the dorms

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by PhotoPilot

Yeah we're bassackwards. Due to genetic mutations, we prefer to live in towns where a home doesn't cost as much as a Cessna Citation X, an acre yard is the norm rather than the $2,000,000 exception, people smile when you walk past them on the street, the water is clear, the air isn't choked with smog, and a 5 mile drive across town doesn't take 2 hours.

I've lived in CA. And I've lived in the midwest. As much as I liked the mountains and the coast, I'll take the Great Lakes, the people, and the Northern outdoors of the upper midwest any day. But if you want to live in a place where there's a well documented water shortage . . . and more than 50% of the daily water usage is used to make the ostentacious and unnecessary lawns greener, be my guest! Just know that the next time some lawmaker from CA tries to pipe Lake Superior across the country to water his favorite golf course, he'll have to get past a whole lot of hunting rifles first!

As we can see, there are advantages and disadvantages in both places. It's only an opinion and never a fact.

[PhotoPilot]

Absolutely agreed, Jace. Just being feisty tonight. Hope you didn't take offense. None was intended!

I willingly admit that when I get a run to the coasts, I'm always happy for the chance to get good sushi and a nice dose of different culture.

[Philip]

To each his own.

For me, 4 years was enough of the upper midwest.

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by PhotoPilot

Absolutely agreed, Jace. Just being feisty tonight. Hope you didn't take offense. None was intended!

I willingly admit that when I get a run to the coasts, I'm always happy for the chance to get good sushi and a nice dose of different culture.

No offense at all. OMG sushi sounds so good right now. Actually I'm enjoying myself here in the midwest... after two vokda martini's, I'm LIT!!!!!!!!!!

[Screaming_Emu]

Originally Posted by Philip

To each his own.

For me, 4 years was enough of the upper midwest.

I agree, the only thing I dont like is when people start ripping on the people here, people here are so much nicer than amost anywhere in the US.

[AngelFuree]

Very true. I've always ripped on everything but the friendliness of the people here. They're so much more friendly than city people. A couple of weeks ago when I posted the pros and cons to this place (UND), one of the only positives I listed was, indeed, the friendliness of the people here.

[PhotoPilot]

And I'll give you that the upper midwest is pretty bleak once you're west of north central Minnesota. It's the forests, lakes, and rivers of upper Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota that I love. I personally wouldn't be able to handle the open landscape of the Dakotas for more than a week or two. But the shores of Superior and the forests of the upper Great Lakes region? Heaven!

[Philip]

Originally Posted by AngelFuree

Very true. I've always ripped on everything but the friendliness of the people here. They're so much more friendly than city people. A couple of weeks ago when I posted the pros and cons to this place (UND), one of the only positives I listed was, indeed, the friendliness of the people here.

Ehhhhhhh.. ever heard the term "north dakota nice"?

[Screaming_Emu]

Originally Posted by PhotoPilot

And I'll give you that the upper midwest is pretty bleak once you're west of north central Minnesota. It's the forests, lakes, and rivers of upper Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota that I love. I personally wouldn't be able to handle the open landscape of the Dakotas for more than a week or two. But the shores of Superior and the forests of the upper Great Lakes region? Heaven!

How's Duluth treating you? A club I'm in went out there to tour Cirrus this weekend but I was too broke to go. I've been out there before thoguh and it is really nice.

[PhotoPilot]

Both Duluth and Cirrus are treating me very well. I lived in Marquette, MI, for about 6 years and it was the place that I'd felt most 'at home' in my lifetime. There isn't much in the way of aviation there, so the last two years have been a bit of a walkabout as I worked on ratings and built experience instructing. Getting back to Lake Superior and a city like Marquette (which Duluth is!) has been the goal from the beginning.

For a guy who hikes, bikes, skis, kayaks, hunts, and flyfishes, this is a perfect place. All of those things and more can be found within a 10 to 20 minute drive. The city itself is like a mini Chicago or San Francisco: if you're downtown, you'd never guess you were in a city of only 85,000. We have a variety of great restraunts, good nightlife, fantastic music, and very good entertainment. In short, I feel just as 'at home' as I did in Marquette.

As for Cirrus, it's as close to a dream job as I'll ever come. The company is fantastic, the product is awesome, and I've actually got job security. It was the perfect move for *me*, but I was never convinced that the airlines were the right move for my tastes.

Combine the town with the career, and I'm a happy little pilot. If any JCers find themselves over this way, let me know. I'll show you the factory and the town. Both are pretty darn cool!

[Philip]

What are you doing photo? From previous posts it sounds like demo rides or sales instead of instruction, always thought that would be awesome work if you can find it. Especially if they give you a company airplane like cessna does sometimes

[PhotoPilot]

I'm a Flight Standards pilot. Basically, I design training initiatives, redesign and develop checklists and POH proceedures, help manage the CSIP and CSTC networks, and do the occasional corporate trip. Lots of fun, lots of flying, lots of cool people and planes.

It's a blast!

[Philip]

Originally Posted by PhotoPilot

I'm a Flight Standards pilot. Basically, I design training initiatives, redesign and develop checklists and POH proceedures, help manage the CSIP and CSTC networks, and do the occasional corporate trip. Lots of fun, lots of flying, lots of cool people and planes.

It's a blast!

That does sound like a blast.
Is sean M still around there? Did my first CFI ride with him then I heard he shuffled off to duluth.
Every now and again I'd get a call from someone when I worked at jepp that bought a cirrus and had flown with him. Funny how small the world is, I found out a guy I flew with a couple times working on my private died from a customer.

[Screaming_Emu]

Originally Posted by PhotoPilot

If any JCers find themselves over this way, let me know. I'll show you the factory and the town. Both are pretty darn cool!

If I get out there I'll definately take you up on that. I'll have to bring my camera and we'll have to do some shooting.

[JaceTheAce]

I think UND needs to move their flight school to Duluth! I did one of my 221 cross-countries there and I spent about 4 hours exploring the town. I was impressed with the variety of restaurants (they actually have an authentic Mexican restaurant I went to...and probably a few more there). The city streets remind me of San Francisco and the culture/people, steep hills, and harbor remind me of San Diego. If your on the beach of Lake Superior you think that you're on the Atlantic coast. The northern Minnesotan forests surrounding the city are really pretty... kind looks like the rural forests of Germany and northern Europe... Amazing town. I could see myself living there for a long time.

[NDviaEP]

EXCELLENT IDEA!!! I'd be there in a heartbeat... It's about an hour closer to home, still in Minnesota, amazing city and HILLS, oh, and I'm a big cross country skiier and there are tons of places to do it there and about nothing here... well kinda here, but they don't count as cross country skiing...