First Post From the New World...

[Bailey Guns]

Actually just Idaho. Okay...actually WA. I'm staying with a friend in Elk while I scout houses in ID and do the paperwork/drug tests for the new job. I've only been here for 24 hours and I love it already.

It was a long but uneventful 1200 mile drive from Bailey. I never appreciated WY as much as I did Saturday after leaving the stupidly congested north metro area. I passed through Cheyenne and there was hardly any traffic at all until Sheridan. There was a light rain the entire 550 miles through MT. The drive down the pass (forgot the name already) on the ID/MT border was beautiful and the rain had stopped. Passing through Mullan, Kellogg, Wallace, Osborn and the other mountain towns down the hill on I-90 towards CDA was just gorgeous. Looking at Wallace, ID is like looking life in the late 1800s. I'm gonna have to go back there and take a closer look as it appeared to be a stunningly beautiful little mountain town.

I saw a billboard in WY of the R candidate for governor wearing a 1911. Awesome! On some of the back roads north of CDA I saw yard sale signs that said, "YARD SALE - Guns, Ammo, other stuff". I didn't get a chance to stop but it reminded me of the good ole days in CO.

Checking in with the new boss tomorrow.

Another thing that was profoundly different than Colorado is the air...the abundance of air. Going from 8500' to 2500' makes a huge difference. I'm curious to see what the change will be like going even lower to Lewiston at about 725'.

All in all it's a big adventure and so far so good.

[Great-Kazoo]

Best of luck with everything.. If & when things get settled here we have 2-3 locations in eastern ID for potential residence.

[buffalobo]

Good to hear you like it. Post pics.

Gonna tell the back story or have you already and I missed it? Knew you were considering it.

[Irving]

Didn't even know you were leaving. Knew the house was on the market.

[roberth]

Congratulations! Very nice.

[sniper7]

Congrats! Hope you find something really nice!

[ray1970]

Sounds like good news for sure. [Beer]

[Gman]

That was Lookout Pass going from MT into the ID panhandle. Love driving that route visiting the folks up in the Olympic Peninsula.

We wish you the best and hope it all works out!

Sooo....I take it that the Home Depot in Lewiston is hiring...or were you looking to be the greeter at the Walmart just over the border? [Coffee]

[Aloha_Shooter]

Still sorry to see you go but glad things are looking good for you.

[Bailey Guns]

Yeah...Lookout Pass. That's it. The finances in retirement are the main driving factor. We just can't afford to stay where we are in retirement. But Lewiston also has really mild weather. I'm kinda tired of the cold and snow up in the hills. I have to get back to Bailey in time to vote in the upcoming election, though. I wanna do what little I can to get rid of some of the dems there.

And I'm not qualified to work at Home Depot. I'm just a dumbass truck driver.

[wctriumph]

Congrat's. I've been to Idaho and Montana a few times in another life and I always liked the Northern Idaho area. Very pretty and the people were great. An the size of the salmon coming out of those rivers was amazing! Good luck in the new World.

[TheGrey]

It sounds like things are going to be very good to you and your wife. :) How wonderful!

I second the request for pictures, and hope that you'll still remain on this forum? I'd miss you if you left completely.

[Ronin13]

Please tell me you'll still be active on here, Carl! Good for you. I hope the pastures are greener out there for you. I wish I wasn't so tied down here, otherwise I'd leave this state too. But maybe we can make a change for the better (it'll be harder with you gone). [Beer]

[GilpinGuy]

Good luck Carl! I hope all works out well for you.

[KestrelBike]

Alright, who else thought of Dvorak's 9th symphony?

[Bailey Guns]

Symphony? Way too sophisticated for me.

[Bailey Guns]

For you truck guys... I averaged 12mpg from the Duramax over the trip towing a 7000 lb (guessing) trailer with the cruise set at 70 for the majority of the way. It wasn't really windy in WY (shocker!) but there was a fairly strong headwind the entire way through MT.

[StagLefty]

Good Luck and keep with us internetally !

[cfortune]

Traffic in Sheridan? I grew up there and have never heard of such a thing.

[spqrzilla]

Well, I'm jealous. [Beer]

[Zombie Steve]

<---- Jealous. Congrats.

[MED]

I wish you the best! I have three years until my son graduates high school, and I will be leaving too. I can't wait to put Colorado in my rear-view mirror!

[Irving]

I wish you the best! I have three years until my son graduates high school, and I will be leaving too. I can't wait to put Colorado in my rear-view mirror!

You should check out some of the areas in Lakewood before you go. I hear the market is really good right now. ;)

[MED]

You should check out some of the areas in Lakewood before you go. I hear the market is really good right now. ;)[Beer]

I have a hard enough time with Conifer; the metro area is the primary reason for wanting to leave. I liked Colorado twenty-five years ago, but I am growing more hostile to living here every day. I can find pride and enjoyment in my home again if I leave like Carl.

[mackbamf]

Congrats and best of luck...

[blackford76]

Alright, who else thought of Dvorak's 9th symphony?

More like a moonshine jug and a banjo!
I wish you the all the best, but not having you as a neighbor makes CO that much harder to tolerate.
Heading up to Chadron, NE this weekend. Scouting trip, maybe my childhood home is for sale.

[sabot_round]

Alright, who else thought of Dvorak's 9th symphony?

Who the hell is Dvorak??

[sabot_round]

Seriously BG, I wish you the best of luck in your new endeavors!! Keep in touch!!

SR

[Mtn.man]

So can I take you place at CO Gun Broker?

[Aloha_Shooter]

Who the hell is Dvorak??


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETNoPqYAIPI

[Bailey Guns]

Well, the trip was fun. A kink in the job developed courtesy of the USPS popped up that will take about 8 weeks to resolve. All in all the area was beautiful. Coeur D'Alene and the surrounding area was awesome but quite touristy. Lewiston was warmer and cheaper and the rivers are gorgeous. The people everywhere were very nice.

So, back in Bailey to tidy up a few things and get the house on the market.

As a side note, affordable house rentals in Lewiston are non-existent. If a guy wanted to get into the rental property game that would be a great place to do it. Home prices are very low...rental prices for the same house are sky high because demand is so high.

[Gman]

Too bad these guys don't have a store at their factory in Lewiston; http://www.freedommunitions.com/About-Us-s/1820.htm

[Bailey Guns]

Oh, I know. But the shipping from Lewiston to Lewiston should be quick and cheap! I drove by a few times and there were always trucks loading/unloading.

[Bailey Guns]

OK...reviving the dead thread...

I left Bailey just over a week ago with the dog and the 5th wheel and whatever I could pack into it. Most of the work on the house is done and we're getting several showings but no sale yet. Wife is staying behind to finish things up with that and to tie up some loose ends with work.

I was able to wrangle a transfer with my company to the Lewiston/Clarkston area so no worries about a job this time. Spent last week in orientation getting to know the area a little. I'll be the only guy working out of the Lewiston shop passing gas to the surrounding area. The boss is 105 miles away in Spokane. [Flower]

I've actually been able to get out and about and do some things this time that I wasn't able to do last time.

Lewiston has a population of about 32000 people. There are about 25000 in Clarkston. The two cities are about the size of Grand Junction. Elevation is about 750'...makes it a lot easier to breathe!

No traffic, no congestion. You can decide to drive across town at 5pm and it doesn't matter. That's the most amazing feeling to me. Most of the stores you'd need are here...Walmart, Costco, Safeway, Sportsman's Warehouse, etc...and they aren't crowded. Even Costco. I was in Safeway yesterday at about 5:30pm and waited in line to checkout for almost a minute. The checker said she was "really sorry" I had to wait so long. Gas/diesel are about .45 cents per gallon more than Colorado. But I don't have to drive nearly as far.

We're (me and the dog) temporarily living in the 5th wheel at a nice park right on the Snake River...it's about 75' out the front door. Actually, we're right at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers. The river and all the activity on it is fascinating to us both. There's a few large river paddle boats that dock right next door and travel the river all the way to the Pacific. There is some occasional tug/barge traffic carrying grains and lumber to the coast as well.

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt337/baileyguns/DSC_2065_zps6jts7qey.jpg


The paved bike path in the left of the photo runs for about 17 miles along the Snake River. It's really beautiful.

The river valley in town is pretty brown...not much rain or snow in the valley and the temp is much warmer than the surrounding area. Once you get "up the hill" the surrounding area is mostly farmland (wheat, lentils and garbanzo beans), rolling hills and trees. Maybe not as pretty as Colorado but beautiful in it's own way. All of the roads, even the smaller county roads, are well paved and very wide. They keep the roads in excellent condition. I haven't seen a pothole since I've been here...even on the few dirt roads around. Logging is big in the area, too. The Clearwater Paper mill stretches for a few miles along the river on both the Idaho and Washington sides. Almost everyone works there making your paper towels and toilet paper. Like most paper mills it occasionally provides a unique "aroma" around the town. It's not bad...but it's noticeable a day or two during the week.

The other thing that just amazes me is how friendly people are. I almost never talked to any customers I delivered to around Bailey and Conifer. I have yet to go to a home here where the residents didn't come out to greet me, offer me water or coffee (or even snacks at a few places) or just generally have a conversation. People in parking lots will stop you to talk and be pleasant because no one seems to be in a hurry.

Every store it seems sells guns. There's one store here called North 40 Outfitters...it's like a Murdoch's on steroids...they have everything. Probably going to become a go-to store for most things I need. They must have 3000 guns on the rack. Prices didn't look to be much different than the Denver area. The Sportsman's store looks like all the others. The one thing I noticed is that Remington .22LR ammo is on the shelf everywhere. LOTS of it. Which is odd since ATK has a Speer/CCI plant right here in town. There certainly isn't a shortage or Remington rimfire in this area. And there are too many little gun shops to even begin to start counting. There's an indoor range right on main street in downtown Lewiston. I haven't had a chance to really find out much about where to shoot and such...but I will.

I need to figure out how to get a "permanent" address so I can get my DL and register my truck. My CO plates expired in July and I didn't want to spend $650 to register it there just before leaving. It's $48 here...I just need an address.

Anyway, just thought some of you might be interested. I'll have an opportunity to get some pics of the surrounding area this next week and I'll post a few up.

My main focus right now is not running afoul of the infamous Potato Cartels.

[Gman]

There are a few places in ID I would like to live...it's the whole employment thing that makes that more difficult. Glad to hear you got the job situation straightened out.

As I get older, I notice the increased oxygen levels closer to sea level. You'll enjoy not shoveling snow and the milder winters. I'm pretty sure you'll be able to avoid the 'tater Syndicate. [Coffee]

[UncleDave]

Awesome Carl. I'll have to send you some cash for some rimfire. Getting moved into the house just down the road from your old place. Right off Richmond Hill rd. I always love ID and western MT. Enjoy.

[Bailey Guns]

I'll have to send you some cash for some rimfire.

Sure...I can always use cash for ammo! [Coffee]

Welcome to the 'hood, too.

[Wulf202]

Rental boxes and the ups stores are adresses for registration.

You can float to my home town from there.

[Bailey Guns]

I've got a UPS Store street address but DMV says it's not a legal address. I was hoping it was that easy.

[Mazin]

Thanks for the pics, it looks absolutely beautiful. I'm glad your enjoying it!

[Wulf202]

Hell. My vehicles dl and voter registration go to a ups store.

[Bailey Guns]

I just checked...temp addresses are OK in WA state but not in ID.

[Bailey Guns]

The sunrise view from the RV park where I have my 5th wheel parked. The old drawbridge is where the Clearwater River ends and meets the Snake River. The Snake River curves from right to left across the screen.

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt337/baileyguns/DSC_2071_zpsa4rh4mpn.jpg

[Bailey Guns]

Oh...and they have a radio show about GUNS and SHOOTING that lasts for 3 hours on Sun afternoon. Today they talked about clays, concealed carry, self-defense shooting, kids getting involved in the shooting sports through their schools... Freakin' insane, I tell ya.

[HoneyBadger]

Oh...and they have a radio show about GUNS and SHOOTING that lasts for 3 hours on Sun afternoon. Today they talked about clays, concealed carry, self-defense shooting, kids getting involved in the shooting sports through their schools... Freakin' insane, I tell ya.
Sounds like a dangerous place! I wonder why we never hear about all the mass shootings in Idaho? Definitely sounds like a conspiracy....

[Irving]

Here you go Bailey: http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/08/15/bear-idaho-cat-door/31778639/

[Bailey Guns]

That's a pretty funny story with some great photos. Unfortunately bears that behave like that usually wind up dead.

[Bailey Guns]

Just some observations about Cost of Living comparisons between Idaho and Colorado:

I've been driving around with Colorado plates on my pickup that expired in July. I didn't register in Colorado before I left because Colorado wanted $658. F that. I needed to prove Idaho residency before registering the truck here and was only able to do that recently. So, I went to the DMV to register the truck today. BTW...I was the only one there. The very nice DMV clerk was reading a magazine when I walked in.

Colorado registration cost for 2014 Chevy = $658
Idaho registration and title = $84.50

When I got back home I called the insurance company and told them I'd moved to Idaho to see if that changed the premium. Yes...that changed the premium. In Colorado it was $423.78 for 6 months of full coverage with $1000/$500 deductibles. No change in coverage cost in Idaho $185 for 6 months.

Auto insurance costs for 6 months for the privilege of driving and living in Colorado = $424
Auto insurance costs for 6 months for the privilege of driving and living in Idaho...with much better roads and far less traffic = $185

The police haven't stopped me and questioned me about marijuana after seeing my Colorado plates...or anything else for that matter. The young deputy who did my VIN inspection noticed the expired plates and asked if I knew my plates were expired. I admitted I knew and explained why I was just now getting the ID registration. He was shocked when I told him the price difference and said he didn't care about the expired plates.

Still waiting for my TSA clearance letter so I can get my HazMat endorsement and ID CDL.

[Holger Danske]

What are property taxes like? Just curious.

[Great-Kazoo]

What are property taxes like? Just curious.

What's this winter going to be like. That's the real question.

[Dave_L]

Colorado does have some of the highest insurance rates. Not surprising to see that drop so much in Idaho. Our registration costs are such BS.

[Danimal]

Deleted

[Bailey Guns]

The Lewiston/Clarkston area sits in a valley. The elevation on the Snake River is only 750' there. Average low in Dec/Jan is like 28 or 29 degrees. Very little snow in the valley...neighborhood of 10" avg per winter. Like Danimal said...winter is moderated significantly by the Pacific and the low elevation.

On the other hand, I lived in Bailey at 8400' for 25 years. Pretty much anything would be an improvement in terms of winter weather and temps.

[Bailey Guns]

What are property taxes like? Just curious.

Probably similar to a lot of places in Colorado. However, Idaho has a "Homeowner's Exemption" that applies to your primary residence. It can reduce the taxable value of the property by 50% or nearly $90,000 depending on how much your property is worth...so it significantly reduces the property tax costs for most people.


If you’re a homeowner, you can apply for an exemption on the value of your owner-occupied primary residence, including a manufactured home. The exemption applies to fifty percent of the value of the residence(including up to one acre of land) or$89,580, whichever is less. Taxes are computed on the nonexempt value. You may also apply for this exemption on your home (not land) if you’re paying occupancy taxes.

[Gman]

Climate Lewiston - Idaho (http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/lewiston/idaho/united-states/usid0146)

I lived in OR for a while, and the folks live in WA. The Pacific has a buffering effect in the winter. Plenty of O2 at that elevation as well.

[Bailey Guns]

I wanted to revive the dead thread for an update on the end of our first full year in Idaho.

So far everything is working out nicely. We're in a far better financial position after being here a year than we ever could've been in Colorado. We haven't necessarily downsized, just "discovered" the benefits of reducing debt, avoiding new debt, and the advantages of buying used and re-purposing things or repairing older things. For example...sold my newer Duramax and the massive payment that went with it and bought a nice, low-mileage used truck. It was way too easy to fall into that trap of always wanting the nice, new stuff and forgetting the financial havoc that was having on our future. So, much less debt, more house/less payment, make do with older stuff that still works. Taking advantage of the seller's market in Colorado had a lot to do with being able to do that...we're thankful the timing was good. It really helped us get on a better financial footing here. We're trying to come up with a realistic way to implement a 10-year payoff plan on the house.

We do miss a few things that were available in a large metro area like Denver that aren't available here. Mostly the endless variety of good restaurants. There are some good places here, but obviously not as many.

One of the reasons for the move was milder weather. So I get here and this winter has been the coldest and snowiest in the history of the planet in the valley. We have over 12" of snow in the yard. The average low for Dec/Jan is normally around 28 or 29 degrees. Until I get here. I've already lost count of the number of times it's been below zero in the last month.

It's really easy to disconnect from the rest of the world here. I'm not much of a TV guy so I never watch any news. I listen to talk radio during the day when I can get a signal (yes, no AM radio signal is a common thing up here in the remote areas) and can generally keep up with the big, national stories. Local stuff is a lot harder.

And an odd thing that both my wife and I have noticed. Much of the local population has lived here all their lives and most never travel far from home. Even so, few people seem to know much about the area or the history of the area. It's the strangest thing. It's a very blue collar area and, frankly, that's one of the things I like about it. But life and people are much less sophisticated here than in a place like Denver. And I don't mean that in a disparaging way at all. It's just that, for most people, their lives are here and that's what they know. It's very simple...and comforting...and that's how most folks here seem to like it.

It's harder to sell things like guns and ammo here because of the lower population. Most buyers, if they want what you have badly enough, will come from CDA/Spokane or Boise. I discovered this by selling off a chunk of the gun/ammo collection to fund a used tractor purchase because that'll be a lot handier than the guns/ammo will be. FYI...tractors are like gun safes. Everyone always says buy more safe than you think you need. Same goes for tractors.

http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt337/baileyguns/20170107_153112_zpspr2pazt9.jpg

I've only owned it a few weeks and, I swear...I don't know how in the hell I survived as long as I have without a front end loader and a backhoe. Handiest damn thing I've ever owned. And it's certainly earned it's keep with all the snow that needs to be moved. **FREE TIP: If you decide to move to Idaho, even a place like the LC valley (where it never snows), don't leave your plow and all your snow shovels in Colorado.

I need an alternate heat source in my shop. I've been using a propane heater...the non-vented type. Problem is propane creates way too much moisture when burned. That and the high RH in the winter here and moisture beads up on every cold metal surface in the shop. So I either need something electric or a vented propane heater of some sort. I burned the heater for about 3 hours the other day. Ran a de-humidifier at the same time. After just a few hours I had about 4 or 5 quarts of water in the de-humidifier bucket. Just crazy.

There are more jobs here than you can shake a stick at. Especially driving jobs. My company has been looking to hire another driver in Moscow but can't even get anyone to apply. Schweitzer Engineering Labs is building a huge new place in the Pullman/Moscow area and is supposed to hiring 800 people in the near future for various positions. All the mills and logging companies are always looking for people. And heavy mechanics are needed everywhere from what I'm hearing.

I'm looking forward to some short road trips this summer. I want to head up to Vancouver on the bike for a few days and look around. I've never been there but thought if I ever went to Canada that would be where I wanted to go. I also want to do a ride along the coast in OR and WA. There's a tremendous amount of places that need to be seen in this part of the country. Which reminds me:

For a great look at what the area has to offer, check out these movies. You may be able to find them on-demand from CBS (that's where I saw Idaho The Movie 2) or another source. If not, they're well worth the price on Amazon:

https://smile.amazon.com/Idaho-Movie/dp/B00A1AU6SA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483925605&sr=8-1&keywords=idaho+the+movie
https://smile.amazon.com/Idaho-Movie-DVD-Tim-Woodward/dp/B01M9B65BZ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483925605&sr=8-2&keywords=idaho+the+movie

Really fantastic scenery.

Sorry for the rambling...just posting for anyone interested.

[Bailey Guns]

Oh, yeah. I came home the other day and my wife was wearing bib overalls and a pair of rubber muck boots. She looked like she robbed someone from Green Acres. That's what happens.

[roberth]

Glad you're doing well there BG, thank you for update. Cool tractor!!

[Great-Kazoo]

Oh, yeah. I came home the other day and my wife was wearing bib overalls and a pair of rubber muck boots. She looked like she robbed someone from Green Acres. That's what happens.


Sounds like my wife's UOD outside doing chores. She's leaning more towards a bobcat then tractor, for now.


I need an alternate heat source in my shop.


Mini-Split
http://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/products


Been a propane user for years. After the weight reduction on the right leg she was insistent there would be nothing to trip over. Outside the usual crap in the shop;) Our daughter told her about the ones she installed in their place (4K sq ft) was cheaper than running ducts around the house.

ANYWAY ..... i wasn't sold on it. Close to a year later and it's one of the best investments made. Especially when the AC's running, so much easier reloading when it's 100 outside.


BTW: Happy to hear you're doing well.

[Bailey Guns]

I downloaded a brochure for the Mitsubishi stuff. Thanks.

[Irving]

Nice to hear that everything seems to be working out so far. Even with the coldest winter on record, it's not any worse than when you were here is it?

Kids come out to visit yet?

[GilpinGuy]

Sorry for the rambling...just posting for anyone interested.

Keep rambling please...[Beer]

[CS1983]

Keep rambling please...[Beer]

Indeed. It's the little details that really help those of us considering a move gain a better mental picture of things in Shangri-Idaho.

[Bailey Guns]

On balance, the weather here is much more mild than in Bailey. Very little wind in the valley, lots of wind up on the prairies. Very wet here in the winter. Everything starts to turn green in the fall and stays green in the winter. Very dry and brown in the summer.

Kids came out in Oct for a few days. That's the biggest downside to moving here...leaving what little family I had in CO. It'll get even worse when grandkids come along.

For all you shooters and sportsmen...Idaho is about 70% public land. You can pull off the road and shoot pretty much anywhere it seems. Only AK, NV and UT have a higher percentage of public vs private land.