Hello All,

Some of you may remember the thread from a while back talking about best retirement locations.....
.........This thread we're putting that idea into action!

The wife and I are starting to scout potential regions of the West to call home when retirement time comes (not soon enough). We're about 10-12 years out, but want to narrow down the choices early. The idea is that a vacation/retirement property can be had now (next 2-5 yrs), for less than it will cost later on, (normal market appreciation). We could invest now, have a vacation destination for the interim, and when the time is right settle down there permanently.

We were last stationed at NAS Fallon, NV in 2006 and I'll give that general area a thumbs up! Having military retiree benefits is one reason to be close to Fallon but I liked the general feel Nevada has. Like my friend in Dayton said the other day, "Guns don't attract too much attention unless you don't have any!" Wide open spaces, very few people and good flying opportunities also top the list of reasons.

That being said, I don't want to discount or overlook any other potential areas that may be of interest. Recently we've briefly visited Northern New Mexico, Southern Colorado, Eastern Utah and drove back East thru Colorado. Moab was beautiful and Grand Junction seems like an awesome place too.

We're seeking an arid climate that is somewhat moderate, not too cold nor too many hot days. The cost of living cannot be out of hand either, why pay a premium just to say you live in a certain locale...... Makes no sense to me.

What we plan to do before years end is to visit some of the places that you BCP members find appealing. This endeavour will definitely take more than one trip West to figure things out, but that's the beauty of an adventurous life.

---------------The more you see and explore, the more you want to see and explore!------------------

Thanks in advance for your best ideas!

Sincerely, Kenny

Central Washington is arid, rural, and has a lot of good flying weather. There are mountain destinations most the way around the rather large Columbia Basin, The climate is mild (elevation 1000 ft where I live) in the winter for the latitude it is at, due to the Pacific Ocean's moderating of winter temperatures (usually), yet it has 4 definite seasons (a plus in my book). The ocean and its beaches are within easy striking distance, and the backcountry strips of Idaho are close, too.
Closest military base to cash in on those retirement benefits is Fairchild AFB, just west of Spokane.
I-90 passes through east/west, and the north south highways are good, too.
Snow skiing and snowmobiling are both not far away. The Columbia Gorge is within easy striking distance for world class wind surfing and/or kite boarding. Lakes, and the Columbia River are available for more mainstream water sports in the central basin. Camping locations abound, both dry country and mountain. Hunting and fishing are big attractions in the area.
I like a rural lifestyle. People in rural communities seem more genuine to me than in the cities (opinion). I enjoy visits to the cities-but I wouldn't want to live there. Traffic jams are one of many reasons, "don't fence me in" is another.

The more I travel, the more "good places to live" I see.
lc

My Dad used to tell me that town of say 30-40 thousand was a good choice >if it was within say 30-40 miles of a larger city .In that case Fallon would be a good choice area. We live 45 miles south of Las Vegas and it's about a hour commute by car. I really don't need the summer heat which seems to go from May to Sept. -Looking at Emmit ,Idaho for a summer time retreat. I like central Utah -don't know much about the taxes and laws about flying into your own land. Have a friend who has a 5 aches spot ,on airstrip near Park City,Utah for sale. I have several other "fall Back" locations in New Mexico and Colorado my self.

We like where we live (Fort Collins), but the traffic congestion mornings and evenings is getting worse--not like the "big" cities, but still pretty annoying. Where it used to take 5-6 minutes to get from home to work, it now can take 15-20. That tends to vary by the seasons--here the seasons are "students are gone", "students have returned and haven't started studying yet", and "students have run out of money and are studying". We're in the "students have returned and haven't started studying yet" season right now, so traffic is pretty awful. But there are many smaller towns along the Front Range as well. Good flying weather almost year round, mountains nearby, etc. Hard to beat.

Of course, the floods we've just had in this area have impacted a lot of the little towns, certainly more than they've impacted Fort Collins, Loveland, and Greeley, although south Loveland was hit pretty hard, and Evans, a little "suburb" on the south edge of Greeley, was devastated. We have to hope that these events truly are once in 500 years, but I wouldn't bet good money on it. And the fires in the foothills in the last couple of years have likewise devastated relatively large areas of rural homes.

If we were to move, we're old enough that good medical care is an important consideration. Right now our thoughts gravitate toward northern Washington along the coast (Anacortes, LaConner, etc.), as we really love that area and the San Juans. The weather there is pretty mild, and a lot drier than farther south toward Seattle. I'm told that the medical care has improved a lot in the last few years, so that it's not necessary to travel to Seattle for specialized care. But the better likelihood is that we'll stay where we are and vacation out there, because neither of us likes the idea of just pulling up stakes and moving.

Cary

I wouldn't overlook a visit to Boise. The winters are fairly mild. And unlimited outdoor activities nearby (within an easy 1-2 hour drive with NO traffic)

I think a home in the northern Merridian area would be ideal. That way your pretty much in the middle of downtown Boise (for nightlife and medical facilities) and the Nampa/Caldwell airports. Flights into the backcountry and hundreds more NW destinations are within a few hours flights. And still not too far from Utah, AZ, NV, and CA.

Mountain Home AFB is about an hour drive to the east.

Boise airport has multiple major airlines with flight connections all over the world. Super easy and quick terminal to get through.

The cost of living isn't too bad in Idaho, neither. Right now, you can find a really nice 2000-2500 sq ft home in northern Merridean for around $300K. Smaller homes in the area can be found for around $200K. (If things go right, I'm looking to relocate to this area in the next 3-5 years).

My home is still open to fellow BCPers that need a place to stay while in the area. If you want to come visit for a week or two and check out the area, your more than welcome. One of our BCPers is a regular tenant so we'll just have to work around his schedule. But I do have another spare room with two twin beds. Still a fresh new house, too (hardly lived in).

Also, Fallon SW Airpark is pretty nice. I don't have much info on that one. I only been there once in the plane and twice driving through.

I recently took a long drive from Reno NV through Arizona, New Mexico and on to East Texas. As far as South West living goes I think I'm in the right place. Nothing in between here and there impressed me with the variety of the environments that Reno/Tahoe and of course Fallon, Fernley, Dayton etc. etc. presents. Now, having said that, I'm ready to move to East Texas tomorrow if I could get the wife to go.

EB

Hey Emory,

I don't think it matters much if you took I-40 or I-10 to I-20 to Texas, either choice is an exercise in desolation and boredom. I've driven both will only repeat them to get from point A to point B quickly. And yes, I still miss the variety of terrain and eco-zones West Central Nevada has to offer. We went to Reno on a regular basis too... Dinner & shows, Hot August Nights..... Even stopped by Wildhorse Canyon Dr. once for a fact finding tour.

The question begs to be asked though.......

........What the heck is in East Texas?



58Skylane,

I went through the Boise area one time going from Fallon to Horseshoe Bend and from what I've seen it's darn pretty there. Didn't have time to explore though, I was on a mission to pick up a 72 Malibu for a friends son. It was his Grandmother's car and I volunteered to rebuild the engine and transmission over the coming months. Family project sort of thing.

If we decide to go that far North I will be sure to contact you before hand. Heck, if I can figure out how to send a PM again I'll contact you just because.

Oh, you mentioned the SW Fallon Air Park. While we were living in Fallon I never ventured over there but would like to find out more about the place and anyone who lives there. That part of Lahontan Valley is next to an alkali flat and when the wind blows hard from the west you can see the gust front kicking up from miles away.

Western Slope of Colorado..... Anyone out there?... What's it like?

The airpark idea is an interesting one that warrants consideration too!

Guys, keep the ideas coming. We really appreciate the information and suggestions you are sending!

Thanks again.
Kenny

You are correct the Grand Junction area is an awesome place. Fits pretty much all your criteria. Even has a decent V.A. Hospital.
The real estate market is beginning to pull out of it's slump but there are still plenty of bargains to be had. The flying is tough to beat. No matter what kind of outdoor sport you are into you can find it here.
Several very nice airparks around here or just pick up 10 acres and build your own.
There are dozens of backcountry strips within an easy day trip in any direction.
There is a very active aviation community here with fly-ins and EAA meetings most every weekend.

Oregon is terrible, rains all the time, full of liberals, high taxes. Don't look here.

Kenny,

You should check out the Texas Hill Country beginning in Austin and going west. We live in the hills about 45 minutes west of Austin near Lake Travis. Excellent medical facilities in Lakeway, our nearest city about 10 minutes away (we moved from there a year ago because it had grown from a town to a city).

Excellent cost of living, no state income tax, and the cheapest Avgas in the country over the largest area (I did notice Barrow AK has Avgas for $4.80 a gallon according to Foreflight so you might want to check there as well), and great flying weather year round (Barrow might not have that).

If you find yourself in this area let me know, I'll be happy to show you around.

I like Grand Junction a lot. I spend a few weeks a year over there each year when our planes are at WestStar. I like the size of the place. My friends there complain about the law-making fruits and nuts in Boulder but they haven't ruined that town.

I would check out Moab, Monticello, Richfield, Cedar City and St. George in Utah. Nevada has a lot to offer but I have only driven thru many of the towns and haven't spent time there. Norther Arizona is cool too...lots of flying days. Pick a town you like-

Go270 wrote:Hey Emory,
The question begs to be asked though.......

........What the heck is in East Texas?




Kenny

Oh I don't know. Girls that call you hon and mean it, moisture and warm air, towns that look like they've been there for longer than six weeks, well attended churches on every other corner, the "howdy partner" attitude. It's just a great state even if it isn't a great big state; with a nod to my former adopted home.

The older we get the more we should think about close by facilities for major medical events. My folks lived in Sedona for a few years but it became too difficult for them to travel clear to Phoenix for anything more pressing than an hangnail. You might want to factor that in as well.

EB

[quote=
Kenny[/quote]
The older we get the more we should think about close by facilities for major medical events. My folks lived in Sedona for a few years but it became too difficult for them to travel clear to Phoenix for anything more pressing than an hangnail. You might want to factor that in as well.

EB[/quote]

I spent a couple of years as the Manager of Surgery at Flagstaff Medical and I can tell you the it is well prepared to handle more than a hangnail.
It's a level two regional trauma center and it has an excellent open heart program. For the past 10 years it has been among some of the top rated hospitals in the country and frequently rated as the best hospital in AZ.
The problem I see with Flag is the it is an industrial park and railway station that fancies itself as a resort town. Nice town and some very nice people but it is getting a bit too liberal for my tastes. High prices without much to back it up.

Grand Junction has a very good selection of medical facilities as well as a level 2 regional trauma center. Many of the surrounding towns have decent small hospitals as well that can handle the hangnail type stuff if needed.

The western slope has, so far, managed to resist the onslaught of the front range Boulderites who want to "save" Colorado in their image.
Gun control here means being able to hit your target and the local Cabelas is one of the busiest stores in town.
There's a very nice University here and some decent college level sports. If you just got to have your big city fix, Denver or Salt Lake are about 3 hours by car, a lot less if you feel like flying. Allegiant Air has $50 round trip tickets to Vegas so you can easily scratch the itch if so desired.
You can still buy fairly large parcels of land without winning the lottery and without being too far out of town.

W. CO is nice.

Admit it Kenny, you're a Mina Nevada kinda guy!!!!!!



Gump

EB wrote:
The older we get the more we should think about close by facilities for major medical events. My folks lived in Sedona for a few years but it became too difficult for them to travel clear to Phoenix for anything more pressing than an hangnail. You might want to factor that in as well.

EB

S-12Flyer wrote:I spent a couple of years as the Manager of Surgery at Flagstaff Medical and I can tell you the it is well prepared to handle more than a hangnail.
It's a level two regional trauma center and it has an excellent open heart program. For the past 10 years it has been among some of the top rated hospitals in the country and frequently rated as the best hospital in AZ.

I wondered too why they went clear to Phoenix rather than up to Flagg but perhaps it had to do with their Medicare only coverage. I dunno. They always went to Flagg for Costco and Home Depot for instance.

In any case they left and came to Reno. I quite agree about Grand Junction and surrounding areas. I worked a project at the power plant in Craig one winter on swing shift. I spent my mornings skiing at Steamboat. I skied 40 days that winter. Wow.

EB

I can tell you anything you need to know about northwestern New Mexico. We are not far from the four corners and we also lived in southwestern Colorado. Great climate, 4 seasons. Lots of strips in all directions, Utah is not far away. Baja straight south.
The cost of living is not too bad and there are big cities within 2 hours drive.
Tons of great cultural experiences to be had on the rez.

In my opinion New Mexico is way underrated and worth a look.

Good luck and PM with questions.

I dunno...Idaho is quite a harsh climate for most...keeping our population at a small growth rate for sure...!
'bout the only thing better than Idaho flying would be Idaho snowmobiling...!

Is there any place online that one could find a vacation house at a airport so you could visit the area for a week to see if you would like it?

It may be a little further East than you had in mind, but like Barnstormer said....I'd try west of Austin. I'm especially fond of the Hill Country in Texas. The little towns NW of San Antonio are neat too. Good food, relatively inexpensive and really only about an hour from San Antonio. Military retirees and services galore. world class cancer center. Great flying year round and you can throw away the snow shovel. Good luck.

Bill