NE vs NW - Seattle vs PA/NJ/NY

[Two]

Well, my time in Europe is coming to a close. Awesome place with awesome riding, but my job is eating all of my time and Soul. Looking for some vSalonista tips on the current state of the two.

I am from the Seattle area and have parents/nieces/nephews in the area. Seattle airport 4x a month would be my commute -- even considering moving down to PDX area and taking a commuter flight. Really enjoyed some of the organized rides/brevets in the area.

PA/NJ/NY probably has the best chance for earning more money with less time spent. Looking at Buck County, PA in particular. I'd need to get to JFK/LGA about 4x a month. All my friends are on the East coast now for some reason. I don't really know much about the area other than visiting a few days during my job hunt process.


What does the hive mind have to say?

[j44ke]

I think I would pick Idaho. Somewhere outside of Boise.

[fortyfour]

PA/NJ/NY probably has the best chance for earning more money with less time spent. Looking at Buck County, PA in particular.

I grew up in Pa (East Greenville which is in Montgomery County) which is close to Bucks County and Berks County. Either of those 3 are super good choices. Doylestown in Berks has really turned around. (Actually, every time I return home surrounding towns seem to be getting cleaned up...) The downtown has a lot going on as do a bunch of towns in all 3 of those areas. Pottstown and Phoenixville as well. Apparently there's a pretty big push in Pottstown to make it more cycling centric (and in Montgomery County I want to say - My sister lives in Pottstown). If you're primarily a road rider, there's a metric ton of great riding all through those areas. Any of those are a close hop down in to Philly. Also lots of choices if you want to live in town vs out in the respective townships as a lot of those areas are older farming communities.

[AngryScientist]

the yearround climate is pretty different, winters in particular between the woods of PA and Seattle area, which is something you really want to keep in mind when making a life decision.

the riding in both areas is pretty spectacular.

personally, the idea of living in bucks county PA and needing to get to LGA/JFG regularly sounds like an absolute non-starter to me.

[Two]

I think I would pick Idaho. Somewhere outside of Boise.

I would love Idaho, but it doesn't have the work the Mrs needs -- so my options are pretty much Seattle/PANYNJ area.

If you're primarily a road rider, there's a metric ton of great riding all through those areas. Any of those are a close hop down in to Philly. Also lots of choices if you want to live in town vs out in the respective townships as a lot of those areas are older farming communities.

That's good news -- I'm mostly riding on gravel or rural farm roads as I'm too chicken to mix it with cars after some bad accidents with friends. MTB is also good, but crashing hurts more and for longer than it used to.

the yearround climate is pretty different, winters in particular between the woods of PA and Seattle area, which is something you really want to keep in mind when making a life decision.

the riding in both areas is pretty spectacular.

personally, the idea of living in bucks county PA and needing to get to LGA/JFG regularly sounds like an absolute non-starter to me.

Climate is definitely part of it, I honestly like the NE winter better than the NE summer -- at least living in NY for a few years the humidity killed me. I'd rather be in Tucson at 110 than 85 in NY. We've considered living on Long Island for commuting reasons, but it's too urban for my taste and wife's for sure job would be in NJ -- possibly Manhattan.

[nahtnoj]

Where are you flying to every week? And at what times are you going to be making that drive?

[bcm119]

I’m from southeast NY and lived in the PNW for several years. The northeast, and SE PA in particular, has some spectacular riding: rolling hills and country roads through patchworks of forest and farmland, old villages and old barns, etc. On a crisp fall day or warm spring day, it is hard to beat. That said, cycling in the northeast is always an uphill battle. The weather is almost always against you, and the winters take a toll on the roads. The summer is godawful humid. The PNW is cycling paradise, in my opinion. And the non-cycling lifestyle benefits also lean towards the PNW: access to real mountains, lots of national parks, forests and wilderness, and much higher quality of produce. Lastly, the PNW and NE seem to be polar opposites when it comes to density of obnoxious people.

[caleb]

Every paved road I've encountered in Bucks County has more traffic on it than I'd want to regularly ride in for recreation. Maybe there are some good ones I haven't seen, but a former riding buddy who moved there has pretty much quit riding due to the traffic.

Friends are the argument I see for the NE, but everything else would draw me to the PNW.

[j44ke]

We'd welcome the company up in middle Columbia County. We're building a house in Hillsdale which is nearly equidistant E-W between Hudson NY and Great Barrington MA. We are about 45 minutes from Wassaic NY which is the northern reach of the Harlem line on Metro-North. There are still deals up here for a nice house and a handful of acres for a low(ish) maintenance place in the country that has good proximity to culture (Bard, Jacob's Pillow, Tanglewood, Catskill, etc.) and food (Hudson, Great Barrington, and a growing number of DIY farm-to-table operations and farmers markets) skiing winters and low humidity summers!

[Two]

Where are you flying to every week? And at what times are you going to be making that drive?

Wherever the company sends me -- could be domestic or international. Plus for east coast is the international travel to Europe with a 5 hour time difference isn't nearly as bad a the 8 hour to the West Coast. Downside would be Asia would be a kick in the gut -- but it feels like that from the west coast too...

Lastly, the PNW and NE seem to be polar opposites when it comes to density of obnoxious people.

That's what I've noticed about the PNW lately though -- obnoxious people. It used to be like The Dude -- "whatever man" when it came to differing opinions, but now it seems like people don't want to be friends with people who differ on opinions like should there be 40 candles on the 40th birthday cake or are a 4 and 0 candle ok? I commuted year round when I was in the PNW 15 years ago on bike, but my last visit I got road raged for something pretty mundane (taking the lane when the shoulder was full of garbage).

Every paved road I've encountered in Bucks County has more traffic on it than I'd want to regularly ride in for recreation. Maybe there are some good ones I haven't seen, but a former riding buddy who moved there has pretty much quit riding due to the traffic.

I've seen the picture threads on here, and it seems like people get some great riding in the NE -- I just haven't found the where. Driving around in the rental car I didn't see any roads I wanted to ride on. Maybe Google Maps didn't take me on them.

We'd welcome the company up in middle Columbia County.

That looks awesome, the picture could just as well be Bavarian farmland that I snake through on my rides out here. The thought of getting someplace good for work and another place good for fun has crossed my mind. I just want to be in the place where fun can be had when I want it on my own terms without planning...

[nahtnoj]

This is what 80% of Berks County, PA looks like. 20% of it will look like that forever, because the farmland has been preserved.

I live 1.5-2 hours from my office in Philadelphia and go in two days a week - I spend the night in my office. The solace is completely worth it to me, but I'm not sure how long I would last driving 2-3 hours on either end of an international flight...

[Two]

Well it looks like PA/NJ/NY won. Wife executive decisioned (well and some job offers helped). I might be able to fly out of PHL or EWR to soften the commute up -- but still not looking forward to a sticky summer.

[nahtnoj]

I can land at PHL at 10:30 and be in bed by midnight if I drive, uh, urgently...

[72gmc]

A work associate recently got a place in upstate NY for escapes from Manhattan. He's now full of second-home-project horror stories but it sounds pretty great to me.

As a fan of John McPhee I'm moved to suggest the NJ Pine Barrens. Get off the grid!

[J_B]

If Bucks county appeals to you, neighboring Hunterdon County (NJ) is pretty much the same. Better road surfaces though, it seems.

[glepore]

I grew up in Pa (East Greenville which is in Montgomery County) which is close to Bucks County and Berks County. Either of those 3 are super good choices

Interesting-I lived in the Upper Perk Valley for 35 years and just moved to Charlottesville Va. I'd echo much of what you said, but the improvements have brought added traffic.

[fortyfour]

Interesting-I lived in the Upper Perk Valley for 35 years and just moved to Charlottesville Va. I'd echo much of what you said, but the improvements have brought added traffic.

The area has certainly grown. There's been a few key developments that have placed a lot more people in the area. I'm always surprised some times when I go home how long I have to cross some streets. When I was a kid, that was definitely not a problem!

[Bob Ross]

I'd rather be in Tucson at 110 than 85 in NY.

We can hang. :beer:

We've considered living on Long Island for commuting reasons, but it's too urban for my taste and wife's for sure job would be in NJ -- possibly Manhattan.

The only "commuting reasons" I can possibly imagine justifying a Long Island residence is "I love to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic listening to talk radio". Don't do it. Long Island is a cesspool. If you want proximity to NYC/NJ that's not "too urban" and has an infinitely better Quality Of Life than Long Island (both in terms of commuting traffic and your neighbors' interests) look at Rockland County or Westchester County.

[j44ke]

Well it looks like PA/NJ/NY won. Wife executive decisioned (well and some job offers helped). I might be able to fly out of PHL or EWR to soften the commute up -- but still not looking forward to a sticky summer.

Summers are less sticky if you live some place with trees and water.

[Britishbane]

If Bucks county appeals to you, neighboring Hunterdon County (NJ) is pretty much the same. Better road surfaces though, it seems.

IMO Hunterdon has better, less crowded roads. Both are good. Taxes in NJ though....