries.
Like I have said so many times to the Youth & Retirees = "Travel is the Best Education you will ever get."
Impressive stuff and good list, Dome. I love the Caribbean myself, but, probably like you, not as a day-trip cruiser. My wife and I like to pick a single island, or maybe two, and spend some time there getting a feeling for the place. In fact this Thursday we are heading off for a week in the Bahamas -- believe it or not, the first time I have ever been there, although my wife has been there several times from her travel business days. It's among the easiest foreign destinations from the East Coast, and I have deliberately been saving some of the easy trips for my old age. There have been only a handful of major league players from the Bahamas. A few I recall from my younger days are Andre Rodgers, Tony Curry and Ed Armbrister. Andre Rodgers was an accomplished cricketer (cricket is a much more popular sport in the Bahamas than baseball) and the first Bahamian to play major league baseball. Still on my bucket list is San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic, where the vast majority of Dominicans in the majors come from. I have to see for myself what is in that water. When you get a chance, tell me your favorite Caribbean spots. A few of mine would be Dominica, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Trinidad. Also the British Virgin Islands and St. Bart's. Oh yeah, and the little island of Bequia in the Grenadines. Like Gilligan's Island. But I love pretty much every place down there. Even places lots of people hate, like Port of Spain and Kingston. The music and food alone is enough for me. My favorite Caribbean Spots are:
1.St. Bart's (like going to Heaven) 2.Martinique 3.Trinidad (For the Festival) 4.Jamaica 5.BVI 6.U.S. Virgin Islands 7.Bahamas 8.Turks & Caicos 9.St. Lucia
You will have a GREAT Time in the Bahamas...HAVE FUN!
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Post by inger on Nov 7, 2018 22:57:46 GMT -5
Sunday and Monday we’re supposed to hit a high of 35 and we’re supposed to get our third “snowstorm” of the year. The other two have probably totaled an inch or an inch and a half and were melted by about 11:00 AM.
Wish it would really snow if it’s going to do it. Dirt roads are miserable with just slushy muck on them.
Meanwhile, I’m hoping Pipps is having a great time in a tropical paradise. Me? Mid-forties today meant a very light jacket and nice and comfy...
Saturday looks like the calm before the storm, about 60, bright and sunny...I doubt there is a more fickle climate on Earth than Colorado’s. I love it...
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