Well, I was talking to my fiance about the idea of moving to portland out of houston. I've heard how good it is for cyclists in portland, but I'd like to hear from people on this forum about it. I'm tired of rednecks and smog. And hopefully, I can get a job lined up over the next year. I will graduate in May of next year from University of Houston majoring in Hotel and Restaurant Management, but emphasizing managing bulk food service for hospitals, school, and prisons(which was my last major job). As for my bike, I'm waiting on a monocog 29er(i just wanted the toughest thing I could get for my meager budget), and I ride an diamondback apex(I do the bike/bus combo). I'm glad this group exists...

jvandub:

Welcome to the jungle baby... YOU'RE GONNA DIE!!!

Axl Rose City

Who? Who's nice?

Jerks.

transplants make portland

eh, transplants are cool with me as long as they don't try to turn portland into something it's not (like LA).

really i just hate the 'burbs.

Well, I don't care about rain... I'll dry off. I'm just trying to find a good place to raise my family, ride my bike without the level of fear I have in houston, and have good transportation options for my fiance who HATES to drive, and is all "a twitter" about the options she sees in portland. I told her that it can't be any worse than houston.

I've been to Houston a few times and I could not imagine riding a bike in that city. Never mind that it's way too hot for half of the year... crazy driving will kill you before the heatstroke does.

xeys_00:

Well, I don't care about rain... I'll dry off. I'm just trying to find a good place to raise my family, ride my bike without the level of fear I have in houston, and have good transportation options for my fiance who HATES to drive, and is all "a twitter" about the options she sees in portland. I told her that it can't be any worse than houston.

you said the magic words in my mind "raise my family" this be the place for that. one of the last large cities where kids learn something in the public school system. theres still a technical high school, Benson Polytechnic, imagine that, teaching kids skills that'll get 'em jobs..very retro indeedy. although the job market is kinda slumping, lots of lay-offs in the blue collar and service industry.

white folks:

xeys_00:

Well, I don't care about rain... I'll dry off. I'm just trying to find a good place to raise my family, ride my bike without the level of fear I have in houston, and have good transportation options for my fiance who HATES to drive, and is all "a twitter" about the options she sees in portland. I told her that it can't be any worse than houston.

you said the magic words in my mind "raise my family" this be the place for that. one of the last large cities where kids learn something in the public school system. theres still a technical high school, Benson Polytechnic, imagine that, teaching kids skills that'll get 'em jobs..very retro indeedy. although the job market is kinda slumping, lots of lay-offs in the blue collar and service industry.

Don't forget about the Environmental Middle School!

PPS isn't that great but there are some good schools around even if the entire system isn't that great, e.g. Lincoln High School et al.

took a year of college latin...

stumptown:

PPS isn't that great but there are some good schools around even if the entire system isn't that great, e.g. Lincoln High School et al.

yeah, it's just preferable from my point of view to live in an area where the entire system is solid, if you're gonna raise kids. it's tough to pick out where to buy a house based on something as variable as a school's quality, when the integrity of the system seems questionable. if you buy when your kid's going into third grade, looking towards high school, a school can completely change in those 6 years, you know? as far as I can tell PPS is spotty, I can't imagine relocating here over somewhere else for the purposes of my child's education. that is actually the #1 reason I can see myself moving from this area or into the suburbs.

hahan I was raised in providence
Too good

california public high schools are great, im sure they're a lot better than the ones in portland!

ps portland is REALLY actually shitty, i hate it there

well what if they come and make it better then i cant wallow in a large pool of self-misery

I totally feel ya, Jerome. I love Portland. L.A. has its strong points, but I'm really starting to get fed up with the materialism, pollution, and feeling like I'm being judged everywhere I go. I ain't tryin' to bring that up North. I can't wait until my foot is well enough so as to allow for my return... it has felt like an eternity.

I will have lived in Portland exactly one year as of the 15th of this month.

This town is ruling if you like bikes, kids, beer, food, weird fuckers of every stripe, knowing your neighbors, parks, dead lawns in the summertime, friendly everybody, fat rents, low wages, farmers markets, frozen fog, sideways hail, and perfect absolutely perfect summer nights like this one here.

zelah:

white folks:

well yes, but as someone whos apt was condo'd in SF, a steady stream of white people with more money, no ethics and no real apreciation for how a city got to where it is, sucks. SF sucks now. the internet boom killed that town.

plus alex you know i'm not trying to argue gentrification and urban growth with you. you be all collidge edumacatid n shit.

and that's fine but almost everyone I've met in portland who's FROM portland is just like every other person anywhere else from any other suburb. most of the great people i've met here have been from outside portland.

plus i only went to college for a semester

i've had largely the opposite experience. maybe that's because I'm not a transplant?

I'm a transplant from NEP into Forest Blight and it really is the one and only haven for bros. in close proximity to Portland. I'm still fightin' the good fight.

stumptown:

Zelah, in my experience the people I know from the suburbs and the people I know from the city are two almost seperate species of humans.

I come from the burbs you speak of.

Hmmm. I just got up to make my coffee, checking out the posts... I like good coffee, I like bikes(when I'm not getting attacked by vehicles), and I can appreciate good beer. Houston just is... WRONG. On some deep level in my soul, I just can't believe that's what life is supposed to be like. How to put it... I'll try. Lets put up theatres and stuff for people, then give them no low price options to enjoy it. Lets put up bike lanes, then drive all the cars in them. Lets make nice bike trails, and make it suicide to actually ride your bike TO them, even if you live only a few miles away. Everyone always has somewhere SOOOO important they have to be. Speeding down the street to go nowhere. Whatever happened to a slower pace of life? I lived in Germany in one of the small towns there(while I was stationed overseas), and other than the language(which came a bit slow for me), they got it right. Everyplace has it's ups and downs, but it's looking like portland has more "ups" at this point. I think that more people are gonna be moving out ya'lls way, as they get tired of this lie that the car dominates and will always dominate, and should always dominate. That we should be spread out so much. I just want to live somewhere where I can feel proud of my community, where I know that global warming is more than just a vague concept hated by the Bush Administration. Sorry, I know it's early as hell for all this. Just wanted to vent. Hmmm, I had an off thought. How serious are the Vegans up there? We'll probably have guests over, and I'm curious as to the ingredients I'll be able to use for cooking for them(because I respect my guests preferences, especially when it comes to menu development).

Well, the big thing is in sauce making, many times the fat from the milk or cream adds richness and body. One of the things that can be done to get away from the whole dairy thing is to use cornstarch slurry, or a roux with nondairy margarine, though to be honest I'm not sure how "non dairy" it really is. Otherwise, I could make a roux with olive oil. For body, I've also hear arrowroot works, though I've never tried it. You really have to approach sauce making in a whole different way, if you decide not to use eggs or dairy.

Where were you stationed in Germany?

stumptown:

Zelah, in my experience the people I know from the suburbs and the people I know from the city are two almost seperate species of humans.

+1