Would like to relocate to PDX area

[anonymous user]

Hello.
I am currently living in Hawaii, and married a girl who has never lived anywhere else. I went to college in Olympia, WA. and was raised on the east coast.

Here's my question: If i were to find a job in portland area, how far would my commute be outside of that? Estacada looks really nice, is 25-30 miles commute way too far? Can anyone give me some towns outside radius no more than an hour commute?
Thank you!!

P.S.- Any advice getting the wifey over there is much appreciated!

[RogueYaris]

Why Portland? Just curious. The commute times can vary greatly, depending on if you take mass transit (the max, or w/e) or if you're taking 205 or i-5. The commute greatly depends on you, how long do you want to be in a car even before you get to work? Long commutes can ruin a day, especially if it's an hour in each direction. A 25-30 mile commute in portland could easily take an hour even during less than packed lanes.

As for the wife, is she a US citizen? If so, then there shouldn't be any problem as she can get the proper identification. If you're talking about you coming over and working then her coming over then the best bet would to be either:

A) You come over then have her come over on her own or just bring her with.

B) You come over then get the time to go back and hold her hand the whole way over.

C) (Not really an option) Tell her to swim. :D

Hope some of this helps, pm me if you need clarification.

[anonymous user]

Why Portland? Just curious. The commute times can vary greatly, depending on if you take mass transit (the max, or w/e) or if you're taking 205 or i-5. The commute greatly depends on you, how long do you want to be in a car even before you get to work? Long commutes can ruin a day, especially if it's an hour in each direction. A 25-30 mile commute in portland could easily take an hour even during less than packed lanes.

As for the wife, is she a US citizen? If so, then there shouldn't be any problem as she can get the proper identification. If you're talking about you coming over and working then her coming over then the best bet would to be either:

A) You come over then have her come over on her own or just bring her with.

B) You come over then get the time to go back and hold her hand the whole way over.

C) (Not really an option) Tell her to swim. :D

Hope some of this helps, pm me if you need clarification.

Yes, my wife was born and raised in hawaii (you made me laugh there). But she doesn't want to move.
Why portland? I dunno. I guess vancouver seemed to be too yuppy-ish.
I wanna get out of the rat race that is hawaii. Sell my townhome, and not buy a P.O.S. house for over $500k, on a tenth of an acre of land.
That I felt would be great in portland. Plus i wanna race more road courses, we have zero here.

As for my wife, she makes a lot more money than me sadly, she works in medicine. I think she could find work. I could also find employment with little problems as well i think.

[anonymous user]

I guess I wanted to see how happy you folks are that inhabit such a fine city.

[RogueYaris]

The most glaring issue that you have then is not the commute times or anything like that, it's getting your wife to move.

There is no real right way to do it. The best course of action that I could imagine is sitting down with her and telling her what your current situation is like (read: talking about "feelings"). My ex-fiance had issues about this sort of thing, I could never get it through to her how much I missed Germany (I'm not a national citizen there, just loved the place after living there for a couple years). She finally just took off the ring and gave it to me. Sweet freedom!

I digress. You could offer it up as a new adventure, something that you guys could try out. The offer would be that you guys come to the mainland for a certain amount of time like 3-5 years and if she's up for it, stay. Otherwise, have an agreement to pack up and move back to Hawaii. You never know, after 3-5 years you might be the one missing Hawaii.

[RogueYaris]

I guess I wanted to see how happy you folks are that inhabit such a fine city.

I don't live in P-town, I'm further south near the california border (hence the orefornia thing). I've been there a lot, sister lives there and it's one of the couple places that we're considering moving to after college.

[sqcomp]

Oooh...saying that Vancouver is more Yuppie-ish. Uhhh no. Vancouver is much like the East side of Portland. Yuppie is Lake Oswego, Beaverton, and the West hills.

Portland as a whole is a GREAT city. I've lived on the East Coast as well and I don't want to live anywhere else but here in the NW. Great people, safest drivers according to CNN last year, and great seasons (not too extreme). It is a bit rainy, but hey, green grass naturally. You've got skiing in the morning and a walk on the beach at night. You've also got the Bandon dunes if you like off roading. After that you've got the casinos to play at. Most people slow down a little up here, it's DEFINATELY not the Southern Cali vibe.

As for a house, oh boy. This IS the time to buy up here. I'll leave it at that.

Employment? Well, we have plenty of bio-tech, medical, and related industries up here. You mentioned Estacada? My dad used to live out there before he went to Alaska. I'll tell you this, it is out there. Instead of Estacada, I'd recommend Happy Valley or Sherwood.

You have something in your profile about Subaru...I'm about five minutes away from PDX Tuning. Actually, I was involved with a nice "little" Modified Magazine article last year on my friend's STi. There's a nice SCCA environment around, lotsa dragging...PDX Tuning will be THE hookup if you want to know about rally scene.

So! Live in Sherwood and you'll be about ten minutes away from one of the best Subie shops in the nation. You'll be close to Nike world headquarters, Intel, and many other techie places. There's work around but like everywhere, it's harder to come by these days.

[Yar Is Word]

Alert! Alert! Climate change ahead!
Portland is a multi-cultural city with anglos in power.

Resource list:
http://www.herring.org/portland.html

[sqcomp]

Looks like a good link.

Why would it matter if white people were in charge of the city or not? Maybe I'm naieve by asking.

One hint, DO NOT piss off the Portland Police Bureau. I work with them pretty closely. They'll go stormtrooper on your a$$ if there's any sign of bad intentions aimed at them...rightly so.

[Astroman]

I've lived in the Portland/Happy Valley/Milwaukie area since September and like it a lot. Have yet to actually go to the tracks here, but excited at the prospect. The last place I lived only had a 1/4 mile track, and the yaris isn't the ideal car for it, but it was fun. Kaiser Permanente hospital is close by where I live if you want to look into that place for the wife.

[anonymous user]

I've lived in the Portland/Happy Valley/Milwaukie area since September and like it a lot. Have yet to actually go to the tracks here, but excited at the prospect. The last place I lived only had a 1/4 mile track, and the yaris isn't the ideal car for it, but it was fun. Kaiser Permanente hospital is close by where I live if you want to look into that place for the wife.

Yeah i discussed this with you briefly before the YW hack, and still have not got thee wifey convinced.

[anonymous user]

Oooh...saying that Vancouver is more Yuppie-ish. Uhhh no. Vancouver is much like the East side of Portland. Yuppie is Lake Oswego, Beaverton, and the West hills.

Portland as a whole is a GREAT city. I've lived on the East Coast as well and I don't want to live anywhere else but here in the NW. Great people, safest drivers according to CNN last year, and great seasons (not too extreme). It is a bit rainy, but hey, green grass naturally. You've got skiing in the morning and a walk on the beach at night. You've also got the Bandon dunes if you like off roading. After that you've got the casinos to play at. Most people slow down a little up here, it's DEFINATELY not the Southern Cali vibe.

As for a house, oh boy. This IS the time to buy up here. I'll leave it at that.

Employment? Well, we have plenty of bio-tech, medical, and related industries up here. You mentioned Estacada? My dad used to live out there before he went to Alaska. I'll tell you this, it is out there. Instead of Estacada, I'd recommend Happy Valley or Sherwood.

You have something in your profile about Subaru...I'm about five minutes away from PDX Tuning. Actually, I was involved with a nice "little" Modified Magazine article last year on my friend's STi. There's a nice SCCA environment around, lotsa dragging...PDX Tuning will be THE hookup if you want to know about rally scene.

So! Live in Sherwood and you'll be about ten minutes away from one of the best Subie shops in the nation. You'll be close to Nike world headquarters, Intel, and many other techie places. There's work around but like everywhere, it's harder to come by these days.
AS far as PDX tuning, i know jarrad, as he has come to tune here maybe 2x a year for the last 3 years. He's like family to most of us. I love my subies, but also can't hide my love for the yaris either. :)

[sqcomp]

Well there you go! Every reason you need to move here now.

Hey Astro, one of my close friends is a Clackamas county deputy. You're in good hands out there. He was on that call yesterday with some crazy who tried to wield a shovel when the police came calling at his door.

[Spades]

Yes, my wife was born and raised in hawaii (you made me laugh there). But she doesn't want to move.
Why portland? I dunno. I guess vancouver seemed to be too yuppy-ish.
I wanna get out of the rat race that is hawaii. Sell my townhome, and not buy a P.O.S. house for over $500k, on a tenth of an acre of land.
That I felt would be great in portland. Plus i wanna race more road courses, we have zero here.

As for my wife, she makes a lot more money than me sadly, she works in medicine. I think she could find work. I could also find employment with little problems as well i think.



sorry dude, but anywhere in the portland/vancouver area is yuppyville. I wont start any politcal disputes, I will just say that portland is so full of wierdos and hippies that they are starting to make sanfransico jealous.

then it goes to the opposite extremes...for example, go into other parts of oregon and you have people with confederate flags on jacked up pickups and people missing "toophuses" (teeth).

I dunno...seems like the smaller town i am in has two sides, part of it is yuppies that commute the 1+ hours to portland, and the other half of the town is white trash.

no offense to the great northwest...but, uh, if my job wasnt here, I prolly wouldnt live here. people can keep their rain and rednecks and weirdos, i would rather have normal weather and average people :wink:

P.S. I know I am late replying, but before you move, better have a job lined up...check out oregons un employment rate right now...one of the highest in the united states...granted she is in the medical field, which is still a bit more stable, but, either way, i would be carefull.

[Altitude]

I suspect someone that grew up in Hawaii would consider very few places to be an upgrade. Good luck with the sales pitch to your wife.

[Spades]

just tell her how many months out the of year it rains here in the valley...that would be a winner...

[Thirty-Nine]

I've lived here for nearly three years now, and love it. I don't see myself living anywhere else, to tell you the truth.

I was born and raised in Minnesota, lived 10 years in Wisconsin, then moved here. I wouldn't move back to the Midwest.

Please keep in mind there are "yuppies, hippies, rednecks" and such just about everywhere. Portland is a great city, IMHO. There are plenty of good places to live in the outskirts, too. The city is kind of divided up by four quadrants: NW, SW, NE, and SE. I live in SW Portland, not too far from Beaverton.

Anyway, it's hard to just tell you some cities in about an hour out: There are a lot of them.

[sqcomp]

Thirty...You're prolly not that far from me, I'm in Tigard/King City.

I was raised in the military. I have lived and traveled to many countries with my father and having been in the military myself. If I couldn't live here I would dump the US and live in Japan (Zushi City is where I spent some time while I was there as a kid)...That said, this part of the country is TRULY unique and is the only place I really want to be.

As for the different types of people...yup. There are ALL types. As for moving? I'll keep the seasons, the green trees, the clean air, clean water, NO mosquitoes, skiing in the morning and going to the coast in the evening.

The food here in the North West is spectacular, original, and refreshing. You've got the Saucebox, Higgins, Wildwood, El Gaucho...There are TOO many more!

...the beer is of the same group of metaphors.

The people can be cooky...at least they're original and not afraid to speak their minds.

[Thirty-Nine]

As for the different types of people...yup. There are ALL types. As for moving? I'll keep the seasons, the green trees, the clean air, clean water, NO mosquitoes, skiing in the morning and going to the coast in the evening.

The food here in the North West is spectacular, original, and refreshing. You've got the Saucebox, Higgins, Wildwood, El Gaucho...There are TOO many more!

...the beer is of the same group of metaphors.

The people can be cooky...at least they're original and not afraid to speak their minds.

Dude, I couldn't have said it better myself. You, Astroman, me, and any other PDXers should meet up for a beer one of these days!

[sqcomp]

I'm down. We should go to Henry's in the Pearl. They've got a great chilled bar...The Vault is also pretty cool too (although it's a martini bar). There's also McTarnahan's over by Montgomery Park as well.

There are SO many places to go and have good local beer...not the regular pisswater most drink (Yeah, I said it). Give me a good German Bock beer! I'll volunteer to be the DD if everyone wants.

[Thirty-Nine]

Sounds great. I brew my own beer, actually. :-) But yeah, I've always wanted to go to Henry's ...

[anonymous user]

Thanks for the replies. As far as an upgrade, Oahu (the main island w/ 1million people) has many bad points. Crime, traffic, and overall congestion.
Paradise is not here, maybe on the outer islands. As far as rain goes, we live on windward oahu, the rainiest parts of the island ( we get between 60-100 inches per year), so it's no biggie. Trying to convince someone who loves her job and life is a tough sell indeed.
I don't know why oregon really. I just think it's a great place. One day....

[Astroman]

I'm in, but maybe we should start our own thread in the NW section titled "Who wants to grab a beer in portland?) :biggrin:

[sqcomp]

Not a bad idea mister moderator...

[anonymous user]

You guys are free to continue to derail this thread if you like. Most if not all of my Q's were answered. :smile:

[sqcomp]

Aww come on! We were just demonstrating how friendly Portland people are!

[anonymous user]

Aww come on! We were just demonstrating how friendly Portland people are!
Yeah, it's cool. I was just joking around. Hope to catch a beer with you fellows when (if) i make it up there. Wish me luck!!

[sqcomp]

We've got SOOOOO many different types of brew to try. I'm sure you'll find a new favorite...or three.

[blktiger60]

If I was to relocate to the west coast I'd choose San Diego. Actually probably one of its satilite towns, like Forrest Grove or Alpine.
On second thought, I just remembered - I love OB (Ocean Beach)! :thumbup:

[blktiger60]

We've got SOOOOO many different types of brew to try. I'm sure you'll find a new favorite...or three.
I'm not much of a beer drinker. Hand me a bottle of Captain Morgans though and I'll hit that! :headbang: