|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
psycholist wrote:
Athens is a really neat place and has an awesome cycling scene. Cool. The countryside surrounding Athens is gorgeous! And you're much closer to Atlanta. I've been wanting to go to Athens. I enjoy Charleston and Savannah a lot, and it's pretty close to there. I'll have to bring my bike. Matt O. |
Ads |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Strayhorn wrote:
In article , (Chris Zacho "The Wheelman") wrote: I live in SC and can say with reasonable confidance there are quiet roads just about everywhere in the Carolinas. Except the NC Triangle area. Even in the rural area where I live (outside the actual Triangle) the roads are becoming clogged with SUVs, those idiots towing trailers filled with lawn-care equipment, and kids in mom's Volvo who don't understand what "yield" means. I'm pretty unimpressed with it too. It's amazing how much the central NC sprawl is starting to look like Los Angeles (but without the culture). Although places like Chapel Hill are wonderfully villagey, the surrounding roads are not particularly bike friendly. Taxes are surprisingly high in NC too. If you're nearing retirement age, SC has a retiree-friendly tax situation. Another thing to consider is climate. SC is definately milder. Ashville, which I like to think of as the "san Jose of the Southeast", while situated in a very beautiflu area may be a bit too hilly for you, however. as it's situated in the Blue Ridge mountains. Absolutely. It's doesn't pass the "3 hours from Atlanta" test either. The comparison to San Jose is apt, especially since the traffic overcrowding is about the same in both towns. A bit worse in Ashville, perhaps, because the mountains and surrounding national park make building new roads almost impossible, so the old ones are really clogged. And they've also got the same high housing costs and property taxes. Asheville is probably the most expensive place in NC. It's expensive by national standards, not just Southeastern. But it's one of those special small places as cosmopolitan as a major city, like Charlottesville, VA, or Northampton, MA. What about the other way -- Birmingham, AL? Matt O. |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
Gnarlito wrote:
My parents live in Greenville, SC, which is probably at the outer edge of your perimeter. But if you don't mind driving 3 hours to get to the northeast fringes of Atlanta and want a small city instead of a large town, don't overlook Greenville/Spartanburg. Isn't George Hincapie from Greenville? Matt O. |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
"Strayhorn" wrote in message
... In article , (Chris Zacho "The Wheelman") wrote: I live in SC and can say with reasonable confidance there are quiet roads just about everywhere in the Carolinas. Except the NC Triangle area. Even in the rural area where I live (outside the actual Triangle) the roads are becoming clogged with SUVs, those idiots towing trailers filled with lawn-care equipment, and kids in mom's Volvo who don't understand what "yield" means. Ashville, which I like to think of as the "san Jose of the Southeast", while situated in a very beautiflu area may be a bit too hilly for you, however. as it's situated in the Blue Ridge mountains. The comparison to San Jose is apt, especially since the traffic overcrowding is about the same in both towns. A bit worse in Ashville, perhaps, because the mountains and surrounding national park make building new roads almost impossible, so the old ones are really clogged. And they've also got the same high housing costs and property taxes. The Cycle NC fall ride is from Asheville to Wilmington this year and I'm really dreading that first leg. If you want a smallish town, stay away from the corridors around I-85, 40 or 77. SC and NC share something special - a willingness to whore themselves to any developer who comes along, especially one who contributes to sprawl. -- Strayhorn "Every time a system is made foolproof - a new class of fool emerges." Prod Harris While I was generally trying to maintain a more positive, "Chamber of Commerce" type of tone in my earlier posts to this thread, I was struck by your last line about the "willingness to whore themselves to any developer .... " That's so true. I just don't know that it's exclusive to the Carolinas. I left Anderson, SC after getting myself involved in the first big battle to get zoning instituted. "They" said we'd never get zoning in our area ... but we fought and fought and got it to a referendum where it was overwhelmingly voted in. Then the county just started granting variances to anyone who wanted one and everything we were trying to accomplish was undermined. The beautiful, rolling hills and farms around my old neighborhood are now gone ... replaced with planned unit developments, high-density housing and "stick-built mobile homes." There's not planning, no consistency, no balance. I got disgusted and moved away to a very small rural town. Now they're making big plans here. But I've lived in plenty of other places around the country where it isn't really any different. So if you've gotta live someplace, Upstate, SC has great rural areas with plenty of nice roads and beautiful scenery. But it's also got plenty of characters who think the best use of the land is to pave it over and/or build on top of it. Bob C. |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
What about the other way -- Birmingham, AL? Matt O. That's a distinct possibility. The factors pointing NE were Asheville and that my job is in Norcross, the NE corner of Atlanta. I do plan to look westish, too, just in case. Thanks /F |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 23:22:13 -0500, psycholist wrote:
"Frank Drebin" wrote in message Anderson has changed so fast, if you were there long ago, you wouldn't know it now. Hartwell Lake west of town is pretty diverse. You can find areas where there are trailers on lakefront land or you can find homes up to $1 million ... maybe more. You can also find everything in-between. The lake is quite large. Above Hartwell is Lake Keowee where all the rich Yankees have moved in and built some very pricey developments. This is near Clemson (and Clemson University) which is 20 minutes north of Anderson ... another nice area you might consider, but one that's a good bit hillier for riding. If you go a little south of town you have Lake Succession and Lake Russell. Lake Succession is the po-man's lake. It's older and most of the lake properties are old, small and dingy. Lake Russell has yet to be developed much at all. That'll probably change soon. If you're content to live near the lake and not directly on it, I'd say it's wide open for you on Lake Hartwell. I have a brother-in-law who's a handyman. He just does odd jobs for a living. He doesn't make much. But he lives within sight of the lake in a neighborhood of cozy little homes in the 1,500 sq. ft. range. Across the road in one direction, the homes go to $350,000. In another direction, they go above that. Cost of living in this area is quite low relative to most of the rest of the country. $150,000 can buy a very nice, 3-bedroom home. I sold a 3,300 sq. foot home on a golf course right in town for only $215,000 last year. It wasn't exactly new, but the folks who bought it were in from Scottsdale, AZ and they thought it was the deal of a lifetime. Bob C. Thanks, that was quite helpful. I think I'll go check it out...! We've been living the high life, too much so - now 2 kids in college... ow. But our noses aren't up in the air too much (my mother raised 6 of us on a waitress salary, my wife's father was a janitor). Actually nearly all of these posts have been helpful and educational! Thanks to all. /F |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
"Matt O'Toole" wrote in message
... Gnarlito wrote: My parents live in Greenville, SC, which is probably at the outer edge of your perimeter. But if you don't mind driving 3 hours to get to the northeast fringes of Atlanta and want a small city instead of a large town, don't overlook Greenville/Spartanburg. Isn't George Hincapie from Greenville? Matt O. George and his brother Rich both live in Greenville. When he's home for a break in May, George is always out at the practice races in Greenville. -- Bob C. "Of course it hurts. The trick is not minding that it hurts." T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia) |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
Strayhorn wrote:
.... SC and NC share something special - a willingness to whore themselves to any developer who comes along, especially one who contributes to sprawl. Mind if I quote you on Cyburbia (the urban planning portal)? Lots of great advice here. You might also look up the sites that list the most liveable cities in the US, and if "Finding Your Best Place to Live" is still published (hard copy or electrons) that might help too. You could also look up local cycling clubs. NC has a state bicycle progrma (has had for years). SC has a coalition of some sort. Dunno about GA. My impressions of it are mostly based on a wild week of BRAG (too hot, humid, rainy, too far to attend from my northern parallel) and passing through, and though, and through on I-75. I think anyplace near "Hotlanta" has to approve of sprawl, it's in the municipal code. HTH --Karen M. who moved to my own best place, Grand Rapids Mich, last July...happy happy happy |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
oops, I forgot to mention...US Census data could be helpful. How many
people in a city/metro area? How many square miles? Find a density you are familiar with (your own home town?) and compare with other places. Turns out that Windsor, ONT is the closest thing to a sister city that Grand Rapids has in North America. Who knew?!? census.gov will get you started. --Karen M. |
#20
|
|||
|
|||
Veloise wrote:
oops, I forgot to mention...US Census data could be helpful. How many people in a city/metro area? How many square miles? Find a density you are familiar with (your own home town?) and compare with other places. I don't think density is a good measure of quality, at least the way most people think of it. Density is *good.* A compact town can have more open space around it and greenspace interspersed, instead of medium density strip development over a wide area. Towns noted in those "most livable places" articles usually have the former characteristic. Matt O. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Luxury vs Necessity | Richard Bates | UK | 23 | April 12th 04 11:16 PM |