Moving to and living in the Lakes Region year round... whats the reality of....

[JasonG]

Lets say you live in the Lakes Region, even on the water.

Whats the earliest to latest you are going to be
Boating...
Swimming..(Assuming June-Sept at best)
Being able to enjoy the outdoor weather in your back yard without it being too cold?

[Lakegeezer]

Originally Posted by JasonG

Lets say you live in the Lakes Region, even on the water.

Whats the earliest to latest you are going to be
Boating...
Swimming..(Assuming June-Sept at best)
Being able to enjoy the outdoor weather in your back yard without it being too cold?

Living here year round lets you get on the water when the forecast called for rain but it is sunny and nobody is around. You get to snowmobile between meetings. The ski areas are a lot closer. Having the lake "there", makes it possible to use it anytime the time is right.

But the enjoyment of being a full timer goes way beyond being on or in the water. Being near or beside it has its rewards. You see dramatic weather come and go. You hear the loons arrive and the last one to leave. You see the ice form and disappear. You get to see others having fun (tough when working, but at least you can watch). You get to know the smaller population that lives here year round.

The downside for me is the lack of retail store selection. I feel like a kid in a candy store just getting to Concord. The selections in Boston overwhelms me. But, internet shopping solves some of that problem.

My neighborhood has quite a few retired full timers and one thing they are teaching me is, Florida is a good thing as an alternative. Between late October till mid-December, and again late March till early May - is a good time to get away if you can.

Its been four years since making the move, and I don't regret it.

[winnipiseogee]

Originally Posted by JasonG

Lets say you live in the Lakes Region, even on the water.

Whats the earliest to latest you are going to be
Boating...
Swimming..(Assuming June-Sept at best)
Being able to enjoy the outdoor weather in your back yard without it being too cold?

I find the boat goes in the water in early May and even though we aren't swimming we head over to Wolfeboro and Alton for lunch and dinner. We also keep out boat in every year until Columbus day and about every third year the water is still warm enough to go for dip the second weekend in Oct! That said, I find it great being outside most of the time except late November and this time of year. Snowshoeing, Hiking, Kayaking (kayaking in the early snow of November is awesome!) open up the season almost year round. The most important thing is finding some winter sport that you enjoy or the winter gets VERY long.

As to retail selection, the wife and I make a weekend out of Boston shopping a few times a year and I find it works really well. Saves a heck of a lot of money and really - when is time spent in a mall "quality time." Much better in my opinion limiting it to a few times a year!!

[fatnoah]

Having the lake "there", makes it possible to use it anytime the time is right.

Growing up in Laconia definitely ruined the beaches for me here in MA. As a kid/teenager, I could simply ride my bike to a beach when I felt like taking a dip to cool off on a summer day.

[JasonG]

What is the biggest daily expense up there vs a more populated area?

Daily coffee?
More gas to get around?
Food from smaller supermarkets?

[winnipiseogee]

Originally Posted by JasonG

What is the biggest daily expense up there vs a more populated area?

Daily coffee?
More gas to get around?
Food from smaller supermarkets?

For me its trips back to the city. Rooms in Boston aren't cheap. The gas, coffee and food all seem to be less than when I lived in the cities!

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by JasonG

What is the biggest daily expense up there vs a more populated area?

Daily coffee?
More gas to get around?
Food from smaller supermarkets?

Having live in cities (Fresno, Fremont, Birmingham, Indianapolis, Nashville, etc.) and now in a rural area, I can tell you my opinion of the biggest expense and pain in the butt things...

Living in a rural community means...
...that if you have a medical emergency, you may find yourself 30 minutes or more from an emergency room, and many hospitals will transfer you or your loved one to a larger hospital that is more equipped to handle your care (like Dartmouth or Boston).

...roads can be really crappy sometimes, especially when there's lots of frost heaves and pot holes. (aka Mud Season).

...you don't have a lot of choices for shopping, car repairs, healthcare, vet care, schools, utilities, restaurants, entertainment, etc.

...and a night life? Unless it's July 4th, the only night the sidewalks aren't rolled up by 6pm, you can forget about that, really.

...speaking of utilities, don't expect your cell phone to be especially reliable - coverage can be spotty on a good day.

...there can be a lot of poverty in some towns, and little local work to be found.

...with the exception of most of the towns along the lakes, expect to pay high property taxes. NH doesn't have a state income tax or sales tax, but you can also expect to pay a lot to register a car, boat, etc., than you're probably used to paying...

Living in a rural area also means...
...you get to know your neighbours (or not), but people keep to themselves and (generally) mind their own business...

...lower crime rates.

...you can chose to go to the city, mountains, lakes, whatever - and home is still a restful place when you return.

...town meeting or the first deliberative session (if your town is SB-2), can be a social and a political event.

...parades, fireworks, and all that you'd expect to see in a Norman Rockwell painting are still alive and well.

...the few businesses that are thriving in town are probably pretty darned good because they have to compete for business - and word of mouth travels fast. If someone does somebody wrong, the whole town will know it in an afternoon.

...you can see the stars at night. (Seriously - I'd forgotten how a night sky was supposed to look until I moved back to New England... )

[Island Girl]

Originally Posted by JasonG

Lets say you live in the Lakes Region, even on the water.

Whats the earliest to latest you are going to be
Boating...
Swimming..(Assuming June-Sept at best)
Being able to enjoy the outdoor weather in your back yard without it being too cold?

The boat goes in just before ice-out with the first trip to the island the weekend after it. The jetskiis go in ny the first of May. We dress properly for cool weather boating. The boat comes out around the first of November. There is nothing like a calm late fall day on the lake!

I am a chicken about swimming in cold water... But do love an October dip with a wetsuit.

My daughter is in WA and most folks there take their boats out sooner than we do in NH.... And their lakes do not freeze.


IG

[Lucky1]

We have only had the boat in the water one year as late as October when we had an exchange group over from England and had them all up to the lake to see another area different than Boston surburban life. My daughter took out several groups in the Whaler and they all seemed to enjoy it but were pretty cold I think. Today I don't do a lot of power boating even though I do have a nce rowboat and motor that would be fun once in a while. I love my Kayaks. I guess if you are a hearty soul you might enjoy boating in October and ?????NOvember???? I don't see it as ideal in any way though.

I have a road to my home thus don't use the boat as a way to get to my home. I can see why some from islands on here would keep them in the water longer and put them in the water earlier as they get used for transport to homes on islands. There may be a few times in November or April when one might put a boat in the water for a nice comfortable ride just for fun, but it would not be my idea of fun. Not October either. I get cold easily and thus like the warmer times on the water. But I like to see boats out there going by from time to time. Won't be long now!!!!