I talked to Tony Boom: http://www.ssccmedford.org/Summits/2006/February.pdf

They have some good programs going on including a hill climb that is only a few miles out of Ashland towards the East.

Hoopa is about 160 miles, or about 4 hours towing a trailer. Much easier drive than from the Bay Area.

Thunder Hill is a little over three hours.

And I think Medford is more than half way up to JP and his racing programs.

Maybe there are some events going on in Redding (CA) as well.

Are you thinking about moving up this way?

Portland and the new Oregon raceway park are about 5 hours north. There's a kart track in Medford as well. Aerial atoms are built nearby as well.

Yes, Siskiyou (spelling is optional) Sports Car club runs a series of AX s at that Kart track. I've been meaning to get down there for one.

Met a guy who races these events, he's from here in Roseburg. He races 240 Z's.


Siskiyou Cascade Lakes Hillclimb 2008

2009

That's one darned good lookin 240. Always did like them.

He has a garage full of them, runs small block chevys.

I can't imagine why. A friend get 300hp out of his FP 2.8L Z motor and his engine builder says that now days 350hp is ordinary. He is quick at AX but sadly no longer comes out much.

That is some mighty pretty country down there. Housing is affordable if you stay away from Ashland.

He's building another z car with 4 cylinder putting out something like 300 hp, says it will make him more competitive in a different class.

Yah, you're right, it sure is pretty country here.

I was acutally stunned with the amount of great property on the market now in Medford. Sad to say it is because of the job situation for many.

But my hope is to find a couple of acres where I can build a BIG garage.

Heaven.

My Dad moved to Grants Pass and loves it there. There are tons of car guys there and some very nice Porsches in garages. Some of his freinds have machine shops and paint booths in huge garages on their property. They do full blown custom hot rods. One guy was working on 2 trucks and an old Ford sedan when I was there last and they looked show quality.

A time trail in Medford to Ashland area certainly would be easier than Hoopa from the Bay Area for me. .. its on its way to my Dads place so I 'd have a place to stay and I could combine visits to him with hillclimbs.

Would love to do another hillclimb this year!

If you find something you like, and want some help in governmental approvals, planning, permits etc. Let me know..... I might be able to lend a hand... even barter my services for porsche parts!

What I don't understand is why no one is setting up a small IDA <http://www.idaireland.com/home/index.aspx?id=3> group to help Medford get back on their feet. They have all the infrastructure at hand (University / reasonable property / beautiful country / great schools / etc. ).

I used to visit Ireland with the IDA before they closed their first big customer.... now they have secured over 1000 companies.

Poor logistics infrastructure hurts them in Medford just as it did originally in Ireland. I worked very hard with ports and logistics companies in Ireland to develop better capabilities when I was with Intel back in the mid 90's. We improved much of their outdated capabilities, but still ran into capacity issues that limited our expansion into that country. Central and SOuthern Oregon in general is a tough place to do logistics due to the fact you have to truck everything to international ports in SF or Seatle. But if they focused perhaps on making location for engineering/ design research and bioresearch that might be something they could pull off?

Ireland is really hurting in this recent downturn. Losing business to Eastern Europe where costs are lower. Ireland has been a victim of their own success recently as wages have gone up and Europe based manufacturers are looking for lower cost areas to do business. I have a freind who's father is part of the Waterford organization in Ireland and they manufacture much of their crystal in Poland now. Dell moving operations to Eastern Europe. Several Semi Fabs moving away from Ireland as well.

But overall I agree that Southern and Central Oregon are ripe for opportunity if they could form some IDA like organizations with some bright motivated people with industry connections. US in general is behind most developing countries in our industry development capability. We havent had to compete with the global economy for a long time. Now that Walmarts wont cut it local/regional governments might start waking up to the fact that they actually have to work to attract good jobs and industries.

Right - "engineering/ design research and bioresearch" would be ideal.

It's time for the Oregon folks to become marketeers if they want to keep or augment their revenue base.

Guys, some folks like Oregon as is. That may be because there aren't 10 million people living there.....prolly the same reason you like the area in question.
It sure as hell is the reason I like the area. There are "only" about 1.5 million people living within a 25 mile radius of my home......and I don't like that.

Good point, I think there are alot of people here that are opposed to any pro-growth in Oregon, I think they want Oregon to become one big park. <insert treehugger smiley>

When I moved to Vancouver 30 odd years back there were 125000 folks in the whole county. You could find a solitary spot on the many rivers of the area to do some fishin'. Now there are 450000 folks and I'd need to take a number to get in line most everywhere...I mostly quit fishin' bout 10 years back.
That is progress.

Down So. OR. way there are some good rivers....Rogue, Umquah.....eh?

If OR folks like CA folks like the WA folks like the CA folks, the welcome mat has been pulled inside.

From my travels in OR though, it'd be a lot of fun if you've got good friends there...

We need to go fishing JP. The Rogue is susposed to be pretty good according to the guy who runs the fly shop in Ashland. Some big fish.

No numbers required from what I hear.

North Umpqua river is suppose to be real good too, right down the street by my house.

I moved from Portland (in JP's 25 mile radius) to Ashland in '06. By CA standards all property is cheap, even Ashland. However it is correct to say Ashland, and Jacksonville also, are by far the most expensive. Many Bay Area retirees here which is a big factor in house prices. Ashland is a boutique tourist town (Shakespeare Festival) with fantastic restaurants. Not exactly Carmel, Cambria or Solvaang, but you get the idea. The college is here as well. We do our real shopping in Medford. Ashland is the most scenic and does not have the dirty fog which can cover Medford for days at a time in winter. I don't fish, but those who like to are in the right place here. Also skiing, hunting, snowmobiling, camping, boating within 20 miles. Some rain, but only about 1/2 as much as Portland. Hotter in summer. Very little winter snow. Have I said I love it here and would never go back (except I do miss the AX crowd, led by JP and drgchapman, as well as keeping an eye on Craig at Camp 914).

edit: Yes, the kart track at the Jackson County Sports Park is a great AX venue but we don't have enough sporting Porsche owners for our own events. But the Siskiyou Sports Car Club has a full season. The park also has facilities and active clubs for radio controlled racing, outdoor pistol range and other activities.

Hay, Jim, I figured you'd drop in there iff'n you saw the thread.

A year ago I was planning to retire May 1, sell the house and was looking for a place to go. With the economy being what is now, those plans are on hold.

Southern Orygun has moved to the top of my list for relocation.....tho the wife may not agree with that. Save me a spot.

One of the reasosn the medford area is a retirement spot is more sun days than the valley. Of corse there is more fog too, probably less toward Ashland, that's where we used to fly in when Medford was socked in.

I'll be waitin' for you JP. Only negative for you is adjusting to income tax (but no sales tax). Or do you pay it already since you work in OR? There are some nice places to live, in towns, rural and semi rural. I would look first in the Talent area (between Ashland and Medford). The winter fog can be bad in Medford/Central Point. Anyone with asthma or other respirtatory problems should stay north or south of Medford. Gold Hill, about 10 miles north of Medford, right on the Rogue River, is also a place to check out. Medford and Ashland are are only 11 miles apart. Everything you need is here and after dealing with Portland area traffic, travel here is nothing.
Anyone who is thinking of coming to the Rogue Valley is welcome to PM me for any help I might provide.

You also should take a look at the Roseburg area, they call it the banana belt. We don't get the rain, snow, ice and excesive heat like they can in other parts of Oregon. We are 1 hour north of Grants Pass, 3 hours south of Portland and 1 1/2 from the coast.

Try the Williamson river over below Bend....really BIG fish come up out of Lake Klammath, the little Deschutes used to be good but I'll bet the huge influx of retirees into Bend's developments has screwed it up. I hit a Fuching traffic jam at 10 am the last time I went thru.....also if you go to Chilloquin to fish the Williamson, also catch the spring creek about 4mi north of town....just bring small flies and smaller tippets......

The prices are getting lower. 8 months ago there was nothing on the market less than $200K in Medford.

Today is a different story.

I personally don't really see any turnaround, at not least this year.

I fished there as a kid back in the late 70's. Great place. It would be a shame if it has been ruined.

The issue there is jobs. As people get laid off they just don't have the finances to keep paying their monthly committments. Because the market is getting flooded the housing prices are dropping.

Its perfect time if you can do consulting work from your home or are retiring. I think Bay Area will recover before other areas. I'm actually already seeing signs of recovery in my buisiness. I'd move now if my wife and I were not handcuffed to the salaries we make in the greater Silicon Valley area. Just doesnt make sense for me to leave yet.

I'm actually partial to New Mexico. Headed there on a real estate scouting trip soon. I have two homes I can sell in California and want to be able to retire somewhere where my money will go a long way so I dont have to work. I'd like to be in position where I could do occasional consulting job for fun. Big question is are there race tracks in New Mexico? I havent even looked into that part of things!

I drove from Hoopa on HY 96 over to I5 above Yreka and for 70+ miles you follow the Klamath River. Almost drove off the road several time looking a beautiful holes along the way. Not one fisherman.