Best place to live and mountain bike????

[Memo]

do you know costa rica?

[LMN]

Originally Posted by jasevr4

I'm heading to BC to find out what all the hype is about next year, but if you're looking at changing country at all, check out Canberra, Australia.

You know it is not just hype.

I have ridden in a lot of the big riding places in the US (Fruita, Park City, Kingdom Trails Vermont) and have been disappointed. The riding was good, about average for any backwater town in BC.

When you go to good riding places like Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver-Pemberton (it would take months to ride 1/2 the trails there), the Interior it will blow you away.

Building trails is part of mountain biking in BC. Just about every single town has somebody in it who spends hours and hours building.

[CanOnlyRide]

I need to make a trip to BC for real...

[rancidmeat1]

I love Sedona, AZ. I've lived here my whole life and the outdoor possibilities are endless. Climbing, hiking, biking year round. Swimming and cliff jumping in the summer. Snow boarding an hour away in Flag in the winter (without having to deal with living in flags severe cold and wind). Sure it gets warm in the summer, but Flag is only 45 minutes away. The single track is incredible, enough to keep you busy for a long time. Very few rainy days, blue sky's forever...... and oak creek canyon

[jasevr4]

Originally Posted by LMN

You know it is not just hype.

Can't wait man.

Also.. stoked on building too! In Aus maybe one in every 100 mountain bikers are ready to dig for somewhere to ride. Maybe even less.

Still, I'm digging for the greater good and hoping others will follow. Sounds like I might get on well with the locals.

[ilostmypassword]

Originally Posted by jasevr4

I'm heading to BC to find out what all the hype is about next year, but if you're looking at changing country at all, check out Canberra, Australia.

....and then keep on going to New Zealand

[spencerfrater1]

I don't think anybody has mentioned Wales.

8 decent mountain biking bases, and 5 full-on mountain biking centres with some of the best all-weather trails in the UK. Plus hundreds of square miles of national parks, mountains, valleys and hundreds of miles of coastline and natural singletrack. Fabulous people as well.

(Ok, so it does rain a bit...)

[The Prodigal Son]

Learned to ride in Northern California. Had to haul the bike to get to average trails. The economy is going to take decades to recover and the burdens on taxpayers will be enormous.

Moved to Boise for more trails and less people / traffic. Boise had a long cold winter season and the summers were too hot. The town sits at 2700 feet and tree line is at 5400. Summer riding means triple digit temps and no trees to provide any shade.

Traveled around North America searching for that ideal mountain biking destination.

Looked at Durango. Liked it but the trails were spread out just enough you had to haul your bike or shuttle rides. And look how Colorado gets so many huge snowstorms, even in September or late spring. I don't ski and want to be out on my bike, not shoveling 44 inches of snow off the driveway.

Visited friends in Albuquerque and did some rides. Way too hot. Way too much crime. Trails were below average.

Planned to spend a couple years in Costa Rica to see if we could make it there. Never made it. I saw where someone poked their head into MTBR and suggested riders head to Costa Rica to do the big coast-to-coast race. Those that have done it say less than 1% of it is single track. In Costa Rica, you ride muddy eroded roads, if you want to ride.

Like St. George in shoulder seasons, same as Fruita. Both have outstanding riding in the spring and fall when the weather is perfect. Big thumbs up. Also ridden in Park City, Brian Head and Thunder Mountain. All great weekend destinations that I would not enjoy living in year round.

Took a couple long (10,000 mile+) road trips to the eastern U.S. There was almost nothing worth riding from Texas to Florida, in the south. Enjoyed a couple rides in Georgia and North Carolina. Friends tell me West Virginia has some fine riding. We were lucky to ride in the spring, before the humidity and the insects got bad. Summer heat and humidity ruled out most of the eastern states, for me.

Swung through Wisconsin a half dozen times. Rode up north in Chequamegon, as well as outside Madison, on the Kettle Morraine trails. Both were fun beginner trails that may be the best available riding. When you ride trails that are one-way only or are primarily cross-country ski courses, you are not really riding mountain bike trails.

Really enjoyed riding the Womble Trail in western Arkansas. I bet it is unbearably hot and humid during the summer and who would want to live in Arkansas?

Rode a bit in Montana and North Dakota. You don't know what cold is until you've been trapped in those places in winter.

Spent a couple weeks riding in various locations in Western Canada ( Vancouver, Deep Cove, Whistler, Revelstoke, Banff). It was all good. Check that, it was fantastic. Beautiful sites and great trails. I could live in Vancouver, or near the ocean where it isn't quite so cold in winter.

I have had some of the best rides ever in Washington (Lewis River, Ape Canyon, Plains Of Abraham). Someone has posted already regarding property taxes there. I had no idea they jack you so bad up there. Deal breaker.

Arizona? Sure. great trails and a mix of weather. Full disclosure; I've lived in Flagstaff since '96. I think this is one of the top five places to live and ride. I don't care much for riding in Sedona, but I do my share when the snow gets deep (Flagstaff gets and average of 100" of snow each winter). Sedona is close, and 3000 feet lower in elevation, but the trails are disjointed, sometimes described as 50 different half-mile long trails, formerly laid out for hiking, awkwardly tied together. You have a lot of steps and drops and too tight turns and sandy washes and short steep ups with rock ledges, cactus everywhere. I purposely joined a group of very skilled free riders one morning to see how they endured the trails. In 2.5 hours of riding, we had barely covered 11 miles, dismounted our bikes over two dozen times to hike out of washes, and stopped to rest every 3 miles, along with the mandatory pot smoke break. In a word, BORING.

Two months ago I spent another long vacation in the northwest, riding in Washington and Central Oregon. It is mountain bike heaven. Trails were challenging, but well maintained and sustainable. Great local volunteer organizations. Constant additions are being made to the already huge number of system trails. Forest Service partners are more accommodating than any other place I've been. There seems to be whitewater rapids and waterfalls on every ride we went on. Spectacular scenery. And places like Bend only get 35" of snow each winter, while the ski resort nearby gets an average of 350"! We loved it enough to contact a real estate broker. We just have to find jobs in a place with 15% unemployment.

The answer to the question of where to find the best mountain biking destination, along with a certain job and a few other activities, is best answered with some type of compromise, where you endure some winter weather in order to have perfect summer temps.

After reading all of the suggestions posted here, I think the perfect solution, the very best choice of where to live is to either get a job that will allow you to move around during the year, or work your ass off and pay off your home and retire early. That way you can live in the perfect mountain biking destination with no compromising. You spend your summers in North America ( BC, Bend, Flagstaff, Durango, Park City, Oakridge) and you pack your bags and head to New Zealand or Austrailia or South America during our winter months. I met a man from Deep Cove, BC, a few years back who told me that he takes of around the end of November and lives in Puerto Vallarta during the winter months. The riding is below average there but I bet the ocean and coastal range and the food and temps make it all worth while.

[rancidmeat1]

Originally Posted by

[B

Arizona[/b]? Sure. great trails and a mix of weather. Full disclosure; I've lived in Flagstaff since '96. I think this is one of the top five places to live and ride. I don't care much for riding in Sedona, but I do my share when the snow gets deep (Flagstaff gets and average of 100" of snow each winter). Sedona is close, and 3000 feet lower in elevation, but the trails are disjointed, sometimes described as 50 different half-mile long trails, formerly laid out for hiking, awkwardly tied together. You have a lot of steps and drops and too tight turns and sandy washes and short steep ups with rock ledges, cactus everywhere. I purposely joined a group of very skilled free riders one morning to see how they endured the trails. In 2.5 hours of riding, we had barely covered 11 miles, dismounted our bikes over two dozen times to hike out of washes, and stopped to rest every 3 miles, along with the mandatory pot smoke break. In a word, BORING.

.

Hmm.. interesting. I hear alot of complaints about sedona, something I've never really been able to understand. Sure our trails are rugged, steep, rocky, and washed out in some areas, but for the most part they are TONS of fun. You may end up walking some areas, but I guarantee that you will be a much better technical rider after a week in sedona. There are many different trails in the area, but you can literally ride around the entire town if you like, something that speaks to how interconnected they are. Maybe its because this is my home base that I love it so much . You have to work harder here, but its worth it.

[Jayem]

Originally Posted by rancidmeat1

Hmm.. interesting. I hear alot of complaints about sedona, something I've never really been able to understand. Sure our trails are rugged, steep, rocky, and washed out in some areas, but for the most part they are TONS of fun. You may end up walking some areas, but I guarantee that you will be a much better technical rider after a week in sedona. There are many different trails in the area, but you can literally ride around the entire town if you like, something that speaks to how interconnected they are. Maybe its because this is my home base that I love it so much . You have to work harder here, but its worth it.

Well, there are places in AZ that have that level or much greater in terms of technical, but they are more sustained climbs and descents, which is fun and allows you to get into a climbing/descending groove IMO. I like Sedona, but I like other places in AZ better. I'm with Prodigal Son in terms of when it gets really cold (go to Sedona), but living in Prescott I don't have the same problems with the winter riding as he does. If the trails in Sedona covered a few thousand vertical at the same time as they covered the lateral distance, then I'd be all over it. The wilderness area limitations keep it from ever being on the same scale as Moab. Moab has similer riding, just on a much bigger scale, that's why Sedona will always be a nice distraction for me rather than a premier destination.

[amillmtb]

The rockies/west coast have some of the best riding I have ever done. But, there have not been too many posts repping the east coast. I live in Pittsburgh, PA and the riding has greatly expanded over the last year. Some of the trails have gone through a transformation into even better riding trails and new trails are popping up in some of the parks every day. It seems like every few months there is a new riding group, and even more frequently those same groups are building and cleaning up the trails. One of the biggest riding parks in the city has been rated as one of the top 10 inner-city riding spots in the country by one of the mtb magazines (cant remember which one). Also, there is a lot of great riding in the surrounding counties too. A drive that is less than an hour from the city gets you to the chair lift aided trails of Seven Springs. Not only do they have a DH course, but about 13 miles of single track that hosts a 24 hr race every labor day weekend. Check out some of the maps of the trails on the shop's web site that I work at:

http://www.probikesllc.com/trails.html

[rancidmeat1]

Originally Posted by Jayem

Well, there are places in AZ that have that level or much greater in terms of technical, but they are more sustained climbs and descents, which is fun and allows you to get into a climbing/descending groove IMO. I like Sedona, but I like other places in AZ better. I'm with Prodigal Son in terms of when it gets really cold (go to Sedona), but living in Prescott I don't have the same problems with the winter riding as he does. If the trails in Sedona covered a few thousand vertical at the same time as they covered the lateral distance, then I'd be all over it. The wilderness area limitations keep it from ever being on the same scale as Moab. Moab has similer riding, just on a much bigger scale, that's why Sedona will always be a nice distraction for me rather than a premier destination.

I can understand that, there certainly aren't any massive dh sections. However, Flag being only 45 minutes away gives us that option, plus cooler temps in the summer. I don't think I'd travel across the country to ride here, but it kicks ass being able to ride nearly every trail system with only having to ride 100 yrds of road. I rarely, if ever, have to drive to a trailhead. I just get on my bike and go. I haven't done much riding in prescott, I'd like to get over there sometime soon. Any recommendations?

[davidarnott]

Hell Hole Coulee is the most evil wicked dangerous horrible desolate empty terrifying awful snake infested wolf lion and bear guarded place on the entire planet of earth. That's why NOBODY is there. Ever.

Originally Posted by ionsmuse

This may be true, but the best mountain biking on earth is found on the Colorado Plateau. There is no arguing that.

[insanitylevel9]

Alaska never lived there but the pics of peoples ride look amazing and imagine all the places to ride with the mountains and the size of the state. secondly India with the Himalayas and stuff.

[wickerman1]

West Washington State or BC Canada. both have amazing trails, in BC here we have the North Shore, less than 2hrs from Whistler, tons of xc if that's your thing, tons of freeride if that's your thing, tons of trekking type riding if you want, hiking galore, skiing galore, kayaking, a lot of that too, anything you want it is here... not too many places on this planet that has an ocean, rain forest and mountains within a small vacinity .

[Brentster]

My first true mountain bike experience was in Sedona. We were there on vacation about 12 years ago and I decided to rent a full suspension bike - which I had never ridden on before. (It was a nice Marin). At the bike shop, there were a few people heading out and they let me tag along to Soldiers Pass and I had the time of my life. I've been hooked ever since.

The thing that sticks out in my mind the most was this 50 foot sink hole that a trail headed straght to. There were no warning signs that I remember and if you would have flown off the edge, you would NOT have wanted to survive.

We also took a helicopter and glider ride. I'll never forget Sedona.

[capefear69]

Originally Posted by brado1

Western North Carolina, cuz it's good

Yep, hard to beat Western North Carolina...

[roc865]

Originally Posted by CanOnlyRide

I need to make a trip to BC for real...

same here but their warm season is so damn short. i could visit but for that reason alone i couldn't live there.

[big_slacker]

One more vote for my home, south lake tahoe.

Riding: World class. While there is no such thing as "best", anyone who has ridden here knows whats up. XC, downhill, whatever. Also from a convenience standpoint its hard to beat. Every trailhead is a 10 minute drive, some are riding distance depending on your location. And during the winter you can always day trip anywhere in norcal.

Other outdoor activities: Rock climbing is big, hiking, camping, fishing..... Oh yeah, and what has to be the most ski resorts per capita about anywhere.

People/social stuff: Super friendly and down to earth. Snowboard slackers to party with if you're young, older established folks who still like to party if you're not young. Casinos and nightclubs, live music at the bars. You can find something any night of the week.

Money: Nevada side has no state income taxes. You can get a nice condo in the 1k a month range, a decent house with a garage between 1300 and 1500. If you decide you want to buy prices are lower than they been for years right now.

Jobs: A little spotty if you're a professional. It is a small town after all. But if you can work at any hospital there is barton in town, several in carson 25 minutes down the hill and reno is close as well.

[ilostmypassword]

Originally Posted by davidarnott

Hell Hole Coulee is the most evil wicked dangerous horrible desolate empty terrifying awful snake infested wolf lion and bear guarded place on the entire planet of earth. That's why NOBODY is there. Ever.

That's a nice hill.

[mealsonwheels]

Bend has been on my list of places to consider should we decide to leave San Diego but I've heard people complain that while the singletrack is plentiful and flowy, it lacks technical riding. While I've visited Bend I didn't ride there. Is that a valid complaint or are there technical trails in/near Bend?

[dft]

Originally Posted by Jayem

Well, there are places in AZ that have that level or much greater in terms of technical, but they are more sustained climbs and descents, which is fun and allows you to get into a climbing/descending groove IMO. I like Sedona, but I like other places in AZ better. I'm with Prodigal Son in terms of when it gets really cold (go to Sedona), but living in Prescott I don't have the same problems with the winter riding as he does. If the trails in Sedona covered a few thousand vertical at the same time as they covered the lateral distance, then I'd be all over it. The wilderness area limitations keep it from ever being on the same scale as Moab. Moab has similer riding, just on a much bigger scale, that's why Sedona will always be a nice distraction for me rather than a premier destination.

yea, i agree. I'm kinda of a "greedy" rider. my optimal type of riding is all up, then all down (or at least setions of like 800 feet vert minimum), i love the big vertical descents. granted, i do like the technical aspects of sedona riding, but too much up/down/up/down for my tastes. i like goat camp-somo much better and think i would like elden and mingus alot also. i'm from socal, we got nice 3500 foot fireroad grind ups, then big descents. (the main reason i don't like up-down-up-down is i like to slam my seat for descents (yes i know about remote seatposts, but that still isn't that flowy))

[wickerman1]

Originally Posted by roc865

same here but their warm season is so damn short. i could visit but for that reason alone i couldn't live there.

hehe not this year. The sun came out in late april, and was hot and sunny all summer up until about a month ago. Even now we are getting rain, but only a couple days here and there, that's it...fantastic riding year. Even when it isn't hot it's always comfortable to ride here... not too cold and not insanely hot...

[stevesbike]

Santa Monica mountains in LA is superb - 365 days/year riding, 100's of miles of everything from technical singletrack to steep fireroads in 150,000 acres. Typical ride from my back door is a 20 mile loop with just over 5,000 feet of climbing (pic with singletrack in the distance).

[wickerman1]

Originally Posted by LMN

You know it is not just hype.

I have ridden in a lot of the big riding places in the US (Fruita, Park City, Kingdom Trails Vermont) and have been disappointed. The riding was good, about average for any backwater town in BC.

When you go to good riding places like Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver-Pemberton (it would take months to ride 1/2 the trails there), the Interior it will blow you away.

Building trails is part of mountain biking in BC. Just about every single town has somebody in it who spends hours and hours building.

yeah women riders here , a lot of them wear t-shirts saying" I like 8 inches in the rear". Also check out a local women's DH/FR group here www.muddbunnies.com. A lot of these women put a lot of guys to shame riding, incl myself.

[buddhak]

Originally Posted by Brentster

This is indeed an interesting thread, but considering that it was started over 2 years ago, we can only hope that the OP has found a job by now - and not gotten laid off already.

Whoopsie daisies. I jumped like a lemming into that one.

[davidarnott]

That is not actually Hell Hole Coulee. That is Hell Hill. Hell Hill is nice. It has buff buff singletrack and lots of college girls riding it in skirts. The weather is always fine and there are no lions bears or wolves prowling about in the trees hoping for a quick snack. The cows give organic free range cream that's just right for a dark roast of coffee. There is no problem getting work here. But beyond that people don't even work. They just ride bikes all day long and then drink all night with the college girls. The college girls milk the cows. They are coed milkmaids. And the men drink coffee, ride singletrack, breed milkmaids and drink all night. Also they sleep. And so that would be a good place to move all right except that I lost the directions to Hell Hill and now I can't find it anymore.

Originally Posted by ilostmypassword

That's a nice hill.

[roc865]

Originally Posted by big_slacker

One more vote for my home, south lake tahoe.

Riding: World class. While there is no such thing as "best", anyone who has ridden here knows whats up. XC, downhill, whatever. Also from a convenience standpoint its hard to beat. Every trailhead is a 10 minute drive, some are riding distance depending on your location. And during the winter you can always day trip anywhere in norcal.

Other outdoor activities: Rock climbing is big, hiking, camping, fishing..... Oh yeah, and what has to be the most ski resorts per capita about anywhere.

People/social stuff: Super friendly and down to earth. Snowboard slackers to party with if you're young, older established folks who still like to party if you're not young. Casinos and nightclubs, live music at the bars. You can find something any night of the week.

Money: Nevada side has no state income taxes. You can get a nice condo in the 1k a month range, a decent house with a garage between 1300 and 1500. If you decide you want to buy prices are lower than they been for years right now.

Jobs: A little spotty if you're a professional. It is a small town after all. But if you can work at any hospital there is barton in town, several in carson 25 minutes down the hill and reno is close as well.

it does sound nice over there minus the snow but i need top notch medical facilities cus i'm a bit f*cked up.

[atrophy]

I'd definitely vote for Reno. I am in the medical profession too. Renown hospital is excellent. But after 3 months when you're bored with work, you can ride all winter except for a couple of weeks in Reno, with great trails. Then when summer hits and the snow melts, it doesn't get any better than Tahoe. Every ride is epic. The trails are endless. Enjoy a post ride burrito on the shores of Lake Tahoe watching CA girls walk by in their bikinis.
Unbelievable race schedule in Reno and Tahoe, both road and mtn bike. The skiing is great. If you have any desire to get superfit, you can race the nordic skis in the winter. The nordic race scene in Tahoe is unbeatable, and you can enjoy the same wilderness, only quieter and even more mythical.

I ride in Flagstaff and Prescott alot. The riding is great. But nothing like Reno/Tahoe

[zarr]

Your hometown, places you visit...anywhere you got your bike, a trail...and most importantly your good friends. Who could ask for more.

[longhaultrucker]

Originally Posted by Jayem

Manhatten

[Reposado Man]

I'll throw in another vote for Santa Cruz. Trails are ridable 85% of the year, can surf in the morning and ride in the afternoon.. Diverse community, reasonable access to good-paying jobs over the hill.

I'll admit the trails arent the gnarliest around, but in terms of sheer enjoyment and pleasure, they're right up there.

[batorok]

While the original poster's long gone, I'm following this thread closely, while not hospital based I'm in the medical field and live to ride... I'm currently in New Zealand, and have to say, if you can afford to live here, the riding is varied and like north of the border the lack of lawsuits keeps the jumpers and downhillers happy, and if you don't mind mud you can ride year round most places. Given the choice, I'd probably live on the South Island, though the North Island has some awesome riding as well.

Sadly, I probably can't afford to stay forever, so I'm looking at Denver (Golden sounds like the best for out of your door riding) or perhaps Fort Collins or Co. Springs, also Boise ID, and Salem, OR (can you say Black Rock?), and look forward to more posts!