Taking the Plunge

[xrated]

X - Kids grow up but it matters what experiences you give them as you grow. I admit that I don't know what you and the kids get up to in your off time but I took mine all over the world and yet the mountains and deserts of Utah, Wyoming and Colorado are where they come back to.. From England, Virginia, and North Carolina..

Grandparents travel - they get the time and the freedom; you'll be amazed how much they'll think of you if you give you kids broader horizons and if the pay is better and the cost of living lower the added oppurtunities. I have a friend who is a PT who left his job in Northern California earning 96K and has taken a job here for only a little less and has a better standard of living.. Think about it..

If you aren't going to move out here don't leave the wife and kids home when you come to ride.. crap, I'll loan you sleds when you bring them so you can have a family ride.. at 10,000 feet..

Don't put it all off until the kids finish school; think of the things they'll miss.

I acknowledge that it takes "being secure in who you are" (sometimes called "balls") to post that photo.. but if you're really secure then take it down and post one of you and your girl doing the daddy daughter dance... you wear the dress.

I know this sounds a little dry and sober but consider that your joke may actually be one of the best ideas you've ever had; neither the kids or grandparents would ever get shortchanged by "taking the plunge."

Man you make good posts!!!

One of the main draws for sticking in MN is that I grew up on a lake with 86 acres and thousands of state land next to it. I can't think of a better way to grow up then to have the kind of access I had to the lake and the land. I know that on my income (with a stay at home wife which I won't change for anything) no matter where I moved or the cost of living I would not be able to give my kids access to a lake like I had and want for them. As much as I love sledding I love water time more and am convinced there is nothing better for families then water. I see your kids return to the west from all over, for some reason in my extended family our "home" as always been on the lake in northern MN. I'm the 4th generation to have the lake spot (first to grow up there full time) and in those 4 generations we have had family in England, the south, the northeast, the northwest, Cali, AK, the Phillipenes and various spots in between and for some reason they all come back. Must be something about the pine trees and waves that gets in the blood.

We have thought long and hard about the grandparents deal. I know they'd travel but I also know that at least my parents don't make enough money for multiple trips(nor the time, both sets still work full time). As it stands we make sure my parents (the furthest away, her parents are 20 minutes) get to see the kids at least once a month. I know they would travel, but man is it nice for both them and my kids to be able to leave in the morning and be eating lunch just because they missed each other.

As for sled trips, man brother that is an offer! If you talked with my wife she would be able to tell you she has lost track of how many times I say I can't wait until our kids are old enough to go out west with me. Her not so much (doesn't like winter) For me I really hope that my children will want to enjoy my hobbies with me and no matter where we are I will bend over backwards to make sure they get to ride mountains with me.

We won't be putting off anything until after the kids are gone. But at this stage in life (6, 3 and 1.5 year old) it isn't as easy to get out as it will be someday. It kills me to not be able to plan even one trip a year out west riding, but I feel that at this stage my time is better spent at home. Then as the kids get older we will get to do things like take a week sled trip and I can't wait for it.

All in all MN isn't so bad, in fact all it is missing is hills. In 4 hours the family can be on the dock swimming/fishing. In the next year that same 4 hours will put the kids on private single track to learn the dirtbike one and we have great biking 30 minutes from our house and a grandpa that is going crazy waiting for grandkids to be ready to ride.

I guess after writing it all out and thinking about your points, MN isn't a bad place to be....hell I can drive to UT in 16 hours. In fact the great part about the midwest is we are in the middle we can take the kids anywhere.

 

[1MEX]

That's a long writeup just to say "HA HA, it was a joke and I'm not going nowhere"....

 

[gibsonman]

I spend 5 days making out my beer shopping list for you to bring with you for me and then find out it's a joke You owe me 2 beers if I ever end up in MN

 

[1MEX]

I spend 5 days making out my beer shopping list for you to bring with you for me and then find out it's a joke You owe me 2 beers if I ever end up in MN

Two?? Bar tap on his arse.....

 

[Chief]

X - That you've considered my arguments and determined the best action for your children and family is enough to satisfy me that you aren't the light weight, beer dependent, motor crazed boy that many of your posts have lead me to expect.

My offer stands; if I have sleds to loan when you bring the kids out here to ride the mountains then I'll let you take them for a family ride.

And about the 16 hour drive: I used to drive from Florida to Utah once a year, 23 hours.. it's OK when you're young but the 16 hours will kill you when you're 40...

Chief out.

 

[ACG]

I can think of 3 places I would live. North east MN, ND or UT.... Nuff said....

 

[sledchick]

what lake are you at x? isn't it by McGregor or Aitken if I remember?

 

[xrated]

what lake are you at x? isn't it by McGregor or Aitken if I remember?

Just north of McGregor. Lake Minnewawa.

 

[xrated]

I spend 5 days making out my beer shopping list for you to bring with you for me and then find out it's a joke You owe me 2 beers if I ever end up in MN

You make it to MN and I will make sure the beer fridge is stocked for ya. Remember Spring Creek is July 17th weekend.

 

[xrated]

X - That you've considered my arguments and determined the best action for your children and family is enough to satisfy me that you aren't the light weight, beer dependent, motor crazed boy that many of your posts have lead me to expect.

My offer stands; if I have sleds to loan when you bring the kids out here to ride the mountains then I'll let you take them for a family ride.

And about the 16 hour drive: I used to drive from Florida to Utah once a year, 23 hours.. it's OK when you're young but the 16 hours will kill you when you're 40...

Chief out.

Thanks Chief. But at 135 I'm probably still light.

I keep telling my dirt buds (all 40 plus) that 16 hours isn't bad, but nobody else likes the idea of sleeping in the truck and driving straight through in shifts.

 

[JohnnyQuestUtah]

all this talk bout lakes and such has messed me up !! i just might ride down too Bullfrog for lunch

and maybe a twist at Dangling Rope !!

 

[sledchick]

Just north of McGregor. Lake Minnewawa.

Ah by Palisade. Never been to that one, just the 10,999 others. My rents live on Pelican Lake, across from Breezy Point, North of Baxter/Brainerd 20 miles. You're right about that area being close to what it is like here, except no mountains..and that's kind of a big one. I've lived and visited probably every corner of Minnesota, and the Central Lakes area has always been my favorite, well maybe the North Shore too. I don't miss the lakes so much, I got to working all summer and college the rest of the year, I never really got to take much advantage. Keep it a vaca spot, I remember many summers spent at the grandparents cabin, those are the ones the kids remember most!

 

[xrated]

Ah by Palisade. Never been to that one, just the 10,999 others. My rents live on Pelican Lake, across from Breezy Point, North of Baxter/Brainerd 20 miles. You're right about that area being close to what it is like here, except no mountains..and that's kind of a big one. I've lived and visited probably every corner of Minnesota, and the Central Lakes area has always been my favorite, well maybe the North Shore too. I don't miss the lakes so much, I got to working all summer and college the rest of the year, I never really got to take much advantage. Keep it a vaca spot, I remember many summers spent at the grandparents cabin, those are the ones the kids remember most!

Yep the kids love it.

In fact this weekend my decision to not move the family anywhere was affirmed when I was able to spend a few hours out in the woods with my dad and 6 year old collecting sap for maple syrup.

Not many kids anywhere get to do that stuff anymore and listening to her talk with my dad made it even better.