(08-04-2023 11:34 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  It’s like NYC. Literally millions of people are willing to deal with high rent and small housing because of the access to the amenities living in NYC provides.

A personal anecdote… Worked with a guy from San Diego on a long term project in Corpus. He and his family drove from San Diego to Corpus because they decided to set up camp for the few months he would be in Corpus. Figured they would save some money on rent and experience something new. Plus, the guy was an avid fisherman, doing a lot of fishing on BLM land outside of San Diego, so Corpus really drew him in. On the drive to Corpus they saw some beautiful looking bluff or hill off the highway and wanted to go climb up it. They were perplexed when there was barbed wire as far as the eye could see.

Yep... choices.

As to the barbed wire... lol... lots of that land is available for pretty cheap... but it comes with some issues lol. The land just on the other side of that barbed wire even more so.

(08-04-2023 01:05 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  I didn't realize how much I valued the access to quality outdoor spaces until I left Houston - in short, I didn't know what I was missing. I could see myself returning to Houston one day, but only because so many good friends still live there. If it wasn't for that, no way in hell would I head back to Houston. Probably wouldn't consider Austin either given the cost of living these days.

I think having access to 'the right' 5-25 acres in Texas can give you all that you might want... and then you can still visit lots of places. Buy an RV and travel to all the national forests. I mean, I can fly to Bakersfield and drive to Yosemite, or to Orange County in the time I can drive many places in Texas.... but I don't disagree otherwise, especially if you can't find or afford those 'right' 5-25 acres.

(08-04-2023 01:05 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 11:43 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 10:33 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 10:25 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 09:32 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  We really have gone down a rabbit trail with this. I don't think there are many people deciding to stay in/move to California for the public parks.

"Fred, let's leave Minnesota and move someplace warm. Which would you prefer, low cost of living or nice views?"

More like, low cost of living where you can own a decent view from your back porch or high cost of living where you can leave your hovel and visit am AMAZING view along with everyone else?

Not all of Cali is great views (anybody want to move to Mojave or Needles?), but it is all heavily taxed.

There are other advantages to Cali aside from the view.

Access to literal cutting edge finance, legal, and technology work, available in that density nowhere else in the world.

Unique access to a humongous variety of natural assets -- pretty much available as less than a day out from anywhere in the state. (Sierras, Tahoe skiing, up state boating, in state rafting, coastal vistas, everything associated with a very long, very productive seacoast, rugged and wooded mountain ranges all across the state, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Redwood National, Channel Islands, Sequoia, Lassen, Pinnacles, Kings Mountain)

World class produce, at your fingertips, in bulk, in a huge variety, and immensely cheap --- every day of the week.

Stunning variety of wines at world class levels and very affordable.

World class weed, world class mushrooms, if that is what bakes your brownie.

But there are a number of upsides to California. Your decision on how to value them.

My calculus ended up telling me to vamoos.

I didn't realize how much I valued the access to quality outdoor spaces until I left Houston - in short, I didn't know what I was missing. I could see myself returning to Houston one day, but only because so many good friends still live there. If it wasn't for that, no way in hell would I head back to Houston. Probably wouldn't consider Austin either given the cost of living these days.

Stop making me question my life choices here, Lad. I'm just trying to get to the end of Friday at work.

I said before, in California the land dominates the people, in Texas the people dominate the land.

So if you want to be blown away by the scenery, pick California. If you want to be amazed by the people, pick Texas.

(08-04-2023 01:31 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 11:34 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  It’s like NYC. Literally millions of people are willing to deal with high rent and small housing because of the access to the amenities living in NYC provides.

A personal anecdote… Worked with a guy from San Diego on a long term project in Corpus. He and his family drove from San Diego to Corpus because they decided to set up camp for the few months he would be in Corpus. Figured they would save some money on rent and experience something new. Plus, the guy was an avid fisherman, doing a lot of fishing on BLM land outside of San Diego, so Corpus really drew him in. On the drive to Corpus they saw some beautiful looking bluff or hill off the highway and wanted to go climb up it. They were perplexed when there was barbed wire as far as the eye could see.

Yep... choices.

As to the barbed wire... lol... lots of that land is available for pretty cheap... but it comes with some issues lol. The land just on the other side of that barbed wire even more so.

(08-04-2023 01:05 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  I didn't realize how much I valued the access to quality outdoor spaces until I left Houston - in short, I didn't know what I was missing. I could see myself returning to Houston one day, but only because so many good friends still live there. If it wasn't for that, no way in hell would I head back to Houston. Probably wouldn't consider Austin either given the cost of living these days.

I think having access to 'the right' 5-25 acres in Texas can give you all that you might want... and then you can still visit lots of places. Buy an RV and travel to all the national forests. I mean, I can fly to Bakersfield and drive to Yosemite, or to Orange County in the time I can drive many places in Texas.... but I don't disagree otherwise, especially if you can't find or afford those 'right' 5-25 acres.

The vastness of Texas is hard to overstate. And when you couple the rather slow change of scenery with that vastness, it makes for lonnggggg commutes as you say. Not to beat a dead horse with my move to NC, but it's quite amazing to be able to drive 2.5 hrs west and be in mountains over a mile high or 2.5 hrs east and be at the beach.

In a similar vein, sometimes I think about the fact that Rhode Island basically fits inside of Harris County.

(08-04-2023 03:07 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I said before, in California the land dominates the people, in Texas the people dominate the land.

So if you want to be blown away by the scenery, pick California. If you want to be amazed by the people, pick Texas.

Tons of amazing people in both TX and CA.

(08-04-2023 03:32 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 03:07 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I said before, in California the land dominates the people, in Texas the people dominate the land.
So if you want to be blown away by the scenery, pick California. If you want to be amazed by the people, pick Texas.

Tons of amazing people in both TX and CA.

But the ones in California are socialist/communist a-holes.

(08-04-2023 04:19 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 03:32 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 03:07 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I said before, in California the land dominates the people, in Texas the people dominate the land.
So if you want to be blown away by the scenery, pick California. If you want to be amazed by the people, pick Texas.

Tons of amazing people in both TX and CA.

But the ones in California are socialist/communist a-holes.

I would probably reconsider making such an amazingly broad, sweeping generalization about a state with 40 million people in it but that’s just me.

Of the 40 or so people that I am closest to in California at least half of them would be considered red teamers.

(08-04-2023 04:36 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 04:19 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 03:32 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 03:07 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I said before, in California the land dominates the people, in Texas the people dominate the land.
So if you want to be blown away by the scenery, pick California. If you want to be amazed by the people, pick Texas.

Tons of amazing people in both TX and CA.

But the ones in California are socialist/communist a-holes.

I would probably reconsider making such an amazingly broad, sweeping generalization about a state with 40 million people in it but that’s just me.
Of the 40 or so people that I am closest to in California at least half of them would be considered red teamers.

I probably won't, thank you.

(08-04-2023 03:29 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 01:31 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 11:34 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  It’s like NYC. Literally millions of people are willing to deal with high rent and small housing because of the access to the amenities living in NYC provides.

A personal anecdote… Worked with a guy from San Diego on a long term project in Corpus. He and his family drove from San Diego to Corpus because they decided to set up camp for the few months he would be in Corpus. Figured they would save some money on rent and experience something new. Plus, the guy was an avid fisherman, doing a lot of fishing on BLM land outside of San Diego, so Corpus really drew him in. On the drive to Corpus they saw some beautiful looking bluff or hill off the highway and wanted to go climb up it. They were perplexed when there was barbed wire as far as the eye could see.

Yep... choices.

As to the barbed wire... lol... lots of that land is available for pretty cheap... but it comes with some issues lol. The land just on the other side of that barbed wire even more so.

(08-04-2023 01:05 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  I didn't realize how much I valued the access to quality outdoor spaces until I left Houston - in short, I didn't know what I was missing. I could see myself returning to Houston one day, but only because so many good friends still live there. If it wasn't for that, no way in hell would I head back to Houston. Probably wouldn't consider Austin either given the cost of living these days.

I think having access to 'the right' 5-25 acres in Texas can give you all that you might want... and then you can still visit lots of places. Buy an RV and travel to all the national forests. I mean, I can fly to Bakersfield and drive to Yosemite, or to Orange County in the time I can drive many places in Texas.... but I don't disagree otherwise, especially if you can't find or afford those 'right' 5-25 acres.

The vastness of Texas is hard to overstate. And when you couple the rather slow change of scenery with that vastness, it makes for lonnggggg commutes as you say. Not to beat a dead horse with my move to NC, but it's quite amazing to be able to drive 2.5 hrs west and be in mountains over a mile high or 2.5 hrs east and be at the beach.

In a similar vein, sometimes I think about the fact that Rhode Island basically fits inside of Harris County.

El Paso is 20 miles closer to LA than to Houston.

I've learned that the hard way. My count of that trip each way is 73 at this point.

One time I did 5 legs of that trip (one back and forth, followed by another back and forth, followed by one back) in 8 days.

And, on top of the '20 miles closer', one still has another 70 miles to go to the La border from Houston.

(08-04-2023 04:53 PM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 03:29 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 01:31 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(08-04-2023 11:34 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  It’s like NYC. Literally millions of people are willing to deal with high rent and small housing because of the access to the amenities living in NYC provides.

A personal anecdote… Worked with a guy from San Diego on a long term project in Corpus. He and his family drove from San Diego to Corpus because they decided to set up camp for the few months he would be in Corpus. Figured they would save some money on rent and experience something new. Plus, the guy was an avid fisherman, doing a lot of fishing on BLM land outside of San Diego, so Corpus really drew him in. On the drive to Corpus they saw some beautiful looking bluff or hill off the highway and wanted to go climb up it. They were perplexed when there was barbed wire as far as the eye could see.

Yep... choices.

As to the barbed wire... lol... lots of that land is available for pretty cheap... but it comes with some issues lol. The land just on the other side of that barbed wire even more so.

(08-04-2023 01:05 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  I didn't realize how much I valued the access to quality outdoor spaces until I left Houston - in short, I didn't know what I was missing. I could see myself returning to Houston one day, but only because so many good friends still live there. If it wasn't for that, no way in hell would I head back to Houston. Probably wouldn't consider Austin either given the cost of living these days.

I think having access to 'the right' 5-25 acres in Texas can give you all that you might want... and then you can still visit lots of places. Buy an RV and travel to all the national forests. I mean, I can fly to Bakersfield and drive to Yosemite, or to Orange County in the time I can drive many places in Texas.... but I don't disagree otherwise, especially if you can't find or afford those 'right' 5-25 acres.

The vastness of Texas is hard to overstate. And when you couple the rather slow change of scenery with that vastness, it makes for lonnggggg commutes as you say. Not to beat a dead horse with my move to NC, but it's quite amazing to be able to drive 2.5 hrs west and be in mountains over a mile high or 2.5 hrs east and be at the beach.

In a similar vein, sometimes I think about the fact that Rhode Island basically fits inside of Harris County.

El Paso is 20 miles closer to LA than to Houston.

I've learned that the hard way. My count of that trip each way is 73 at this point.

One time I did 5 legs of that trip (one back and forth, followed by another back and forth, followed by one back) in 8 days.

And, on top of the '20 miles closer', one still has another 70 miles to go to the La border from Houston.

That’s one of my favorite “fun facts” about Texas, and it’s one that often blows the minds of out of state folks. It’s one reason I never made it out to Big Bend, which I truly regret.

I learned one Spring Break that South Padre is actually a smidge further from Houston than New Orleans is. Did the first half of Spring Break in Padre, then headed to New Orleans for Mardi Gras weekend. That was quite a long drive to say the least, but well worth it (not sure my liver agrees).