Retirement / Location

[Bob Hubbard]

My wife retired a few months ago & Im looking at the end of next summer .... Im looking for opinions of locations that has warm winters where im not stuck inside .... We are looking in florida but also are thinking Tenn/Alabama area's that have more to offer than just the snowbird thing .... Maybe locations that have several dirt track within a good driving distance .... Im also looking at bass fishing lakes which is an easier find than the other above .... If you have a location your looking at Id like to hear about it ... Were in Southern ohio and most likely will stay here for the summer months ....

[fastford]

all around we have it pretty good here in east central alabama , years ago , my aunt from colombus OH came down to visit when she retired and never went back . As far as weather ,were still in the high 60s till next friday , we do have some arctic blast every now and then , but there normally short lived , my brother is in to bass fishing as i am into dirt racing and says people come from all over the country to fish in our numerous lakes , speaking of race tracks , even though a few have closed , mainly green valley , there are 10 or 12 within 150 miles , land is also reasonably priced , if there is such a thing , lol , any way , thats my pitch .......

[Chris Thomason]

Not trying to pitch Alabama to you again (who would pass on Florida), but if that what you like to do then NE Alabama really might be your place. You would have fishing all along the TN river. Wheeler dam, Lake Guntersville, Pickwick (smallmouth), and Smith lake wouldnt be all that far either.

As far as racing, see my signature. I'm 25 miles north of Birmingham and all these places are within three hours, except Eams is 3 1/2. North east part of the state would give you boyds, dixie, rome, fort payne (not a great operation), tst, moulton,ecm, and duck river all at your disposal. Couple of these places dont always run slm but you wouldnt be short of options. Huntsville has a paved 1/4 mile and a drag strip too. Good luck.

Edit:
If you were in the Tn valley, you might be close enough to frequent some of east tn supreme tracks, smokey mtn, 411, bulls gap...

[fastford]

hey chris , how is arkadelphia doing , you must be pretty close , I herd cates was not running it any more....

[Chris Thomason]

hey chris , how is arkadelphia doing , you must be pretty close , I herd cates was not running it any more....

As far as I know it, they had a decent year. I only went twice, the ms state race and once when my pop felt well enough to go. I believe the guys name was Rodney Rice, but I also heard (complete hearsay, mind you) the Cates son, I think his name is Chris too, took back over operations late in the season. The original builder/owner Wayne Cate past away a year or two ago, and theyve also lost his son Eric to a supposed murder. The best season the place had since its first couple years was 3-4 years back when Gene Norman had the lease.

You are correct sir. I'm very close. Close enough you can tell what type race cars are on the track rather it be 4 cyl, steel head lates, or something like ss or crates. I'm separeted from there by a very small river so its like a 20 minute drive to get across the bridge.

[fastford]

yea i knew about wayne , he was a good man , now his son chris , well , he still owes me money on some engine parts going back to the early 2000,s , I started to say something to wayne one time at the racer,s auction in B,ham and decided it was not worth it , but if i see chris , i will remind him.......

[Krooser]

For the most part I've been trucking for 45 years so I've seen some nice places... guess I could make my home about anywhere and be at home if you know what I mean.

I like Florida... rural mostly. Lots of real white trash down there... drugs, crime, fraud. But that's (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) near everywhere now.

I really like Texas... most folks leave you alone... you can have a place and do what you want with it without the zoning nazis get involved. Austin is good... they have a cool hot rod scene not sure about the racing.

The Carolinas have plenty of nice areas.

I'd go to a state without an income tax... Fl, Tx, Tn...

About 15 years ago I was delivering roofing tiles to FL after one of those hurricanes... found a little bungalow on three acres across the road from a private golf club. Typical two bedroom older 1200 sq ft concrete block house with a fenced in yard...needed some tlc but it was $28k! Could not talk my bride into moving. Today she wishes I had bought it without her permission.

[nuff said]

I left Florida 30 years ago and never had any desire to return until my son had to have surgery on his pitching elbow a few years back.Dr. Andrews in Pensacola did his surgery and everyone we ran into were great people.Walmart,hotel,stores,just everybody.I have changed my mind and would move to Pensacola,great area,great people and not too big.Not a lot or racing in that area though.

[nuff said]

I now live in the Western NC mountains (Murphy) and this area is good also.Winters aren't as bad as they used to be.30* this am,65* or so now.Plenty of fishing in and around this area.My son now uses his very expensive right arm on a rod & reel bass fishing.Plenty of racing not too far.Tri County is here,Blue Ridge Motorsport Park is 30 min.N. Ga,Rome,Dixie,Smoky Mtn,Toccoa,Lavonia,Boyd's are all 2 hrs or less.Volunteer is about 2.5,Cherokee is about 3 hrs,Senoia about the same.Charlotte,EAMS and Talladega are aroud 4 hrs.I'm sure I missed a few.

[hipower17]

don't know about bob but you sold me on western nc.

[nuff said]

don't know about bob but you sold me on western nc.

You would have to look hard to find a better place to live.From Murphy,NC Blue Ridge,Ga. area you are pretty much centered from 5 big cities/towns.You are 2 hours from Atlanta,Asheville,Chattanooga and Knoxville,Greenville,SC takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

[balljoint]

52 here in Rapid City today.