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Senate156
Jan 29, 2009, 8:18 PM
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Alright, I know the topic of climbing towns has been discussed a lot lately, but despite searching through numerous threads, I still haven't been able to find the answers that I'm looking for.
I currently live in Indianapolis and enjoy it, but I would really like to get out of here.
The problem is that I do not have a car nor do I foresee purchasing one within the next 8 months or so, so basically wherever I go I am reliant upon public transportation/rides from people that I meet there. I also need a place that I will be able to work as as a server, or coffee shop manager...i.e some place that has lots of tourism, or a college campus. (My degree is in Philosophy so It doesn't really help that much). I'm not really interested in trad, just bouldering and sport. And it is imperative that I can climb at least 4 days a week, whether it's outside, or at a gym.
Here are some cities that I'm currently looking at,
Chattanooga, Tn
Boulder, Co
Flagstaff, Az
Morgantown, Wv
moab, Ut
Bend, or
Pocatello, Id
Boone, Nc
oh and I'm hoping that I can find a roommate because I can only afford about 450-500 a month for rent/util.
any thoughts? any other places?
Note: this is my backup plan, my main plan is to go to Venezuela and then Korea for a year. But with graduation fast approaching and my lease expiring soon after I need to get my stuff together.
thanks for the help
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justroberto
Jan 29, 2009, 8:39 PM
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Senate156 wrote: Alright, I know the topic of climbing towns has been discussed a lot lately, but despite searching through numerous threads, I still haven't been able to find the answers that I'm looking for. I currently live in Indianapolis and enjoy it, but I would really like to get out of here. The problem is that I do not have a car nor do I foresee purchasing one within the next 8 months or so, so basically wherever I go I am reliant upon public transportation/rides from people that I meet there. I also need a place that I will be able to work as as a server, or coffee shop manager...i.e some place that has lots of tourism, or a college campus. (My degree is in Philosophy so It doesn't really help that much). I'm not really interested in trad, just bouldering and sport. And it is imperative that I can climb at least 4 days a week, whether it's outside, or at a gym. Here are some cities that I'm currently looking at, Chattanooga, Tn Boulder, Co Flagstaff, Az Morgantown, Wv moab, Ut Bend, or Pocatello, Id Boone, Nc oh and I'm hoping that I can find a roommate because I can only afford about 450-500 a month for rent/util. any thoughts? any other places? Note: this is my backup plan, my main plan is to go to Venezuela and then Korea for a year. But with graduation fast approaching and my lease expiring soon after I need to get my stuff together. thanks for the help
Boulder. You'll love it there.
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brownie710
Jan 29, 2009, 10:29 PM
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straight to camp 4
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shockabuku
Jan 29, 2009, 10:44 PM
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Senate156 wrote: (My degree is in Philosophy so It doesn't really help that much).
Surely you jest?
Senate156 wrote: I can only afford about 450-500 a month for rent/util. any thoughts? any other places?
How do you know how much you can afford if you haven't moved there and don't have a job yet?
Those are my thoughts, since you asked.
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maldaly
Jan 29, 2009, 10:51 PM
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Of all those towns, Boulder is that only one that I'm sure has public transportation that will take you to a crag. The bus to Nederland runs up Boulder Canyon several times a day. Go to http://www.rtd-denver.com>Schedules>Regional>Route N. Looks like it runs every hour or 2 during the week and a little less on weekends. The bus will pass within several thousand sport routes within walking distance of the road.
Mal
(This post was edited by maldaly on Jan 29, 2009, 10:53 PM)
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Southeasternboulder
Jan 30, 2009, 12:44 AM
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Chattanooga you will be close to rocktown and there is a new gym right in town its pretty sick
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johnwesely
Jan 30, 2009, 1:28 AM
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I am biased but Chattanooga is pretty nice if you are into southeast sandstone, but if you don't have a car you would probably be better off with boulder if what Mal says is right about the public transport.
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milesenoell
Jan 30, 2009, 2:42 AM
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Bend is nice, Smith Rock and Mt Bachelor are both great places. Pocatello may have rocks, but you still have to live in Idaho. Don't get me wrong I have good friends from Pocatello, but they don't go back to visit.
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Senate156
Jan 30, 2009, 3:34 AM
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shockabuku wrote: Senate156 wrote: (My degree is in Philosophy so It doesn't really help that much). Surely you jest?
Nope I have a major in Philosophy and minors in both linguistics and psychology. I did a lot of work in eastern philosophy (Nagarjuna has always been a favorite) and concepts of personhood.
shockabuku wrote: Senate156 wrote: I can only afford about 450-500 a month for rent/util. any thoughts? any other places? How do you know how much you can afford if you haven't moved there and don't have a job yet? Those are my thoughts, since you asked.
Well considering I've paid 900$ a month while going to school full time (18 credit hours per semester) here, I think I can swing 450-500 a month. I have been a fine dining server (Morton's) for quite some time in addition to working with several private ESL clients.
It's true, I have no idea what job I will be able to get, but my track record is really solid in both the management and serving sides of the food service industry. And besides even If I get a job making 8$/hr for 30hrs/wk I should be able to manage 450-500 per month as I don't have a car, gas, or insurance costs to worry about.
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Senate156
Jan 30, 2009, 3:38 AM
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maldaly wrote: Of all those towns, Boulder is that only one that I'm sure has public transportation that will take you to a crag. The bus to Nederland runs up Boulder Canyon several times a day. Go to http://www.rtd-denver.com>Schedules>Regional>Route N. Looks like it runs every hour or 2 during the week and a little less on weekends. The bus will pass within several thousand sport routes within walking distance of the road. Mal
wow, that sounds awesome. Boulder also happens to house Naropa, the place where I hope to get my Masters (if I rule off law school) sometime after a few years of climbing and living as much as possible.
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shockabuku
Jan 30, 2009, 5:27 AM
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Senate156 wrote: shockabuku wrote: Senate156 wrote: (My degree is in Philosophy so It doesn't really help that much). Surely you jest? Nope I have a major in Philosophy and minors in both linguistics and psychology. I did a lot of work in eastern philosophy (Nagarjuna has always been a favorite) and concepts of personhood.
I meant about the degree not having a lot of earning potential. But of course, being a philosophy major, you already knew that.
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doons
Jan 30, 2009, 5:34 AM
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naropa doesnt have any graduate programs even remotely resembling philosophy. plus, why would you go there when CU's philosophy program is ranked 33 in the english speaking world--with a lot of faculty members doing active research in eastern phil.
anyway, you'll never be able to afford boulder on 500 bones/month unless you have 10 roommates or live in a cardboard box on pearl street.
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Carnage
Jan 30, 2009, 5:51 AM
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only place on your list that ive been to is chatanooga.
although the climbing was amazing, less your plugging pro at t-wall, you're missing out on the full experience. also, t-wall (and foster falls) arnt the kind of places you can get to without a car. its like any other southern city, everything is spread out because it used to be all farmland
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Senate156
Jan 30, 2009, 3:41 PM
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I would go to Naropa for a Masters in transpersonal psychology. I enjoy Philosophy immensely, but it's just not a practical choice for me to continue on through to the PhD level. I've been told that professor positions in Philosophy are extremely hard to come by, much more so than psychology...and at this point in my life I just don't think I could deal with being a professor in Philosophy in the first place. However, I am, like I mentioned above, considering Law school, which is what I view as the next step for me in the philosophical realm.
But then again, I have no idea, that's why I'm not trying to go to grad school for at least 2 years.
And yeah, the cost of living is what turned me away from boulder before. However, lately I've been able to find apt. listings around 1300$ for a 3 bedroom. A 3 bedroom with 2 baths and ~1000 sq. ft. which is pretty tiny and I'm sure they aren't that nice, but that's still manageable...It's going to be a big adjustment no matter where I go as far as living quarters are concerned.
(This post was edited by Senate156 on Jan 30, 2009, 3:49 PM)
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Senate156
Jan 30, 2009, 3:55 PM
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how was the city itself? do you know if there were any nice gyms in the city itself?
I could probably afford a motorcycle and would be much more apt to do so in the south where I could feasibly ride a great portion of the year. Although getting on a bike after a hard climbing session doesn't exactly seem like a bright idea.
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Gmburns2000
Jan 30, 2009, 3:55 PM
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Wherever you go just assume that if the cost of living is higher then the wages are likely to be higher as well. It isn't always the case, but it is a decent barometer of determining feasibility.
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doons
Jan 30, 2009, 8:01 PM
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not if you want to work in the food industry. in boulder, for example, if you want to be a server-you will get paid $2.13/hr like everyone else in colorado:)
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Gmburns2000
Jan 30, 2009, 8:13 PM
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doons wrote: not if you want to work in the food industry. in boulder, for example, if you want to be a server-you will get paid $2.13/hr like everyone else in colorado:)
Yeah, I guess that's a good point. People don't really tip any better in high-priced areas either, I bet. I wonder if food prices change, though. Probably not too much.
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newclimbing08
Feb 10, 2009, 4:56 AM
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Morgantown isn't bad...It's not CO, but the whole town revolves around the university. Between all the bars, and the part-time jobs at the university you could def find work. WVU is about 15 min from Coopers rock, where there is some better than average bouldering/TR, but the really good stuff is at Seneca Rocks (which is all trad stuff). If your looking at going to grad school, WVU has a wide variety of programs, and after living there for a year in state tuition is probably next to nothing.
I do know for a fact there is a very, very active climbing community at WVU. It would be really easy to bum rides to the local crags if you pitched in some gas money. The climbing wall in the recreation center is nothing short of awesome.
Another alternative might be to find work where you reside now, save up money and then head for camp4…
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donald949
Feb 10, 2009, 5:37 AM
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Senate156 wrote: brownie710 wrote: straight to camp 4 haha that'd be sweet, I considered Fresno, ca for a while, but I haven't seen or heard anything good about that city besides the proximity to Yosemite.
Well Fresno does have a university.
http://www.csufresno.edu/
But you're still prolly best served by a car if you want to go climbing in CA.
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