Moving to California

HPNPilot1200 said:
Connecticut
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I moved from NJ, where I had been born and raised, to California right after high school and it was a bit of culture shock, mostly in a good way. I've lived in various places since then, primarily in Colorado, but I would move back to California.

What someone said about the produce in the stores is definitely true. There's much more variety and quality of fruits and vegetables. Many people find the first shock is the price of housing but that might not be as true for you, coming from Connecticut.

California is also much less homogenous than many people think. Most people only think of the cities and suburbs around LA and SF, which are two different cultures in themselves, but there are a lot of rural areas, farmland and mountains.
 
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From TRM it's just a short hop over the mountain into San Diego. Get an extra car and keep it at MYF. In between is Borrego Valley L08, nice stop sometimes.

The Salton Sea is a disgusting cesspool, you do not want to do a water landing there, nor do you want to go to the many beaches that surround it.

Living out in the desert won't be so bad if you have your own airplane, you'll be able to get away anytime. In my Warrior it was around 45 mins from TRM to MYF.

I'd hate to be stuck out there with no escape hatch in the summer. It is not all that bad though. I lived in Las Vegas for three years. In the summer, your mostly inside with air conditioning.

Were your heading is truly wonderful flying country, as a pilot, you are going to love it.

-John
 
N801BH said:
Yeah..... And the corn uses Tampa, Fla. pricing... Buck -an- Ear. ;)
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Actually produce is pretty cheap in CA, seeing it is the #1 agriculture producer in the country. I pay $0.25 an ear and even less if I go to a farmers market, and this is in one of the most expensive parts of Southern, CA. 5 lbs of strawberries for example costs $5, and a head of lettuce is under a dollar for almost any kind of lettuce.
 
sdpilot said:
Actually produce is pretty cheap in CA, seeing it is the #1 agriculture producer in the country. I pay $0.25 an ear and even less if I go to a farmers market, and this is in one of the most expensive parts of Southern, CA. 5 lbs of strawberries for example costs $5, and a head of lettuce is under a dollar for almost any kind of lettuce.
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I stand corrected... Those are some good prices..:yes:
 
if you had posted about gas and energy prices that would be one thing CA sucks at compared to the rest of the country as well as taxes, but food is pretty cheap here
 
sdpilot said:
How about a year round flying season, and very little to no downtime due to weather.
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Maybe. Friends who lived out that way told me that they often shut the airports down once the temps reached 120. The pavement got too soft to push the airliners off the concrete gate pads.

We were in Palm Springs in early August of 2006, I think it was. 112 degrees. Too hot for this Canuck.

Dan
 
I flew my Comanche from Windham to Brackett [KPOC] in January 2010 - if you need any ideas or assistance or thoughts let me know - when we moved.

If you have an airplane, you need a hangar - not because of heat but because of the sandstorms and wind that will literally sandblast your windows and paint -
 
Well I haven't been here long enough yet to experience the summer heat but I'm enjoying my time out here for sure. Great weather (when I'm home). Lots of flying and gaining a lot of SoCal / West Coast flying experience which is a blast.
 
Nice to hear, Jason. It seems like you're in a great situation too, based on what I read in other places. ;)
 
Where are you based? We're in PD for the month.

HPNPilot1200 said:
Well I haven't been here long enough yet to experience the summer heat but I'm enjoying my time out here for sure. Great weather (when I'm home). Lots of flying and gaining a lot of SoCal / West Coast flying experience which is a blast.
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Go to Coachella if you are there in time its in less than 2 months its right there. Enjoy the year round weather!
 
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They don't call it Thermal for nothing...(July 30, 2011, just landed at KTRM)
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
Thermal (TRM)
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How did the move/transition go? Are you there for a flying job? I am jumping in late or I would have recommended craigslist for places to live. Lots of times you can get a full private room in a home with a pool from $400-500 per month all utilities if you are single or flight crew.

Here are some favorite places to eat:
Thai smile in Palm Springs and Palm Desert fast food price for lunch/D $$
Marios Italian in every town in Coachella Valley not fancy not expensive
Elephant bar is sort of upscale TGIFidays
Tony Roma's in PD
Upper Crust Pizza in Rancho Mirage fast food price
City Wok Chinese fair price
El Pollo Loco good healthy grilled chicken and salsa fast food price
Subking fast and cheap
Beer Hunter PD fair price sport bar

Every Thursday night has a village street fair in Palm Springs. Free but nice to attend or take your family visitors to.
Date festival in Indio is like a county fair also fun.
Greek Festival is 1 weekend by the orth church in PD worth doing
TRM has a fly in every year, nice to go to.

If you have a plane you can put it on tie down at TRM as the winds you heard about are mostly up by I10 not so much down south at TRM.

Advice search for a fair mechanic before you need one, most are very expensive. If you buy a home find a handyman. If you don't have a low water flush toilet you might put a 2 ltr bottle of water in the water closet to help with that, change shower heads to reduce flow, same with sinks, was clothes on low water or get a front loader...

You already have a place to live I assume but I would say covered parking is important if living in apartments as is pool/jacuzzi/work out center in clubhouse.

Palm Springs and even more so Cathedral City are Gay friendly if that sort of thing appeals to you, even PD is very accepting. You get used to it otherwise. When you go with your buds to a movie or dinner you are often considered or assumed a couple..its sort of funny.
 
Tony_Scarpelli said:
How did the move/transition go? Are you there for a flying job? I am jumping in late or I would have recommended craigslist for places to live. Lots of times you can get a full private room in a home with a pool from $400-500 per month all utilities if you are single or flight crew.
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It went pretty well though I ended up flying a bunch of trips in November during the move so I didn't find a place to live until after I started work. I moved here for a flying job which is a lot of fun. One of the planes I fly is based out of SNA so I head down there a lot as well.

City Wok is great and I've enjoyed walking the streets of El Paseo from time to time. I've gone to Village Fest once which was cool. I flew about 90 hours last month so I wasn't home much but I'm trying to take advantage of the nice weather this time of year when I am back in town. The hiking behind Bed Bath & Beyond in Palm Desert is great.
 
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