Moving To NH, what city, town should I pick???

[cathleeninnh]

Seeing NH for the first time can be mind boggling. It's really heady and intoxicating. Don't expect to know the towns after one exposure. Our third anniversary here is in a couple of weeks and we now feel capable of making the serious decision of where to buy/build a home. If you have the luxury of choosing where to live, I recommend renting awhile. As you meet people and get involved in local activities, you get an idea what areas suit you best.

Cathleen

[lastlady]

Wow!! Thank again everyone for all the thoughts and suggestions. I welcome them all and find your tips valuable in making my move to New Hampshire. I've traveled a bit around the free state but one needs to really spend some time somewhere to get a good feel for it. I like Manchester because it is the biggest city and will have more to offer as far as commmerce and transportation. If I were planning on having a vehicle that wouldn't be as much of a concern. I still wrestle with alot of decisions. Should I live with people, should I live alone, what kind of work will I do since my bread and butter is in Entertainment, not really the thriving industry in New Hampshire. Is the city polluted? I like clean air and lovely surroundings. I will travel mostly by bicyle, is it bicycle friendly? Where are the healthy organic markets, are there farmers markets on the weekends where one can by from locals? Are there cool cafes and bookstores? Are people friendly? I've lived in many different cities and some cities are just more friendly than others. Someone mentioned that there are a lot of Free staters in Manchester but they just aren't on the forum, is that true? Does anyone have any idea roughly how many free staters live in Manchester? Just a guess perhaps.

I really can't wait to be there. As hard as it is to uproot my life and leave all the comforts of home, I look forward to my new adventure. I truly wish to come and support this great work we are doing. I have this desire so strong in my heart to contribute, and work hard to protect our freedoms. Then going beyond that and creating a world of love. I know many of you relate and that is why I feel I belong there with you all. You also inspire me so very much. So many people dedicated to Freedom & Liberty makes me so happy. Even though many disagree on certain issues on this forum and in real life, I hope we can all find the common underlying focus that unites us.

[Dreepa]

FSPers rough guess 15-20.
Add another 5-10 Natives (like Rosie etc)

I have spent some time in Manchester recently and I don''t find it big and dirty at all.
It is semi bike friendly (I have only been riding once there)

Other answers I don't know.

Concord does have some cafes, bookstores, and organic markets.  And is pretty bike friendly.

[cathleeninnh]

Ok, some more thoughts.

Manchester is as bike friendly as you are going to get. No, there aren't bike lanes everywhere, but commercial, business and residences are intermingled in much of the city and there are fewer hills than most other places in New Hampshire. Polluted and dirty? Compared to real cities (it isn't really a city) it is clean. We lived downtown one year and grime did collect on the window sills from the bus station nearby and the coal trains that daily passed nearby. I bought an air cleaner for when I could close up the windows. Otherwise we were breathing it. There are a few natural food markets, but even a lot of the small towns have those. Manchester has a farmer's market on Thursday's downtown during the season. I think Concord has one all the time. Plenty of porcs in Manchester. Have a get together and 20-40 people will come. Enough to find roomies, help get jobs, make friends. A real community of liberty lovers. Many have been in NH many years or all their lives. We don't differentiate often. You forget who the movers were.

But there are groups all over the state. Portsmouth is one you should consider. But, I think cost of living is higher there.
Cathleen

[Rosie the Riveter]

I can take these questions about Manchvegas--

Is the city polluted? No the water is "rated" top notch (but has fluoride) the air is fresh and clean it is NH after all...

I will travel mostly by bicyle, is it bicycle friendly? Yes, I spent years traveling by bike and bus around the city -- currently two of my neighbors bike to work downtown daily, another neighbor rides a Segway.

Where are the healthy organic markets, are there farmers markets on the weekends where one can by from locals? The farmers market is downtown thursday afternoons. There is also A Market http://www.amarketnaturalfoods.com the largest natural foods store in NH.

Are there cool cafes and bookstores? There are several cool cafes downtown one with open mics and poetry but we are lacking in cool bookstores. There aren't any great indi book stores in Manch-- just some dusty used book stores..

Are people friendly? I am 

[Rosie the Riveter]

Sorry -- my post is mostly redundant to Cathleen's.. great minds think alike...

[CNHT]

There are many small towns ripe for 'takeover', but I can't say which just yet..... things are brewing and corruption is being exposed and we have lots of little town with population of 200 or 300 that could easily be turned into a freedom mecca...

I've considered moving to one myself....

[Quantrill]

FSPers rough guess 15-20.

C'mon Dreeps, there are half that many people in this house alone!  I'd say at least 25 but who knows?  A lot of people seem to disappear when they get here.  I still don't know very many people in NH but I could prolly name 20 people in Manch. 


As to some of lastlady's questions - what part of entertainment are you in?  Those of us already here can keep an eye out for job openings.  Bookstores - I've just seen the two chain bookstores.  Maybe someone should start one up!  (I've got some books I was thinking of selling on Amazon or whatever, hmm.  That might be a good business idea to check into.)  Bike Friendly - unfortunately, yes.    I see these giant sidewalks yet people aren't allowed ride bikes on them so I have to swerve in and out of traffic (in a big work van) to avoid hitting them.  It's all good, though.  One thing I had to get used to real quick, people drive very aggressively out here.  Running red lights, kids not looking where they're walking, etc...Living alone vs. living with people - Here at Alec's it's very quiet considering there's so many people.  But I'm looking to move out soon mostly because I can't really work on my music with 7 people in the house.  Well, I could, but I'm sure everyone would get annoyed pretty quick!

As hard as it is to uproot my life and leave all the comforts of home, I look forward to my new adventure. I truly wish to come and support this great work we are doing. I have this desire so strong in my heart to contribute, and work hard to protect our freedoms. Then going beyond that and creating a world of love. I know many of you relate and that is why I feel I belong there with you all. You also inspire me so very much. So many people dedicated to Freedom & Liberty makes me so happy. Even though many disagree on certain issues on this forum and in real life, I hope we can all find the common underlying focus that unites us.

Very-well said!   +1

Are you coming to PORCfest?  I came to NH in Feb. for the Liberty Forum and got a job offer!  I moved up here one month later.  Maybe something similar can happen to you!  Had I not forced myself to quit procrastinating and make the trip to NH, I would probably still be in MO making excuses as to why the time isn't right to move, yadda yadda...

[Dreepa]

FSPers rough guess 15-20.

C'mon Dreeps, there are half that many people in this house alone!  I'd say at least 25 but who knows?  A lot of people seem to disappear when they get here.  I still don't know very many people in NH but I could prolly name 20 people in Manch. 

...

That is what I mean.. 15-20 in Manchvegas.. and then I was thinking like Cathleen mentioned.. I can't tell who the natives are and who moved.

[Insurgent]

Seeing NH for the first time can be mind boggling. It's really heady and intoxicating. Don't expect to know the towns after one exposure. Our third anniversary here is in a couple of weeks and we now feel capable of making the serious decision of where to buy/build a home. If you have the luxury of choosing where to live, I recommend renting awhile. As you meet people and get involved in local activities, you get an idea what areas suit you best.

Cathleen

Cathleen's absolutely correct. The first couple times that I visited for PorcFest I couldn't make head or tales of the state; it just all looked beautiful. I've been in the state for almost a year now, and am fortunate to have a job that involves driving around most of the day, so I've seen a great deal of the state. It just takes time; a few tours at PorcFest will only scratch the surface of what there is to see!

[lastlady]

Are you coming to PORCfest?  I came to NH in Feb. for the Liberty Forum and got a job offer!  I moved up here one month later.  Maybe something similar can happen to you!  Had I not forced myself to quit procrastinating and make the trip to NH, I would probably still be in MO making excuses as to why the time isn't right to move, yadda yadda...

Yes I will be at Porcfest. If someone made me a job offer in which I was a fit, I would come home immediately. My degree is in media and communications. I am an office manager of a production company and assist celebrities (don't hate me it pays well and it can be fun) with everything in their life. I've worked for A list actors / artists and have traveled all over the world with them, run their life both personal and professional, manage their estates and work schedules. Ummm.. maybe I should bring my resume with me.  

[PinoX7]

Are you coming to PORCfest?  I came to NH in Feb. for the Liberty Forum and got a job offer!  I moved up here one month later.  Maybe something similar can happen to you!  Had I not forced myself to quit procrastinating and make the trip to NH, I would probably still be in MO making excuses as to why the time isn't right to move, yadda yadda...

Yes I will be at Porcfest. If someone made me a job offer in which I was a fit, I would come home immediately. My degree is in media and communications. I am an office manager of a production company and assist celebrities (don't hate me it pays well and it can be fun) with everything in their life. I've worked for A list actors / artists and have traveled all over the world with them, run their life both personal and professional, manage their estates and work schedules. Ummm.. maybe I should bring my resume with me.  

Hey do any of them 'a list' celebrity people need a body guard?
oh and do they pay well?

[lastlady]

they have that pretty taken care of. they mostly hire from security agencies.

[PinoX7]

yes but security agencies probibly dont accept liberty dollars

[error]

I've been meaning to try a bicycle ride between Manchester-Concord. It's 17 miles mostly along 3A though, and there are two potentially hazardous spots I can think of. Oh, and I need to get a bike.