Discussion Board

Think about your choices.

Would you like to live in a place that is great for walking? See

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/ ... or-walking

If you live in a place that is really great for walking, you could live well without your own vehicle (as do many here in China) and live a greener, healthier life.

What place will you pick or have your picked?

Never mind after retirement. There is a supermarket 1.2 miles down the road from me. It is a busy main street and there are no pavements. Not even a decent berm for biking. It would be worth my life to walk to the market. It would be great if I could walk to the market as I seem to run out of stuff every three hours. (not very efficient am I?) In order to walk, I have to drive between two and five miles into to town, either for an outdoor walk on sidewalks or an indoor walk at a small mall in bad weather.

My daughter lives in a town with a couple of parks with wonderful walking paths but not many other conveniences. What we all need is a place with both. Apparently there are some places that are being built or redesigned to have both conveniences and shopping and a plan conducive to natural exercise.

Didi

I visited Portland, OR a number of years ago and I was impressed with the number of options you had at your disposal to get around the city without a car (walk, bike, buses and train). I don't know if I would like the weather, but it is a beautiful city.

Michael

I'm seriously thinking of Ashville, NC in about 10 years time.
Kate

All I know is I want to get out of California! Although with 23 years yet to work, I have looked too hard yet. I have considered Montana and Belize as two possible areas I would like to move. Not sure I can convince my wife moving out of the country is the right way to go, but everything I have read, Belize is a great retirement area. Montana might pass, but I hear winters can get a bit chilly.

I can't imagine moving someplace just to retire. If I ever get to retire (which seems unlikely), I'll do it on my own farm, right where I'm living now!

So what draws you to Asheville? I've never been there, but it is a place I think about visiting, perhaps retiring. Such a pretty part of the country. I applied for a job at Penland College a couple of years ago, (couldn't afford to make the move as the pay was a bit too low) and researched the area for housing, etc. I like that there is a pretty lively arts scene there. Not to mention great hiking, mountains, and a climate that is gentler, but still varied.

Asheville made our short list. It's a great large town/small city. Very walkable neighborhoods. Vegan food, co-ops, diverse population, incredible arts scene. Lots of outdoor and civic opportunities. Beautiful scenery.

However, we are moving to Southeastern Arizona in five weeks, because it's the realization of a long held dream. Still in a walkable town. Vegan food, co-op, diverse population, incredible arts scene. Lots of outdoor and civic opportunities. Beautiful scenery. Even found a CSA that we just joined!

I'm nowhere close to retirement age, but I can't wait. There are no guarantees in life. Losing my stepfather and FIL within three days of each other last year taught both my DH and I that we have to seize the day. So we are. This was well thought out and planned. We are ready to go.

Nomi,
That's so great that you and your husband had the courage to live out a dream now rather than waiting for later. Looking into the face of mortality can do that to a person...make them ready to seize the day! Good for you for turning a difficult season of your life into an opportunity to make life better.

My dh and I would like to move in 5-ish years, after our youngest goes to college. We have no idea where we'd like to move. We both grew up here and have lived here all of our lives. All of our family lives here. Our parents aren't getting any younger, and we don't have any idea where our kids will settle...but, still, we're ready for a change. I hope we can make it a reality sooner rather than later, like you, Nomi! I want to live someplace beautiful, someplace we can live a more natural and active lifestyle...I sometimes dream of living in Hawaii, but that seems too far away. IDK, it's fun to dream!

Everything you said. My brother lived in the area for several years before his marriage broke up and just loved it. I like that the weather is mild - but it still has seasons. I love Michigan, but I can't stand the cold winters. I like that Asheville is a veg-friendly community, that there are lots of places to walk, bike, white-water raft, hike and climb, and that there are cultural and historical places (Biltmore!) to visit. I think I would fit into the community as I would like to start a second career in nutritional consulting after I retire from chemisty. A good place for an old Hippie to retire . I see the local hotels are now doing 'Hunger Games' weekends, since that's where the movie was filmed, and I am considering an adventure weekend to checkout the area.
Kate

That sounds like a fun weekend. I've loved the geology of that area ever since "The Last of The Mohicans". About the 12th time I watched that movie, when Mogwa was leading Alice along that cliff trail, I thought 'if they can walk and film there, I should be able to hike there!' Been wanting to go there since then, but something (usually something financial) always gets in the way.

Also, as a spinner/weaver/knitter/designer I've thought there might be a place for me down there some day.

I have to move and am investigating moving from London to Oxford. I don't really want to be in London when I'm old and I don't want to wait until I retire to move away. I'll have to commute for my last working years but Oxford seems good for cycling and I want to be able to live somewhere where I can walk to the centre of town.

I've started doing viewings though not yet found a suitable property ... research is ongoing ...

One of the purposes of our RV "journey" is to find a place to spend our elder years. Haven't found "it" yet, but we sure are having an adventure looking for it! My in-laws had two places, one in their native Ohio for the summer, and the other in the Daytona Beach area for winter. Splitting like that is also being considered. I'd sure like a garden again.

We have been tossing around the idea of vacationing in Asheville this summer (never been). After reading this thread, it just moved to the top of the list. Sounds like a very cool city.

My husband and I would love to retire in a walkable city.

Really? I am so so California dreamin'....