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I want to hear from people who grew up in areas that are close proximity to action and population, but left it all for rural, quiet, in the sticks, away from malls or beaches or casinos or corporate areas.
Did you do it and was it like you expected?
Did you make a mistake and go back where you came from?
Did you love it and never look back?
Did you love it, miss your old home, but got along fine in the new rural home?
I grew up in the pinelands of NJ, but I was still an hour from philly, beaches, etc so I don't think it counts. I'm moving to the hills of Appalachia and I've zeroed in on region I want, but even within this region there are towns or populated areas that are more rural and secluded than others, I'm trying to zero in even further.
I'm use to driving 2 miles to a 24/hr store and getting a sandwich or driving 3 miles to the delaware river to walk, or biking on sidewalks, chosing one of 5 libraries within the 5 mile radius of where I live and want to read a book, etc..... What are your experiences and please share any ideas or food for thought.
7 years on, I don't regret my decision to move to a small town. I have to admit, the first year, I wasn't sure it was gonna work out. I used to hate going shopping at the last place I lived in the city because everything was like 4 miles away, so inconvenient. Now, I'm 180 miles from a walmart and 220 miles from a Costco. Going shopping often requires an overnite stay! We order alot of stuff from Amazon. There are stores in town, but honestly, at times they make it real hard to support them between outrageous prices and rude people. There are some things I miss from city living. The only movie theater withing 125 miles just closed down. The only entertainment options left in town are bars. But I don't have to worry about my kids playing outside. I will most likely be moving back to the urban jungle in a couple of years, but I don't look forward to it.
I would LOVE to live in a rural small town somewhere. But my husband likes the chaos of the city. And he refuses to move anywhere he cannot have cable modem for TV and internet.
I don't need a mall close by, but it would be nice to have a thrift store in town or used books. That I would probably miss, not being near a Goodwill store. I get most of my used books there super cheap.
YES. I grew up on Long Island but spend a fair amount of time in Manhattan once I was a teenager since I had an older brother living there.
In my early twenties I moved to Oakland, CA and lived and worked there for over thirty years.
Then I retired to rural Floyd Co, in Sw Virginia. Retired may be the operative word here since I don't have to commute long distances for work and enjoy my own company and that of my dogs. I stay very busy with volunteer work with my local Humane Society.
One traffic light, 15,000 residents now and the cows outnumber the people about 3 to 1. The town of Floyd has become a bit of a tourist destination with music being a major draw on the weekends and a four day festival each July that brings in about 10 to 12 thousand folks.
I used to commute just 8.5 miles to work and wondered if having to drive longer distances for basic things like groceries would be tough but driving country roads, rather than fighting stop and go traffic is not any where near as stressful. A 20 or 30 minute drive to drop by and visit a friend is no big deal.
The hardest thing for me is the limited options for eating out and Chinese food is what I miss most since I had that every 5 or 6 days back in the city. Now it is, at best, a once a month treat when I go to the Burgs (Christainsburg, Blacksburg).
High speed internet is available although cable was not when I first got here. I was happy with just Netflix for my first 4.5 years and then cable service got as far as my area and I added that. Most folks have a dish.
Many families have been here for 5 or more generations and I did have some concern about being seen as a Yankee, outsider but found that you get what you give and since I don't look down on these good people they are kind and friendly right back at me. Over a long Thanksgiving weekend my mechanic made a house call and repaired my Suburban so that I would not be stuck at home for 4 days even though I told him it was not necessary. About 2 weeks later I remembered to stop in his shop and pay him.
If the thought of being stuck behind a farmer on a tractor (for maybe a mile or so) going down the road at 15 miles a hour as he goes from one of his fields to another would drive you crazy then a place such as this might not be the right environment. I enjoy the chance to slow down and look around at the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains, the bucolic cows and sheep and their youngsters frolicking about the pastures each spring and the fresh air not laden with smog.
Recently I filled my gas tank at the market just up the road and then realized that my wallet was sitting on my desk at home. No problem, we know you, just pay us next time your in, don't make a special trip. It's less than 1/2 mile so I did go home, get my wallet and return right away.
So life in this rural community is just my cup of tea, but I can't say it's that way in every small town.
yes! i grew up in pittsburgh and lived in both los angeles and atlanta. four years ago i retired to outside a very small town about 30 miles from augusta (ga not maine). i love it. very little traffic. slower pace of life. nice people.
i thought i would be going to augusta a lot for shopping and entertainment but find my trips are fewer and further between. i have found i am fine with my satellite tv instead of cable. i miss my high speed internet (i have wireless aircard).
things like gas are more expensive but i save money not wandering the malls and buying things i don't really need. once in a while i miss not getting dressed up, but that is not often. do wish we had more places to eat.
I would LOVE to live in a rural small town somewhere. But my husband likes the chaos of the city. And he refuses to move anywhere he cannot have cable modem for TV and internet.
I don't need a mall close by, but it would be nice to have a thrift store in town or used books. That I would probably miss, not being near a Goodwill store. I get most of my used books there super cheap.
Where do they not have cable? Satalite could be an alternative. Not as good but then again if you're far out, you probably have other things to do than watch t.v.
I agree on a bookstore of some sort. One plus of mine is to be within reasonable driving distance of a public library and maybe 30-45 minutes of a walmart. Big flea market within 50 miles would be great.. Not super remote, but considering how I grew up it'll be a challange, but a choice to.
The hardest thing for me is the limited options for eating out and Chinese food is what I miss most since I had that every 5 or 6 days back in the city. Now it is, at best, a once a month treat when I go to the Burgs (Christainsburg, Blacksburg).
High speed internet is available although cable was not when I first got here. I was happy with just Netflix for my first 4.5 years and then cable service got as far as my area and I added that. Most folks have a dish.
Many families have been here for 5 or more generations and I did have some concern about being seen as a Yankee, outsider but found that you get what you give and since I don't look down on these good people they are kind and friendly right back at me. Over a long Thanksgiving weekend my mechanic made a house call and repaired my Suburban so that I would not be stuck at home for 4 days even though I told him it was not necessary. About 2 weeks later I remembered to stop in his shop and pay him.
If the thought of being stuck behind a farmer on a tractor (for maybe a mile or so) going down the road at 15 miles a hour as he goes from one of his fields to another would drive you crazy then a place such as this might not be the right environment. I enjoy the chance to slow down and look around at the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains, the bucolic cows and sheep and their youngsters frolicking about the pastures each spring and the fresh air not laden with smog.
Recently I filled my gas tank at the market just up the road and then realized that my wallet was sitting on my desk at home. No problem, we know you, just pay us next time your in, don't make a special trip. It's less than 1/2 mile so I did go home, get my wallet and return right away.
So life in this rural community is just my cup of tea, but I can't say it's that way in every small town.
There's a nice family italian place in radford I stopped at few days ago and a Mexican place next to that, I'm sure u know.
I survived off highspeed internet (yes I'm a survivalist) without cable or phone for several months and it was great because you can watch episodes online. MTV.com uploads their shows the day after they air and many other networks do that plus I follow several people on youtube, so I never watch television anyway. Some providers let you only pay for internet. But I'll be letting go of internet as well before long, atleast for a year, go back to my childhood ways of daniel boone and humpty dumpty cartoons.
The business practises are another thing I like about small towns. My grandpa contracts work in his county and he never used "contracts" "paperwork" because he believes a man's word should be enough and if they don't keep it, his name in the whole community will suffer. He got burned before, but he does good and lets his accountant handle everything once a year. I like that old kind of simplicity and trust. I feel comfortable going there as a "yankee" because people still know I'm not a 100% transplant, I'm just going back to my roots.
I've lived in New York City and Los Angeles, as well as Portland (OR) and Atlanta.
Now I live in a rural, unincorporated area outside a town which has an official population of less than 600 and not a stoplight to its name.
And I love it. If I ever need a big city fix, friends on both coasts have extended an open invitation to come visit.
Or u can invite them (if they'll come) and have a piece of city visit u.
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I would go crazy.
