NQR The State of Oregon

[gable428]

My husband is going to be retiring in a few years and we are thinking of relocating to Oregon. Would love ideas on places to consider. I want to be near at least a couple quilt shops! We don't want to be too inland and we would like a place that doesn't rain all the time. Is this possible? My allergies are really bad so good air quality would be great. Any suggestions on what we should check out? Thanks in advance!

[srichardson]

Have you checked out the Redmond/Bend area? It doesn't fit the inland part too well but it doesn't get the same amount of rainfall that you would get once you are west of the mountains I don't believe. We have been vacationing in the area for several years and love it. There is lots to do outdoors and there are quilt stores. You would be just a few minutes from Sisters too. I don't know if you are in a snowy part of California but if you are you will be used to cold winters which that area does get as it is high desert.

Good luck with your search and remember there is no state sales tax there!!

Sue

[DoryJM]

I'd opt for the Bend area as well. I lived in Astoria for two years and it rained, and rained, and rained! Bend, however, is beautiful...so is Hood River, if you want smaller. Did I mention that it rained in Astoria? Oh, if you get a chance, Canon Beach has the best quilt shop...tons of batiks. Astoria has a really cute one now too. Did I tell you that it rains in Astoria??

[srichardson]

I wonder if we should read any significance into the fact that only California residents have commented and not any Oregonians. They want to keep their beautiful state to themselves!!!

Sue

[gable428]

Dory, you are too funny! Sue, maybe all the people in Oregon are busy enjoying the weather rather than sitting in front of a computer like I am because the air quality is too bad for me to go outside today!

[ffq-lar]

I was born in Oregon but did not grow up there. Den was raised in Salem and couldn't wait to leave! That said, I would love to move to Oregon. Here is the scoop--it's ruled by geography, just like most states.

The coast--at least 10 degrees, if not 20 degrees cooler than the interior. Stormy at times. (Imagine that!) Not much snow in the winter, but this last winter had snow on the coast. Not many larger cities on the coast. Lots of fabric shops though, since the coast is supported mostly by tourism. Summer is crowded with tourists--and I mean crowded, The main road is clogged with cars and there may be a multitude of festivals, bike/motorcycle runs/conventions/fun runs every weekend and in multiple locations. It's the place to be in the summer because the interior may be HOT.

The interior--just over the hump in the valley--that's the place I want to be! You have the Oregon wine country. Look at the Salem/Woodburn area, McMinnville, and the road (Hiway 99) that meanders north to Portland with Newberg, Lafayette, all the way to Tigard. This area has four seasons and is the agricultural area--nuts, grapes, fruit, and produce. Also, there are iris and tulip festivals because of the world-class growers around Salem. Portland is a very cosmopolitan city--education, the arts, and sports are well represented. It's also has a great public transit system with a train system that rivals Europe. And it has a zillion fabric shops and is the home of Fabric Depot.

East of the mountains--sorry to all of you who live there and love it. If you are looking for good air quality, be advised that summer forest fires will make you miserable and perhaps ill. I can't remember a recent year that didn't have a bad fire that forced people indoors for long stretches of days. It does have four hard seasons--hot hot summers and cold snowy winters.

My vote is for the Willamette Valley. That's where I would go if I could talk Dennis into it!

[Guest Linda S]

Gable - if you have bad allergies (I do, but have been through immunotherapy three times), do NOT move to the Willamette Valley. The Native Americans call it the Valley of the Sickness because the pollen here will just about kill you (we raise most of the nation's grass seed). Bend, Redmond, Sisters are what's called the "high desert" area. Sunnier than the Willamette Valley but they get more snow in the winter than we do (Eugene has little to no snow). In Eugene, it rains from about November 1 to mid-May, but summers can be hot and bone-dry. The nice thing about summers here is that there is very little humidity, so even if it gets to 105 during the day, it's likely to cool down to the 60s or even 50s at night. If you moved to Sisters, you'd have the Stitchin' Post nearby for fabric. The Portland area is really nice, but crowded. Lots of good quilt shops there. The coast is really nice, but you get more rain out there, plus there's always tsunami warnings (we are, after all, part of the ring of fire). Even with it's drawbacks, I don't think there are many other places in this world where I would prefer to live. Oregon is so beautiful and there's so much of it I haven't seen yet in my 30 years of residence. Lots of different geography and climate, so I'm sure you could find a suitable spot.

P.S. Linda R is correct about all the lush vineyards and wonderful flora in the Willamette Valley. It is absolutely gorgeous here, just not a good spot for allergy sufferers. One of my favorite places is up around Silverton -- I'm heading to a four day quilters retreat at Silver Falls State Park next weekend. I can hardly wait!

Linda

[gable428]

Thanks for the extra info from both Lindas. Thanks ladies! I need to stay away from any place that has lots of agriculture. I live in the San Joaquin Valley of California right now and there is so much agriculture and I am always miserable. Horrible for allergies. I'm gonna check out some of the places you all mentioned via the web. Isn't modern technology wonderful?!

[PattyC]

Check out Newport Beach on the coast. Also, Salem and Silverton. All are close to Portland.

Pat in SE GA :cool:

[newellyn]

I live on the beautiful north Oregon Coast. Yes it rains at times but when the sunshines you forget that it ever rained. It DOES NOT rain ALL the time but we keep that little secret to ourselves. AND the rain keeps the pollen down so allergies aren't so bad. Snow and ice are very rare. We have several quilt stores from the Long Beach Peninsula in WA and all down the OR coast. We are only 75 miles from Portland so road trips to a whole lot of quilt shops is not bad.

If you do make it out this way be sure and stop by. The air is clear, it is very quiet and peaceful at our end of town, if we want excitment we just walk a mile to the downtown area and all the tourist activities, livin is easy and life is GOOD!!!

[quiltmonkey]

Sunriver is very very pretty.....

The Oregon coast is very very pretty, too.

It's all just very pretty

[TAQuilts]

I live in Portland plus we have a beach house 2 hours away on the Central Oregon coast. Lynda is right about the beach weather here, It's our best kept secret..overall the coast weather is much nicer than in Portland by far. Tons of great quilt shops all up and down hwy 101 too.

But the Bend, Redmond, LaPine or Sisters area is where lots of retires move due to the fishing and weather. They have a top rated hospital too.

Good Luck

Terry

[BethDurand]

I couldn't have responded yesterday, I was on a bike ride, "Reach the Beach". My group started in the Portland area, and rode through much of the valley and down to the coast. Perfect day! About 75 inland, but only probably in the 60's by the time we reached the beach. Wind picked up as we neared the beach too. There's a reason there are all those kite shops on the coast.

I was born in Portland, and have lived within about 30 miles of it for most of my life. Spent 6 months in Galveston, TX for schooling and loved it. However, I missed being there for the hurricane, and didn't care for the "critters" that I wasn't used to seeing. I've also lived in Newport, OR, on the coast, and frankly, if you don't care for rain, don't head there. My apt. building was grey, my car was grey, the weather was grey. I worked about 6 miles inland where it would be 80 degrees, and I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I'd come home and put on pants, hat, coat, and possibly mittens to walk the dog.

My darling in-laws live in Roseburg, OR slightly south of Eugene. They have seasons, although they are very mild. Significantly smaller town than what I'm used to, but I know that there's a great quilt shop there. There's also a rather large VA hospital, and other a general hospital. Seems to be quite the retirement destination.

If you need a laugh, check out the comic books about Oregon I-Oregon IV. Just little one panel sketches that poke fun at living here. I think they were designed to keep people from moving to our little secret. They say things like "Last year in Oregon 477 people fell off their bikes..... And drowned." "Last year in Oregon summer fell on a Sunday, and more people go to enjoy it."

With all that said, I love it here, and don't want to move. Of course, I also love the rain, the mild seasons, and the fact that you don't have to shovel rain.

Keep us posted with your decision.

[Melora]

I am an Oregonian. I have lived in So Ca then Philadelphia. It is wonderful I live in the city of Portland

We prefer city life because of the services availble and each neighborhood in the city has what you would need

Allergies are a huge problem on the west side of the state. The east side (like Bend area) is very similar to

The San Jauq.. Area. Dry and hot in the summer. The difference from where you live and Bend is the winter which is cold

We have raised our famly here and love Oregon. The allergies and asthma are worth it. And it doesn't

Rain all the time. However in the summer we have longer days and in the winter. short day light hours

Which means more time for quilting

Where ever you choose to live in Oregon you will love it, that is why people move here and stay

Melora

Portland OREGON

PS. This Is being typed on my blackberry while driving from the Tricities to Portland through the Gorge and then there are the MOXIES

[Lori Dinsmore]

I have to say...I love the coast of Oregon. Almost every summer I make the 9 hour drive to my Aunts house in Astoria. The weather in Astoria is almost the same as my home. I live south of Eureka, if you look at a map. Just an hour inland and the temperature can go up as much as 25 degrees. The Oregon coast is breathtaking! Last summer my DH and I went to Prineville. I loved the landscape on the way there too. From Diamond Lake, and the Rogue River to desert. Oregon has it all! You really need to take a trip and visit it....you won't be sorry......even if you don't end up moving there.

Born and raise in Calif....but I love Oregon too!

Lori

[PattyJo]

I live in Salem which is in the "Mid" Willamette Valley and love it. It is an hour drive to the ocean, about 2 hrs to Sisters, about 1 hr to Portland and 2 hrs to Mt Hood. All the beautiful green lusciousness is because it does rain, but as others have said - not all the time. There are so many smaller towns to go and visit, Silverton, Mt. Angel, & Dallas, Brownsville, and all have special little shops as well quilt shops too. I was born in WA State, but I fell like I am an Oregonian. It is a wonderful place to live.

[DoryJM]

I lived in Astoria from 10/91-9/93; did I mention that it rained a lot? I worked in the DA's Office for most of that time and on the rare occasion that it was sunny, the DA would come out and say, "Wow, sun's out. You guys better go home!" He was a great boss!

Have you looked at Sequim, WA?

[gable428]

You all have given me some great cities to look into. Thank you. Dory, we have thought about Washington as well. And now to throw another twist into it, my husband told me last night he would be interested in researching Missouri! Luckily we have time to do some good research and visiting of different places before we make a final decision.

[quiltmonkey]

Missouri is very pretty, too. So is Arkansas, Tennessee, upper NY state.... My DH and I are looking at a lot of places to "retire" and finding a nice property with either lake or mountain view. There are some nice properties out there that don't cost a fortune. We're looking for something with a little "space" and some acreage.

[meg_marsh]

I personally am a sun girl. I find that whether in S CA or in Washington I need the meds in both places - different things growing, different allergies. Both Portland and Seattle are beautiful - very green and lush, but we pay the price - lots of gray days and lots of wet and damp days and there is no guarantee a good summer in either location. I personally would recommend actually spending some real time in either location during the winter to see if you could handle the dreary days. It can really get to some people. My folks on the other hand wouldn't live anywhere else. Good luck with your search.

[Guest Linda S]

Remember to check the tax implications. I think you can google about tax burden by state. I lived in upper New York state for 7 years. It is lovely up there, especially in the Finger Lakes area, but the taxes will kill you. Oregon has no sales tax, Washington no state income tax. All important things in retirement.

Linda

[Guest LA]

Hi Gable,

I think you'd be all the wiser to at least rent a place in a prospective area.

I know several couiples that got so excited that they planted roots before they could experience all the seasons, only to regret it later.

As much as I LOVE beautiful green Oregon, I could do without the grey rainy days! I have lived here all my life, my boys have grass allergies & we live in the Mid Willamette valley, which just so happens to be the "Grass seed capitol" of the world!! (No kidding,, they actually have signs!)

My hubby has promised me after we retired that we are going to become snowbirds, I used to think people were silly to pick up roots & fly south for the winter, but it's lookin better all the time!

Our goal is to go to Mexico in the winter, then summers traveling from the beautiful coasts to the Bend/Sisters area.

[Bekah]

When I first moved to Oregon many many years ago I hated the rain. moved back to Idaho, missed the rain and green and moved back to Portland. Decided the rain was worth the beauty. But I love the eastern part too. I guess I just love it period.

[nottrue]

Originally posted by Linda S

Gable - if you have bad allergies (I do, but have been through immunotherapy three times), do NOT move to the Willamette Valley. The Native Americans call it the Valley of the Sickness because the pollen here will just about kill you (we raise most of the nation's grass seed).

[ ... SNIP ... ]

Linda

This is fictional nonsense.

Please read this article. It will set you straight.

http://www.urbanscout.org/willamette-the-valley-of-an-8000-year-old-culture/

The allergies are no joke however.

http://www.kval.com/news/local/96311734.html

[nottrue]

Originally posted by Linda S

Gable - if you have bad allergies (I do, but have been through immunotherapy three times), do NOT move to the Willamette Valley. The Native Americans call it the Valley of the Sickness because the pollen here will just about kill you (we raise most of the nation's grass seed).

[ ... SNIP ... ]

Linda

This is fictional nonsense.

Please read this article. It will set you straight.

http://www.urbanscout.org/willamette-the-valley-of-an-8000-year-old-culture/

The allergies are no joke however.

http://www.kval.com/news/local/96311734.html