When I moved to Mn. from NC in 99 one of my neighbors I quickly got to know was from Co. a PhD who worked in Research and his wife a nurse was from Wyoming. Had the largest Royal bull hanging in his living room I have ever seen. I asked him why he moved from Co. to Mn. and he said there were too many foreigners moving in and he had to escape. Caught me off guard because I really couldn't see him being racist but couldn't think of anything else so blurted out Mexicans? He looked at me horrified and said hell no, Californians! That was more than 20 years ago. Couple of years ago he retired and moved to Kentucky where one of his daughters lives to be near the grandkids. Guess a lot of people retire to be near the grandkids.
I was in Western NC for 3 years of my twilight duty and stayed there for a couple of years after retiring from the Navy working for a VAR. Covered a lot of the SE. Everyone thought I was crazy for moving to Mn. from Western NC. They may have been right but pretty sure I shot the last grouse in WNC so moved to where they were. Besides the head hunter was really good and made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
Was stationed up and down both Coasts including living in NC when in the Tidewater area. One of my sisters lives in Raleigh and we moved my mother from Fl. to be near her when she had a stroke a few years back. Was there in August for her 85th birthday and knew it was going to be hot and humid but it caught me off guard it was so brutal. I'm spoiled now.
There was a time people had a summer home where they established relationships over many years and then would go to Fl. in the winter for a few months like my mother on the East Coast. Or Texas in the MidWest or Az. usually from the West. Not many people can afford to do that these days . On the East Coast they would drive back and forth between the North East and Fl. and many of them realized NC was the perfect place. We called them halfbacks, they made it halfway back. And ended up staying, some might call them Damn Yankees because of that as well. I was usually referred to as just being from Up North.
Kind of figured I'd end up going back "home" in the Twin Tiers of NY/Pa. when I retired. NY is out for many obvious reasons. And North Central Pa. is not what it used to be. With fracking many of the roads have been paved. And people. They are everywhere now Potter and Tioga Counties are not what they used to be. And people. Everywhere.
I have 5 months before I have to worry about MC although getting all the messages about it from work already. Still working and likely will for a few more years. I lose Tricare once I turn 65 and don't get Tricare for Life until I retire for good. Working at the #1 ranked hospital in the Country if not the world my medical combined with Tricare is pretty good. As is the care, would be hard to give that up. With hospitals in Scottsdale and Jax there are options but don't see myself living in either place. Well maybe Az. for a month or 2. Eventually. But Mayo doesn't take Medicare at those 2 locations unless you are a resident of the State.
I don't think there is a perfect place to retire to, give and take to all of them. After 6 heat strokes being in some damn sandbox or around one I couldn't wait to get back to someplace where I could pee my name in the snow. Now that cold hurts my bones and joints. In the morning this time of year a cup of coffee and tell myself to suck it up buttercup, there are a lot worse places to be. But still look and think of other places this time of year. Overall I consider it a well kept secret and great place to live and hope the word doesn't get out. Don't need anymore people here either. Well Lloyd you already go to LOW and have history so are welcome anytime
There are steelhead on the North Shore but Superior being the largest, deepest, and coldest freshwater lake in the world it is pretty sterile and the steelies are relatively small.
Good luck and hope you make it through the MC minefield! If you find that perfect place to retire please let me know I'm worn out from that mental exercise.
