I've been following the retiring threads and am hoping to pick the Lavender Room collective brain. Me and fiance are pretty well fed up with Maine winters, and my parents are not quite so sure that where they landed just outside of Knoxville is exactly what they hoped it would be. So we're looking for places and areas that meet a pretty disparate range of criteria.
Collective wants: Mild winter (no plowable snow, not stupid cold for 6 months). Ideally, a short oppressively humid season. Access to a pool.
Dad: Golf. Either on a community or public courses, but close and affordable (as much so as golf can be). Access to sailing (small boats, hobiecat etc.); type of body of water not important.
Mum: Walkable "stuff" - just to be able to walk somewhere and do something. Maybe really casual bike riding (think around the lake or along the canal towpath type stuff).
Fiance: Road and gravel/railtrail riding, preferably road out of the front door and gravel nearby. He won't ride if it's too hilly, and rideable routes of 10-20 miles would be perfect.
Me: Safe area to train in (ie. not an area with known aggressive drivers), as well as safe for a single white female to be out alone. Railtrail/MUP for running as well as casual riding with fiance. Doesn't have to be pancake flat, but I'd like to be able to ride out of my house without putting on 200' in the first mile. I am not terribly active with my tri club, but that doesn't mean I couldn't be more involved if there was a good one.
Bonus items: Some culture, good access to community bands and/or orchestras (to play with).
We're not married to the Eastern Seaboard, but we can't afford California. Looking for property to be available in the $200-$500K range. Folks don't like the physical landscape in Utah, Sedona and the like, which probably rules out much of the southwest. They're retired, so low property taxes matters to my parents moreso than to me. I work remotely, so finding work in the local area is not a concern - but for what it's worth, I currently work in managed services, have a background in project management and telecommunications and might like to change my job some time in my remaining 30-something working years!
I have only lived in Maine for the 13 years I've been stateside, so frankly everything south of New York City is hot and humid to me - but I understand there are degrees to this. I'd rather train 6 weeks in the summer on the trainer than the 6 months I spent in my cellar last winter, so I'm willing to do a bit of sucking it up - but I'm not willing to live in Florida, because I would like to be dry sometime between April and October.
We're looking at Savannah and the surrounding areas as a possibility, although I'm concerned about humidity. Any thoughts?
Collective wants: Mild winter (no plowable snow, not stupid cold for 6 months). Ideally, a short oppressively humid season. Access to a pool.
Dad: Golf. Either on a community or public courses, but close and affordable (as much so as golf can be). Access to sailing (small boats, hobiecat etc.); type of body of water not important.
Mum: Walkable "stuff" - just to be able to walk somewhere and do something. Maybe really casual bike riding (think around the lake or along the canal towpath type stuff).
Fiance: Road and gravel/railtrail riding, preferably road out of the front door and gravel nearby. He won't ride if it's too hilly, and rideable routes of 10-20 miles would be perfect.
Me: Safe area to train in (ie. not an area with known aggressive drivers), as well as safe for a single white female to be out alone. Railtrail/MUP for running as well as casual riding with fiance. Doesn't have to be pancake flat, but I'd like to be able to ride out of my house without putting on 200' in the first mile. I am not terribly active with my tri club, but that doesn't mean I couldn't be more involved if there was a good one.
Bonus items: Some culture, good access to community bands and/or orchestras (to play with).
We're not married to the Eastern Seaboard, but we can't afford California. Looking for property to be available in the $200-$500K range. Folks don't like the physical landscape in Utah, Sedona and the like, which probably rules out much of the southwest. They're retired, so low property taxes matters to my parents moreso than to me. I work remotely, so finding work in the local area is not a concern - but for what it's worth, I currently work in managed services, have a background in project management and telecommunications and might like to change my job some time in my remaining 30-something working years!
I have only lived in Maine for the 13 years I've been stateside, so frankly everything south of New York City is hot and humid to me - but I understand there are degrees to this. I'd rather train 6 weeks in the summer on the trainer than the 6 months I spent in my cellar last winter, so I'm willing to do a bit of sucking it up - but I'm not willing to live in Florida, because I would like to be dry sometime between April and October.
We're looking at Savannah and the surrounding areas as a possibility, although I'm concerned about humidity. Any thoughts?