gut check: where would you move and why?
[Should this be posted in Padded Room? Lemme know if I'm in the wrong place.]
I've found myself in a situation where I'm soon to be intentionally unemployed and will be moving to the Pacific Northwest in an effort to get the hell out of crowded (and expensive) California and spend more time playing outside. Bend, Bellingham, and North Vancouver are all on my list, but I'm interested in hearing some mags' opinions on which of these three places they would pick. I'm 31 years old, single, and I'm obsessed with skiing (duh) and mountain biking, and sometimes I ride a road bike. I'm a big fan of craft beer, and overcast/rainy weather doesn't bother me too much. It would be nice to eventually find a "real", career-type job in one of these locations, but that's not a primary consideration at this point. Rent prices aren't too much of a concern because I'm coming from California, so everything will seem like a bargain to me. See below for a quick list of my initial thoughts on and experiences with each city.
Bend
-I've only visited once, about 8 years ago
-no sales tax
-lots of good beer
-moderate climate
-not very rainy
-very close to Mt Bachelor (which now has lift-accessed riding in summer)
-dry, dusty mountain biking
-strong mountain bike scene
-river floating is an option in summer
-limited career opportunities
-I know a handful of people in town, but no close friends
Bellingham
-I've never been there
-tons of mountain biking
-several bike companies based in the area (Evil, Transition, Kona)
-good dirt
-gray and rainy in winter
-close to Vancouver and Seattle
-3 hours from Whistler
-significant drive to any ski resort
-college town
-beautiful scenery
-small but solid network of friends who live there
North Vancouver
-I've spent lots of time here
-suburbia with easy access to big city and tons of mountains
-logistics of moving to Canada could be tricky
-exchange rate would work to my advantage
-gray and rainy in winter
-huge mountain bike scene
-super easy access to Whistler
-would be very difficult for an American to find legitimate employment in Canada
-good-sized network of friends and acquaintances in Vancouver and Whistler