Struggling with a sense of identity.

[KarenCee 3]

Alaska's not that bad...I spent half this year in Sudbury, Ontario, and the winter weather was about the same, if not warmer back home. Of course, that's not saying that Sudbury's a winter wonderland

I guess I'm thinking that having lived in the humid South all my life, trying to acclimate to life in Alaska might not be so easy at first. However, with that said, I'd sure love to try!

[Flames9_RN 358]

I love the cold!! One can always make themselves warmer when its cold outside. But not much ya can do when its hot and muggy besides turn on the AC!!

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I love the cold!! One can always make themselves warmer when its cold outside. But not much ya can do when its hot and muggy besides turn on the AC!!

or run in the street naked and scare the neighbors ... I mean, that's what I've heard

[Texanadian 10]

Brad, I'm a car guy. I love car shows, car cruises, weekly A&W meet ups, everything. I remember looking in May this year at the list of car shows on Vancouver Island. I counted 68 of them.....In Houston, I've been to 2 shows in the last year. There is the odd meet up somewhere. But you really need to know somebody here to find out anything. And this in a city of 6 million people. I think part of it is that the hot humid weather here isn't conducive to the old cars. Overheating, lack of A/C, and brutally harsh roads. But in BC, we just put our cars away for the winter months, restore and polish them up. A great winter project. And then bring them back out in the summer. I know of 3 people who in the last 2 years have built their own Cobras in their garages.

The rain is rather interesting. Vancouver and Houston get the same amount of rain per year. The difference is that in Vancouver it rains 160 days a year. In Houston, it rains 100 days a year. So it mists almost daily during the fall/winter/spring in Vancouver. But in Houston it's either dry or it's terrential downpours. Crazy rain. Flooding is common. And June is the rainiest month in Houston. It rains more during the summer here. While BC doesn't get any rain during the summer.

I think the lack of A/C in homes up north as well as the low humidity, mild weather (75° and 30% being about normal for Vancouver in the summer) means people want to get out of their hot homes and go play baseball, golf, go swimming, go bicycling, jog, a day hiking. In Houston you tend to stay indoors in the air conditioning during May-September because it's just too darn hot and humid. Houston has the same dew points as Key West, Florida. Except Houston doesn't have the ocean breeze surrounding the city. It's just never ending concrete.

Mind you the wintertime in Houston is nice. Verrrrrry nice. It's a trade off. You don't drive unless you have A/C. Your car is always hot. But then again, I don't miss scraping windshields and waiting for the defrost to kick in.

I drove through Colorado on the way down here. Lovely state from start to finish. Easily the prettiest. Something for everybody. Fort Collins and especially Colorado Springs could easily be my new home. I phoned my wife in Denver at 5PM to give her an update of where I was and how the trip was going. You should have seen the look on her face when I showed up at our front door in Houston the next day at noon. HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET HERE ALREADY? She didn't think I'd be home until the evening or possibly the morning after that.

I can pretty much guarantee that you'd like Austin, TX. The way I see it, Vancouver is to Houston what Victoria is to Austin. Austin is definitely the prettier city compared to Houston. Better roads, more swimming, more jogging trails, a more layed back lifestyle. More liberal than Houston, that's for sure. But this is still Texas you gotta remember. Austin is more expensive by Texas standards when it comes to housing. But still very cheap compared to California or BC. All my Austin friends say their neighbourhoods are full of Californians. And that they see U-hauls with California license plates all the time.

The interesting thing about Colorado is that due to the elevation, it gets cold at night. Even in the summer. And it might snow all night, but melt before the morning is done. The UV is higher due to the elevation, so snow melts VERY quick. All you need to do is make a few holes in your snow covered driveway and then the sun will heat up your driveway enough to melt the rest. And even though the temp might say 75°, it feels much warmer due to the high UV rating.

I'd love to give Alaska a shot. I love wood stoves and hot chocolate, large yards, the real independent spirit of the place. Getting away from the hussle and bussle of big city living. Going fishing. Strangely enough there are more Corvettes in Alaska than any other state. Go figure.

Edited July 24, 2008 by Texanadian

[Eric_and_Corinna 0]

Brad, I'm a car guy. I love car shows, car cruises, weekly A&W meet ups, everything. I remember looking in May this year at the list of car shows on Vancouver Island. I counted 68 of them.....In Houston, I've been to 2 shows in the last year. There is the odd meet up somewhere. But you really need to know somebody here to find out anything. And this in a city of 6 million people. I think part of it is that the hot humid weather here isn't conducive to the old cars. Overheating, lack of A/C, and brutally harsh roads. But in BC, we just put our cars away for the winter months, restore and polish them up. A great winter project. And then bring them back out in the summer. I know of 3 people who in the last 2 years have built their own Cobras in their garages.

The rain is rather interesting. Vancouver and Houston get the same amount of rain per year. The difference is that in Vancouver it rains 160 days a year. In Houston, it rains 100 days a year. So it mists almost daily during the fall/winter/spring in Vancouver. But in Houston it's either dry or it's terrential downpours. Crazy rain. Flooding is common. And June is the rainiest month in Houston. It rains more during the summer here. While BC doesn't get any rain during the summer.

I think the lack of A/C in homes up north as well as the low humidity, mild weather (75° and 30% being about normal for Vancouver in the summer) means people want to get out of their hot homes and go play baseball, golf, go swimming, go bicycling, jog, a day hiking. In Houston you tend to stay indoors in the air conditioning during May-September because it's just too darn hot and humid. Houston has the same dew points as Key West, Florida. Except Houston doesn't have the ocean breeze surrounding the city. It's just never ending concrete.

Mind you the wintertime in Houston is nice. Verrrrrry nice. It's a trade off. You don't drive unless you have A/C. Your car is always hot. But then again, I don't miss scraping windshields and waiting for the defrost to kick in.

I drove through Colorado on the way down here. Lovely state from start to finish. Easily the prettiest. Something for everybody. Fort Collins and especially Colorado Springs could easily be my new home. I phoned my wife in Denver at 5PM to give her an update of where I was and how the trip was going. You should have seen the look on her face when I showed up at our front door in Houston the next day at noon. HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET HERE ALREADY? She didn't think I'd be home until the evening or possibly the morning after that.

I can pretty much guarantee that you'd like Austin, TX. The way I see it, Vancouver is to Houston what Victoria is to Austin. Austin is definitely the prettier city compared to Houston. Better roads, more swimming, more jogging trails, a more layed back lifestyle. More liberal than Houston, that's for sure. But this is still Texas you gotta remember. Austin is more expensive by Texas standards when it comes to housing. But still very cheap compared to California or BC. All my Austin friends say their neighbourhoods are full of Californians. And that they see U-hauls with California license plates all the time.

The interesting thing about Colorado is that due to the elevation, it gets cold at night. Even in the summer. And it might snow all night, but melt before the morning is done. The UV is higher due to the elevation, so snow melts VERY quick. All you need to do is make a few holes in your snow covered driveway and then the sun will heat up your driveway enough to melt the rest. And even though the temp might say 75°, it feels much warmer due to the high UV rating.

I'd love to give Alaska a shot. I love wood stoves and hot chocolate, large yards, the real independent spirit of the place. Getting away from the hussle and bussle of big city living. Going fishing. Strangely enough there are more Corvettes in Alaska than any other state. Go figure.

Funny that you should mention the corvettes in Alaska. I had a 77 until last summer. There are tons of them, but the problem is there really aren't many places to drive them! That and the season only goes from about middle of May until September. I actually saw a lamborghini the other day. Must be someone who works for an oil company.

Colorado Springs is such a nice place, and it only took me a day and a half (long days, mind you) to drive to Calgary back in 1995. You're right about the UV rating though. Crazy weather there...I remember watching an Air Force football game in September and it was 100 degrees, then it snowed the next day!

Good analogy between Victoria and Austin. I was pleasantly surprised by Victoria's music scene when I was there last April. And Austin's music goes without saying, but I really liked how everyone was so friendly there.

Come on up to Alaska...there are tons of Texas Ex's here already. You may have to dig out your old hockey stick to hack the ice off your windshield, though...

[Texanadian 10]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/alaska/2320...your-car-2.html (read the 2nd post)

I know Anchorage isn't NEARLY as cold as Fairbanks. But I get a kick out of reading about what the people in Fairbanks have to go through to start their cars. Turn stalks breaking off from being frozen. Radio dials breaking. Seat feeling like a brick.

I can only imagine what kind of molasses sludge the engine oils turn to when it's below -40°F outside.

However, I miss having a wood stove in TX. There's just no point. I think we used about $20 of heat last winter. Once you've had a catalytic wood stove, you don't want to use anything else. They're not only more comfortable, consistent, and cleaner. But the actual flame they produce is much different from a regular non-catalytic stove. Less flame. But the wood glows like it's nuclear orange due to the higher temperature of the catalyst. I find it fascinating. No smoke from the chimney, no burning wood smell outside.

Houston to Anchorage....now there is a difference.

Edited July 24, 2008 by Texanadian

[KarenCee 3]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/alaska/2320...your-car-2.html (read the 2nd post)

I know Anchorage isn't NEARLY as cold as Fairbanks. But I get a kick out of reading about what the people in Fairbanks have to go through to start their cars. Turn stalks breaking off from being frozen. Radio dials breaking. Seat feeling like a brick.

I can only imagine what kind of molasses sludge the engine oils turn to when it's below -40°F outside.

However, I miss having a wood stove in TX. There's just no point. I think we used about $20 of heat last winter. Once you've had a catalytic wood stove, you don't want to use anything else. They're not only more comfortable, consistent, and cleaner. But the actual flame they produce is much different from a regular non-catalytic stove. Less flame. But the wood glows like it's nuclear orange due to the higher temperature of the catalyst. I find it fascinating. No smoke from the chimney, no burning wood smell outside.

Houston to Anchorage....now there is a difference.

Hmmm....so where would be a happy medium? I grew up on wood heat...miss it sometimes. Electric heat just doesn't get it when it gets really cold outside (and yes, it can get pretty cold in GA...at least to me it does ) I don't mind snow so much, but not so sure I'd want so much that I'd have to dig my way out just to go outside. I can acclimate to most any conditions...at least I *think* I could. I do know my asthma would appreciate a different environment. Frozen cars in the morning...hmmm, would have to think on that one a bit. So what does one do about that sort of thing...plug them in overnight to a heater system in the garage...and what if one doesn't have a garage?

Georgia to Anchorage...now THAT would be a difference too!

Oh I'm all for moving anywhere...Joel is too for that matter. He likes it here in GA but you know...it's always greener on the other side.

[Texanadian 10]

Anchorage isn't actually that cold. It can be colder in Salt Lake City than it is in Anchorage. Now Fairbanks, that's like moving to Antarctica. REAL cold there. Minnesota is colder than Alaska quite frequently.

KarenCee, all sorts of things you can do for your car. The engine block heater is the easiest solution. Cheap to run, works like a hot damn. Better for the environment, better for your car, better fuel economy, and faster heat. But there are insulated battery blankets, plug in battery heaters. Some people have circulating heaters in their cars that pump coolant through out the system while their car is outside. They can blow hot air into the car to defrost the windows before you get in.

The catalytic wood stoves of today aren't like the wood stoves you had when you were a kid. They use way less wood for starters. My Dad uses 1/3rd as much wood with his catalytic stove as he did with his 15 year old wood stove that he replaced. (Wood is his only source of heat, no electric heat, no gas)

As far as weather goes, your choice really. Colorado, Southern Alaska, Whitehorse if you want to live in Canada. Of course ol Fuzzness gets plenty of cold weather around where he's from.

I hear you on the asthma. Everybody I know who moved to Houston tells me they never had allergies until they moved here. LOL

Eric_and_Corinna, you've lived EVERYWHERE!

If I had to pick another place in the US to move to. I'd pick CO, AK, or NH. Actually now that I think about it, Lake Tahoe would be a nice bend of awesome summers and snowy winters. Lots of beach front and mountains. Do a Google Image search on Lake Tahoe. Beautiful. Just gorgeous.

[jundp 191]

I love the cold!! One can always make themselves warmer when its cold outside. But not much ya can do when its hot and muggy besides turn on the AC!!

or run in the street naked and scare the neighbors ... I mean, that's what I've heard

That was you?!

I'd like to give Alaska a shot too, but honestly, this is pretty much the best place I've ever lived...

[Eric_and_Corinna 0]

Yeah, being a "suitcase" hockey player will get you to a lot of places for short periods of time. I liked most places I was at, but Bakersfield California would be one place I wouldn't recommend!

But... another great place is Boise, Idaho. I know Idaho is the last place anyone would expect, but I was there for a week in 2000, and the place was like Pleasantville! Everyone said hi on the street, no one littered, or crossed against the lights, or swore in public...it was crazy!

They have nice weather since they're kind of in the desert, lakes and mountains nearby, lots of IT and financial businesses are putting roots there. You could fish the streams right in the middle of town. Airport connections to Salt Lake and Seattle.

They have winters too...

Wow...all the choices...