[DIYSteve]

I've spent time in Maine. Nice enough but I'll take my chances in WA

[seattlenativemike]

I have a place waiting in remote SE Alaska....that's my NW bailout

[iron]

BPG: your idea of waterfront property in a sunny spot sounds like my perfect setup too. i can't imagine much better than that. but yeah, the smoke. right now, it's a total dealbreaker. we have contemplated moving to wenatchee, but each time, smoke is a huge deterrent.

[Chief Joseph]

Plus, there are probably more chickens in Wenatchee.

[DIYSteve]

The current wildfire smoke is hitting all of Central and Eastern WA, but often Wenatchee gets it worse than Eburg, where the winds blow out the smoke. (The winds provided a respite last week for a full day, and moderately strong winds are forecasted for later this week.) Wenatchee also tends to have persistent fog in winter, which is rare in Eburg. Don't get me wrong: Wenatchee is a nice town in a fantastic position for outdoor activities. Re moving back east, I will gladly suffer wildfire smoke some parts of some summers vs. the guarantied high humidity and hot muggy nights in the eastern U.S. I grew up in the muggy buggy midwest. I aint goin' back. Advice to any PNW natives considering moving back east: Spend a summer there before committing long term.

[WolverineWay]

[Cyclopath]

[treeswarper]

The Methow is expensive. I guess if you have a house in the Seattle area to sell, you'd do OK. The medical is a big problem. You can drive over the Loup Loup Pass to the clinic in Omak, but don't have any major work done there. It is spendy because they have no competition. The Wenatchee clinic owns the clinic here and rates went up. Loup Loup pass was having a daily slide on it during the spring. Folks were having to drive around going through Brewster and Pateros to get home. Okanogan County is uber conservative. The Methow not so much. Should you look at acreage, see if it is fenced. You may be looking at land in Open Range and you will be the one who has to fence the cows out. It used to get cold there. On one holiday weekend we were entertained by watching the coasties (you will be a coastie) trying to start their cars in -27 degree temps. I had no garage but kept a heat lamp underneath the engine and a sleeping bag on the hood. That worked. You won't be able to run to the store for odd things. You'll be making a long list and going to Omak or Wenatchee if you need more than the basics. I think that has improved since I lived there. Amazon did not exist then, either. The valleys all get inversions in the winter. It'll be gray and foggy/smoky in the valley for days, but you can go up to the Loup and ski in the sun. That's only 12 miles from Twisp. I am in the Okanogan Valley now. I've lived here before and grew up in the Wenatchee area. My neighborhood had a block party. They asked where I was from and I told them that. They seemed friendlier and said, "Guess you're not a coastie afterall." I don't think that is a stigma in the Methow but I've heard folks here call it Little Seattle. No insult intended, that's just the way it is. The thing about this whole county is there is a lack of good paying work. There seems to be plenty of minimum wage work, but the "middle class" works in govt. jobs or their own businesses. One native Methowian used to whine that you couldn't enjoy the summer because you had to get ready for the winter. The new residents can probably buy their firewood though. And the final complaint I have heard made about both valleys is that there are too many Mexican Restaurants. I do like the taco wagon fare, but I do not know if they exist in the Methow.

[treeswarper]

Also, if you are looking out of town, know where your water comes from, how deep the well is, and know a thing or two about water rights. Water is precious.

[Bootpathguy]

Treeswaper, thanks so much! Lots to chew on. Very much appreciated

[AlpineRose]

[DIYSteve]

[Chief Joseph]

So it seems that the consensus is that everywhere sucks, in one way or another.

[DIYSteve]

[Chief Joseph]