Durham NC

[Jason Musgrave]

Tell me about living in Durham. I absoEffingLutely LOVE Asheville - can't imagine living anywhere else really. However I'm looking at a job in Durham more seriously than I care to admit. It would put me back in my field of study...and pays a heck of a lot more than I bring home now.

It'll take a lot to pull me away from the mountains!!

[ned]

Jason, you know the state holds nothing better than Asheville. That said Durham ain't the worst the state has to offer either. Bubba's Ice Cream stand makes the best banana shakes in the world. You're a quick trip to Virginia International Raceway (VIR). I can't think of a better way to blow your additional income than a track car. I'm clueless about the riding though I've often thought the rolling hills north of town would be very Ardennes'esque, but with more F150s and tobacco fields. And most of the NCCX races would still be close by.

[joosttx]

We were courted by a RTP company and they set up a tour of Durham for us. My take away, it's a college town but it ain't as cool as Athens or Austin. Football game traffic can suck and people seemed to be stuck in their own little world (sorry if I offended-just trying to be frank here), kinda of like they were trying to define how different they were from RTP area. Admittedly I am being a bit snobby here. Instead we move to California. Love Asheville by the way.

[rowdyhillrambler]

All i can say is, it is better than Fayetteville.. Lived/stayed there for 6 months or so, lived north of town. Riding was pretty good, right out the door.

Not much as far as culture goes, but hey you have been spoiled by Asheville, so what is? Chapel Hill is 15 miles away, plenty to do there as far as shopping and eating and drinking. Cat's Cradle, music stores (actual stores to buy music), large percent of skinheads, skateparks,..

Durham--> not so much, but hell it wasn't that bad. I was 20 years old come to think of it, and would probably enjoy it more now.

[th_boone]

Durham is coming around. Fast. Very hip in past 10yrs. Lots of re-development, restaurants and the like, all while keeping the old Durham charm. Riding is great North of Durham. There would seem to be rides you could link with from the area? Tons of rides out of Raleigh and Chapel Hill too. I am out of Raleigh.

Some highlights for Durham social scene are the restaurants, food trucks, Durham Athletic Park (DAP), Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), etc. Not bad for an urban area, also an International airport right next door.

[nahtnoj]

From Facebook:

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[Jason Musgrave]

Jason, you know the state holds nothing better than Asheville. That said Durham ain't the worst the state has to offer either. Bubba's Ice Cream stand makes the best banana shakes in the world. You're a quick trip to Virginia International Raceway (VIR). I can't think of a better way to blow your additional income than a track car. I'm clueless about the riding though I've often thought the rolling hills north of town would be very Ardennes'esque, but with more F150s and tobacco fields. And most of the NCCX races would still be close by.

Yeah there's nothing in NC, or the entire southeast for that matter, that pulls at my heart strings like AVL. I've really fallen in love with WNC this summer with all of the hiking/backpacking I've been doing. That said, while my work here at the school is extremely rewarding in some ways, it hasn't done much for me career-wise.

I hadn't thought of VIR being only an hour away, sounds great...and sounds like a money pit all at the same time. You have a valid point about being closer to the CX races than I am now.

ps: Still haven't been able to swing by Larry's Performance Werks.

[suhacycles]

Been here since 2000 coming from NJ. Still miss parts of the NE but the combination of nicer weather, lower cost of living, and less traffic kept me from moving back. Plenty of nice roads outside of Durham, especially in the Chapel Hill area and several parks to go MTBing in the Triangle area. Both Duke and UNC have cycling teams. Not sure where you would end up working but living closer to or in Chapel Hill would be more bike friendly. More bike lanes, plenty of group rides, various races in the area if you're into that. Chapel Hill has 5 bike shops within 3 miles of each other if that gives you an idea of how bike friendly it is. It ain't Asheville or Boone but there's no comparison. Hey, feel free to give me a buzz if you're checking out the area and wanna go for a ride...

[deano]

As a transplant last year from Kentucky, I was a tidbit disappointed in the riding in Durham, just not the variety of roads. Plus the humidity and heat took a lot of getting used to. BUT, Durham has some great dirt roads within striking distance, you can ride with people whenever you want, and the food is nonpareil. A-ville has some stellar food, but Durham is less crowded (though real estate is heating up) and all the joints, in addition to their locavore splendor, feel like family establishments. Orange County is definitely where the roads are, though.

This is somewhat of a cross-post on your classified, but if you're still over in Candler/Hominy or near there, we should ride. I'm up in Beaverdam for the summer.

Cheers,
JZ

Ditto, Suha, I'll be back in a few weeks - would love to see you on the road.

[suhacycles]

Zambenini - I'll be out there, usually around the Jordan Lake or Chapel Hill area at least twice a week. Yell "VSalon" or something when you see a guy with a white Specialized helmet and silver road bike... Stay cool... =)