i'm thinking of moving to idaho.....is it worth leaving virginia

[grannie4peace]

i'd like some independent observations?

[Lyric]

1. Observations:

Idaho 2008 Statewide Election Results:

McCain: 402,509 (62%)
Obama: 235,864 (36%)

http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/results/ENR/statewide_total.html

Virginia 2008 Statewide Election Results:

McCain: 1,726,345 (46%)
Obama: 1,959,161 (53%)

https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2008/07261AFC-9ED3-410F-B07D-84D014AB2C6B/Unofficial/1_s.shtml

In Idaho, you'll be surrounded by McCain supporters. There aren't as many OF them as there are in Virginia, but they outnumber Idaho Democrats almost 2-to-1, and they really, REALLY like guns. Really. As in, I'd be surprised to find more than a handful of conservative households in Idaho that DON'T have at least one gun.

I'd stay in Virginia, if I were you.

[investintrains]

2. Idaho needs Democrats, if you like big sky and don't mind few cities

Idaho needs Democrats, if you like big sky and don't mind few cities

[Breeze54]

Alabama and Georgia need them MORE!!!

;)

[grannie4peace]

7. i'm not going those places---don't like hot or bugs!!! or alligators

[Fabio]

15. if you dont like hot...

stay out of Boise and live at slightly higher elevations (like Moscow). Boise will get to 100 degrees and as low as 20 in the winter. But I can assure you those temperatures feel much, much more mild than the east coast equivalent. (I also grew up in DC and went to school in McLean)

[Gato Moteado]

18. what's wrong with alligators?

nt

[grannie4peace]

19. they eat people!!!!

[Gato Moteado]

38. well....technically that's true, they could eat a person....but i don't think it happens....

...that much. they're pretty shy creatures and afraid of humans. they become dangerous after people have fed them and they lose their fear of people. i lived in miami for 4 years and spent a lot of time in the everglades. i've been close to more gators than most people could imagine. the only time i ever had them get aggressive with me is when i got too close to their nest or their babies, and even then they never attacked....only bluffed.

so, don't be afraid of gators. i'd be much more afraid of the gun toting rednecks in idaho.

[Kalyke]

28. Tennessee needs you, too!

Please, we're awash with fundie nuts. They need to be out-bred or out-populated in SOME fashion!

[grannie4peace]

33. my dad was from tennessee

his family had land there that i wanted to get at one time....never could.... i love the landscape----up & down.....can't deal with flatlands!!!!

[grannie4peace]

6. my daughters live there. my ex make 26.00 an hour as a carpenter

they said the climate where they are is similar to va. ( i have had a hell of a time with freepers as i live by falwell hell ) this past week has been the only time the thought stuck around in my head. usually the sweet smell of overripe apples outside pulls my right back here. how i've grown to appreciate this land is a true blessing. thank you for the political info.... :hi:

[salguine]

30. And if Proposition 8 pissed you off...Idaho—not just Utah—is crawling with Mormons, too.

[grannie4peace]

34. that is a downer!!!!!

i would have to be in a "liberal" area

[Breeze54]

3. Gheesh! Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire!!

I'm in MA and I saw a Delaware license plate yesterday!! :P Very unusual.

They drove their HUGE SUV into the local hardware store.... really slow. ;)

[Zynx]

4. Two reasons not to: 1. Unless you're moving for a specific career reason

the economy is much better in Virginia. It's like moving to Michigan from Minnesota.

2. Surrounded by crazies. Crazies as far as the eye can see.

[diddlysquat]

5. You could try Seattle.

Lots of "like" minds here.

[grannie4peace]

8. isn't it really expensive there.. the IT thing?

[juno jones]

36. Puget Sound isn't too bad as long as you're not in the city proper.

Sounds like you're into open space and sky tho. :) I'd say check out Western Wa, like Skagit river and up towards the cascades or Eastern WA close to Idaho, there are even a few university towns out that way. At least you'd have a Dem gov :) Good luck with your search.

[Fabio]

9. Where in Idaho?

I have spent alot of time there in the last 30 years. It's not a monotholic state -- by topgraphy, politics, climate, etc. The best three spots in Idaho to live are (in no order) 1) Boise 2) Blaine County (Sun Valley/Ketchum/Hailey) and 3) McCall.

I live in Manhattan, and could easily move to those places. Ketchum is my preference. It's a ski town -- with all the requisite beauty -- but it's also a wonderful, tight knit year round community. Boise, btw, should not be underestimated. Access to the outdoors is superb, good schools, lively and growing.

[Fabio]

10. BTW

the climate in Idaho is MUCH better than Virginia -- unless you absolutely cant stand winter. There is very low humidity in the region (unlike NoVa)

[grannie4peace]

11. that's the kind of info i'm looking for!!!!

thank you so much!!! what do you think of moscow?--- i want changes of land, hills or mountains... can't stand level ground in abundance.

[Fabio]

13. I havent spent much time in Moscow...

the panhandle is difficult to reach from Ketchum (through the mountains), but it's in an incredibly beautiful part of the state. It is traditionally a little more conservative up north, but I like the people out there.

I just found this map on Idaho looking around. You can see the geography of the state pretty clearly. If you look at the bottom of the state, you'll see a big flat crescent. You'll want to avoid that area unless you are moving to Boise.


http://geology.com/state-map/idaho.shtml

Also forgot to mention Victor and Driggs, which are on the west side of the Teton Mountains near Jackson Hole, Wyoming but in Idaho. More rolling hills backdropped with Mountains and a better water table than lots of other parts of the state.

[grannie4peace]

16. you are so totally cool to post those for me---

i send you hugs & prayers to bless you for your kindness!!!!

[Delphinus]

23. I traveled through Idaho

many years ago - loved Coeur d'Alene .

Boise was pretty - but it seemed really big.

I didn't have the time to get to all the places I wanted.

[Oilwellian]

12. I'm near Falwell hell too

Outside of Roanoke. Stay here and let's become friends. :D

[grannie4peace]

14. i'll be your friend!!!!

:hi:

[Sinti]

17. I moved from VA to ID - I love it here

I live outside Boise. The country is beautiful here, mountain views everywhere you go, just breathtaking. It's very dry, high desert country. We do have a rainy season from Oct to Feb-Mar. It's definitely cold in the winter, but so is NOVA, and here it's a dry cold so it doesn't sink into your bones as much.

The people I find are not all goose stepping zombies, even those who identify as 'pubs. They're generally not aggressive about it. It's a very libertarian spot. I think the area is highly misunderstood. Then again, Boise is not exactly a bastion of conservatism in general.

I can't speak well to the economy, I long-distance telecommute, and my job is not generally subject to the normal impacts of the overall economy. We had Micron and HP here, but they're both cutting back. My son has a fairly good job working for Apple here, but there are threats of layoffs/cut backs. Personally I've found if you're hard headed enough you can find good work/pay anywhere you go, economic climate be damned. The cost of living here is half of what it is in NOVA.

Come to Idaho! I bet you'll love it here. If you don't, Oregon is just over the border.

[grannie4peace]

21. i am semi-retired.

i work part-time as an rca for the post office..... i would have to be able to live on $739. a mo. if food is cheap--- i have wood heat here in va. & have lots of trees. i want to make it so i don't have to work part time, but realize i may have to. i could probably transfer to a post office there. as rca's are needed in most post offices everywhere.

[CreekDog]

20. Stay north

Once you get north of McCall it's okay.

Otherwise you might as well move to Utah. (Boise excepted)

[grannie4peace]

22. utah gives me the heeby-jeebies!!!!

[dipsydoodle]

24. There's far more

banjos in VA - trust me on that. So - if you like old time american traditional music , which everyone should IMHO , stay in VA. :) :hi:

[grannie4peace]

26. i agree with that--- but you know i'm a musical clutz!!!

[Mudoria]

25. You would be closer to the source of taters!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV3GxS2mQfs

[grannie4peace]

27. rotflmao

:rofl:

[RichardRay]

29. I live in Jackson Hole, just over the pass from Victor & Driggs

Victor has gotten a bit more expensive as folks from Jackson have had to move over there to afford to buy anything, but if you go a bit north and east from Driggs prices come back down. Rexburg and St. Anthony are somewhat more LDS with a heavily LDS university in Rexburg.

The Big Horns separate Teton Valley (where Victor and Driggs are) from Idaho Falls, the nearest city of any size. Victor and Driggs are separated from Jackson Hole by Teton Pass, the pass over the Snake River Range just south of the Tetons. At 8,400' it can be quite a handful in the winter, but it's generally pretty easy to get over here if you're OK driving on snow. Jackson Hole and the rest of Teton County are generally the most liberal areas in this part of Idaho or Wyoming - we went for Barack by a 2:1 margin this year. That carries over into Driggs and Victor, where the traditional conservative political machine has been losing power recently.

[IndianaJones]

31. don't do it. i have always regretted leaving. nt.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[grannie4peace]

35. i did already!!!!!

[IDemo]

37. I've lived here nearly 40 years

But it has almost always been with an eye toward moving to a more progressive state. After being a part of the enthusiasm with 8,300 people at Boise's caucus on Super Tuesday, it seemed we might just be turning the state back around. Of course I knew better, and McCain still took Idaho with a nearly two to one vote margin.
Progressives are badly outnumbered here, but on any given day the letters to the editor will be more or less split between left and right viewpoints.

As someone mentioned above, HP and Micron have been the Big Two here and both are experiencing significant cutbacks. There a quite a few smaller tech companies as well, but if it's hi tech work you're after, there may be greener pastures.

I enjoyed a week on business in Leesburg, Virginia several years ago, despite torrential downpours. We don't see 100% humidity here, so a 90 degree day will feel warmer there than 100 degrees here.

[Breeze54]

39. Hey there, IDemo...

:D

Are you saying the HP/Micron computer companies are STILL here in the USA and they may be hiring?
I'm in MA, you know, the Technology Highway but it's been growing weeds a LOT, lately.... :eyes:
I've often told my son that he should hold down the fort while I wander and if the resident voting
time is acclimatable to me, then I am all for moving and voting there!! Many have done that in NC
already, etc. ;) PM me with we 'resident details', if you don't mind.