Another story on why Asheville is new destination..

I received my new issue of Popular Mechanics yesterday and there was yet another testament about people discovering Asheville, NC. Oh please, stay away from 'Freak City'. Don't bring your California, Colorado, or Florida thoughts on how to improved our lives here. I was born and raised here. That is spelled 'Native'. Yes we now have many, many beer breweries here and more coming. Sierra Nevada is going strong and New Belgium is trucking in their large vats to their new site. Next come 20 or so Craft Beers that are actually bitter ales. Oh the Foodies are here in droves.

Jobs are numerous if you are in the tourism industry (waiting tables). All Low paying. We've ran out most of the thousands of manufacturing jobs. The local hospital is the largest employer in the western end of the state. We've been 25 years trying to figure out where build a bridge for I26. The capital seems to have forgotten about us.

We don't go downtown because of the 'full time street people' that demand the right to bare the breast (woman only) or the men who think it is correct to wear only a thong. The city has been forced to become more and more perverted. And we protest anything. That is spelled 'Progressives'.

There isn't a sense of family anymore. Just party time. So if you must, come to visit, but go back home. Thanks for listening.
 

Jeff Young

GT40s Supporter
Was in Asheville over Christmas. Girlfriend's parents live on Sunset near the Grove Park. Great city as always.

You sound old and angry. Happy New Year.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
Sounds like Boulder, CO in the mid-60s to early 70's...but that city is now rather mainstream. Fads like those described by you, Grady, have a way of hanging around until the notoriety fades, then they are gone to a different location...where they have not hit yet.

Good luck keeping your home town the way you enjoyed it as you were growing up. Progress is not always pleasant, but it is unavoidable in our present day world. We are a rapidly changing world, and it will become exponentially worse as time goes on and technology has it's unstoppable impact.

BTW...Ashville has been a target recreation area for me in the past as I am an avid whitewater kayaker...it's been a while, but as I recall the Nantahala Outdoor Center (one of Whitewater's BEST sources of equipment and instruction) was close to Ashville. Am I correct?

Cheers!

Doug
 
Jeff...Thanks for reading. The parents live on exclusive Sunset Mountain high above Asheville and not subject to the nightly weekend drum beaters group this is in the city proper. The Sunset area has very expensive houses that enjoy the long range views overlooking the city. No section 8 or low rent houses there. Asheville wasn't perverted but has become so. Enough said, the parents are not in an area of Asheville that has suffered the changes other areas have. I am angry over the degeneration of humanity that can't hold a job, finish high school, and produce babies they can't support and think that they are owed a life. They for the most part are doomed to this life style mostly by their own choices (bad decisions) they've made. Here is news from your area today. The Raleigh News and Observer today-Durham youth charged with rape, robbery, and kidnapping. The ten point grading system to further lower the intelligence level.
The changes are lowering the standard of living for our children and grand-children.
Dependency on the government for basic care is the norm. Reporting Funny numbers on unemployment. Angry...yes I guess I am. We are going backwards as a country and a only few care.

Doug....I had a place off Diagonal Highway (near SHELBY museum) in Boulder in the 90s. It was different and took getting use to, but there was reason to the madness. Look at the development on the Jefferson (Denver) and Boulder county line. Wall to wall houses and apartments vs the openness of Boulder. They controlled the development and in some part limited the growth in Boulder due to the high cost of living there. 310 days of sunshine was nice. I used to say, those who came from California to Boulder had the money to live there and prosper. The other group, came to Asheville to continue to float through life.
 
Yes, I may be described as old....I had the same wife for 45 years.
she thinks I'm deeply interesting, but caring.
 
...
BTW...Ashville has been a target recreation area for me in the past as I am an avid whitewater kayaker...it's been a while, but as I recall the Nantahala Outdoor Center (one of Whitewater's BEST sources of equipment and instruction) was close to Ashville. Am I correct?
Doug

Yes. I've been there many times to paddle/train/race. Won Masters OC1 (Nationals) there around '93. More stuff: www.youtube.com/ctcboater
 
A friend who made his money here in Cali decided like many others he does not want to pay for the free loaders here while in retirement. So like many others he moved to Texas. Did not like that (and he is a die hard ear bending conservative) so there must be something not to like in Texas (?). Now he is looking at Lake Lure (sp) which I believe is near Ashville, he said the area is beautiful. Maybe he has not made it to downtown yet.....The sight of local freeloaders in Borat style green swimwear may turn him off, I'd hope so anyway. Yick.
 
I live in the forest....looks like this shot I borrowed.
MW-BY882_Retire_20140408191543_MG.jpg

Some visitors wonder off the trails and are never found. A full size tractor trailer left the interstate and wasn't found for a year when the leaves fell. Also every year we have 3 or 4 people who want to see the view from a waterfall top or fall off a 400 foot cliff while lost in the woods at night. But still they come and want to change it to look like back home in the 'hood.
 
The area is nice, but I guess have to say it is the people. Tennessee offers NO income taxes and lower tax rates generally. Land is offered at a better cost. Actually if you get out of Asheville/Buncombe country the lifestyle is easier and your not putting up with the tourist. North Carolina has higher gas a tax at 38.5 cents. Everything cost more here in the mountains. I harp on the lack of funding from our capitol, but that is improving because we out from under the Democratic control of past decades. Project funding is heavily weighted to the Piedmont (central) because of the population density. Plus its just cheaper to build roads in that area as opposed to the mountains. More/better roads equate to more business/jobs.
 

Jeff Young

GT40s Supporter
Actually, the Sunset Ave they off off is j off of Charlotte. Nice houses -- really nice houses -- but a five min drive from downtown. THey have a lot up on Sunset Mountain and I konw what you are talking about it -- but that ain't them.

Al, Asheville is a WONDERFUL place to live. The things Grady describe are traditional old folks grousing about young folks, and also about the city getting bigger and not being what it used to be.

About that -- not being what it used to be -- I'd say this. It USED to be that in the 70s, downtown Asheville was dangerous, had no restaurants or nightlife, and the city had little culture other than the The Arts theater-- which showed pornos.

The idea that funding for local projects has gone up under Republicans v. Democrats, and in particular this legislature, is laughable. The Republicans we have elected have cut everything.

Tennessee and Knoxville is cheaper. While it is still the mountains, remember that Tennessee has a lower per capita income, lower property values (good and bad) a HUGE meth problem, and doesn't require people to have car insurance.

I don't get the slagging on Asheville. Yes, it has attracted some off center folks -- large gay community, artists, restaurantuers, hippies, etc. Mostly that is good as it has brought culture. Yeah, there is an outdoor drum circle on the Square some nights and occasionaly you'll see a topless hippie chick.

In a lot of places that's progress. For the old guard, I guess that is the end of the world.
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
Petition the city to start imposing huge restrictions that limit tourism (or at least make it less inviting)... Wait 5 years or so and then post about how your taxes have doubled!

I've never been to Ashville, but live in a beautiful small town in rural Minnesota that I hope and pray is never "Discovered" as it's our little Utopia.. And yes, my taxes are high, but I'll pay them before I trade off my low (literally non-existant) crime rate and peaceful surroundings..

Sound nice? It is... Someone effed up in Ashville and you're now paying the price...
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
Yes. I've been there many times to paddle/train/race. Won Masters OC1 (Nationals) there around '93. More stuff: Robert Putnam - YouTube

WOW, Bob! That's GREAT! I did some slalom racing here in TX and Arkansas, mostly K1. Was not good enough to place in the Regionals for the 1996 Olympics, but did place well at Dierks, AR and at our state competitions near New Braunfels, TX. I always admired the OC crowd, even more than the C1 crowd (we even had a C2 team!!), because the open canoes are much harder to roll than the C1s...Y'all ROCK!!! Our C2 team could roll that C2 in practice...but I never saw them pull off a combat roll.

Not much racing going on these days...seems to have lost it's allure and most of the whitewater racers have receded into the internet rather than attending club meetings. I haven't been back to the Cossatot River in AR for a long time, but I can imagine it is pretty deserted...of course, it's totally rain fed, but when it's rockin', it's rockin! It has 60' of gradient in 1/4 mile and 7 pretty "nice" falls...Washing machine gets you every time if you can't boof it.

I do recall being very impressed with the whitewater course at the NOC!

Cheers!

Doug
 
Jeff
If you look at the state map of red and blue counties, you'll find that Asheville/Buncombe county is the only county that is blue in the surrounding 30 red counties or the western end of the state. It isn't what you would like to believe old vs young. Not at all. Asheville did active recruiting (billboards and advertising) in California (San Francisco and Bay area) for a particular lifestyle of people (young and old) to move to Asheville. And they came, boy did they come.
Some of us choose not to live in Sodom and Gomorrah as Asheville is also known. The city hasn't grown physically larger since the State government stopped the illegal land grab/annexation that was the old practice. Population growth in the city is 1.3% per year as of late. Population increase since 1970 is up ~13,000. Median family income is $42,000 and those below poverty level is 20%. Waiting tables or working at the hospital pays well I guess?

Randy, we did try to block the exits on the interstates. However, the new confusing signage works great to keep them guessing. See 'Rock City', or see 'Horn in the West in Cherokee' are a few more popular detours.
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Asheville is an awesome city. We had a family vacation there this summer and thoroughly enjoyed it. But I do understand the sentiment. Attract enough attention and it can be forever changed.

But that's the way of things isn't it? One person's idea of irrevocable change is the utopia of another.

I enjoy downtown Asheville but it is a bit too hipster for me. I still wouldn't mind living there though. I'd just avoid the bucket beaters and topless woman.
 
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