Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!



Global warming, earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, volcanic landslides, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, floods, draught, asteroids, pandemics, Oh No! What a dilemma. Is there any place safe?

Yes, I have been watching educational TV again. The Discovery Channel, Science Channel, Weather Channel, and even the History Channel have lately been filled with worse-case scenarios of all sorts of possible disasters and their aftermaths. Tonight it was the History Channel and its programs about mega-tsunamis and their causes lurking around the world waiting for the right moment to wipe out one coastal region or another of the United States. The previous few days offered such topics as global warming and the melting of the polar caps raising seawater to a level where coastal areas and, of course, the entire state of Florida would disappear underwater. AND, it goes without saying that during hurricane season we have also had our usual programs regarding the probable impact of the inevitable major hurricanes hitting vulnerable areas of Florida like where I live in the Tampa Bay area.

I had already decided that when I retire, unlike half of the population of the good old USA, I am not going to retire in Florida. Recent hurricane seasons have convinced me to consider looking elsewhere. Also, recent home hunting and housing prices in my area have also convinced me that it would be wise to retire in an area with more reasonalbe housing prices.



So now I am wondering... where will I go? I wish to avoid winter blizzards as I have no idea how to deal with living in a real winter and snow. Tornado alley is out of the question... I think I fear tornados more than hurricanes. I don't do earthquakes or wildfires. Volcanos are out of the question. I love the mountains... for a great vacation. I hope to live where I can feel fairly confident that water will still come out of the tap, and where I can venture outside without feeling like a charred frankfurter on a barbecue grill.

Any suggestions?

15 comments:

Ron Southern said...

Rita whupped our ass this past season, though that mean this part of Texas has been disaster-proofed!
It was the first time in many years that we caught the brunt. Texas is a big place, maybe you can find a part of it that's good for you.

Jim said...

I had a farm picked out a couple of miles away here in Montgomery, Texas. It sold but there will be others.
Sugarland, Texas (remember the Goldie Hawn movie, Sugarland Express?) is the number five place to live this year. But it will go under water along with Florida before too long. Besides their most famous resident has moved to Maryland (their loss, our gain).
Montgomery is in the hills, yet near the amenities of Houston.
I'll take some pics for a post soon.
..

Anonymous said...

Geese seem to be able to find places that are exactly like you describe. They don't use taps to get water but I'm sure you could figure that part out.
Can you fly in a "V" with others..

Rurality said...

How about Tahiti?!

Cliff said...

I think you'd better look to avoid the first tier of states encirling the states. The North tier is too cold, the southern tier is way to hot, muggy, and other citizen problems, the east and west have too many people. I think you're describing some high plains. It may be hot during the day, in summer, but it will cool off quickly at night

Rainypete said...

I'm retiring to the moon. It'll have McDonalds and high speed internet by then.

Ralph said...

Rhodent
I have been looking a few retirement options myself. Fortunately my requirements are as strict as yours. Let us know where you decide. We also realize it may take awhile.
Ralph

fuzzbert_1999@yahoo.com said...

East Tennessee has traditionally been pretty safe from natural disasters, although a couple of twisters have recently sneeked through. The only threat around here is humidity and pollen.

We love though...it's very beautiful most years when we're blessed with enough rain.

LK said...

Move to New Zealand, it meets your requirements.

Alisa said...

Hmmmm if you can handle cold, maybe the norther states for the Midwest. OK, SD, ND, Idaho seem to lack natural disasters. I know that (crazy as it sounds) Omaha has been a good living experience for many that I know. They're just far north enough to get snow and not ice storms, and just far south enough to not have the biting winters of MN and they seem to be just far north to avoid being in tornado alley.

Jim said...

I still say Montgomery, Texas. Mrs. Jim and I will help you look for a hilltop place.
Don't believe that stuff about Omaha.
When I was in high school my dad had to walk out an upstairs window and shovel the way down to a porch door for the rest of us to leave. The snow was that high, about twelve feet, the drifts were higher.
Several times I got stuck in a snow drift, on the road, driving home from school.
One time Dad had to ride his horse to town for some medicine that the doctor prescribed when my mother was sick. Again, the roads were impassable.
If it isn't snow drifts, it is ice or packed snow that keeps all the people at the bottom of the hills.
Montgomery it is for us, try it, you'll like it.
..

Rachel said...

How about a little farther north, but winters are still mild, like GA, TN, KY. Just buy a home with a storm cellar or at least a basement!

Frustrated Writer said...

Arizona. Trust me. Arizona. You can live at the base of the mountains where you can be cool during the summer, warm during the winter. I would suggest Eager, AZ.

Hunter said...

Well, I was going to say come here, but there's no way I can say it's affordable.

And we are at the foot of a sleeping volcano. ;)

Everywhere, it seems, has some potential calamity just waiting to hit. It's kind of like that "glass half full or half empty" thing.

Darilyn

carmilevy said...

What about Canada? Free health care in exchange for a bit of extra snow. No biggie...it's still a lovely place to retire, and the summers don't suck.