"bridger" wrote in message
oups.com...
So I'm thinking of taking a trip up to northern california and southern
oregon to check out the woodworking scene up there. living in arizona
has it's advantages, but trees aren't one of them....

I guess I'm looking for people and things of interest up there, as well
as impressions and opinions in general. I'm sure the cost of living
will be a bit higher- the equity I have in my home is gonna look pretty
puny in that market. work is probably more competitive too....


Wood's on the sides of the valley, with predominance of softwood, even on
the coast. In Arizona and California birch is an exotic, so that shouldn't
be a shock to a man from there. Both that and the cost of living were a
tremendous shock to me. The nectarine that grows in an orchard in Yuba City
sells for more there than in Michigan. Groceries were about three times as
expensive in meat, twice in most other items.

Housing is variable. Where there are jobs or socialism (Bay Area) , they're
very high, a bit of distance brings them back to your level, I should think.
Problem in jobs is as always, if you're educated or experienced, they're
leery of hiring you in most places. They want entry level people, or are
interested in paying only entry level salaries and cannot understand why
anyone who ever earned more money would work for less to be someplace else.
If you're in the trades, you'll have to fight the nepotism.