Best Places to Retire to for LF

[pdmoylan]

So for us nature lovers who are obessed with imaging a wide diversity of land, sea, and sky (including wildlife via digital), and particularly looking for at least 3 of 4 good seasons and relatively comfortable cost of living, upon retirement where would you choose to live?

Locations outside the US are sought as well.

PDM

[Heroique]

Portland, Oregon!

A little rainy in fall and winter, but no place is perfect.

Plus the best thing – Seattle is just up the road!

[John Kasaian]

All the cool kids retired in Carmel, CA.

[Ari]

Norway.
Dare to be different.

[Bill McMannis]

Western North Carolina is hard to beat. Asheville makes for a central location with incredible day trips to Linville Gorge, Chimney Rock/Hickory Nut Gorge, Tallulah Gorge, Georgia Guidestones in Elbert GA. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through the edge of town and a photographer could spend a lifetime on this subject alone. Fall color is spectacular (tourist income peaks with the color). Winters, with the exception of this past one are usually mild. Spring comes early and summer is a delight.

[Ironage]

I'm planning on the Southern Black Hills of South Dakota. You can still find reasonable property prices, lots of scenic views including the Badlands, Needles, Custer State Park. Wildlife too! Remote? Yup.

[Bill_1856]

Anywhere but Florida.
There's nothing here but mosquitoes, snakes, alligators, and divorce lawyers, none of which should be shot with a big camera.

[Richard Johnson]

Someplace where you can have pets and friends live near by, the rest is irrelevant as there are wonderful landscapes wherever you are, it all depends on your attitude.

A good healthcare system and doctor count too.

[Jmarmck]

NOT S. Georgia for the same reason as Wilhelm, plus a whole list of monotonies.
Perhaps back home in Northern Arkansas or Mammoth Lakes, CA region.
Then again Durango, CO might be a nice central location with varied landscapes within a days drive.

[munz6869]

Switzerland - scenery everywhere you can catch public transport to...

Marc!

[John Kasaian]

Perhaps somewhere next to a back door at the Ilford sheet film factory?:rolleyes:

[bob carnie]

New Zealand

[Jon Shiu]

North Coast of California is pretty nice with lots of sea, sky and land. Mild climate. Affordable places are available here also.

Jon

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

Best Places to Retire to for LF?

France, without discussion! (http://www.galerie-photo.com/images/chambre-11x14-aperitif.jpg)

[lecarp]

Anywhere but Florida.
There's nothing here but mosquitoes, snakes, alligators, and divorce lawyers, none of which should be shot with a big camera.

You forgot the worst of it, endless tourists. As the locals say, "If its tourist season why can't I shoot them".

[Mark Sawyer]

The darkroom!

[Vaughn]

North Coast of California is pretty nice with lots of sea, sky and land. Mild climate. Affordable places are available here also. Jon

Sounds good to me, but then I already live there. Recently bought a three bedroom house in the middle of town (Blue Lake, CA) for $151,000. A bit of a fixer-upper -- I just spent several days doing some foundation work and leveling, and have to do the same on the other side of the house. It is a little rough around the edges, but I am putting in a darkroom and it is right next to the bar. So I will be retiring to the darkroom...with an occasional trip over for a beer.

Of course, New Zealand would be a fine place to retire, but it can be difficult to get the permission for non-Kiwis.

[Doug Howk]

As we get older, what we carry literally weighs heavily on ourselves. I use a modified jogging cart which doesn't work too well in rough, non-level terrain. So, unlike some other comments here, I vote for a flat environment like Florida. And there are plenty of canoeing opportunities for getting a different perspective.

[neil poulsen]

I live in Forest Grove near (35 miles) Portland, Or. and love it. It's a small, college town that is it's own area with three National Historic Districts and high public involvement. It's near the City; yet, it's at the root of three different accesses to the Oregon coast.

With that said, I sometimes long for Pollock Pines, Ca., which is about half-way (50 miles each?) between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe on Highway 50. It's nestled in the Sierra pine trees at 4000 feet, and it's probably the most beautiful place that I've lived. There're some excellent restaurants, Apple Hill (lots of apple orchards, roadside markets, etc.), Jenkinson Lake, a scenic pond, and the rustic American River in the vicinity. The summers are great, where given the altitude, the temperatures only occasionally near or exceed 100 deg. F. Within an easy hour's drive are Placerville, a classic larger town, the gold country along Highway 49, and some photogenic smaller towns. San Francisco and the Pacific are about 130 miles away, and within about 4 to 6 hours, one can drive to Yosemite, Mono Lake, or the California wine country.

At 4000 feet, it gets about 4 feet of snow every winter. But during my stay in the area, if Highway 50 closed, it would close at Pollock Pines, where it narrowed from 4 lanes to 2 lanes and made its way on to Lake Tahoe. Our place was relatively close to the highway, so we were never locked in. A wood-stove was our only heat. On the few winter occasions that we lost power, we remained warm and could heat up a pot of chile. Homes in the area were (and are) reasonably priced, considering today's standards.

I've often thought of returning to Pollock Pines for retirement. But given that I was born and raised in Portland, and the ties I have in this area, I doubt that it will happen.

[Greg Y]

Northern Italy :-). You've got the Dolomites. The ocean is not too far away. The coffee is great & if you mess up in the darkroom there's always Barolo to drink.

[David Swinnard]

Well, I'm going to vote for Vancouver Island - partway up near the Parksville area. Mountains, trees (big one too), rocks, beaches, Salish Sea (calmer), Pacific Ocean (not so calm sometimes), some wildlife (more Bald Eagles than you can hope to count and the highest cougar population in the world. The cost of living is less than the Vancouver area (read as: City), and for all intents and purposes, NO traffic (based upon 40 years in the City).

Problem is, there's a lot of old people here... (it's OK, I can say that. I'm one of them)

Dave

[jnantz]

Best Places to Retire to for LF?

France, without discussion! (http://www.galerie-photo.com/images/chambre-11x14-aperitif.jpg)

+1

[ImSoNegative]

North Georgia, eastern Tennessee or western north Carolina , beautiful scenery everywhere, I live within 2 miles of either state, not retired though

[ImSoNegative]

Western North Carolina is hard to beat. Asheville makes for a central location with incredible day trips to Linville Gorge, Chimney Rock/Hickory Nut Gorge, Tallulah Gorge, Georgia Guidestones in Elbert GA. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through the edge of town and a photographer could spend a lifetime on this subject alone. Fall color is spectacular (tourist income peaks with the color). Winters, with the exception of this past one are usually mild. Spring comes early and summer is a delight.

I just saw this post, and yes if you get on the parkway north of Asheville all kinds of things to see,

[John Olsen]

Anywhere but Florida.
There's nothing here but mosquitoes, snakes, alligators, and divorce lawyers, none of which should be shot with a big camera.
Too heavy handed Bill. Now you've stoked my interest.

[Per Madsen]

Oh yeah, Toulouse would be nice. A lot of motives, nearly no tourists and a lot of ancient to medicival to baroque architecture.

[Leszek Vogt]

John, you might want to think twice when you see most houses with completely enclosed (mesh) porches. Somehow the tornadoes/hurricanes that slide through there were not included. Hmmm, and then....who turned up the humidity ?

Les

[danno@cnwl.igs]

For variety of landscapes, weather and access to plentiful nature: Newfoundland or Nova Scotia. For historical culture: Florence (Firenze).

[Simon Benton]

Vancouver Island or Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada.

[Old_Dick]

New Hampshire,


Mountains, close to Atlantic, 4 seasons, close to world class hospitals, no sales no income taxes. Far enough from large cities to live, close enough to visit.

[Heroique]

Far enough from large cities to live, close enough to visit.

Good points all, and while you're talking New Hampshire, I'm thinking Olympic Peninsula.

That's Seattle just a frog jump across the water.

Mountain wilderness by day, theater in the city by night.

Hmm, maybe Seattle, Wash. over Portland, Oregon – it's a nail-biting choice. :D

[Bob Salomon]

OK, why would these places be good for LF and not for other sizes or mediums?

[MDR]

Clyde Butcher is in Florida and shoots beautiful LF Work. So the Everglades in Florida. :)

Belize is a great place to retire you have swamps, you have maya ruins, colonial architecture, what more does an LF photographer need and not to forget they actually welcome pensioners

[Kodachrome25]

OK, why would these places be good for LF and not for other sizes or mediums?

Lol, retiring specific to a format...?..... How odd....
I thought photographically minded location selection was about the photographs, not the gear used....

[Bob Salomon]

Clyde Butcher is in Florida and shoots beautiful LF Work. So the Everglades in Florida. :)

Belize is a great place to retire you have swamps, you have maya ruins, colonial architecture, what more does an LF photographer need and not to forget they actually welcome pensioners

What made me a bit nervous about Belize was returning from the pyramids and passing soldiers or police, standing at parade rest at different points along the highway and armed with automatic assault weapons. Granted only one was visible at a time but each was stationed by a dirt road that ran into the jungle and if there was one there must have been more around since no jeep was visible. And it was too hot in full uniform at parade rest to be on station all that long.

And I doubt they were there to protect drivers against Fer de Lances or big cats or boars!

But it was nice to be in a Central American country that did speak English as a native language. Although the dialect sometimes made it seem like something else!

[Bob Salomon]

Clyde Butcher is in Florida and shoots beautiful LF Work. So the Everglades in Florida. :)...

I visited him a couple of times. Yes, he lives in the Everglades but I don't think that you can buy property there, at least the kind he has, any more. The other neat thing was he warns you when leaving to check for snakes and gators before stepping back to your car. Standing in his studio we could see some good size gators walking in his back yard.

[toyotadesigner]

Where are you living right now?

Have you considered to keep your home and do some travel, i.e. to Spain for 6 months or a year, two years later to Italy, etc.? You can rent some cheap apartments or small homes there, enjoy life and landscape, knowing that you can always return 'home'.

Living in Europe (Spain and Germany) I know I will travel Latinoamerica when I will retire. Live there for several months at different places, then return 'home' for a while, plan another trip, etc. Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay (the 'safer' countries).

[Leszek Vogt]

I think the nuances of SW or PNW are worthy exploring (for a long time)....and this often takes on its own meaning, like hanging your hat for good, he he. And, if you seek greener grass...there is plenty to go around > Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, etc....oh and did I mentioned Drew's country ? :>)


Les

[rfesk]

The midlands of South Carolina or North Carolina have several advantages. You are not living in the mountains or on the coast BUT you are only 2 or so hours
from either. So you can have a variety of subjects. Ask Bruce Watson (of this forum) who lives in or near Raleigh, NC. (And I live in South Carolina about 100 miles south of Raleigh but not retired yet.)

Plus the cost of living is relatively low.

[Tin Can]

I recommend http://weegeeslounge.com/ which is a mile west of me, in the heart of Weegee style action territory. Tune into Chicago 460.225 Dispatch Zone 3 CPD online or as I do locally with a cheap HT.

I have retired here and will stay here, with vacations to all those wild west areas.

Humans are nature too.

[Bob Salomon]

The midlands of South Carolina or North Carolina have several advantages. You are not living in the mountains or on the coast BUT you are only 2 or so hours
from either. So you can have a variety of subjects. Ask Bruce Watson (of this forum) who lives in or near Raleigh, NC. (And I live in South Carolina about 100 miles south of Raleigh but not retired yet.)

Plus the cost of living is relatively low.

By midlands of SC are you including Sumter?
We lived there for a year or so in the early 60s and other then Bobby Richardson the only things to see we're dirt track racing, boiled peanut stands and some very raunchy sideshows at the fair!

[toyotadesigner]

You can retire anywhere, even in the middle of nowhere:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPYoCOdX-WE

I'm convinced this kind of retirement/career will be possible everywhere.

[polyglot]

If you have investments that you can live off, you might want to consider a cheap and beautiful part of the world. There's lots of south-east Asia that's very lively and interesting (Vietnam, Cambodia), as well as bits of eastern Europe that are really beautiful (Slovenia, Croatia) and with much lower cost of living than the USA.

Australia is pretty awesome too if you like deserts but the cost of living is higher than in the USA, especially for photo consumables.

[Ken Lee]

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/GhostTown.jpg

I'm not sure where this is, but it's very photogenic. The subject brightness range is a bit high but the cost of living is, as they say, dirt cheap.

[Andrew Plume]

yep - it bodes well Ken

regards

andrew

[Hugo Zhang]

Look like Tonopah, right, Jim Galli? I remember seeing signs in its downtown area: One bedroom apt for rent at $270/month. :)

[Tin Can]

But how much is air conditioning?



Like like Tonopah, right, Jim Galli? I remember seeing signs in its downtown area: One bedroom apt for rent at $270/month. :)

[Andrew Plume]

Look like Tonopah, right, Jim Galli? I remember seeing signs in its downtown area: One bedroom apt for rent at $270/month. :)

you've missed my heavy hint Hugo

andrew

[Mark Sawyer]

you've missed my heavy hint Hugo

andrew

You mean that really bodacious hint? :rolleyes:

[Jmarmck]

You mean that really bodacious hint? :rolleyes:

What a monotonous conversation. :p

[Jim Galli]

Look like Tonopah, right, Jim Galli? I remember seeing signs in its downtown area: One bedroom apt for rent at $270/month. :)

A LOT to be said for Tonopah, Nevada. The Mono basin and Ancient bristlecones. Death Valley just south. Ghost towns that haven't been photographed to death (except by me). Industrial acheology. Pristine high deserts where no one goes.

It isn't hot here Randy. We're at 6000 elevation, so we get a bit of snow in the winter. And one very nice thing we're discovering. No water crisis here. Lots of ground water and very little pressure. It's too far away from money to flow there at any profit. So the 40 of us just drink it. Very nice too.

I plan to retire here ;)

[Jmarmck]

Find me a job near by and I will be there Jim.

[Bill_1856]

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/GhostTown.jpg

I'm not sure where this is, but it's very photogenic. The subject brightness range is a bit high but the cost of living is, as they say, dirt cheap.

Somewhere in the Berkshires?

[Andrew Plume]

is that as 'in Hathaway's residence in Omaha?

maybe

andrew

[Andrew Plume]

You mean that really bodacious hint? :rolleyes:

yes Mark that's the one...........

best

andrew

[Andrew Plume]

What a monotonous conversation. :p

mate, I'm enjoying it

andrew

[Andrew Plume]

A LOT to be said for Tonopah, Nevada. The Mono basin and Ancient bristlecones. Death Valley just south. Ghost towns that haven't been photographed to death (except by me). Industrial acheology. Pristine high deserts where no one goes.

It isn't hot here Randy. We're at 6000 elevation, so we get a bit of snow in the winter. And one very nice thing we're discovering. No water crisis here. Lots of ground water and very little pressure. It's too far away from money to flow there at any profit. So the 40 of us just drink it. Very nice too.

I plan to retire here ;)

that's great Jim


just caught up with this year's work to date, keep this stuff coming

best

andrew

[rfesk]

By midlands of SC are you including Sumter?
We lived there for a year or so in the early 60s and other then Bobby Richardson the only things to see we're dirt track racing, boiled peanut stands and some very raunchy sideshows at the fair!

Bob, you didn't look very much. Manchester State Forest is just outside of Sumter. The High Hills of Santee have several interesting possibilities of pine barrens. How about granite boulders and formations within 50 miles? Also there are a lot of old houses and buildings within 50 miles. Even Shaw Air Force Base will provide opportunities during the air shows.

But really, my point is that you have the Atlantic Ocean (plus Charleston) within 100 miles to the East and the Blue Ridge foot hills of the mountains to the west about 250 miles and the Appalachians on a little further west.

Yes, Sumter itself is limited other than the Iris Gardens but many varied sites are not too far away. (I too lived in Sumter back in the 70's.)

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Santa Fe , or close to it. Tons to photograph, great museums and galleries, outstanding food and culture and a great climate. Can be expesive but.....

[John Jarosz]

I's say pretty much anywhere in a rural area. City folks no longer understand why anyone would use old, out of date, primitive equipment to do something they do hundreds of times a day on their phone.

[Ken Lee]

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/iceberg.jpg

Here's a nice location if you like living along the shore. It can get a bit nippy in the winter time, but the scenery and the light is constantly changing.

[Sal Santamaura]

...the scenery and the light is constantly changing.As is the "shore." :)

[Ari]

http://www.kenleegallery.com/images/forum/iceberg.jpg

Here's a nice location if you like living along the shore. It can get a bit nippy in the winter time, but the scenery and the light is constantly changing.

Looks like my backyard this past winter.

[Tin Can]

Pretty sure that's Superman's home. He needs a lot of room and isolation.

[Jmarmck]

Ken Lee = Superman?

[Jeffrey Arthur]

The Olympic Peninsula. Endless beauty in the forests, the beaches and the ocean. Who cares about 200 inches of rain a year.

[onnect17]

Anywhere but Florida.
There's nothing here but mosquitoes, snakes, alligators, and divorce lawyers, none of which should be shot with a big camera.

LOL :)
At least you have the extra money for film (no income tax). I take the mosquitos , the alligators, anytime of the year. Actually I spend 4 weeks in the summer every year in FL and I wish I could afford to stay longer. The divorce lawyer is the easy part, just marry one. :)

+1 for OR, NH, and the Asheville area.

[Brassai]

I'm planning on the Southern Black Hills of South Dakota. You can still find reasonable property prices, lots of scenic views including the Badlands, Needles, Custer State Park. Wildlife too! Remote? Yup.


Remote? Nope. You're still within an hour of a commercial airport, shopping mall, etc. If you want remote, try the northwest corner of the state, or south central.


Kent in SD

[Jim Andrada]

I vote for a place that nobody has mentioned yet.

Japan!!!!!

Some of the loveliest mountains anywhere, no place in the country more than 100 miles from an ocean. clean, safe, great INEXPENSIVE technically advanced health care, superb public transportation. great people, and nowhere near as expensive as folks think as long as you're not trying to build a house in downtown Tokyo.

Smaller cities like Matsumoto in Nagano are very livable. You can still buy 8 x 10 Velvia and Acros to boot.

Might take a week or two to learn the language, but you need a break from photography occasionally.

[John Kasaian]

I'd be happy for a broom closet at Badger Graphic :rolleyes:

[DavidFisk]

Don't forget that Florida has Floridians. To be avoided if at all possible......except Clyde Butcher, of course.

[AtlantaTerry]

Anywhere but Florida.
There's nothing here but mosquitoes, snakes, alligators, and divorce lawyers, none of which should be shot with a big camera.

Renowned large format photographer Clyde Butcher would likely disagree with that.
http://www.clydebutcher.com/

[Leszek Vogt]

Terry, at first I thought Bill was describing So. Georgia....Okefe... ;)

Les

[Bill_1856]

Don't forget that Florida has Floridians. To be avoided if at all possible......except Clyde Butcher, of course.

Damn right!!! Grrrr....

[Michael Kadillak]

Retire where you feel at peace with yourself and where you can align your individual cost and convenience variables into the proper order. Fact of the matter is that the likely first priority for a location to hang if up will likely be proximity to family/grown children and extended family. The second priority would likely be high quality affordable medical care. Lastly, state taxes and affordable housing are a necessary consideration far before proximity to scenic priorities are considered. I through that when you have your schedule open you were supposed to hit the road for the variety of the country and the rest of the world that you have not experienced which placates the desire to fill your bucket list with new visual experiences. Fact of the matter is that in a days drive from Colorado (or for that matter most other states) I can be in 11 surrounding states with as much diverse photographic opportunities than you could possibly ask for.

Just my $0.02

[Tin Can]

I agree, that's why I will not leave my home. My parents made the big retirement mistakes and never regained what they lost, a home and family.

I am surrounded by friends, real friends that form a large extended family. Today one gave me a bread making machine. I like to make bread and that gesture is appreciated.

The outside world, meaning outside your circle or campfire is not better, just a lot of strangers hunting, and you are the prey.

[AtlantaTerry]

Strap on your pair of ruby red slippers, click your heels three times and say "There's no place like home."

[DavidFisk]

New Zealand

New Zealand, definitely....if you process your own film. Otherwise, you're in deep sheep.

[SMBooth]

Reunion Island !

[sanking]

Looking at this as a pessimist.

http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/worst-states-for-retirement/

Sandy

[Jmarmck]

Crap! Now I must move!

Looking at this as a pessimist.

http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/worst-states-for-retirement/

Sandy

[Tin Can]

Illinois, #5, but has LESS seniors, that's a plus for me. My Cook county property taxes will freeze in 16 months, BUT they will increase in 2 months. If I told anyone what my property tax is NOW, they would think I LIE. I am hoping the increase is not too crazy...

Location is important, not only weather. Potential images are everywhere, not just where AA shot.

I prefer to be surrounded by youth. I almost feel young as long as I avoid mirrors.

[Jim Noel]

All the cool kids retired in Carmel, CA.

The well off cool kids that is.

[Leszek Vogt]

Looking at this as a pessimist.

http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/worst-states-for-retirement/

Sandy


Sandy, just wait a day or two and MSN will come up with a fresh list....contradicting everything....including their previous findings.

John, I do recall bumping around Carmel in the mid 1990's (my work took me there) and having some time on my hands I checked out whole bunch of store fronts, including Friends of Photography. But, the real estate prices ($600K++++++) pretty much woke me up. Hmmm, I'm starting to think that today Carmel is part of the 17mile drive.

Les

[arca andy]

In the UK its the Lake District for me.
However my mate recons the best place to retire too is a great big city.... Super transport after the rush hour, lots to do each day (including photo gallaries) and also great healthcare facilities as your body slowly gives up. Just buy a small pad so you can travel far and wide snapping interesting parts of the world...enjoy it when it comes...!!

[Tin Can]

+1

Off hours a big city is easy and has the best healthcare.

And so many things to do.


In the UK its the Lake District for me.
However my mate recons the best place to retire too is a great big city.... Super transport after the rush hour, lots to do each day (including photo gallaries) and also great healthcare facilities as your body slowly gives up. Just buy a small pad so you can travel far and wide snapping interesting parts of the world...enjoy it when it comes...!!

[CantikFotos]

I'm living in Micronesia. You can get a good 3 bedroom house away from everyone for between $300-400US. Fresh tropical fruits hanging from the trees outside. But we have a typhoon coming in today...........

[Willie]

"Land, sea and sky" means generally within 50 miles of a sea coast.

Why not look at Hawaii? Snow to surf close by.

[Keith Fleming]

Having just moved back to Port Townsend, Washington, I recommend it as the ideal place for a photographer bent on retirement. There are several reasons: The water comes out of the tap at 66 degrees in August, and it is easy to heat water a couple of degrees. PT’s water comes from snowpack from the basaltic Olympic Mountains, and the reservoir is at the base of the mountains, so it is pure enough to require little purification or other treatments before heading to the tap. While the western edge of the Olympic Peninsula gets about 200 inches of rain a year, PT is in the rain shadow of the Olympics, and gets an average of only 18 inches of rain per year. Yes, there are lots of cloudy days during the winter, but summers are clear and dry. We also whine should the temperature get over 80—which is why air conditioners are not a necessity. In my previous basement darkroom, I kept the heater on and set to 68 degrees year round. Jugs of water in the sink meant I could walk into the darkroom at any time and the water and chemicals were at the right temperature. Because the town is almost surrounded by water, the standard morning low temperature in the winter is 40 degrees, but you have to expect about 3 days per winter of below-freezing temperatures. In summer, you can see Mt. Rainier 105 miles away. The Olympic Mountains, the Olympic National Forest, and Olympic National Park are within an hour’s drive to the west, but you have to take the ferry across Puget Sound if you want to visit the Cascades. There are no big-box stores in town, and the downtown is a “Victorian Seaport” with almost all buildings dating to the 1880’s. The town is full of Victorian architecture, and the massive concrete gun positions of Fort Worden State Park are quite photogenic. There are boats, ships, and Washington State Ferries to photograph. If you are after things exotic, do a Google search on the town’s Kinetic Skulpture Race—with its parade, Rose Hips Kween, human-powered vehicles, and Kinetic Kops. There are whales and Orcas. This is a tourist destination, so there are scads of good restaurants, and several of the art galleries regularly show photographs. And if you run out of things to photograph in town and surrounding area, a pleasant ferry ride across Puget Sound will take you to the gateway to the rest of the West. Finally, the OP’s comment totally applies to Port Townsend: “land, sea, and skies.” And I should add, I like it here!

[david@bigeleisenlaw.com]

Why retire?

David Michael Bigeleisen

[Ari]

Why retire?

David Michael Bigeleisen

Who is this young hellcat? :)

[Liquid Artist]

I would choose the Okanagan Valley in Northern Washington State, or Southern British Columbia, Canada.

It's a beautiful region on its own. Desert or Semi Desert region, with local fresh fruit growing around you.
Plus it's only 4 hours drive or so to the West Coast, or 6 hours or so to the Rocky Mountains.

However you won't find the door into the Ilford factory anywhere.

[Luis-F-S]

anywhere but florida.
There's nothing here but mosquitoes, snakes, alligators, and divorce lawyers, none of which should be shot with a big camera.

+1! L

[scheinfluger_77]

Why retire?

David Michael Bigeleisen

So you have time to shoot more film! :rolleyes:

[scheinfluger_77]

Port Townsend sounds nice. Maybe I'll keep quiet about our little plan to return to Boise. Locally called the Banana Belt because the winters aren't too severe. Has 4 full seasons. Capitol city, lots of culture and many different kinds of things to do. 5 hours from SLC, about 7 hours from the Oregon coast. Desert and mountain topography within 1 to 3 hours most any direction. Yellowstone park about 8 hours. North Idaho and Western Montana 6-8 hours. Oh yes, and home of the vastly under-appreciated Boise State Broncos.

[David Lobato]

Northern New Mexico, or Southern Colorado for me. Lots of wide open spaces to explore.

[Stoogley]

Who says you have to retire to just one place?

[Mooncreek]

I'm in agreement with Bill McMannus's comments on western North Carolina. From the mountains to the sea , the climate, and driving distance to the low country of the Carolina's and Georgia its a hard act to follow. Al