Georgia on my mind

[M1911]

Secondly, after selecting an area of interest, use Google maps satellite view to look for things you might not want to be too near like industrial buildings, commercial farming/livestock, paper plants (can be pretty stinky), railroad tracks/rail yards, etc. Happy hunting and good luck!

That’s good advice here in New England as well. I can’t tell you how many Zillow listings that looked good when I looked at the pictures, only to rule them out immediately when I looked at Google Maps.

There was one house in Exeter that looked nice, only to see that it was 100’ from 101. Then there was a nice house that was directly across from a small airport. A new home in Merrimack NH that looked great in pictures but the backyard was right up against an on-ramp for Route 3.

 

[M1911]

I gotta say, the humidity here in NC isn't nearly as bad as people are saying.

That really depends upon where you are in NC. The humidity isn’t bad in the mountainous western part of the state, but in can be horrendous along the coast in the summer.

My girls daughter lives directly on the coast in wrightsville beach. Hurricanes have been non-issue in the 4 years she's been there.

Seriously, that is simply a matter of time. The coast of NC will get hit by a big hurricane. That’s a matter of when, not if. Residents in that part of NC must prepare for it and homeowners insurance is likely going to be an issue.

 

[Garys]

My son lives in Lancaster County, SC up in the Piedmont. We've been there in July and hit's hot, but not horribly humid. It does get cold during the winter, but not New England cold and there is rarely snow.

That really depends upon where you are in NC. The humidity isn’t bad in the mountainous western part of the state, but in can be horrendous along the coast in the summer.

Seriously, that is simply a matter of time. The coast of NC will get hit by a big hurricane. That’s a matter of when, not if. Residents in that part of NC must prepare for it and homeowners insurance is likely going to be an issue.

 

[M1911]

My son lives in Lancaster County, SC up in the Piedmont. We've been there in July and hit's hot, but not horribly humid. It does get cold during the winter, but not New England cold and there is rarely snow.

You were lucky. I spent a year in SC and the humidity at times was horrendous.

 

[Garys]

I've only been along the coast once and that was years ago so I don't remember what it was like. Savanah was bad. I thought Mobile was bad, but then went to New Orleans where it was worse.

Fun city, New Orleans, as long as you stay in the tourist areas.

You were lucky. I spent a year in SC and the humidity at times was horrendous.

 

[allen-1]

I'm impressed that you can get from Virginia to Texas in one day. My last trip down, which I think is in fact going to be my last trip, from MA took three long days.

We're outside of Austin which is considered the central Texas even though it's not. A drive to Dallas/Fort Worth is 4 hours, Houston 2+, San Antonia an hour. If I were to go to Amarillo, it would be most of a day. Visitors from the northeast have a hard time grasping how big it is. We have friends visiting their son in Dallas next month sometime. They wanted to know if we could drive up to meet them for lunch. Sure, but we'd spend a full eight hours on the trip. We're trying to meet them half way, but we're not sure if we can put it all together.

People think it's a joke that Texans say that they measure trips in hours not miles, but it's true. My wife and I have started doing it. It's half an hour to our daughter's place, almost an hour to south Austin, and so on.

Note, I'm not complaining at all. We love it.

I left CT and rode down to Topps outside of Roanoke. Hooked up with a couple of friends there and rode to Plano. It was about 900 miles from Topp's house to Texarkana. I've done a lot of miles with those guys - we left early, made minimal stops, crossed into Texas that evening, and another couple hundred miles to Plano.

I left Plano two days later, they headed for Illinois. I back-tracked with a couple other friends to go see Beale Street in Memphis, because I'd never been there. Picked up two new pieces of ink while I was there, then rode up through Missouri into Illinois for a party.

Ride back from Illinois was rough. I stayed an extra day, so I had to push it, and it rained all the way across. I wore leather in those days, switched to textiles after that trip because I was SOAKED, cold and miserable.

10 days, four parties, about 4,000 miles.

 

[Garys]

Sounds like fun, except for the weather part.

The last trip was with a friend in a U Haul truck. I was moving my ammunition stock from MA to TX. Didn't really need a U Haul, but it was the smallest truck I could get.

Anyway, he's a CDL driver which helped. Braintree to Harrisonburg, VA day 1. Harrisonburg to Jackson, TN day 2. Jackson to home, day 3. 12 hours each day stopping only for gas, food, bathroom. Except for the time we spent at Buc-ees.

My friend did all of the driving because he loves driving. Which let me just sightsee and navigate on the way down.

The same trip with my wife takes four days.

I left CT and rode down to Topps outside of Roanoke. Hooked up with a couple of friends there and rode to Plano. It was about 900 miles from Topp's house to Texarkana. I've done a lot of miles with those guys - we left early, made minimal stops, crossed into Texas that evening, and another couple hundred miles to Plano.

I left Plano two days later, they headed for Illinois. I back-tracked with a couple other friends to go see Beale Street in Memphis, because I'd never been there. Picked up two new pieces of ink while I was there, then rode up through Missouri into Illinois for a party.

Ride back from Illinois was rough. I stayed an extra day, so I had to push it, and it rained all the way across. I wore leather in those days, switched to textiles after that trip because I was SOAKED, cold and miserable.

10 days, four parties, about 4,000 miles.

 

[Xringer]

I'm impressed that you can get from Virginia to Texas in one day. My last trip down, which I think is in fact going to be my last trip, from MA took three long days.

We're outside of Austin which is considered the central Texas even though it's not. A drive to Dallas/Fort Worth is 4 hours, Houston 2+, San Antonia an hour. If I were to go to Amarillo, it would be most of a day. Visitors from the northeast have a hard time grasping how big it is. We have friends visiting their son in Dallas next month sometime. They wanted to know if we could drive up to meet them for lunch. Sure, but we'd spend a full eight hours on the trip. We're trying to meet them half way, but we're not sure if we can put it all together.

People think it's a joke that Texans say that they measure trips in hours not miles, but it's true. My wife and I have started doing it. It's half an hour to our daughter's place, almost an hour to south Austin, and so on.

Note, I'm not complaining at all. We love it.

The 1st time I ever drove down to Junction TX to visit family, (also 3 long days) I was amazed at how long it took to get from the Dallas area down to Junction.
Every time I've been down there, I arrived at the TX border as the sun was going down.
Spent the night in Dallas or Temple area and got to Junction the next afternoon. It's a long drive from MA.

I plan to go back home if things get really rotten up here. Don't need to go to prison because I own guns.
Note, I'm complaining.

 

[quinnjalan]

That’s good advice here in New England as well. I can’t tell you how many Zillow listings that looked good when I looked at the pictures, only to rule them out immediately when I looked at Google Maps.

There was one house in Exeter that looked nice, only to see that it was 100’ from 101. Then there was a nice house that was directly across from a small airport. A new home in Merrimack NH that looked great in pictures but the backyard was right up against an on-ramp for Route 3.

Google map, Google Earth and onX Hunt is usually how I look at property. Bing maps used to have 1/2 decent perspective views but have not used it in years.

 

[quinnjalan]

Thanks all for chiming in so far. Lots of good info. Yesterday the better 1/2 and I took a ride to NH (above the notch on 93) to walk around a bit of property we found on Zillow. She never spent that much time that far up NH and we really impressed. As I said a home base is very important to us if that’s up there in NH I’m good with that. As I also said if we don’t have to go out in a driving snow store for work then let it snow. Power, propane, water, food and the rest can wait. If I get a heart attack in the middle well then I died living where I wanted and that’s that.

Most likely we will travel south as the weather changes and that maybe GA or elsewhere. It’s a five year plan and we are just starting to kick the can.

Speaking of cans….that will be on top of the shopping list when I move out of Commichusetts.

Keep the comments coming it’s all good stuff no matter were we end up.

 

[Garys]

When we did our move drive down here in November we took a side trip to our son's house outside of Charlotte, NC. That added two days to the trip and changed where we stopped overnight. Our last night was in Texas because we'd have a very long drive from SC. We ended up in Longview, TX which was very pretty. From there it was still seven hours down to Round Rock where we were staying while house hunting.

We didn't plan to sell our house in MA without having one in TX, but that's what happened. Life.

We just picked up a client in Calhoun County. I will mostly being doing remote work, but expect to have to go there at least once during the start up. Three hour drive to get there. Not horrible, but not sure I want drive down, work, and then drive back.

The 1st time I ever drove down to Junction TX to visit family, (also 3 long days) I was amazed at how long it took to get from the Dallas area down to Junction.
Every time I've been down there, I arrived at the TX border as the sun was going down.
Spent the night in Dallas or Temple area and got to Junction the next afternoon. It's a long drive from MA.

I plan to go back home if things get really rotten up here. Don't need to go to prison because I own guns.
Note, I'm complaining.

 

[Supermoto]

You were lucky. I spent a year in SC and the humidity at times was horrendous.

If you were at the Savanah Site, then you were in the same place I am now. The summer is pretty brutal. First year here was bad, but every year I am getting more and more used to it. You can't do anything without pouring sweat. But its 2 1/2 hrs to the beach or the Mtns so its easy to escape from

 

[kevin9]

If you were at the Savanah Site, then you were in the same place I am now. The summer is pretty brutal. First year here was bad, but every year I am getting more and more used to it. You can't do anything without pouring sweat. But its 2 1/2 hrs to the beach or the Mtns so its easy to escape from

My brother used to live in/near Savannah so I've driven through that area several times (Columbus or Augusta to Savannah). It was pretty much all red clay, pine trees and swamp with poultry, corn and cotton fields . Not northern Ohio flat, but slight rolling hills in places. Boring as he!! and nearly as hot.

 

[Supermoto]

My brother used to live in/near Savannah so I've driven through that area several times (Columbus or Augusta to Savannah). It was pretty much all red clay, pine trees and swamp with poultry, corn and cotton fields . Not northern Ohio flat, but slight rolling hills in places. Boring as he!! and nearly as hot.

yeah its a miserable drive through scattered depressed town.

 

[StevieP]

We love coastal NC. Carteret County / Morehead City.

It is flat-ish. roads are straight and boring.

If you like boating & fishing this is the place to be.