Why do they want to leave Green Bay?? It’s the BEST place to live is the USA!!!!

@Blair Kiel posted:

We also had a dalliance with Asheville to the extent that we bought a lot there and engaged a builder 3 years ago…until we got the quote on the building price (lumber was at its peak)

For that reason, I followed the city on Nextdoor and Facebook pages. The city has a HUGE problem with the homeless and mental illness. There is also left/right divide on how to deal with the problem.

The only city I’ve ever seen more panhandling in was Vegas. I’m still a lot bummed because it’s so damn beautiful…our neighborhood was 1/2 mile from the Blue Ridge Parkway…on the other hand…it’s a little colder than my ideal.

Yep.  Asheville is for visiting, not living IMO. 

@Goalline posted:

New Zealand and Iceland are #1 on my bucket list.

If you can go to Iceland, do! It's barren in many ways, but so awesome in others. You can walk between the North American and European continents, there are waterfalls everywhere you turn, black beaches, and the geothermal springs are so fun. Even in Reykjavik, the city had several different temps of swimming pools, including a super-cold one. We ended up in an AirBnB right next to a guy who used to play soccer on their national team. Great guy. I'd go soon; it's a hotspot to travel to and is getting overrun by tourists. Expensive trip, but well worth it.

I was lucky enough to go to Iceland on a business trip for 2 weeks.  The landscape is beyond words.  Mountains, fjords, and waterfalls everywhere.

Unfortunately, I didn't spend time in Reykjavik, but was in a small town called Egilsstadir, which is on the Eastern shore.

Still had a great time seeing the sights there, but would have liked to have spent at least one night in Reykjavik

@PackLandVA posted:

North side of the Catalinas (up Oracle) but I work downtown.

Nice.  My family lives in the area of DM AFB.  I am 1 to 2.5 years from retirement from career #1 and currently reside in Wisconsin.  Moving back to Tucson is definitely on the radar soon after.  The wife and I like the area closer to Marana because of the newer amenities in that area.  All the wife needs is a pool in the backyard and she's in, which I can make happen.  I just need golf year 'round and to not have to fucking move snow ever again.  

I will miss the beautiful summers on the pontoon on the Mississippi in the LaCrosse area and the genuinely nice human beings in this area though.  But... I'll find a way to fight through it.

Back in the day, I've jumped out of many a good airplanes in Marana.

@Thunderbird posted:

Back in the day, I've jumped out of many a good airplanes in Marana.

Thank you for your service sir.

@Fandame posted:

You can walk between the North American and European continents...

This I didn't know. COOL!

@Pakrz posted:

...  The wife and I like the area closer to Marana because of the newer amenities in that area.  

Any info on the history of McCartney road, drive, whatever that I've driven under so many times.
Does it have anything to do with Sir Paul? I know he and Linda had a place in the area at one time.

One of my nephews and his GF vacationed in Iceland a couple years ago, they loved it. Upon learning they were going there I did some online research about Iceland. Besides the other cool points made about it, A couple of interesting factoids: Iceland is primarily a female led society. Also, due to such a small overall population the folks there do not use or have last names. It's more like I'm Joseph, son of Albert. If my memory serves me correctly. Edit: the Northern lights are said to be spectacular there during that time of year. And long sunlight days and long dark days depending on time of year. But it is very common for folks to be swimming in the geothermal pools when it is well below zero degrees.

I have a Niece who vacationed in New Zealand, she really loved it there as well.

I turned down orders to Naval Air Station Keflavik. In hindsight, I wish I would have gone.  At the time I wasn’t much up for a one year remote tour.  I also would’ve had to extend which I wasn’t interested in doing.  

I couldn’t picture going from Minot Air Force Base, which should be a remote tour to Iceland.

Went to a wedding in the Cook Islands a number of years ago - Off New Zealand  coast.   Other than switching planes in New Zealand that’s all I saw of the country. It’s on the bucket list to get there. We have friends that can assist us and show us around.

We’ve been vacationing in AZ for 20+ years.  In laws have a place in a nicer area of Tucson.  Oldest daughter committed to ASU and will be there in August.  

Tucson overall is decent but south Tucson is a shithole.  As for U of A yeah, not as big a fan.  Plenty of crap areas around the university as well.   But hey maybe younger daughter can score a softball or tennis scholarship there.  

The biggest issue in AZ is all the idiot pretentious Californians flocking there.  Go ruin Idaho and Utah and Montana and Oregon some more instead.  I liken it to the FIBS that take over Door County and northern Wisco.  

Green Bay is fine but Fox Valley (Appleton/Neenah) is so much better.  There’s a lot of sketchy areas in GB and crime is way higher and schools aren’t as good.   Problem I have with WI is the taxes suck, the weather blows (mostly), and fix the goddamn roads already.  I mean, it’s really going to take WI DOT 6 years to expand I41 20 miles from Appleton to GB?   Dipshits!

Did a fair amount of work and bidness in NC and TN and some nice areas.  Charlotte and western NC is nice.  Love central and eastern TN.  

Jesus christ, nobody calls it Wisco.

@Pakrz posted:

Thank you for your service sir.

He might not be military.  He might be D.B. Cooper.

@The Heckler posted:

I was very fortunate to be able to live overseas thanks to the military.  I lived in England for almost four years and it was absolutely awesome.  Yes the food and weather left a bit to be desired but if you like history its freaking awesome.  And I found the people to be pretty nice.

Places that I have visited but didn't live there was Scotland, Netherlands, and Germany.  Scotland was just fantastic and I got to go on the Loch Ness tour which I would recommend very highly.

Germany was by far and away the best and nicest place I have been overseas.  I was very fortunate to be able to go there several times and spent a good amount of time.  It is  Clean, people are nice, and the beer goes without saying.   I was able to get to the real Octoberfest in Munich an experience that everyone should do.

Scotland would be my first choice, loved it there, but the Netherlands was cool, with Germany, Denmark and Spain rounding out the top-5 overseas. Vancouver or Toronto probably this side of the pond. Australia would be cool if everything there wasn't trying to kill you and Japan is so densly populated in almost everywhere I'd want to live just getting space for even a small apartment is tough. .

@Fandame posted:

If you can go to Iceland, do! It's barren in many ways, but so awesome in others. You can walk between the North American and European continents, there are waterfalls everywhere you turn, black beaches, and the geothermal springs are so fun. Even in Reykjavik, the city had several different temps of swimming pools, including a super-cold one. We ended up in an AirBnB right next to a guy who used to play soccer on their national team. Great guy. I'd go soon; it's a hotspot to travel to and is getting overrun by tourists. Expensive trip, but well worth it.

If I recall correctly a happy hour beer was about 12 US.  Great place tho.

I don't know what happened to Asheville. What used to be a nice tourist town is now a shithole infested with a growing crime problem, the "1%" biker clubs/gangs, and homeless people who can be aggressive when panhandling.

I did some research (years ago, so can't say the same holds true today) looking at the "best" places for retirement, considering tax rates, property values, cost of living, crime rates, and similar factors.
The Knoxville area was one of the best. Although I would personally go further East or Southeast, small(er)-town living may not appeal to everyone.

It's interesting with our mix of folks that nobody has mentioned wanting to retire in/near coastal communities. It's not for me, but there are people that love living on the water.

@Pakrz posted:

Thank you for your service sir.

Thank YOU for that.

Full disclosure....I was in the army when my buddies and I would drive up to Marana from Fort Huachuca, AZ.

However, Marana is a civilian operation, and we had to pay to jump.  I wasn't in an airborne unit.

@Timmy! posted:

It's interesting with our mix of folks that nobody has mentioned wanting to retire in/near coastal communities. It's not for me, but there are people that love living on the water.

After 30 years of dodging (and sometimes not dodging) hurricanes in Florida Mrs. Kiel is clear we will not be doing coastal living going forward.

@Timmy! posted:

I don't know what happened to Asheville. What used to be a nice tourist town is now a shithole infested with a growing crime problem, the "1%" biker clubs/gangs, and homeless people who can be aggressive when panhandling.

I did some research (years ago, so can't say the same holds true today) looking at the "best" places for retirement, considering tax rates, property values, cost of living, crime rates, and similar factors.
The Knoxville area was one of the best. Although I would personally go further East or Southeast, small(er)-town living may not appeal to everyone.

It's interesting with our mix of folks that nobody has mentioned wanting to retire in/near coastal communities. It's not for me, but there are people that love living on the water.

Headed to San Clemente. Next year.

Nixon country?

@YATittle posted:

Headed to San Clemente. Next year.

You're likely to get more use out the surfboard there.

Richard don't surf.

Neither does Charlie

@Pakrz posted:

You had me at Tucson… Bear Down!!

Ever been to Upper Crust pizza? Best by the slice in town. Grew up there and make it back about every 5 years and always hit that and Eeggees. Wish Coffee Etc was still there.

@GreenBayLA posted:

Interesting thread. I love Southern California for its weather and culture, but the cost of living, traffic and politics, not so much. We are looking to relocate north of LA but I have reservations about the future of California.

I’ll have to look into Tucson and maybe Utah and the Carolinas. I love hiking in the mountains so a flat state is out. My wife hates snow, so…

Don’t tell anyone you came from Cali.     Everyone east of Cali is tired of the exodus.  

Timmy - did you mean Asheville or Ashland?  Ashland, WI is a what I would consider a small town.  The only Asheville that shows up in a internet search is the one in NC - which is a very sizable town.  Unless I missed something (which is possible) to which or what were you referring?   Thanks

@BrainDed posted:

Don’t tell anyone you came from Cali.     Everyone east of Cali is tired of the exodus.  

In Utah , the natives were most unhappy that the Cali ex-pats brought their home equity and their politics. 😀

@Ghost of Lambeau posted:

Timmy - did you mean Asheville or Ashland?  Ashland, WI is a what I would consider a small town.  The only Asheville that shows up in a internet search is the one in NC - which is a very sizable town.  Unless I missed something (which is possible) to which or what were you referring?   Thanks

Sorry, GoL, I didn't see this until this morning.

I was referring to Asheville NC.
That was a reply to an earlier post by BK commenting on Asheville, and follow-up reply by Brak.

I was in Asheville, NC a couple years ago and it was still very nice then.  If things declined, it must have been very recently.

Yup. I remember when Goalline went there and said he didn’t see any homeless…it helps to leave your hotel room. 😀

https://wlos.com/amp/news/loca...ment-public-pressure

Fan of Sconnie. Need to check out Northwoods sometime and UP

Dells Often Appleton area and DoorCo often.  

New Glarus DFH

F the winters tho

@Blair Kiel posted:

Yup. I remember when Goalline went there and said he didn’t see any homeless…it helps to leave your hotel room. 😀

https://wlos.com/amp/news/loca...ment-public-pressure

Helps that I didn’t stay in a hotel room. My guess is they were all staying at a local hotel.😊