Moving down to NC or GA

[Dusto]

I made my first ride to deals gap this summer. Peterborough, Ontario to Stecoah, NC, Ironhorse. 21hrs on an R6. Anyways, it is the most beautiful riding and scenery I have ever seen. Long story short my fiance and I plan on moving down close to the gap. She graduates as a RN nurse in a few months and I am a Civil Engineering Technologist. She wants to move to Georgia and I want to move anywhere close to the gap. The idea is to find jobs. I would greatly appreciate any ideas, websites, info on nice areas to live, job opportunities, nearby hospitals, construction companies in the area etc.
thank you very much
Dustin

[748L052]

Get as much $ as you can for your shovel, blower and your sled. Your tire budget will need to triple - at least...

[Dusto]

I go through about 2 rears and 1 front a season (april-october). Do you ride all year round? How many sets?

[BuildADSM]

try looking into knoxville, tennessee. That is where I am for school and it is probably about an hour from the dragon but it is still a big city.
I am from chattanooga, tennessee and it is also a great city! It would probably be a little bit further from the dragon but still less then 2 hours or so (just a guess).
Stuart

[748L052]

Dusto,

I'll try to be serious and see if I can provide useful info... You will be surprised at how important the tire budget becomes. And a lot depends on your riding style, also. I'm about 1:1 F:R which is nice for buying/replacing. I first slick the edges of the front, always, so I'm sort of backwards to most ROW riders. Almost always have rear and center front tread left when I throw them away. Actually, at the end of a set I'll go to a nearby spot to practice threshold braking, abusing #### out of the center of the front, trying to use up that last bit of expensive rubber. But you'll see a lot of hillbilly bike tires looking that way. At least 3 or 4 sets/year, retired now so any good weather day (including Jan, Feb) is a ride day & even my driveway is crooked...

You've got the right machine. Over the years I've seen so many riders move here with a liter bike and if they are really good they've traded to 600 within 6 months.

Strongly suggest you and your lady do a quick recon trip. Down 81 to Bristol, 26 to Asheville, various US# to Atlanta, 75 to Chatt, and then Knoxville, 40E out to 81 and North again. There are BFD construction/engineering outfits in all of them. A RN can go to work anywhere any day. If we were 40 younger & on the move again we would shortlist Asheville & Chatt. (There is a (secret) mini-gap type section that is literally easy lunch-break from downtown Chatt.)

Good luck & welcome...

[Dusto]

very helpful thank you.

[TwistedThrottle]

Knoxville is a great place to find work, but it doesn't mean you have to live there! I work in Knoxville, but live in Maryville, TN. (33 miles from the store @ the Gap). My daily commute to work is about 30 minutes & property is still very reasonable in Maryville.