Thinking of switching to Region 5

[Max Wedge]

More specifically, NC. How is the riding weather in the winter months? I'm stuck in the perpetually economic depressed state of MI, but the wife and kiddies would like to move south.

Anybody looking to hire a 45 year old non-degreed catia automotive engineer firefighter EMT who would love to ride all day (or most of it) for a living?

[waz]

I live in the mountains near Asheville.  

The thing about winter weather here is, unlike the frozen north, it might get cold for a few days, it might even snow, but then warms up a couple of days later.  I grew up in Pennsylvania, and when it got cold in November, it stayed cold until April or May; not in Dixie (anymore).

There are plenty of days in the 50s or even low 60s during the bleakest of winter months, and I ride throughout the winter months.  

Not to turn this into a political thread, but its definitely getting warmer here; I used to cancel my motorcycle insurance in October or so, and it would snow a lot in Asheville.  Last winter we got less than an inch of snow, IIRC, and I love snow.

Oh well, its not all bad: we'll have oceanfront property once the ice caps melt!

[technut]

I live about 50 miles from charlotte and we ride for about 9 months out of a year. Today is supposed to approx. 70 degrees today, maybe even warmer this weekend.

[Trickyrick]

Company I work for is going to catia to design the next generation of ships for the Navy and are looking for people with experience.  But we are in South Mississippi (Pascagoula) and Louisana (New Orleans).  We have about 3 or 4 days a year below freezing but summers are in the mid to high 90's and 100% humidity.  And every once in a while a hurricane raises cane with us.

[jed]

Check out the Atlanta and Charlotte burbs too.  Atlanta is still going strong although the Ford plant did just close.  You could live in the Canton area and be 20 minutes from the mountains and 45 minutes from downtown ATL.  Right now it's about 55 degrees and foggy.  Summers are hot and winters are mild.  Any snow on the ground here closes schools and snarls traffic.  You could ride year round no problems.  Siemens and IBM have big operations on the north side of ATL.

Peachtree City which is on the south side of ATL has some big manufacturing centers like TDK, Cooper Lighting, and some others.  They've broken ground on a Kia plant in West Point which is a little south of here.  BMW has a plant in Spartenburg SC as well.  Yamaha has a plant here in town that does 4x4s and golf carts.  I don't think you'd have much trouble in this area if you were looking this far south of NC.

[Raptor]

I live in Johnson City, TN...nice town w/ first class Med Center and a university.  Winters are milder now than when I first moved here 11 yrs ago (abt 16 inches snow total for the year is probably average).  I can ride thru mid-Dec and start riding again in Feb.  And, throw in a few bonus riding days in January to boot.

Very close to many great motorcycle roads in TN, VA and NC.  Only problem riding thru the mountains in Dec, Jan and Feb is salt/sand on the roads...yuck!  

EDIT:  Check out Shady Valley and Blue Ridge Parkway...great rides!  

[jed]

JC, no kidding? My wife's father is from there and still lives there.  I haven't been up in a while but we go to Boone lake in the summers sometimes.

[farmer fred]

More specifically, NC. How is the riding weather in the winter months? I'm stuck in the perpetually economic depressed state of MI, but the wife and kiddies would like to move south.

Anybody looking to hire a 45 year old non-degreed catia automotive engineer firefighter EMT who would love to ride all day (or most of it) for a living?

No state income tax in Tennessee, and no annual property tax tagging a bike, although locally we just got an annual "wheel tax."

[Sickboy]

Asheville, NC here. I ride year 'round but it's hardcore in the winter. However, it's in the 60s this week, so no prob.

[tbzep]

No state income tax in Tennessee, and no annual property tax tagging a bike, although locally we just got an annual "wheel tax."

That's true but we suffer one of the higher sales tax rates in the nation, averaging around 9.75%.

[Raptor]

JC, no kidding? My wife's father is from there and still lives there.  I haven't been up in a while but we go to Boone lake in the summers sometimes.

Yep!  We live in JoCy.  I'm a born and raised Texan but gotta tell ya, I love East Tennessee.  And, we tell all our friends/family in Texas that the nicest thing abt East Tennessee is North Carolina!  

[farmer fred]

That's true but we suffer one of the higher sales tax rates in the nation, averaging around 9.75%.

But thanks to our fine congresspersons, we can deduct it from our federal taxes again this year.

[CafeTBird]

North Carolina is year around riding weather.  As has been said, a few cool days, but nothing like Michigan.  LOL - I lived in Wisco for 4 years, there is NOTHING hard core about the riding weather in NC....

Charlotte has an excellent economy - it would be a great place to relocate and find work.  Raleigh Durham has a good enonomy too, but it is kinda flat there, and a far piece from the hills.....

[jed]

Yep!  We live in JoCy.  I'm a born and raised Texan but gotta tell ya, I love East Tennessee.  And, we tell all our friends/family in Texas that the nicest thing abt East Tennessee is North Carolina!  

Know any of the Jones clan by any chance?  That would be one half of my in laws.  The ones that used to be with the paper that is.

[Max Wedge]

Asheville, NC here. I ride year 'round but it's hardcore in the winter. However, it's in the 60s this week, so no prob.

Isn't Asheville also known as Mayberry RFD? I would love to live there. My sister went through there this year ( http://lifeandpiffle.blogspot.com/ ) and it is her dream place to live.  Riding year round, especially compared to Mi where I ride if its over 38 degrees, sounds like a slice of heaven. Hmmm..

How many engineering type jobs in the area? At this point I wouldn't hate getting out of automotive.

[White Lightning]

East TN & NC have excellent roads.  Fortunately I don't live to far (4-5 hrs) but I would gladly move there if that's where the money was calling.  Sadly though that would be here in Northern Alabama, but life is good & I have my fun and we can ride year round here, next week mid 60's to 70.  Going to NC to buy a dirt bike tommorrow, I wish I could fit three bikes in my truck (Yamaha wr400f, honda crf50 & the VFR), I would swing by the gap.

[TRaGiK]

I live in central NC (45 minutes from Raleigh) and the weather is pretty good in the winter. The highs during the winter are usually in the upper 40's to 50's. Even in the middle of February, it isn't uncommon to see temps in the 60's for one or two days.

The bad thing is, it's hot and humid in the Summer. Like, upper 90's at times, with what feels like 110 percent freaking humidity.

Unfortunately (for me), about 99 percent of the good roads are in the western part of the state. There's only a handful of curvy roads in the rest of the state.

[zero]

Isn't Asheville also known as Mayberry RFD? I would love to live there. My sister went through there this year ( http://lifeandpiffle.blogspot.com/ ) and it is her dream place to live.  Riding year round, especially compared to Mi where I ride if its over 38 degrees, sounds like a slice of heaven. Hmmm..

How many engineering type jobs in the area? At this point I wouldn't hate getting out of automotive.

Mt. Airy is Mayberry. But Asheville is great. It has great food, great riding, and good skiing in the winter. But anywhere close to western NC is a good place to choose. As for the weather, it's supposed to be @ 70 where I'm at today.

[Raptor]

Know any of the Jones clan by any chance?  That would be one half of my in laws.  The ones that used to be with the paper that is.

Oddly enough, I was in the "first class medical facility" w/ John.  My wife did some jobs for Janet.  

[jed]

Oddly enough, I was in the "first class medical facility" w/ John.  My wife did some jobs for Janet.  

Small world!  Cotty (Johnny's brother) is my father in law.  I've always liked Johnny.  He's my wife's favorite from that side of the family.