I live in AZ right now but plan on moving to Oregon or Washington around next July. Just wondering if you could fill me in on some pro's and con's. I've visited a couple of times some years ago and I want to get out of this d@mn desert:schwitz-big: . Been trying to ever since I got stationed in Yuma in 2000:bonvoyage: (you can see how well that's worked). Set a time line now and it's going to happen. Just have to wait a few things out. I also ride a crotch rocket and was wondering if there is any good rideing?

where in Oregon? Your gonna get wet! The roads in Oregon are nice for driving. I can only assume they are nice for bikes as well. I've lived all over the country and all I can say is Oregon is a very different place.

Different how? I've been stationed all over this country and I prefer the west coast. Would love to live in Northern Cali but way too expensive. That and the desert just plain sucks. It's becoming just as conjested as SoCal, the prices are setting high and you still have to deal with the heat. I'd rather pay to live in Oregon where it rains more than 4 times a year (love the rain).

I love it here, it's a bit wet right now though. Have lived in the Portland area for most of my 35 years now and enjoy the mountains and beach. They are both just over an hour away from us. If you enjoy sand dunes, we have those too. This area get four actual seasons/year. We occasionally see snow here in the Willamette Valley. Nothing against the Seattle area, but, we have had several people move into the area complaining about traffic and overcrowding there.
If you like wind and windsurfing the gorge area is a great place. But if you don't like the bitter cold from an east wind I would stay out of eastern Portland/Vancouver.
As far as a motorcycle, I've seen some pretty die-hard ridders here on Hyabusa's riddin most of the year. Most people stop riding when the rain season starts around October and start around April or May. Like I said the mountains and beach are close and the roads leading to them are a blast on motorcycles.

Best part about Oregon: NO SALES TAX!!

NW Rockhound could not have said it better... I my self love to hit the sand dunes on quads... I also live in the Willamette Valley! We have a lot of Titans roaming around to get ideas from also...

If you don't mind getting wet then Oregon is a great place to live. I am down in Eugene, about 2 hours south of Portland. The weather is pretty mild all year. There is a few really hot days and few really cold ones throughout the year. Where I am it's about 2 hours from the mountains(Bend) and a little less than that from the coast.

My brother rides his bike most of the year, lots of scenic roads to ride on in Oregon.

As a native Oregonian (41yrs) the only place I'd rather live is a warm tropical beach town (Hawaii?) We do have our downsides (besides the 3 months straight of rain) We have some of the highest taxes in the U.S. The worst drivers (as much as it rains you'd think they would learn to drive in it!) Traffic (in Portland area) is almost as bad as Seattle. And we are a very liberal state (never enough money to throw at a problem that never gets fixed.) (sorry, I vote Rep.)
On the plus side, Or. and Wash. are beautiful states with a little of everything (mountains, coast, desert) People are fairly nice, summers are mild (low humidity) and no natural disasters (ok, maybe some flooding. over 9 inches of rain this month!) My advice, go smaller town (Eugene or just north of Vancouver Wa.) If ya gotta have the city life, Seattle. Just remember it WILL RAIN!!!!! :)

I love it here, it's a bit wet right now though. Have lived in the Portland area for most of my 35 years now and enjoy the mountains and beach. They are both just over an hour away from us. If you enjoy sand dunes, we have those too. This area get four actual seasons/year. We occasionally see snow here in the Willamette Valley. Nothing against the Seattle area, but, we have had several people move into the area complaining about traffic and overcrowding there.
If you like wind and windsurfing the gorge area is a great place. But if you don't like the bitter cold from an east wind I would stay out of eastern Portland/Vancouver.
As far as a motorcycle, I've seen some pretty die-hard ridders here on Hyabusa's riddin most of the year. Most people stop riding when the rain season starts around October and start around April or May. Like I said the mountains and beach are close and the roads leading to them are a blast on motorcycles.

Best part about Oregon: NO SALES TAX!!

My girlfriend lives in Vancouver, WA and I lived in Washington for three years-now live in North Carolina.

In a year or two, I'd love to move back there...the people are great, the views are spectacular (lots of places for hiking, biking, and rafting, et. al.), and four seasons!

What career field are you in might have a big impact on which parts of Oregon you would like. I'm in the medical field and the Medford area (30 miles north of CA border) is perfect for me. Mild climate not as much rain as Portland, ski resort 15 miles away, dunes are like 2-3 hours away, coast 2 hours away. I really recommend Medford low traffic but still fairly big, lots of stuff to do. Eugene area is pretty nice too.

Thanks for the input guys.

I currently build jet engines but am working on my BA in engineering. My girl is an RN so we can go anywhere for her, school might be a little more difficult for me. The good thing is that I can do school full time and not work (gotta love the G.I. Bill and a wonderfull sugermamma for a girlfriend).

We are going to be doing a lot of research and your advice will help. Thanks

Oh, what is average housing up there?

oregon is great. fo' sewious.
pro's: pretty much any climate you can want you can find in oregon. beautiful place to live, nice, safe, fun, full of californians.
con's: hope you don't mind cloud/rain. full of californians. lawlz.

i dunno. i don't have much to say. i've lived here my whole life, and i plan to spend the rest of my life here.

... With Californians.... lol

I am originally from the Springfield/Eugene OR area and moved to Placerville, CA after '87. Placerville is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and absolutely beautiful, BUT EXPENSIVE. My husband, while he was in the Army, got stationed at Ft. Drum, NY and needless to say when he got out we stayed in that area. The west coast is again calling my name and he has seen the area from Sacramento to Seattle and wants to live in the West Coast. I am moving to the Yakima, WA area and they seem to call it the "Palm Springs" of Washington since the Cascade mountains tend to block a lot of the weather that comes off the Pacific Coast. Like others said, 4 seasons. If you are one that likes the outdoors there is plenty of opportunities in WA and OR. I am right now pricing a house in the Yakima, WA area and looking at approximately $130,000 for a brand new 3 bdrm and 2 bath home. That doesn't come with a lot of land and I have 3 huskies that I skijor with in the winter time.

i live just to the south and east of medford where medic is and we are more up in the mountains. we dont get as much rain as there or places such as portland, but we do get dcent amounts of snow around here. as for schools, Oregon institute of technology is here and they have a good engineering program both civil and mechanical. The hospital is only a half mile from the school also lol. your best choice Depends on what kind of climate and size of town you want. here the population is about 45-50k and pretty mild climate. good luck on figuring it out

Oregon has a state income tax, they have "full service" gas stations (it's illegal to pump your own gas), and I have been pulled over a bunch in Oregon. Luckily no tickets, so the cops are pretty cool though.

Portland is nice, but the traffic is pretty bad (name a metro area that isn't in 2007 though).

I am originally from the Springfield/Eugene OR area and moved to Placerville, CA after '87. Placerville is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and absolutely beautiful, BUT EXPENSIVE. My husband, while he was in the Army, got stationed at Ft. Drum, NY and needless to say when he got out we stayed in that area. The west coast is again calling my name and he has seen the area from Sacramento to Seattle and wants to live in the West Coast. I am moving to the Yakima, WA area and they seem to call it the "Palm Springs" of Washington since the Cascade mountains tend to block a lot of the weather that comes off the Pacific Coast. Like others said, 4 seasons. If you are one that likes the outdoors there is plenty of opportunities in WA and OR. I am right now pricing a house in the Yakima, WA area and looking at approximately $130,000 for a brand new 3 bdrm and 2 bath home. That doesn't come with a lot of land and I have 3 huskies that I skijor with in the winter time.

From owning a butcher shop in Placerville, Armour became a world famous meat packer.

Levi Strauss got his start in Placerville making trousers from sail canvas.

John M. Studebaker made wheelbarrows for miners. He later built wagons and cars/trucks. Studebaker is still the oldest maker of wheeled transportation in the world 1852-1966.

Placerville, previous names: Hangtown, Dry Diggin's

E Clampus Vitus

From owning a butcher shop in Placerville, Armour became a world famous meat packer.

Levi Strauss got his start in Placerville making trousers from sail canvas.

John M. Studebaker made wheelbarrows for miners. He later built wagons and cars/trucks. Studebaker is still the oldest maker of wheeled transportation in the world 1852-1966.

Placerville, previous names: Hangtown, Dry Diggin's

E Clampus Vitus

I don't doubt that Placerville doesn't have some history, and they still have a bar downtown on main street called the Hangtown Saloon that stilol has a dummy hanging from the roof. It does get quite congested during the peak travel times up HWY 50 to Lake Tahoe.

After living here in Northern NY I do miss the mountains. What they have here are "hills."

For many years, I bought dealers stocks of Obsolete Parts. I cleaned out all the old NOS Studebaker parts from Mountain Motors in Placerville around 30 years ago.

Highway 50 is known as the lonliest Highway in the US, after it passes Fallon, NV heading east.

Good luck in Yakima.

Average house price in portland area $274,000. Can't pump your own gas. About 9% State tax. No sales tax. Lots of slow drivers. Most highways and roads are 55MPH. Much more laid back than CA. I live on the West side of Portland. Low humidity in Summer. Most Lakes and rivers are clear. (except Columbia and Willamette). Great boating, motorcycle riding. Beach is 1 hour away, Good skiing 1 hour away. Fantastic fishing and Hunting. Several local Raceways. Strict laws on fireworks. Fairly strict on Alcohol sales.

Plenty of Hospitals looking for RN's. Lots of State parks and campgrounds. What more can I say? You'll love it.