Where would you retire to if you could and it was possible for the grandkids come visit periodically?
I’d like the climate never to get too cold, too hot, too dry, or too humid.
I’d like there to be no hurricanes, tornadoes, earth quakes, mud slides, or range fires.
I’d like there to be ample supply of water and farms close by to purchase food from.
I’d like the environment and the people inhabiting it to not be very polluted.
I’d also like decent medical care and sesiuns (or any friendly musical sessions that uses fiddles) within an easy driving/walking distance.
Wouldn’t that qulify as “too hot” and wouldn’t it be lacking the “ample supply of water and farms close by to purchase food from?”
One of my best friends lives in Arizona and for about 4 months of the year theres some sort of local mandate (I forget what it’s actually called) that says you’re not allowed to use over X gallons because of the rainless months. Also, there are not many farms in the desert.
Depending on your parameters for “too cold” and “too hot”, western North Carolina might have them all. Seriously. The only qualifier is that in recent years there has begun to be an issue around here with air pollution intermittently blown our way from coal-fired plants in Tennessee. And the area’s not exactly a powerhouse for ITM sessions (there’s only one in Asheville, for example), but friendly bluegrass and old-timey sessions are thick on the ground.
The Chiffers further east in NC could probably chime in as well; you might have a look at the rest of NC also. The windblown pollution is less of a problem there (maybe no problem at all, not sure); the terrain is less mountainous, and there is definitely more of an ITM presence in terms of sessions, particularly in the Triad and Research Triangle areas, I think.
Those “Places Rated” books can be very helpful with this kind of research too, I’ve heard. HTH.
I’m glad this came up since the topic has been bouncing around in my brain for a bit.
My picks:
Ashville, NC
Portland, Or
Port Townsend, WA.
Bellingham, WA.
Seattle, WA- yes I know, but we have relatives
However, my wife has some medical issues and doesn’t want to change doctors. So it appears we will be here in So Cal for the medium term.
The only problem about charting a place to retire to is by the time you end up going there every kid and his pet monkey (not talking about you cranberry) have gotten there first. I ran into someone who said they were going to rent or buy an RV and travel around for a year or two scouting locations.
Sounds like a couple of good suggestions already though. Someone told me they were heading to Taos, New Mexico. I said ‘isn’t it hot in New mexico’ They said, ‘Not in Taos…high desert.’ …only problem is what i mentioned about everyone else going there once it becomes the place to be.
Right were I am right now. It has three out of the four first stated, and since fresh water is going to be a major problem in the not so distant future, being in the heart of the Great Lakes is where I will be.
