What I've learned since leaving Upstate New York

Agree with Scotty!

Post a pic:

http://forum.nyskiblog.com/Big-Sky-Conditions-td4034754.html

!

I read somewhere today that Gallatin County is one of the fastest growing in the US. I am not sure what the unemployment rate is but it is very low. Wages of carpenters, like myself, are pretty high. If you don't have a job it's because you don't want one ( like myself ). I think people back East fear moving West is because they can't find a good job. But we have all the same jobs out here that you have there. And if your job is all about being on the phone or the computer.. we have that too.
Going skiing with the wife today. Supposed to be in the 60's. I'll bring a camera and take a picture.

Welcome back Adrider83.

This is a cool thread.

I would give it time Adrider83. You sound homesick but with time the new place can become home too. You will connect with people and create the same kinds of bonds with new friends. It just takes time.

I sort of wish that I had the kind of family connection some of you mention here but I don't. I wasn't a real happy kid with my situation and I never really liked New Jersey or the tri-state area growing up either. I didn't understand the material based culture and the constant need to one-up others. It's a very real aspect of that region, not that everyone there is like that but the majority seems to be. It's just such a competitive area. As I said, I didn't understand that mentality and it made me feel like I was almost a defect. My parents didn't help this either.

So for me leaving was the best thing ever and I new that the west was right for me. I miss aspects of the east and I feel nostalgic from time to time but I couldn't live in the tri-state area. I'm much happier being poor and spending my time on the mountains than fighting traffic and chasing after $. Upstate NY or somewhere in New England might be fun for a while. The mountain biking sure looks good.

I agree with a lot of the posts on here, skiing isn't everything and now that I have my own family it's the most important aspect of my life. One of the things I hope to pass on to my daughter is to value free time and the outdoors. I want to teach her to balance work and pleasure and the most important thing is that I do my best to make sure she has things better than I did.

When I'm done with school and my daughter is in college I have thought about where I might move next. the only two spots that interest me now are the San Jauns or somewhere in Washington. I have roots here in Flag now but I have moved around enough that I would be ok with a new place.

I like this thread too.  East vs West can be almost as partisan as prezi asshattery and Adrider (and you too RA) seem to have none of it.

My post above was in response to something I saw on the interwebz. AdRider is coming back to NY.  Don't know much more than that, but I look forward to the chance to meet him IRL.

Thanks for the welcoming, Harvey!!  Just got back on Monday...feels so great.  It was not an easy choice to leave Colorado, but it was definitely the right choice.  I quit my job in August, and pretty much spent three months straight fishing and camping all over the state.  I feel blessed to have lived there for a winter (got in a solid 70 days, including some really beautiful, classic lines in the backcountry), and for two fishing summers.  It was a great chapter in my life, and I tried to make every day count.

Though Colorado has some truly special fishing, I've quickly realized that the whole country is loaded with great fishing. I was driving home, and somehow took a wrong turn for a few minutes into Michigan.  I passed a river, which looked quite fishy to me.  I couldn't resist, so I gave it a try.  A few hours later, I had brought several beautiful trout to hand.  What a treat to break up the monotony of a 1700 mile drive!

Skiing wise...yeah I had some great days out there, but I'm a northeast skier.  No way around it, and I love that.  As a kid, I spent a few summers clearing woods around my family's property for glades and trails that I would ski after school every day...wouldn't even take off the catholic school uniform.  May have to get out the trimmers and get my old trail system back in order!

Upstate NY has always been my home.  I love everything about where I'm from, and I always knew, in my heart, it's where I wanted to be. I cannot tell you how good it feels to be back.   I spent about 4 hours at Parkway Music yesterday hanging out...it was my childhood stomping ground.   I'd go in there are a teenager and play every instrument, with the volume on 10, and never buy anything.   Now, I play old man music and occasionally buy something.  Today...well, the weather is a little wet, but I was thinking of going to Lake George and trying to catch a lake trout on a fly rod, while they're in the shallows before winter.  My childhood river, the Battenkill, is also one of my favorite places to fish.  I fished there back in June, and it was great.  Looks like the river is coming around.  

Harvey- looking forward to hang out in the near future!  

Good on ya for knowing what's right for you! I think we all have different paths and are somewhat created by circumstance. That's why the arguments over this vs. that is sort of silly imo.

So did you get to ski Shit For Brains or any of the other lines on Grizzly Peak? In the spring I used to climb up there early and ski a line, then traverse over to the upper lifts at A-Basin and poach for the afternoon. We would do this after hitch hiking from Steamboat sometimes. This was 96-98. Those were some of the best years of my life.

raisingarizona wrote

Those were some of the best years of my life.

It ain't over til it's over!  :)

Adrider83 wrote

I passed a river, which looked quite fishy to me.

LOL

Adrider83 wrote

Harvey- looking forward to hang out in the near future!

AdRider... I'm going to have serious challenges getting to the Adk this year. Catskills is going to be my best shot at skiing this year.

Harvey wrote

AdRider... I'm going to have serious challenges getting to the Adk this year. Catskills is going to be my best shot at skiing this year.

Man that doesn't sound good. Some how I can't imagine the cabin sitting empty all winter.

I had a few days where I planned on skiing Shit for Brains, but never happened.  Definitely got to ski a lot of other cool lines last winter by Abasin and Loveland Pass.  Also got in a few other classic Colorado descents.  Gotta love the spring there!

We'll sync up at Platty!

Adrider83 wrote

We'll sync up at Platty!

I want to see your patented move:



... even if you are just hucking off a mogul.