Portland, ME Intel

[Ottime]

All righty then

Damn. autocorrect. Take it in a heartbeat over. Not shire how Amherst got in there.

[Mazderati]

If you’ve got work in Portland I’d take in Amherst beat over Boston. Visit Boston for big city shit every now and again. Portland is way closer to nature. Short drive out rod the city to ocean, country or hills. Surf and marshes. Not too far to ski. Way less traffic. Way fewer Massholes, even in summer.

What if you are a Masshole?

[Ottime]

Keep 6’ away from yourself and never let yourself be tailgated by yourself.

[Mazderati]

As long as I can honk at myself.

[riser4]

https://narwallmask.com/

[plugboots]

[Self Jupiter]

Nice^, some views while looking for more of those

[WaistDeepGroomers]

Moved here three years ago from Jackson/SLC. First year was rough until I found my people. But very much in love with it here as long as I can get out West/out of dodge for a month each winter, as I've been very fortunate enough to do these past few years.

Awesome little city, really beautiful, incredibly quick access to land and sea nature in every direction. Just enough city for me (there's a bus I can take into town, great restaurants/beer, we do get a bevy of good concerts pre-COVID). I can bike two hours' worth of XC singeltrack from my house, more all-mountain-y MTB trails about 20 minutes (which are set to improve a bit now that we have permission to do some consistent digging/modifying!), surf in a few really pretty spots within 20-30 minutes. Surf is super fickle and inconsistent, but that's surfing New England. Winter surfing is more pleasant than you'd think as long as the wind isn't up. I'm excited to be here when the outdoor culture/infrastructure is kind of in this creation stage -- it's a fun to be part of that and a HUGE source of my excitement here, particularly around updating the MTB trails. There's some great terrain to work with that just needs some new-school work to it. We're just finishing the first trail in that vein and it makes me very excited for next spring. Some runs from the local spot with a lil bit of elevation: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHDzyYpFdAr/

It is not northern VT when it comes to skiing... I don't really bother with any lift served skiing aside from the cheap Monday night tickets at Shawnee (which is actually a pretty fun hill, would be amazing if they could just move it 30 mins closer to town!). But it's an hour 20 from my house to North Conway - secret no-traffic backdoor into the Whites -- and I've gotten into the White Mtns. ski mountaineering scene which has been so different from any other skiing I've done and a fun challenge. Granted, you basically never ski powder in that range -- a 10/10 day is low wind with 2" of windbuff. But as Cody Townsend said, it's like a Squaw Valley of ski mountaineering. There's a lot of super cheap ski clubs you can be a member at in North Conway (which I'd looked at until COVID is making that look like a bad idea). And most of the range is driveable in two hours. I'm extremely fortunate to have been able to head to Jackson/SLC for a month the past few winters... makes it nice to satiate the pow fix and then be cool with 'whatever comes' adventure skiing back east the rest of the season. But I could have a place in Stowe/Waterbury for winter skiing and summer MTB... man I would have it made!

Having an airport is nice (though I tend to take the bus to Boston so I have one less connection/more flight options), the super consistent hourly bus to Boston is great, esp. since it's walking distance from my house. An hour forty on the dot everytime. I only use it for the airport, TBH. But I'm interviewing with a Boston-based solar company right now and it's nice to feel somewhat connected to that job market, esp. given that remote work is becoming more permanent.

Tough part for me has been the job market. Maine is SUCH a small state economically, there's some big companies in insurance, banking tech, vet tech, but I'm in climate work. I brought a remote job here which was nice, but also made it slow to meet people. But I'm hoping our current situation means there'll be more variety in remote work opportunities with companies that would normally be Boston/NYC/SF based. I don't really see many career growth opportunities for me locally, which is a bummer as I'd love to feel more connected to what's going on here.

Housing has gone gangbusters here... I think my home value has gone up 20%+ this year, like wtf?? Def beyond the scale of the local economy to support the single families that are getting sold. Def got lucky with where I bought when I bought. Curious when and if that trend will abate.

At any rate, I dig it here for the space to create some of the culture/infrastructure I've gotten to know in Western mtn towns. Even having grown up in NH, 90% of Maine I have not explored. It's a sweet AF town, by East Coast or really any other standards I think. The winters are def tough though, inconsistent snow on the coast and rains a lot. If you can get out of town though for a bit of it it's a great balance. I def don't know how the indoor folks here deal though.

[Mazderati]

Whoa, a Dunfee sighting. Nice post and background. Thanks.

[retirwntm]

Eaux just closed. Damn.


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[Mazderati]

Eaux just closed. Damn.

Website says they are moving?

[retirwntm]

They said done with the one at 90 exchange. Maybe they are moving? I just loved their shrimp and grits.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WaistDeepGroomers]

Whoa, a Dunfee sighting. Nice post and background. Thanks.

Anytime. Just don't bring any kooks with ya!!

[cat in january]

Ryan you need to get back to Black, glades have almost doubled since you last were there. Short time I know, but true

[Wookiee]

Portsmouth NH is a nice spot as well but don’t know about living there full time

[ticketchecker]

Whoa, a Dunfee sighting. Nice post and background. Thanks.

I usually see him at Home Depot

[plugboots]

I usually see him at Home Depot

Buying wood to make some stairs?

[riser4]

Portsmouth NH is a nice spot as well but don’t know about living there full time

Portland>>Portsmouth

[jackstraw]

Portland>>Portsmouth

Have you ever actually traveled out of the state of VT?

[Ottime]

He is not incorrect.

[schuss]

Portland>>Portsmouth

This is generally true and I live right next to Portsmouth.

Food - Portland wins
Nightlife (normally) - Portland wins
Art - Portland wins

Portsmouth is a bit more temperate and closer to Boston, but that's about it.

[riser4]

Have you ever actually traveled out of the state of VT?

Fair question. Yes. And Portland seems to have more of everything that makes Portsmouth what it is. Plus it's further from Boston and not in NH, which are both positives.

[riser4]

But it's an hour 20 from my house to North Conway - secret no-traffic backdoor into the Whites

I used to have an Uncle that lived in Cornish, ME. I know that road. You ever see a cop? I never did but I never lived there.

[jackstraw]

This is generally true and I live right next to Portsmouth.

Food - Portland wins
Nightlife (normally) - Portland wins
Art - Portland wins

Portsmouth is a bit more temperate and closer to Boston, but that's about it.

The only thing we have is no tax. I'd rather live in Portland, but if I'm moving now its gonna be about 3k west. The difference between here and Portland is truly minimal.

[Ottime]

I used to have an Uncle that lived in Cornish, ME. I know that road. You ever see a cop? I never did but I never lived there.

I was pulled over by a cop on a country road not far from Portland when I was 17. Doing 85 in a 50 or something like that. Had my Bushman in the back of the wagon. After making me sweat for twenty minutes he comes back to my car with a warning. Then asked me how the surf was. Maine cops ain’t all bad.