| Author | Message | ||
     Oldman |
after posting on one site what i think of the tampa area and what i don't like about this town a little i thought i would finish with a new topic site. although living down here hasn't been the worst, it's far from the best. at least the one thing i can say about the pittsburgh area while i was growing up was there was a since of community. everyone knew everyone or knew there relatives or something like that. and that was year round. the community only seems to come out once a year here, but in this past year twice because of 9-11. after a while things went back to normal, communities going back to being individuals, and that is our right, right? when i was involved with the carpenters union here, i wanted to get involved with the community by going out building ramps for the handicap or go help out with habitat for humanity to show the tampa area what the union is capable of doing for the area. needless to say things don't always work out the way you want them to. after some other incidents on jobs that made me fill like i was wasting my time, i dropped my card for the second time in 18 years. i don't think i'll be going back again cause i never got the support from the people who i wanted to call brother or sister, on the job or off. now lets look at our sports community, this is a real joke. i totally feel sorry for gruden for being suckered into coming into this town thinking he can do something here. dungy couldn't do it and he was a nice guy devoted to his community although he couldn't get his team committed to the community. there were a select few who did go out of there way to do something for it but they were traded off this year or just let go, either way, it's tampa's loss again. the devilrays suck, i don't think we have soccer anymore(who cares anyhow) and arena football, which was our only saving grace at one point is now 0 and 3. another dissapointment. next we have the biker community, so we would like people to think we have, not. i had been out of biking for quite a few years when i got married, when on one job i met a painter on the job who rode an flh shovelhead with a tank shifter and a foot clutch and loud pipes and so on. come to find out he only lived down the road a mile and he was haveing vehicle problems so i ended up taking him to work for a while and the rest is history. he is one of the few people in this world i would trust with my life, which i did one time when i asked for a ride to work on his bike. having never been on a harley before i didn't realize how much it would change my life. it wasn't untill he let me take his bike for a ride around his neighborhood that i realized what i was missing from my life again. i asked him one time if he belonged to a M.C.. he said he was an independent. and that seems to be the case of everyone around here. you don't see that many colors around here that much, but when you do, you almost always see them in at least a pack of four it seems. what happened out in laughlin might have been pretty stupid by any standard, but at least these people do have a better since of community with each other than anyone in a 25 mile radius of tampa does. this leaves me to the next part, where would i live if i could right now. i loved the yellowstone area and even the utah area. nice people, great food, beautiful country. what i wouldn't do for some of that again. maybe next year. neil | ||
| Blake |
The Pittsburgh, PA area is damn nice now. No more steel mills belching potash and sufur into the air. The southern coast of Oregon is still in my mind. Awesome coastline, mountains, huge trees, and more grade A twisty roads than you can ride in a lifetime. If only the locals weren't so backwards.  | ||
| Buellish |
I got North Geargia,on my mind.In fact, I think I'll go for a ride in the mountains,right now. | ||
| Peter |
Somewhere in the Alps. The French have nice food and are crazy, the Italians have nice food and are crazy too, but they also have Beautiful Women with Attitude... The Swiss are a bit conservative, but that gives a nice peaceful environment in which to live, and the Austrians have the best roads/mountains of them all. Pity they're so Germanic.... and no, I don't want to live in Germany. I think I'd choose northern Italy. PPiA | ||
| Ferris |
mmmmmmmmmmm, is there anything nicer than a Beautiful Woman with Attitude? thanks for the smile to start the day PPiA  i've not traveled much, and am nowhere near qualified to give potential relocation advice (ANY advice, for that matter...), but my present love is the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. if you've never been to CA, forget all the crap you hear about this state. some of it's true, i s'pose, but there's crap EVERYWHERE if that's all you're looking for. what this place has that works for me is great weather and great roads. and, on average, great people. someone asked on the GDB the other day why anyone would want to live in California? well sir, i logged 450 elation-filled miles yesterday in and around the southern Sierra foothills, in bright sunshine and cool, crisp air, on roads that some folks only get to dream about. had you ridden with me yesterday Grasshopper, your question would now be: "Why would anyone want to live anywhere ELSE?" one last point: community? BADWEB's got it in spades ride to infect others with the passion, Ferris | ||
| Jmartz |
I would like to live in a freedom of choice state on the ocean. SC and FL are the choices. No state tax in FL is very appealing. Both these states do not have good motorcycle topography but if you lived in NW SC you could cross the border into either NC or GA on those days you feel like wearing the whole outfit. Jose | ||
| Grizzlyb |
"the Italians have nice food and are crazy too, but they also have Beautiful Women with Attitude..." I can live with that mate, Lets settle in the Dolomites, close to all the goodies (Italian Women and Bikes) and not as expencive as the Swizz. Grizzly's Adventure (temp. OBCO) | ||
| Ken01mp |
western wisconsin is heaven in the warm seasons. enough twisties to keep me happy, and enough long straits to keep me humble. the countryside is always gorgeous. our property and income taxes are unruly high, but we have great roads as a result. the down time in the winter blows donkey dong though, i get withdrawal shakes by mid december. then again, its an excuse and an opportunity for some constructive down time. i have been to SC and NC, great country and nice rides there, though the theft rates are sky high. just in FL for a week, panhandle and east coast. riding was more of an excuse to show off than a means for pleasure. thats my story and im stickin to it Ken anyone near LaCrosse WI, ild be more than happy to show you some of the best roads in the state. | ||
| Dynarider |
Southeastern Wisconsin sux. No decent roads, crappy weather, cant wait to move. Leaning towards S.Carolina, freedom of choice, beatuiful roads in the smokeys. Myrtle beach is right there, Daytona is not that far of a ride, Deals gap, etc. | ||
| Ocbueller |
I live in Ocean City,Maryland. My house is 100 ft. from the bay. My business is on the beach. It rarely snows in winter. The summers are awesome. I'm in shooting distance of N.Y., Philly, D.C.,Atlantic City,Baltimore, Myrtle Beach and many more. I got twisties and countryside. I think I may stay for awhile. SteveH | ||
| Rick_A |
I live just outside of Buffalo NY. I'm moving to Florida in the fall for several reasons: *I can ride year 'round *I'll be living in close proximity to the school I want to attend *I'll be living with the best friend I've ever had. *The ocean beaches sure beat this filthy lake! | ||
| Peter |
Grizzly, It could work. I'm eligible for a Dutch passport within a year (if I can sit down and learn your damn-fool language first...) so that would make the EU open for me. Ingrid also likes Italy a lot. Maybe we need to open a Hot-Rod Buell/BMW shop up in the mountains? You go and ride rings around Ducati's with one to bring in the business, and I'll fix them. In our spare time we can look at all the BWwA... PPiA | ||
| Kevyn |
Missouri(Mizz-ur-uh)has unpredictable winters, with nice breaks for riding, unusually long spring, summer and fall seasons with an abundance of simply beautiful winding roads through forests, gently rolling farm lands and small mountains. Ya, we pay some taxes too. Most governance is extremely "local" with the state being an overriding nuisance. Outside the major metro areas, traffic is light, deer are plentiful, fishing is great, our rivers, lakes and streams are for the most part clean and flowing, and somebody knows a safe place to discharge... We can reach into Arkansas, the Carolinas', Kentucky and anywhere else in any direction(centrally located has an advantage)... Our statewide economy is not as robust as we'd like and our automotive manufacturing segment is in jeopardy of leaving due in most part to wage and so called profit disputes. Our technology sector is still in a infant state but growing nicely! St. Louis is a major medical and educational city with world class hospitals and universities, the zoo, science center and museums. As Buells go, Racerboy(when not astride the beemer) and V2Win rule the asphalt and keep the spirit alive. We go to Springfield and DuQuoin for the 'Miles' have a local 1/2mile and a major NASCAR/race track just across the Mississippi! Oh yeah, we have plenty of beer and pork butts in the summer!!! Kevyn S12T  | ||
| Superbad |
Oldman, I am in Sarasota, 45 mins south of Tampa. We have a pretty good group of Motorcyclists here. We used to all gather on monday nights, but the place closed down. As for Yellowstone, I lived in Big Sky,MT 30 mins NW of Jellystone park. I loved it and want to go back, but Career/Family keep me here. We go to Highlands,NC at least 2 times a year to ride for 5 days. It keeps me sane on the Arrow striaght roads around here. I am new to the Buell community, pick up the firebolt today and head to NC on the 24th! Bobby | ||
| Ara |
Oregon: Beautiful, but like Blake says the people are kinda peculiar. As long as you're passing through and spending your tourist dollars that's fine, but if you intend to stay you're not in the slightest bit welcome. Dolomites: Where my people come from. Incredible terraine, incredible roads, short riding season, and women with ALTITUDE! In my travels I've noted that northern New Mexico (Sante Fe and Los Vegas) and mid and north central Arizona (Prescott and Flagstaff) are really, really beautiful. Good twisty roads with lots of altitude changes, reasonable real estate prices (except in Santa FE), and women who tend to be a bit more adventurous, rugged, and real than other places. Somewhere around Prescott, AZ there's a road that's so technical that it's closed at night. | ||
| Blake |
Ara, Don't get me in trouble with my friends in OR! One of them let me ride his motorcycles, fed me steak, served me beer, and asked me to move next door. I'm seriously considering a change of venue. East Texas is damn nice, lots of trees and back roads. I've got a very nice roadrace track only twenty miles away that I can rent for only $50/day. The cost of living is minimal. No state income tax. Local property tax is low. My home is paid for. Nallin Racing is only an hour away. My Buell dealerships (Tyler and Shreveport, LA) are good people. I just really fell for the Oregon coast and the Colorado Rockies. I'm very much an out-of-doors kind of person. East Texas doesn't offer much in the way of exciting camping or outdoor scenery/recreation, at least nothing that compares to Oregon. What kills me are the guys who move to a city to be close to their favorite sports team. That's totally whack. | ||
| Ferris |
Blake, speakin' of peculiar Oregonians and all... ...why is it that a guy named "Snail" rides a Hayabusa, anyway??? he asked you to move in next door? um, was the soundtrack to "Deliverance" playing in the background at the time?  ride, rinse, repeat. FB | ||
| Blake |
It's not that "Snail" is slow. It's that he leaves a trail wherever he goes, a trail of destruction and encounters with LEOs.   | ||
| Spudman |
Blake said, "It's not that "Snail" is slow. It's that he leaves a trail wherever he goes ..." But it's a smokin black rubber smellin trial he leaves. I met Snail at the ride through the bar run down in Eugene. Snail rolled in the door on his S3T behind me then proceeded to smoke his tire twice before he reached the dance floor. The pic below was taken before the bar filled with smoke, waaaaay too much fun.  Toyracer was right behind Snail and followed the fine example being set. Toyracer also tried to smoke his tire on the rubber matt near the bar entrance for a real rancid smell. But his front tire was off the matt when he went to light it up, causing the matt to became an instant projectile shooting it's way through the smokey room. I still smile ear to ear thinking about the fun we had that day Then there's the story of the wife being waived aside by a state trooper while trying to bust 100 on her Blast coming home from the bar run. But that's another story... | ||
| Oldman |
yea ferris there is community in the badweb, that's what caught my attention to it right away after i bought my buell back in september. it's just as nice to sit back and read what alot of the people say than it is to comment on anything. and superbad, when i stopped at rossiters on the other saturday, they had a good turnout down there with food and soda. i was definately impressed with the number of bikes there. i don't know how lakeland was the whole day cause that was my first stop and they had demos setup, of which afterwards you got your shirt. didn't stick around cause we hadn't had breakfast yet and had to many miles to go before the day was out to get back to leesburg. jims, fletchers and tampa didn't have anything going on when i got to them. blake, we took four days to get through texas and there was nothing that really made me stand up and say that i would like to live here. it's alot more open along 10 than i ever could imagine. we spent two nights in a state park at our moms friends house where the mexican war started. so. cal. and arizona was so hot we had to stop at a hotel instead of trying to set up the tent. now the next time i have a chance to do sturgis, i would like to do oregon and washington but does it really rain that much out there. didn't spend that much time in missouri either. and one day when they start doing the fly and rides with the buells europe is always a possibility. spent 3 months in drydock at the naples shipyards so i got to see a little of that country, but i really need to the see the rest. the rest of my year tour was in the mid east and africa. came home 1 year before the embassy fiasco in tehran, which was one of the stops on the way home from karachi, pakistan. p.s. does the guy in the pic do this sort of thing often | ||
| Blake |
Don't judge all of Texas from trip across the state on I-10!!! That's like characterizing FL by a run accross the state on I-4. Ewww! The keys are still on my list as a ride I'd like to do. See my report on the "Texas Hill Country" after I post it later today. | ||
| Newfie_Buell |
You guys should come to Newfoundland, Its the most Easterly Point in North America after that your swimming across the pond to see Rocket. Lots of twists, hills and good roads, make sure you get here late July-early August to see the Humpback Whales playing off the coast, you can sit on the cliffs and watch them for hours. Right now is Ice Berg Season and there are a couple hundred off the coast, those things just float from the Arctic and then land within a couple hundred feet of the shoreline, real breath taking. I can't imagine a better place to live. virtually no crime and everyone is friendly. By the way - The 13th Annual Atlantic Regional HOG rally is being held here this year, Aug 15-18, 2002. If anyone is interested for a real adventure come on over. Don't forget your American Dollar goes a long way here. If anyone is interested e-mail me and I will forward an information package. I have it in Microsoft Word Format. Take Care and Safe Riding Bill | ||
| Detroit |
Detroit is dirty, Roads are congested and straight, long winters...........Hey why the !!!! do I live here? I recently bought a cabin in Eastern Tennessee. I hope to move there in roughly 5 years. The whole county only has 15,000 inhabitants. Roads are curvasious. Lots of hills, valleys, and a lack of autos on the roads. | ||
| Oldman |
looking forward to seeing the texas hill country. 1.5 yrs ago on dec. 1 i bought my ultra, day after xmas rode down to the keys with some friends, minus the wife, in one day. longest day of my life. first time i ever went even when i lived in the dade,broward area for five years, here in tampa since 89, and a couple of years in the navy. do yourself a favor and start from the dade/broward area cause it is a long long long ride. plus your looking the the sun all day long if your not careful. the laconia/ newfoundland run was being thought about for this summer before something else came up, and is another must do run one day. stayed up in midland for a couple months with my brother when he was working on the nuke plant up there and you talk about flat country, it was back in "79" but i don't remember no hills at all. as far as fl. goes there are alot of nice backroads out there with very little traffic. right now i think deals gap would be a nice close run. | ||
| Marlboro |
Spudman, When I read your story about the rubber mat "flying across the room" I started laughing to no end. What kind of bar and on what occasion has a ride through?? I live in Minnesota, that's all I have to say. In short, I bought an '02 m2 about a month ago and have hardly had a chance to ride it. Not because of work, school, or family, but because the weather here is worse than Kurt Warner's wife's hairdo. Tonight it is going to get down to 32 degrees and windy as hell. It is always cloudy, windy, cold, raniy...In the summer when it does get warm it is always humid as hell. While southern MN and the Duluth area have some nice sights and roads, it still does not make up for all the crappy weather! Once I am able to, I want to move to Arizona, Colorado, or Utah. Been to each state and love them to death. | ||
| Dust_Storm |
Blake: We have hills here? Where! All I see is desert! (ELP, TX - for those wondering..) Seriously though, I've had the luxury to travel though most of the entirety of the land locked states, and no matter where I turn, there are the nicest people, roads so obscure it took a little prodding of the locals, and just a wonderful time around that next corner. No matter where you live now, or decide to live later, the grass will always be greener on the other side. Enjoy whats close to you, and make the effort to see and experience new places. I can't wait to visit Europe! The best part of life is living.. try to do it more often!  [Ds] -Buells Kick Ass.. | ||
| Cowboy |
I would like to say I live 10 min. from the Toledo bend damn. What with plenty of east Tex. twisties, and long neck bottles of beer,and being able to ride 10 mo out of the year. I must be as close to heaven as you can get on this earth. plus I am retired COWBOY | ||
| Spudman |
Sorry to get off topic Oldman, but I’ll make it quick. I haven’t seen Snail’s name in a while and just had to share the memory. That bar ride happens once a year, mid September in Eugene info here. The pic above is from the 2000 ride, missed out on the 2001. They had some unexpected company last year that didn’t appreciate all the fun.  And now back to our topic: I’ve lived in a few different spots in the US. They all seem to have their good and bad points, but none of them have it all. Everything is a tradeoff, it’s a matter of what your willing to give up to get what you want. A brief overview with my skewed opinion follows. Grew up in North Idaho, Coeur d’Alene to be exact. In North Idaho you get all four seasons, which means about 3 feet of snowfall annually. But the summertime riding is incredible, twisty roads buried deep in the woods along river streams and blue lakes. And Canada is only 100 miles away with breathtaking views of the rookies and a strong dollar is always inviting. But you’re lucky to get 8 months of riding. People are honest and friendly, but prefer to do their own thing. Cost of living isn’t too bad but the job market (logging, mining and tourism) doesn’t appeal to me. I still call Coeur d’Alene home. I would live there but there is no market for my current line of work. Did college in Bozeman Montana (go bobcats!). Bozeman is just north of Yellowstone Park. A stunning place, but very harsh. We had snow on the 4th of July the first year we moved there. It’s not unusual for an artic front to settle in during winter bringing temps to –40K, -80K with wind chill, for a week or two. The riding season in Montana is only about 6 months. Not a lot of people in the state of Montana, but those that do live there prefer not to be bothered. Big sky, wide open spaces, lots of national forest and cheap cost of living make Montana inviting. No jobs and nasty weather keep me away, but college was my attraction. After college I went to the armpit of the world, Midland Texas. I was only there to gain experience, and that’s all that appealed to me. It is flat, hot and dry. I was there almost 5 years, the last of which a new record was set for over 100 days of over 100 degrees. The tumbleweeds and bugs are so big they must be dodged. The only things that resemble hills are freeway overpasses. The water is foul tasting from all the oil drilling of the 70’s. Great steaks and Mexican food, but I’ll never go back there again. After 5 years of living in hell like conditions I had to get closer to what I consider heaven, the Northwest. I had offers for jobs in Seattle, Portland and Wyoming. Riverton Wyoming was rejected, close to Bozeman like conditions for weather and only one high tech employer in town, and they’re now gone. Seattle has way too much cement, traffic and stupid people for my taste. Cost of living in Seattle is too high for all the bullshit you get to live with. Portland seems to have the right balance for me. Plenty of employers in my line of work, not far from great twisty mountain roads or costal day trips. You can ride all year with the proper rain gear. Temperatures rarely go below freezing and summers are mostly in the 90s. No sales tax and reasonable cost of living also make it nice. I’ve been here 10 years now and plan on finishing my career here. I’m still busy raising babies, oldest is a senior next year. Don’t know where retirement will take me yet, but of all the places I’ve lived Portland has what I want with the fewest tradeoffs. | ||
| Libnosis |
Hey cowboy, your still a good ways from SC. lib | ||
| Blake |
DS, I hear ya brother. Kilgore is one hell of a great little town. The local track thing is sure looking good right now too. I do miss being near a large university and being able to take classes as I wish. I'm always worried that my math and physics skills may get rusty. |
