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abjectwoe
May, 2025

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Best place to set up shop that ISNT where you'd set up shop.

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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,323
When I've got downtime at the house and just wanna get stoned and chill on the couch, I find myself flying around in microsoft Flight simulator. This evening I did a flight from NYC to Sherbrooke up the Hudson to Albany, than the spine of the Green Mountains.

In a different world, where things in my life went a bit differently, I think that Waterbury, VT would be an amazing place to put down some roots. On the interstate, so easy drives to Boston, NYC, and only 2 hours from Montreal. Within 30min, you've at Burlington, Sugarbush, Mad River Glen, and Stowe/Smuggs. A couple nice stare parks for hiking.

I'm from Ontario, moved to BC after high school and for over 20 years, lived in one of the pow skiing meccas of the world, but variety is the spice of life. A younger me once tried to figure out the logistics of wintering in Tahoe, but that never worked out. Utah is way too busy, the good skiing in Colorado is isolated, Bozeman has always had my attention... but that's all just following my path in a different place. On that same note, the Alps follows that same thought process.

If I chose money (work/career) over skiing 25 yeaes ago, I could very well see Waterbury being a place I very much could have ended up.

Where do you see as a viable place to set up shop in a alternate reality?
4 months ago
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isaacwrong
Posts: 2444 - Karma: 19,566
Northern Maine if you really hardcore...anywhere off route 2 kind of sets you up with Saddleback, SR or Loaf and a handful of other smaller local hills. Waterbury is an absolute tourist magnet as you gotta stroll through to get to Stowe and Burlington workforce has encroached outwards. Northern 207 housing is still relatively cheap just not much work aside from blue collar
4 months ago
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SlushSeason
Posts: 1199 - Karma: 9,063
In an alternate reality where i was born 30-40 years earlier, San Diego. It's where most of my family is from and i really wish i could have lived there in the 80s and 90s. But instead i moved there in 2018 and it quickly lost a lot of it's appeal to me, especially during/post pandemic.

For the present day, i'd pick a midsized city in the southeast. Job opportunities in my field are pretty good down there and cost of living is reasonable. I'd have to give up skiing for golf or fishing or boating, but that wouldn't be too bad.
4 months ago
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treebeard
Posts: 3766 - Karma: 3,271
Vermont is probably the only place I'd consider on the east coast. Maybe Maine/NH. Brutal winters though, I don't miss that part. Is it better than west coast fire season? Tough call
4 months ago
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hi_vis360
Posts: 5332 - Karma: 55,408
I live in rural Maine work a blue collar job and it totally rules, I get to ski pow at a hill nobody has heard of that has 0 lift lines and is dirt cheap. Y’all are missing out
4 months ago
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hi_vis360
Posts: 5332 - Karma: 55,408
Still dream of living in western Newfoundland though
4 months ago
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SofaKingSick
Posts: 9742 - Karma: 65,784
rural maine is dope. realistically i wouldn't live there/my wife wouldn't love it but that place is sick and low key
4 months ago
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SurfinCow
Posts: 374 - Karma: 3,303
hi_vis360Still dream of living in western Newfoundland though


That’s what I was gonna write. Spent some time out there and it’s pretty sweet. Lots of cool backcountry, climbing and stuff. Really want to go back.
4 months ago
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SurfinCow
Posts: 374 - Karma: 3,303
Oh also somewhere like Smithers or prince George bc. Not the greatest towns from what I know but the skiing out there seems so wild.
4 months ago
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Farmville420
Posts: 5170 - Karma: 67,258
There was a timeline where I stayed with my ex and moved to San diego and lived there and just surfed all the time and skied occasionally. Tons of Italians over there I went once and found all the real paisan spots so it would have felt like home, I love the ocean too, there's definitely a timeline where I dont live in a landlocked state and ski all the time lol
4 months ago
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VT_scratch
Posts: 8854 - Karma: 6,725
alright so I grew up in Essex VT, fam lives in Shelburne now, and I grew up mainly skiing smuggs then did two seasons at bush.... and then I moved to Vancouver BC in 2010 haha. Now I live in Squamish and ski whis all the time (not this season due to ACL + meniscus surgery). Every time I'm back in VT I consider what it would be like to move back... but man I just don't think it compares to coastal BC. Obviously the huge thing VT has going for it is the housing market / cost of living. All my friends at home complain saying its way too expensive, but I guess its all relative as real estate out here is way more insanely priced. my 2 cents.
4 months ago
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FakeKalmar
Posts: 2423 - Karma: 20,184
Arctic circle in one of the 2 bordering countries.

Or somewhere where I could do wind water sports, surf and chill trough the whole year.
I can't see my self living outside of the nordics so this will never happen
4 months ago
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skierman
Posts: 8604 - Karma: 9,550
DrailWhen I've got downtime at the house and just wanna get stoned and chill on the couch, I find myself flying around in microsoft Flight simulator. This evening I did a flight from NYC to Sherbrooke up the Hudson to Albany, than the spine of the Green Mountains.

Holy fuck what a waste of time.
4 months ago
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eheath
Posts: 61955 - Karma: 126,724
skiermanHoly fuck what a waste of time.


Im sure the hobbies you have between 6pm and 10pm are very productive.
4 months ago
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skierman
Posts: 8604 - Karma: 9,550
eheathIm sure the hobbies you have between 6pm and 10pm are very productive.


Building a new house is indeed time intensive but as a condo dwelling hobo, you wouldn't understand.
4 months ago
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eheath
Posts: 61955 - Karma: 126,724
skiermanBuilding a new house is indeed time intensive but as a condo dwelling hobo, you wouldn't understand.


you're building a house? nice man!
4 months ago
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skierman
Posts: 8604 - Karma: 9,550
eheathyou're building a house? nice man!


Thanks! We're turning it into quite the playground, the joys of having no kids because we're super strong believers in abortion.
4 months ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,323
treebeardVermont is probably the only place I'd consider on the east coast. Maybe Maine/NH. Brutal winters though, I don't miss that part. Is it better than west coast fire season? Tough call


I'm old and no longer a ski bum. My wife always wanted to eventually move from the west kootenays closer to family in Vancouver. I finally cracked and had enough with the smoky summer and gave the Green light. We live on Vancouver island now. Skiing is shit, but it exists. Fuck fire smoke.
4 months ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,323
SurfinCowOh also somewhere like Smithers or prince George bc. Not the greatest towns from what I know but the skiing out there seems so wild.


Prince George. Now that's not an answer i expected.
4 months ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,323
skiermanBuilding a new house is indeed time intensive but as a condo dwelling hobo, you wouldn't understand.


Part of the reason I have a lot of downtime right now is that I am waiting for permits to go through to start buying a house myself.

I don't work late November to early March and living in a house with minimal upkeep. I've already fell all the trees on the property and next weekend we are pulling stumps, but there's nothing else to do until the permits are approved sometime in June. Enjoying my downtime while I've got it.

But you know, being an ass by default to people you don't know is your default so that's cool. You do you.
4 months ago
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SurfinCow
Posts: 374 - Karma: 3,303
DrailPrince George. Now that's not an answer i expected.


Haha not that I’d ever move there but it’s cheap and powder king seems to get a ton of snow.
4 months ago
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