update/diesel to veg. conversion/purchase issues

[mtngal]

For what it's worth, my humble opinion of the Hill Country.....it's great! I love it all. Have been visiting the small towns within an hour or so of Austin for the past three winters (and some summers). One of my favorites is Marble Falls. Also, Goliad and Smithville. If you get off the main street in Fredricksburg it is a darling little town and you loose the touristy shops. Beautiful ranch land on 183 between Goliad and Cuero. Have fun checking it all out and be sure to stay in touch! (bts...good luck with the purchase/conversion

[retiredhappy]

F'burg is fun to VISIT but wouldn't live there - property high, taxes high and the residents aren't overly friendly if you're not German background. The hill country is beautiful in the Spring and yes, it gets hot and humid in the summer -that's why I go to New Mexico. It also gets into the teens in the wintertime at night but no snow. As for "hicks" having moved from San Diego California I call it the "bubba" factor. If you LOVE Rush Limbaugh and George Bush and you're a died-in-the-wool conservative Republican you'll be just fine. If you're not, keep your mouth shut and you'll be fine (I'm still working on this one). I also had a really hard time with the pictures during hunting season in the local paper of eight year old kids with their first "kill", a dead deer and the dead deer in the back of pickups all over town during the season. I'm not really opposed to hunting but I don't call what they do in Texas hunting: they put up feeders and feed the deer till they're really tame. Then they sit in their "deer blinds" in their cammies, drinking beer and shoot these tame animals. I grew up where to hunt you had to walk miles in the woods hoping to bag your deer. As for the "fat" people - the favorite food in Texas is anything "chicken fried" and its way too hot in the summer to exercise. Kerrville has a great folk music week-long festival every year and the town is full of "hippies". Love it. Kerrville also has two live theaters with a lot of local talent. And more churces than you can count. The newest buildings in town are ALWAYS the really big churches. To be honest, if my daugher and GD didn't live in Texas it probably wouldn't be at the top of my places to retire list. One good thing is there isn't any income tax BUT the property taxes and school taxes are high. As I said before, buy property outside the city limits as the taxes are cheaper and since you want some land that's what you'd be doing anyway. If you're gonna travel much its a pain to have to have your vehicle inspected once a year. It means you have to BE THERE at a certain time to do this.

Anyway don't let others influence you. Come visit and make up your own mind. Some people LOVE it and some people don't.

[Colliemom]

DD,

After readilng and following your thread on your move to TX and wondering what you should do as far as your tow vehicle is concerned, please allow me to give some input. I don't know anything about TX cause I haven't been there, but being that I too am researching RV issues, I think that maybe you are trying to do too much on this trip. If you plan tot buy that RV you are looking at, be really sure that you wn't be worrying all the time you are on the road with it. And maybe time to rethink the oil bit. You will spend more time worrying about getting oil to run on then you will be enjoying the trip and the driving. I understand your want to become more "energy independent" for want of a better word, but sometimes we can only go so far. Considering that you have to make more than one trip back and forth, I think if it were me, I would just get a good tow vehicle that uses gas or diesel till you get settled down and then when you are where you want to be, you can find sources for oil or whatever and use it then.

Have you ever checked into those horse trailers that have sleeping quarters in them? I don't know if you are a Ford perso or GM person or what, but GM is launching a new 2011 Heavy Duty Pickup with a 6.0 V8 engine and is supposed to have a really big towing capacity. You might want to check that out unless you have already been that route. I know you have been doing a lot of research, but don't know what you have found out here and there. Mayab it would be easier to have it all shipped down instead.
But whatever you decide, good luck. I'll be following along.

[deborah12060]

Thanks guys for all your info.

Janet, you are too funny....."be prepared". Thank God you are direct with your thoughts, I appreciate that. Ya, I am a little concerned about the area. But then, there is no perfect area. I just gotta get going and test out what is a lastable
fit. Lord, I can't do three moves back and forth testing as you have with Colorado. I'd be exhausted and broke both. I know what you mean, I love the mountain views I have here also. But Janet, I've been looking pretty much at acreage
in the Kerrville/Bandera area over a thousand feet. It seems to have pretty good views. I guess what you mean is there aren't the bold views of Colorado. I think it's key to have land with views and elevation, if only for the breeze. A couple I met a couple weeks ago from Austin said they also found their home unbearable in the summer. They said most of their friends leave for those months. Well, I will not be able to afford to leave. But, I'm totally turned off by the concept of extreme heat, only extreme cold that I have here. It can be 90 degrees here in the Berkshires and I am totally comfortable inside my house. I"m hypo thyroid, perhaps that and age has a little something
to do with that. Also, my house is well insulated with a lot of massonry and , the highest point for miles around. The elevation and breeze helps a lot for mosquitoes, the guinea hens help with the ticks, and, who would have thought, the pig really scares snakes and other critters away. Still leaves scorpions though and black windows. And, I think there are way too many snakes for the pig to be very effective in the Hill Country, though here she is great. I was thinking of getting an armadillo (perhaps a wounded one, and fostering it cause I think you aren't suppose to
move or make pets of them) and seeing if I couldn't get it to live in the pasture to get the fire aunts to protect me, the dogs and horses. Was thinking I could fence off their holes (like you would trees in a pasture). Is that totally stupid?

Everywhere land is expensive. No kidding. Where I live now the land is twenty thousand an acre. Worse, way worse, just the taxes on my land is fourteen hundred A MONTH. And, I don't even live in a fancy place. As states getting poorer (and, N.Y. is well on it's way), the taxes will just keep going up. One of the appealing things about the HIll Country land is that I can have the bulk of the land be ag exempt (save for the house and what, two acres or something....assuming I buy ag. exempt). It's all very complicated. I think I might have to a 1031 exchange in order to offset all the fed. taxes when I sell. The whole thing has me crazy and dizzy. So, if I do that I will have to figure out something that will be income bearing. That's where I got to thinking of Moo Moo trailer park (earlier post). That seems more manageable than having tenants like I do now.

Now, as to that inverter to generator that I was curious about, I saw it on a site selling motor home stuff. I thought it was strange as well. But, it was called "generator invertor" under the solar section. I don't have my head around all that yet. I'm still wondering where and how I'm going to store a sh-- load of batteries.

DD

[retiredhappy]

Sorry to say we're losing our armadillos due to the fireants. Hardly see any anymore. Don't think you'd want to keep one as a pet. Only animal in the world that can carry leprosy.

[JanetA]

Bless your heart! I didn't mean to discourage you about Texas. There are some very nice ppl here,, and a few old grouches, as there are everywhere. But..for the most part, ppl in Tx are friendly,, we are famous for that. IT's the transplanted ones that might be a bit offputting, as they weren't BORN friendly,, or have lived in cities (as I did) that keeps one from 'talking to strangers'. I remember, being from Dallas, when I went to college in San Marcos,, i was amazed and thrilled how ppl actually spoke (and smiled) to you on the sidewalks. I was enamored by that and now it's just a common thing. (small town-itis). Where I live, land is even cheaper,, less than $3k an acre and even less than that in some parts of the county. I love WEST tx, for weather as it is dryer and cools down @ night,, but then again, you lose your scenery. What I, or Karen, didn't mention was that area not far from Bandera,,,which , by the way, we visited together, with Diana, during our mini get together last year, was the area down by Vanderpool and Lost Maples and what other town, ,I forget. Karen probably can tell you. Now THAT was some beautiful country w/ lovely streams/rivers running thru it and superb mtns, for TEXAS, that is. Not sure of prices down there but, as for the ag exemptions. .. I thought ya got those everywhere,, if you have animals? Am I wrong? Anyway.... keep us posted on what you decide and I wish you the BEST of luck in your endeavors.

sincerely!

J

[JanetA]

Another thing about fireants.....they sure do eliminate TICKS! I guess they go for the blood! Not sure which is worse,, ticks, or fireants. You will know when one bites you! They are aptly named! Can't understand why they can't get a handle on those buggers! ! !

As a matter of fact.. I haven't seen an armadillo in quite a while. I am gonna start looking for one. Used to always see them run over on the hwy! Armadillo on the halfshell, as i've heard them called.. YUCK!

[AlmostThere]

DD
Ever consider the pacific northwest? No sales tax in Oregon, no state income tax in Washington. East of the Cascades is dessert country and it does get hot/cold, but west of them it's fairly moderate all year round in the valley area. It's green year round (grass and pines). We do get our share of rain. I live backed up to a forest and I have been bitten by mosquitoes perhaps half dozen times in the almost 10 yrs I've been here. No fire ants, and don't hear allot about ticks but I'm sure they are out there. Within an hour you can be at the ocean or in the mountains. Not allot of overweight people in this part of the country as most people here are into outdoorsy stuff. Lots of bicyclists and organic foods sold everywhere. Just thought I'd put a plug in for my area.

[sharon]

Now, as to that inverter to generator that I was curious about, I saw it on a site selling motor home stuff. I thought it was strange as well. But, it was called "generator invertor" under the solar section. I don't have my head around all that yet. I'm still wondering where and how I'm going to store a sh-- load of batteries.

DDdeborah12060

Do you happen to have that web site? I would be interested in reading about that.

[Cedar518]

..... Spoke about lots of fat couples,
tourists galore and shops with cheap memorabilia. DD

Hmmmmm...... so far in this thread i've read references to "fat couples", "hicks", "tourists", "cheap memorabilia".... I think everyone should remember that people are who they are,... some are skinny, some are over-weight. Some are blondes, some are redheads.... people should just be accepted! I'm very uncomfortable with some of the terms that are used or repeated here. Perhaps it's just my problem. But here are my thoughts.....

Hicks?????? Am i a "hick" because I like bluegrass, and detest classical music? Maybe i am, but that's OK!

Tourists ... I love that Sharon said we are all tourists when we travel. Yes! That's what we are, and that is OK! Without us "tourists" some areas would dry up.

And "cheap memorabilia".... well it's all some folks can afford, that is FINE. Not everyone can afford genuine art work and pottery!

Let's be a little more sensitive about how we refer to people, their appearance, their tastes,.... Thank you!

[sharon]

Right on Cedar, my thoughts exactly, and so very (and pc) well put!

[JanetA]

Don't mean to give it a "BAD NAME" or even a bad RAP, but just don't want there to be any surprises or disappointments if they could be avoided. I realize NOwhere is perfect... but just cuz im a native, doesn't mean im IN LOVE w/ this place! If I have my way about it,, I will winter here and summer in COlorado, or even further north! Just sayin... gotta get the heck outta the heat in SUMMER. I have always hated it. Even when I was a kid! Can't enjoy the summer for the heat. I recall that wasn't the case in the MTN states! (montana and CO.) those are the only ones in which I actually resided.

[JanetA]

Cedar...

would LOVE to come up to your area (you and Soos) sometime again. I was thru the A'daks when I was 12 and it was nighttime and I was so disappointed. Was traveling w/ my grandparents on way to Massena, NY to visit other relatives but even then I could tell that it was lovely and had "fresh air" coming in the windows of their '55 chevy sedan. All the way to Canada w/ NO A/C! Who can say they do that now w/o complaints! I guess we were use to it back then. It was a trip I shall never forget and would love to retrace some of the route. I remember going down Broadway in NYC and my grandma (the friendly, never meets a stranger texan that she was) talked to the cab drivers along the way. Back then they were just regular Americans ,, unlike what i've heard cab drivers are nowadays. He was sweet and smiling and very friendly... told us how to get to where we could see the S of L.. and other sites. I remember men pushing carts of dresses down the street.. that was wild to me.
Musta been going thru the garment district.. or something. Was quite a sight to see, even for a "city girl" from Dallas...

I WILL see the NE before I die... it's on my bucket list. I know it's beautiful The pics you and soos have posted along have been very pretty and scenic. Pics of around here aren't so much, that's why I havent posted any.

Guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder,, huh!

[mitch5252]

..... Spoke about lots of fat couples,
tourists galore and shops with cheap memorabilia. DD

Hmmmmm...... so far in this thread i've read references to "fat couples", "hicks", "tourists", "cheap memorabilia".... I think everyone should remember that people are who they are,... some are skinny, some are over-weight. Some are blondes, some are redheads.... people should just be accepted! I'm very uncomfortable with some of the terms that are used or repeated here. Perhaps it's just my problem. But here are my thoughts.....

Hicks?????? Am i a "hick" because I like bluegrass, and detest classical music? Maybe i am, but that's OK! !

Dear Lord, is there nothing to which some people don't take offense?

Me? I sure do hate that "TOURIST" word. My Mom used to wash my mouth out with soap when I said TOURIST.

And "CHEAP"...what ever could people be thinking, using THAT word?

FAT - OVERWEIGHT (but SKINNY is an okay word? What's the difference between using FAT or SKINNY?)
CHEAP - INEXPENSIVE & POORLY MADE

WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE WORDS MEAN!

Maybe this forum needs to set up a Censor Board or the Proper Word Usage Police - run all posts through it prior to posting?

Maybe there are HICKS????? on this forum - I don't know, but it sure wouldn't be determined by her taste in music.

Oh, I'll take a blasting here, no doubt about it. But it's getting really old to have to monitor and think and re-think each and every word or phrase for fear of offending someone.

..

[Cedar518]

Mitch,
I'm only asking for people to be considerate, I don't think I deserve to be yelled at with all-caps and a rant.