Orange County: where to live and what to expect?

[Tippster]

I understand, but there are plenty of places in SoCal where you can ride your bike to an MTB trail, not take a "long drive." Shit, there are several trails in the Laguna Hills: http://www.singletracks.com/Californ...%20Beach%2C+CA

[Ted Striker]

Lotsa MTB trails you ride to from Santa Monica. Not sure what your point is.

Are you saying that riding from say, Huntington Beach, to Santa Monica is mountain biking? Because, if you are, we have a vastly different definition of the sport. Road biking up PCH however...

[Tippster]

No, again - I was addressing the point that you were making - that there aren't any MTB trails accessible by riding to in that part of SoCal, which If you do a search on Singletracks is clearly untrue. There are more trails close to Laguna beach than Bozeman. I maybe shouldn't have used Santa Monica as my point, it's just that I used to go ride there from my Brother's house on 13th st.

Laguna riding: http://www.singletracks.com/Mountain...%20Beach,%20CA

[gh444]

Are you saying that riding from say, Huntington Beach, to Santa Monica is mountain biking? Because, if you are, we have a vastly different definition of the sport. Road biking up PCH however...

No but within OC you have the laguna trails, San clemente trails, whiting, San Juan trail system, aliso trails and all of the mountains to the east. I'm sorry you didn't get to enjoy some of the best riding in the country. Just because you missed out doesn't mean it doesn't exist and isn't close. Also, everything I just mentioned is within a 30 min drive of the OC airport.

[gh444]

And the backbone region right next to Santa Monica is great.

[iceman]

If I was moving to socal, Santa Monica would be my first choice if it was possible.

Commuting from there would be the suck though.

[Hugh Conway]

if I were moving to socal (again), I'd use a matrix optimizing distance from beach in blocks, commute from work in minutes, and rent/mortgage in kilobucks.

[Meadow Skipper]

Having grown up in the South Bay, I'd hate to have to move to most of SoCal now because of the crowds. Outside of workplace issues, places like Encinitas/Leucadia seem pretty nice still, but there's that appalling sprawl east of the freeway. Santa Barbara/Ojai is a nice bubble, but disregarding work and such (because I can) I'd be inclined toward places farther north on the coast.

None of that helps the OP. Someone mentioned Dana Point, which is the sort of place I'd be looking at if I worked in Irvine. Get a nice car, because you'd be spending mucho time in it.

[Tippster]

if I were moving to socal (again), I'd use a matrix optimizing distance from beach in blocks, commute from work in minutes, and rent/mortgage in kilobucks.

Didn't the Onion smell get to you after a while?

[Ted Striker]

everything I just mentioned is within a 30 min drive of the OC airport.

Umm...you're responding to my glib 'santa monica isn't anywhere near oc' reply to tippster. I know there's good riding. It's probably even better now with the increased popularity of mtb and better bikes. I agree with you on that. I lived about 30 mins from the laguna trails, and even closer to crystal cove or el moro, but that's by car - which was my original point.

And tip, that link doesn't refute my point, it proves it. I lived a few blocks from the beach and the only spot on that map that would've been "ride to" is fairview park (not actual trails, more like paths).

I'm not trying to put southern california down. I loved it. But I was realistic about what it was. And if the op doesn't have realistic expectations, he's going to hate it.

[Harry]

And Mammoth isn't that far from OC. I am a member of the Huntington Beach Ski Club and we have a bunch of three night trips to Mammoth during the season. I hope to see you up there.

Notice to SoCal skiers. Bobcat Sig fucking rips.

[liv2ski]

Notice to SoCal skiers. Bobcat Sig fucking rips.

I have lots of friends that shred the gnar. I just rarely ski with the crazy fucks

[Harry]

I have lots of friends that shred the gnar. I just rarely ski with the crazy fucks

Early this season on a day that was something like -25F, my buddy and I were stopped in the middle of a groomed run to get the ice off our goggles. I jokingly told my buddy "I'm the best skier on the mountain !" as I broke a 6 inch snotsicle off my mustache.

Just then here comes Bobcat Sig at about 60mph hits a little kicker on the side of the run and goes flying past about 6 feet off the deck, in perfect control, and stomps the high speed landing. My buddy turns to me and said "No, THAT GUY is the best skier on the mountain."

I've never actually talked to him, but his skiing is impressive.

Bobcat Sig: Good luck in SoCal d00d !

[Tippster]

Wait - you know who he is and you've seen him ski yet you've never talked to him? Why the fuck not?

[iceman]

Can't catch up to him, duh.

[Bobcat Sig]

SoCal is still in play and no decision yet, for obvious reasons. It's not an easy thing to consider a complete reversal in lifestyle. Nonetheless, lots of great info and opinions in this thread. It certainly helps give me some context. Thanks to all those that have contributed. Keep it comin'.

Oh, and Harry; we'll ski next year if I don't leave for Orange County.

[DougW]

Wait - you know who he is and you've seen him ski yet you've never talked to him? Why the fuck not?

I see " BrianColesISexy" at the hill all the time but I don't talk to him because he is just so sexy

[Tippster]

Well there's a good excuse if I ever heard one.

[Timberridge]

Early this season on a day that was something like -25F, my buddy and I were stopped in the middle of a groomed run to get the ice off our goggles. I jokingly told my buddy "I'm the best skier on the mountain !" as I broke a 6 inch snotsicle off my mustache.

Just then here comes Bobcat Sig at about 60mph hits a little kicker on the side of the run and goes flying past about 6 feet off the deck, in perfect control, and stomps the high speed landing. My buddy turns to me and said "No, THAT GUY is the best skier on the mountain."

I've never actually talked to him, but his skiing is impressive.

Bobcat Sig: Good luck in SoCal d00d !

I wonder if this could keep up and capture his skiing prowess for those of us that don't hit kickers at 60 mph?

If only it would automatically dub music and post TR's with a single click I think this could be a winner here.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-aerial-camera

[Harry]

Can't catch up to him, duh.

THIS.


Plus I am old enough to be his grandfather.....


At least I am cool enough to be impressed by his athleticism, most people my age would have yelled "YOU PUNKS NEED TO SLOW DOWN !" and then called ski patrol.

[hutash]

^^^but I bet you get pissed when he is on your lawn.

[406]

It's not an easy thing to consider a complete reversal in lifestyle.

I don't think it is that extreme, not like moving to Texas or Florida.

[Timberridge]

I don't think it is that extreme, not like moving to Texas or Florida.

or Mexico...wait. Nvrmnd.

[Ted Striker]

I don't think it is that extreme, not like moving to Texas or Florida.

There are similarities between MT and TX, but yeah, MT to FL is pretty much 180 degrees - at least within the US 48.

Bobcat, if you're young, no kids, no attachments, why not just do it? Big adventure, broaden your perspective, add another line to your resume. If it doesn't work out, c'est la vie. (insert the cliche about regretting the things you don't do, more than the things you do here)

My first post probably comes off negative, but it wasn't meant that way. The thing that makes people unhappy with moves is unrealistic expectations. "It doesn't rain that much in Seattle" Yes it fucking does. If you can't accept that, don't move there. In that vein, your expectations for orange co should be realistic, i.e. driving, traffic, crowded, etc.

And if you do do it, don't be one of those people who never go into LA. One of my brothers lives in Orange proper, and lives a 100% suburban life. Cookie cutter house on a cul de sac, freeway commute, shopping mall, chain restaraunts. He's livin his dream, but that sure ain't my dream.

LA isn't even a proper city, it's a network of small cities/neighborhoods with no space between them. Some of them are pretty cool, if you're not afraid to explore. Eat sushi, and real mexican - not the shit you get up north. Go to a good restaraunt every once in a while. The kind that only exist in real cities. Listen to live music. See a play that wasn't put on by a high school. Go to a major league game. Meet people who haven't lived in the same small town for their whole lives.

As for surfing, yeah it's fun, but a lot of aggro-assholes surf. The whole zen thing is a myth. That said, you should still do it. The solitude in the lineup, just waiting, watching, a little non-verbal communication with the more chill folks... I dunno, there was just something about it that I liked. And everyone should get rolled by the ocean at least once in their lives. Humans are so fucking arrogant that they've lost respect for mother nature.

And here's a tip you never get from anyone on so cal: learn to sail. There are ways to do it without breaking the bank, and there was - hopefully still is - a good racing community down there. I raced in a couple of different one-design classes, and it was a lot of fun. An excellent way to meet people too.

[hutash]

The problem with southern California, and especially Orange County is there are too fuckin' many people, (close to 15 million in the whole region.) Other then that is is great. You are within a short drive to all kinds of great things...concerts, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars, biking, climbing, surfing, diving, lots hot young women, hot young men (if that's your thing), zoos, amusement parks, transportation to anywhere in the world (multiple airlines, and non-stop flights), cars of every make and model, new and used, kite boarding, windsurfing, paragliding, etc. With all these people here, you will find a core group into just about every sport you can imagine.

The weather is phenomenal, unless you like snow and blizzards. The worst we get is some morning low clouds, which usually burn off early, but can hang around on the beaches during the spring. Summer temps are mild, rarely hitting 100F as a high, and even rarer getting into the 30s as a low. The only problem is too fuckin' many people, which is not surprising considering all of the above. I have lived here my whole life, the last 30 in Ventura county, which is now what Orange County was 40 years ago. I could not live in OC, at least not for long. Even VC is getting too crowded, but at this stage of my life all the good things here far out weigh the population. If we grow like OC did, then I may have to move, but so far it looks like I'll be dead before that happens.

Bottom line is OC is great if you are young and upwardly mobile, but not a place I would want to settle down.