Exploring the other side of the country!

[Honey Badger]

Life has interesting ways of taking us places we really never would have just "picked."

When work offered to help pay for a move to Texas, right when our landlord was selling our house, it seemed like a good time to cut my financial losses.

I did some racing in Texas, but the bike scene there just wasn't really what I needed/wanted. The work situation started to change dramatically, and I was miserable, so decided to take a leap and move someplace I figured I would be happier.

The "funny" thing is that I had hardly been to the area I picked. Briefly, more like passing through than anything, and had never spent time there. I had a good friend in the area (who was moving - ironically, to LA), but she wasn't much of a fan. I had visited areas a few hours away to visit family, so had an idea what to expect, but still was a leap.

Thing is, it checked all the boxes for me.

• Decent job market for what I want to do.
• A cost of living I could actually live with (you know, like an actual 40 year old adult with a professional job)
• Close to decent tracks, with track day organizations where I could ride a variety of tracks without it costing an arm and a leg - you know, just a "normal" track day lol
• Competitive racing
• An actual riding community. You know, one where people actually RIDE their motorcycles.
• Decent access to twisty backroads where a summer spin after work is not an unreasonable idea...
• Did I mention racing??? Just in case. Good racing. And plenty of it. Where I could earn points towards my bigger goals. And have no delusions about how slow I am :laughing

So, this Wisconsin girl, who is a California girl at heart, after pausing in Texas, has landed in Georgia.

I've only been here 6 weeks. I LOVE it here so far.

And I've been staying busy - doing all the things I love, some of which I haven't done in over a decade.

And look - you meet the STRANGEST people here teeth (I think you can tell who actually took this picture LOL)

 

[FourThreeSix]

Glad you're enjoying the promised land, AJ! I've been in CA for 10 years now, but GA will always be home to me.

 

[ejv]

Yeah GA is alright. I have been there a few times for about 7 months total. Savannah is pretty cool. My least favorite part was the biting midges in the coastal areas. They were especially ruthless in the January - March time frame.

 

[budman]

:cool

Glad to hear you are happier there than Texas. :thumbup

Cool to see other familiar faces in the pic.. Joe :laughing

That is a nice shot of you riding.

Continued pursuit of happiness and good luck racing!!

 

[Honey Badger]

Glad you're enjoying the promised land, AJ! I've been in CA for 10 years now, but GA will always be home to me.

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it, but at this point, I'm pretty damn happy.

Yeah GA is alright. I have been there a few times for about 7 months total. Savannah is pretty cool. My least favorite part was the biting midges in the coastal areas. They were especially ruthless in the January - March time frame.

I'm NW of Atlanta, 20 minute slab into the foothills of the mountains, so the coast would be a hike from here. We get the roaches. All the roaches :laughing

:cool

Glad to hear you are happier there than Texas. :thumbup

Cool to see other familiar faces in the pic.. Joe :laughing

That is a nice shot of you riding.

Continued pursuit of happiness and good luck racing!!

Track this and next weekend, then will start gridding up after that! I think the next round here will be Barber in July (where I'm headed next weekend) - SO excited to go ride that track. Like giddy excited LOL

 

[ScottRNelson]

As another "Californian at heart" who eventually left, congratulations on finding another place that works for you.

I spent a whole year studying six different areas in four states before figuring out where I wanted to end up. The riding opportunities was not number one on my decision list, but definitely in the top five. Two years later, I still feel that I made the right decision.

 

[GPzPop]

Nice job rocking the AFM sticker front and center on your windscreen!

good luck!

 

[rodr]

I lived in the Atlanta area for 21 years. Fun times, it was quite a ride!

 

[Whammy]

Ahhh greener pastures ahead for you.
Be on the look out for one of my friends out that a way
youtu.be/jAG4XXCOj48
:thumbup:ride

 

[89fj]

so good for you, AJ. I got to go to the Barber museum years ago. So awesome, but wanted to do a track day there.
Joe is looking a bit strange there :laughing

 

[bikeama]

Good to hear you like GA. I have a nephew southeast of Atlanta and I worked a short time in Tucker GA. Nice country.

 

[Maddevill]

C'mon AJ, you gots to teach them folks the Official Barf Salute!!

Mad

 

[Honey Badger]

C'mon AJ, you gots to teach them folks the Official Barf Salute!!

Mad

I know! I just wasn't QUITE sure how it would be received :laughing but yes, it will start coming out soon LOL

 

[doc4216]

Congrats on the move. That area of GA is beautiful.

I was in SC for four years and NW GA, Western SC, and western NC are my second favorite riding areas (maybe third behind WV). There are so many places to explore that, along with your racing, you will not be bored.

Just remember, "Bless your heart" is not a compliment. :teeth

 

[Honey Badger]

Congrats on the move. That area of GA is beautiful.

I was in SC for four years and NW GA, Western SC, and western NC are my second favorite riding areas (maybe third behind WV). There are so many places to explore that, along with your racing, you will not be bored.

Just remember, "Bless your heart" is not a compliment. :teeth

I'm loving the riding for sure. Looking forward to the tracks.

And yes, "Bless your heart" I learned real quick in Texas was more like "I'd rather be stabbing your face right now" than a sweet-nothing :rofl

 

[Marcoose]

Good for you, AJ! I approve of your long-four-legged friend. Like they say, the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.

More pics, more updates, more feel good stories, please!

 

[RT_Russ]

A cost of living I could actually live with (you know, like an actual 40 year old adult with a professional job) :laughing

Yeah, I'd like to be 40 again too :afm199

Looks like a pretty area BUTT that humidity :wtf That is something I can not deal with.

Congrats,


Russ

 

[Honey Badger]

Yeah, I'd like to be 40 again too :afm199

Looks like a pretty area BUTT that humidity :wtf That is something I can not deal with.

Congrats,


Russ

:rofl Thus far not bad, and the weather has actually been pretty terrific - more nice weather in 6 weeks here than I had in nearly a full year in Texas :thumbdown

But I'll report back mid August when we're in sauna season :laughing

 

[seralat]

Glad you're liking it there. And there is a lot of good riding to be had. I particularly enjoyed riding the Cherohola Skyway.

I lived in Midtown ATL from 1997 - early 2002, commuting on my bike year round about 12 or so miles up to Windy Hill and back.

April/May and Sept/Oct are the best months for riding. June - Sept. can get unpleasantly hot and humid (90°/90% humidity) much of the time, but much nicer once you get up to the mountains. I'd get out of the shower, get dressed, put on my Aerostich and walk to the garage, and by the time I got to the garage I'd already be soaked in sweat.

It does get cold in the winter, and it snows more than you'd think. I often found that in Dec. thru late Jan., I'd be commuting in 20° weather, with a much colder windchill. That's where I first discovered heated vests :~)

 

[Tom G]

:rofl Thus far not bad, and the weather has actually been pretty terrific - more nice weather in 6 weeks here than I had in nearly a full year in Texas :thumbdown

But I'll report back mid August when we're in sauna season :laughing

Where in TX did you live? I spent 3.5 years in Austin, and overall I thought the weather was OK, although there was always some rain, year round. I also did not like the road surface after a rain, slick as snot, made out of limestone instead of hard rock.