Chancelucky2
Well-Known Member
I love New Bern. I take it that there's no real issues left over from the flooding from Hurricane Florence?
What’s a great place to retire for an e-biker?
- Thread starter JayVee
- Start date
I love New Bern. I take it that there's no real issues left over from the flooding from Hurricane Florence?
Shelley
New Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Phoenix, AZ
Another possibility Albuquerque, NM, if you are considering the SW.Why? Keep reading.
I don’t know the age of the other people who answered your question but I am retired and my e-bike is my car. I don’t have a car in ABQ! I do ALL of my errands on my e-bike!
Here are my answers to your questions and concerns;
Rural area with a strong community or a smaller city. I don’t like big cities, but I’m not looking to live in the middle of nowhere either…
Well, you are going to have a hard time finding a rural area that will also have public transportation. In fact even some suburbs have very limited public transportation.
ABQ is a mid sized town, so in that respect it isn’t rural. However, there are areas like Corrals and North ABQ Acres that feel rural. ABQ is fairly easy to get around on an e-bike.
Some form of public transportation, just in case the snow piles up. Stuff happens…
ABQ does have bus services but it isn’t like big cities where one comes every 10 minutes. We have a rail system called the Rail Runner which goes N and S, bikes are allowed on the rail and buses have racks.
Don’t forget there is Uber/Lyft and Zip cars for different transportation needs.
Favorable (unambiguous) e-bike laws. I would commit to the e-bike as sole means of transportation, but only with laws that are clear.
ABQ has a very active bike association. You can go to the city meetings and give your input. ABQ was fortunate to have 2 people in government that were bike enthusiasts. Our ex-mayor Marty Chavez and ex-governor Gary Johnson. The ABQ bike club association approached Marty and asked for better bike infrastructure. Marty went to Gary and asked for funding. Gary went to the Fed’s and got $$$. Our bike infrastructure continues to grow.
On the 2018 bike map of ABQ, Mayor Tim Keller states; “There are over 550 miles of on-street bicycle facilities and multi-use trails in the City, and what you see represented on this map is only the beginning.”
Sufficient trails and paths for leisure rides.
Check out the 50 mile bike loop that is being made.
Reasonable housing prices in a relatively safe neighborhood. I don’t need luxury.
The cost of living and housing aren’t expensive in ABQ. Sure you can purchase expensive fancy homes but you can easily find a modesty priced nice home in a good neighborhood. We live in the NE heights in a 2B/2Ba in a good neighborhood and easy bike distance to all of the shopping and services. I can easily bike to Trader Joes, Vitamin Cottage Natural grocers, Sprouts, Smiths, banking, hair salon, post office, Fed Ex, doctor’s appointments, etc…. Most of these are under 2 miles and not more than 4 miles from where I live.
Daily errands and activities can be done by e-bike. That means a bike infrastructure which offers a relative degree of safety.
Check out the ABQ bike map.
If I can get around ABQ safely on an e-bike, you surely can as well. There are side streets that I use which are not marked on the bike map but are safe. When you live in a place and start riding, you’ll soon find these great cut throughs.
The climate in summer is fairly moderate (meaning not too hot). I have trouble over 90F. I wouldn’t see myself living in the Arizona desert.
Other people have addressed this already for you about Flagstaff. ABQ’s climate is even better IMHO. We have 4 distinct seasons with lots of sunshine. ABQ is a mile high so if thin air is a problem for you don’t come here or Flagstaff.
Your temperature requirement not above 90 is not considering humidity which the SW has very little. So 95 degrees in ABQ is going to feel less hot than say 95 degrees in Atlanta.
The heat you are concerned about… well, I don’t ride in the middle of the day in the summer. I ride in the morning or in the evening when the sun is getting low in the sky. ABQ isn’t as hot as PHX nor is it as cold and snowy as Denver. If you could take PHX and Denver’s climate and put them in a big pot and stir you would get ABQ’s climate, high desert sonoran. Also, with very little rain you can ride almost every day in sunshine!
Winters would allow for moderate e-biking (enough to do your errands), even if it means piling on the layers of clothes and buying a fat e-bike.
What snow we do get stays on our mountain the Sandia’s. If it does happen to snow in the valley it usually melts before noon. You won’t need fat tires here because of bad weather. As a comparison Flagstaff gets a lot more snow in town.
I rode 2 weeks ago when the temperature was 26 degrees. I layered up and was fine. The high that day was only 38 but with the sun out it felt warmer. I ride all winter, not a problem!
A LBS which carries or works on e-bikes would be a nice to have, just in case.
Any good bike shop can work on e-bikes. I know the guys at NE Cyclery and they can and have worked on e-bikes.
Just keep in mind that e-bikes are just getting started in the USA. In time most cities will be carrying e-bikes along with their other inventory. You need an e-bike in ABQ if you are older and have joint issues like me. The elevation here can make it difficult for us baby boomers.
Other Stuff
Also, ABQ gets a lot of bike racers who come here to train. Why? It is harder to ride in the thin air and the high elevation climbs. E-bikes take care of that for the rest of us who aren’t planning to enter the Tour de France!
I think you should also consider location of hospitals and airports. As we age we have more medical needs. ABQ has a trama center at UNM hospital one of the best by the way. Also a good heart hospital.
We also have an international airport.
Best of luck and let me know if I can answer any concerns you might have about ABQ. Please post where you end up!
I don’t know the age of the other people who answered your question but I am retired and my e-bike is my car. I don’t have a car in ABQ! I do ALL of my errands on my e-bike!
Here are my answers to your questions and concerns;
Rural area with a strong community or a smaller city. I don’t like big cities, but I’m not looking to live in the middle of nowhere either…
Well, you are going to have a hard time finding a rural area that will also have public transportation. In fact even some suburbs have very limited public transportation.
ABQ is a mid sized town, so in that respect it isn’t rural. However, there are areas like Corrals and North ABQ Acres that feel rural. ABQ is fairly easy to get around on an e-bike.
Some form of public transportation, just in case the snow piles up. Stuff happens…
ABQ does have bus services but it isn’t like big cities where one comes every 10 minutes. We have a rail system called the Rail Runner which goes N and S, bikes are allowed on the rail and buses have racks.
Don’t forget there is Uber/Lyft and Zip cars for different transportation needs.
Favorable (unambiguous) e-bike laws. I would commit to the e-bike as sole means of transportation, but only with laws that are clear.
ABQ has a very active bike association. You can go to the city meetings and give your input. ABQ was fortunate to have 2 people in government that were bike enthusiasts. Our ex-mayor Marty Chavez and ex-governor Gary Johnson. The ABQ bike club association approached Marty and asked for better bike infrastructure. Marty went to Gary and asked for funding. Gary went to the Fed’s and got $$$. Our bike infrastructure continues to grow.
On the 2018 bike map of ABQ, Mayor Tim Keller states; “There are over 550 miles of on-street bicycle facilities and multi-use trails in the City, and what you see represented on this map is only the beginning.”
Sufficient trails and paths for leisure rides.
Check out the 50 mile bike loop that is being made.
Reasonable housing prices in a relatively safe neighborhood. I don’t need luxury.
The cost of living and housing aren’t expensive in ABQ. Sure you can purchase expensive fancy homes but you can easily find a modesty priced nice home in a good neighborhood. We live in the NE heights in a 2B/2Ba in a good neighborhood and easy bike distance to all of the shopping and services. I can easily bike to Trader Joes, Vitamin Cottage Natural grocers, Sprouts, Smiths, banking, hair salon, post office, Fed Ex, doctor’s appointments, etc…. Most of these are under 2 miles and not more than 4 miles from where I live.
Daily errands and activities can be done by e-bike. That means a bike infrastructure which offers a relative degree of safety.
Check out the ABQ bike map.
If I can get around ABQ safely on an e-bike, you surely can as well. There are side streets that I use which are not marked on the bike map but are safe. When you live in a place and start riding, you’ll soon find these great cut throughs.
The climate in summer is fairly moderate (meaning not too hot). I have trouble over 90F. I wouldn’t see myself living in the Arizona desert.
Other people have addressed this already for you about Flagstaff. ABQ’s climate is even better IMHO. We have 4 distinct seasons with lots of sunshine. ABQ is a mile high so if thin air is a problem for you don’t come here or Flagstaff.
Your temperature requirement not above 90 is not considering humidity which the SW has very little. So 95 degrees in ABQ is going to feel less hot than say 95 degrees in Atlanta.
The heat you are concerned about… well, I don’t ride in the middle of the day in the summer. I ride in the morning or in the evening when the sun is getting low in the sky. ABQ isn’t as hot as PHX nor is it as cold and snowy as Denver. If you could take PHX and Denver’s climate and put them in a big pot and stir you would get ABQ’s climate, high desert sonoran. Also, with very little rain you can ride almost every day in sunshine!
Winters would allow for moderate e-biking (enough to do your errands), even if it means piling on the layers of clothes and buying a fat e-bike.
What snow we do get stays on our mountain the Sandia’s. If it does happen to snow in the valley it usually melts before noon. You won’t need fat tires here because of bad weather. As a comparison Flagstaff gets a lot more snow in town.
I rode 2 weeks ago when the temperature was 26 degrees. I layered up and was fine. The high that day was only 38 but with the sun out it felt warmer. I ride all winter, not a problem!
A LBS which carries or works on e-bikes would be a nice to have, just in case.
Any good bike shop can work on e-bikes. I know the guys at NE Cyclery and they can and have worked on e-bikes.
Just keep in mind that e-bikes are just getting started in the USA. In time most cities will be carrying e-bikes along with their other inventory. You need an e-bike in ABQ if you are older and have joint issues like me. The elevation here can make it difficult for us baby boomers.
Other Stuff
Also, ABQ gets a lot of bike racers who come here to train. Why? It is harder to ride in the thin air and the high elevation climbs. E-bikes take care of that for the rest of us who aren’t planning to enter the Tour de France!
I think you should also consider location of hospitals and airports. As we age we have more medical needs. ABQ has a trama center at UNM hospital one of the best by the way. Also a good heart hospital.
We also have an international airport.
Best of luck and let me know if I can answer any concerns you might have about ABQ. Please post where you end up!
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Ravi Kempaiah
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Halifax
rvehock
Member
Great biking here in the gulfcoast of Florida, I live in Clearwater and the cities of Dunedin, Safety Harbor, and Palm Harbor offer great bike trails and awesome landscapes. Been here fro 23 years and moved from AZ where I lived for 27 years and I love this part of Florida hands down much better than AZ.
I cycled through the US (6000+ miles) and there lots of nice towns, pity I couldn't spend a few days in each one, but Missoula, MT caught my eye as being a nice place. Forgot to mention its the home of (ACA) Adventure cycling association https://goo.gl/maps/dQ1tjFTN6VC2
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Shelley
New Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Phoenix, AZ
It can be overwhelming!
If you think you can go car free or car lite consider the climate. If you like riding in the rain then the pacific northwest should be good. I don't mean this in a sarcastic tone, but some people really like riding in the rain. I am not one of them. I find the roads get too slippery. When NM does get rain it doesn't last. So I just ride when it stops. It isn't like the mid-west where it can rain for a week or more. When you are retired you can just choose the days to ride. I am a fair weather rider. I will ride when it is cold, but not when it is raining.
Also if you are near water then there are more bugs. Mosquitoes can be really bad near lakes and rivers. We can sit outside all summer in ABQ and I never get one mosquito bite. It it just too dry here. But if you are near the Rio Grande there are bugs.
Do you enjoy riding in the snow? Another factor if you go car free. But there is still Uber/Lift. Snow is a non issue in ABQ.
Elevation/low oxygen can be problem for some. I have lived in NM for over 34 years so I am used to it.
As we age, we get more sensitive to cold, more so than to hot. Ever notice how old people really turn up the heat in their homes?
Cost of living can be pricey in CA. They have great weather but gosh it is expensive. They also have their share of fires, mudslides and earthquakes. NM has had fires too, but we don't get earthquakes, mudslides, hurricanes or tornado's.
We looked at purchasing a condo in Las Vegas about 5 years ago. We decided against it. Why? They didn't plan for bike infrastructure. I think it might be the worst place to bicycle that I have visited.
We did purchase a condo in PHX. The bike infrastructure is not bad but not as good as ABQ, IMHO. But what they lack in bike paths, they have better public transportation than ABQ. We have bus service but it is more limited.
If you are interested in ABQ, look at North ABQ Acres, if you like rural. We lived there. The lots are a square acre or more. Some can be very expensive but not all. We downsized for retirement that is why we don't live there anymore. We wanted a more simple carefree lifestyle. It was a big home for us and it was one of the smaller homes on the street. I really got tired of scrubbing 4 toilets!
No place is going to be perfect there are always compromises. You just have to figure out what is the most important to you. Maybe make a list of what is the most important and start listing cities that meet that criteria?
Adios from the Land of Enchantment!
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MetroDuck
Member
Eugene/Springfield Oregon has one of the most extensive system of bicycle paths in the country. It doesn't get overly hot there but it does rain quite a bit from November to March so you would have to gear up for that. Sunriver Oregon is a self contained community south of Bend, Oregon with over 30 miles of bike paths connecting every place in the community. It can have snow in winter at times and the temperatures can get over what your expressed at times in July and August. Both being in Oregon, housing costs are going to be higher than normal. Eugene has a very good shop specializing in ebikes.
Eugene/Springfield bike paths
SunRiver Bike Paths
Eugene/Springfield bike paths
SunRiver Bike Paths
On Albuquerque and the Southwest in general, where does your water come from and how long will it last? I lived in AZ briefly and could not figure that question out. Everytime I went down to "the valley" more desert had been converted to houses. I did not feel secure water wise.
Went to Albuquerque a few times always in the Spring. It seemed chilly and windy. While flying in from Minneapollis our landing was a bit rough as there were 60 mph gusts. I calmed myself while landing by telling myself that Airforce One had landed just a bit before us so we'd probably make it too. We did.
On Missoula, my memories of flying there, also from Minnisoda, was the pilot giving the weather report by starting out, I have bad news and good news. The good news, for those of you going to LA, it is 70 degrees there. The bad news? For those of you going to Missoula, the temperature is the same as here, -10. We stayed in a not quite finished hotel and some of the folks had frozen pipes in their rooms.
Every place has its quirks. I would discourage you from moving to Warshington because our population has grown too big as it is and I do not like it--I'm selfish that way, having been born and raised here and seeing the effects. So please pass on that we are socked in with smoke in the summer, it rains all the rest of the time, we have volcanoes ready to suffocate us in ash and mud flows, we are waiting for "The Big One" which will inundate the coast with a tsunami after it collapses a lot of buildings and infrastructure, we have hurricanes that are never called hurricanes because they are commas and not o's on the radar--sometimes they may be called a cyclone, we have mountain passes that require chaining up more frequently each year (maybe because so many people have moved here who are not familiar with driving in Cascade Concrete) and those passes also close due to avalanches and slides. Oh, and flooding? Well, that's a no brainer along with slides. We are just plain geologically unstable. Our state also has desert where it can get below zero in the winter and in the 100s in the summer. Have I missed anything? No income tax, yet, but, we have very high taxes on everything else.
Went to Albuquerque a few times always in the Spring. It seemed chilly and windy. While flying in from Minneapollis our landing was a bit rough as there were 60 mph gusts. I calmed myself while landing by telling myself that Airforce One had landed just a bit before us so we'd probably make it too. We did.
On Missoula, my memories of flying there, also from Minnisoda, was the pilot giving the weather report by starting out, I have bad news and good news. The good news, for those of you going to LA, it is 70 degrees there. The bad news? For those of you going to Missoula, the temperature is the same as here, -10. We stayed in a not quite finished hotel and some of the folks had frozen pipes in their rooms.
Every place has its quirks. I would discourage you from moving to Warshington because our population has grown too big as it is and I do not like it--I'm selfish that way, having been born and raised here and seeing the effects. So please pass on that we are socked in with smoke in the summer, it rains all the rest of the time, we have volcanoes ready to suffocate us in ash and mud flows, we are waiting for "The Big One" which will inundate the coast with a tsunami after it collapses a lot of buildings and infrastructure, we have hurricanes that are never called hurricanes because they are commas and not o's on the radar--sometimes they may be called a cyclone, we have mountain passes that require chaining up more frequently each year (maybe because so many people have moved here who are not familiar with driving in Cascade Concrete) and those passes also close due to avalanches and slides. Oh, and flooding? Well, that's a no brainer along with slides. We are just plain geologically unstable. Our state also has desert where it can get below zero in the winter and in the 100s in the summer. Have I missed anything? No income tax, yet, but, we have very high taxes on everything else.
Shelley
New Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Phoenix, AZ
Cowlitz,
Albuquerque sits on a huge aquifer. And yes it does get windy and it does get cold. In fact this year we have seen more snow than usual. The last time we've had this much snow was in 2005. But typically it melts by noon.
Yes we have windy days but so do other places.
I agree with what you're saying, no place is going to be perfect! You have to pick your poison so to speak. The fact that we have so many sun-shiny days is a bonus for me bicycling.
When you're retired you have the luxury of deciding whether to ride that day or not. Albuquerque definitely has more rideable days than other places in the country if you're a fair-weather rider like me. And if I have to go out there's always the option to take a bus or Uber.
Albuquerque sits on a huge aquifer. And yes it does get windy and it does get cold. In fact this year we have seen more snow than usual. The last time we've had this much snow was in 2005. But typically it melts by noon.
Yes we have windy days but so do other places.
I agree with what you're saying, no place is going to be perfect! You have to pick your poison so to speak. The fact that we have so many sun-shiny days is a bonus for me bicycling.
When you're retired you have the luxury of deciding whether to ride that day or not. Albuquerque definitely has more rideable days than other places in the country if you're a fair-weather rider like me. And if I have to go out there's always the option to take a bus or Uber.
Alphbetadog
Active Member
Good Gawd, Washington State sounds like an absolutely horrible place!
JRA
Well-Known Member
Oregon is about the same, but not to say that both states don’t have their moments when eBiking is the best way to get out there and see some mtn’s, volcanic or otherwise
Attachments
edwinr
New Member
I think Seattle would be top on my list. I've visited Seattle a few times for work and everywhere I went, they had bike lanes everywhere. San Francisco where I grew up would be my second, and having an ebike would really help with all the hills. Venice Beach down in Los Angeles is also a good one, very laid back.
Very true, the bicycling infrastructure in Seattle is pretty good. There is a plethora of bike lanes, shared paths and green ways that will (absent some very notable exceptions due to political gridlock) let you go anyplace. And E-bikes are legally allowed on all this infrastructure:
New law sets standards, rules for using e-bikes
Another plus for Seattle is the weather is actually very mild and with a small investment in adequate garb you can ride year-round.
On the negative side of things, air quality in and around Seattle has degraded substantially in recent years to the point that is not very good a great deal of the time. This is not primarily because of recent "smoke storm" events due to western wildfires, but rather because of increased traffic (automobile and truck emissions) and increased industrial activity (construction being a notable contributor). This degraded air quality is viscerally noticeable when riding during periods of time that the air in the city is trapped by an atmospheric inversion. I routinely check air quality before going on a ride and minimize or avoid exposure when it is bad. (Anyone interested can research this degrading trend on the EPA National Air Toxics Assessment website).
Also of interest/concern to cyclists: Seattle traffic is now among the worst in the nation: Seattle's traffic among worst in the world But still not the worst Riding an ebike is best way I have found to beat it. I do most of my local shopping and visiting with friends, etc, by ebike. Not having to find and pay for a parking spot is also great. But you do have to ride extremely defensively because: Rain or shine, Seattle drivers among the worst in the nation There have been some very tragic and heart-wrenching bicycle accidents in and around this city, where the automobile driver was unequivocally at fault. A surprisingly large number of these accidents are unsolved hit-and-runs, but the conviction rate is low for drivers who are held accountable, and the punishments are ludicrously feeble.
With regard to issues affecting retirement, Seattle has become very expensive in the past few years, primarily due to housing costs and real estate taxes. This is forcing some retirees out of the city; other retirees, like myself, are looking to move to a cleaner, less congested location where their retirement bucks will go a lot further.
Seattle in top 15 places where $100K doesn't feel like enough
‘Seattle-ization’? American cities fear what’s happened here. You're paying a premium to live here: The cost of living has risen faster in Seattle than in any other American city.
I'll wrap this up by saying Seattle has an extremely ineffective, grid-locked city government that excels at levying taxes and wasting much of the revenue on studies and legal expenses. Here's a good example (and pales compared to the ludicrous efforts to deal with the homeless crises in the city):
$12 million a mile: Here’s how bike-lane costs shot sky high in Seattle
New law sets standards, rules for using e-bikes
Another plus for Seattle is the weather is actually very mild and with a small investment in adequate garb you can ride year-round.
On the negative side of things, air quality in and around Seattle has degraded substantially in recent years to the point that is not very good a great deal of the time. This is not primarily because of recent "smoke storm" events due to western wildfires, but rather because of increased traffic (automobile and truck emissions) and increased industrial activity (construction being a notable contributor). This degraded air quality is viscerally noticeable when riding during periods of time that the air in the city is trapped by an atmospheric inversion. I routinely check air quality before going on a ride and minimize or avoid exposure when it is bad. (Anyone interested can research this degrading trend on the EPA National Air Toxics Assessment website).
Also of interest/concern to cyclists: Seattle traffic is now among the worst in the nation: Seattle's traffic among worst in the world But still not the worst Riding an ebike is best way I have found to beat it. I do most of my local shopping and visiting with friends, etc, by ebike. Not having to find and pay for a parking spot is also great. But you do have to ride extremely defensively because: Rain or shine, Seattle drivers among the worst in the nation There have been some very tragic and heart-wrenching bicycle accidents in and around this city, where the automobile driver was unequivocally at fault. A surprisingly large number of these accidents are unsolved hit-and-runs, but the conviction rate is low for drivers who are held accountable, and the punishments are ludicrously feeble.
With regard to issues affecting retirement, Seattle has become very expensive in the past few years, primarily due to housing costs and real estate taxes. This is forcing some retirees out of the city; other retirees, like myself, are looking to move to a cleaner, less congested location where their retirement bucks will go a lot further.
Seattle in top 15 places where $100K doesn't feel like enough
‘Seattle-ization’? American cities fear what’s happened here. You're paying a premium to live here: The cost of living has risen faster in Seattle than in any other American city.
I'll wrap this up by saying Seattle has an extremely ineffective, grid-locked city government that excels at levying taxes and wasting much of the revenue on studies and legal expenses. Here's a good example (and pales compared to the ludicrous efforts to deal with the homeless crises in the city):
$12 million a mile: Here’s how bike-lane costs shot sky high in Seattle
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ebikemom
Well-Known Member
I think @Cowlitz is doing a pretty effective job of trying to keep newcomers out of our slice of paradise here in the Pacific Northwest! I think it's great here, but it is expensive, for sure. We went to Texas for a vacation over the kids' Winter break and WOW. Things are much cheaper there. But there's so much to love here. Methinks I'm getting what I'm paying for???
I think it's great here, but it is expensive, for sure. We went to Texas for a vacation over the kids' Winter break and WOW. Things are much cheaper there. But there's so much to love here. Methinks I'm getting what I'm paying for???It is. I only stay here because I have to. Was awakened at 3:30 yesterday morning by the backup alarms of a grader, which was followed a bit later by the sand truck! Then we had to shovel out the heavy Cascade Concrete piled up in front of the driveways! This week is supposed to be dry which will later mean Inversion and the air will get bad. That's part of living in mountain vaileys that nobody will tell you about.. It ain't all Sound Of Music experiences.
Mr. Coffee
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
What they also never tell you is that the plow guy is almost always well-liquored when he is working... and that anything that they can hit (parked cars, sides of your house, &c) they will eventually hit.
bob armani
Well-Known Member
Seattle sounds like a complete disaster, aside from a not so bad weather history with an average of 150 days of sunshine per year. I have never visited Washington state, however, judging by these very negative posts, it does not sound like the best place to consider retirement. This is an earful of stats here that I was never aware of. Really shocking considering it always appeared to be a place of such natural beauty. Thanks to the locals for the heads up!
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
As a former retired RV'er, I had heard of quite a few who wintered in the Pacific NW for the temperate weather. A fair number of those (most?) say they'll never winter there again. Why? Too wet.
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