| Author | Message | ||
     Chopped_burban |
Hey All, Ok, so this is going to sound a little wacky. I'm trying to to figure out where to live next and where to go to college. I've got the academic portion narrowed down and now I'm working on setting up my schedule to visit all of these places. Below is the list and dates I'll be at each... if I've gotten that far. Reason for all of this... I've been contracting in Afghanistan and Iraq for the last 6+ years. Time to find a new home. Most of my family is in southern New Hampshire, so that's home base for a couple months. UNH: Durham, NH April 16th MSU - Mankato: Mankato, MN April 22nd UNC Charlotte: Charlotte, NC April 27th Western Carolina U: Cullowhee, NC April 26th??? UNC Asheville: Asheville, NC NC State: Raleigh, NC Southern Polytechnic: Marietta, GA April 30th Now I did factor in a couple days to go riding while I'm checking everything out. Wish I could say I was riding this whole route, but dragging the toy hauler (base camp) since I'll also be picking up another Buell in PA (My 4th... starting to think there's an addiction involved here) and taking care of some other things. So anyone up for a ride? Anyone have thoughts on any of these places they want to share? I'm kinda trying to pick someplace where I can stay after I finish. I'm tired of moving. Definitely looking to ride somewhere around Mankato April 21st and 23rd. And looking to ride around the western NC area (Dragon, Cullowhee, Asheville, etc) on April 26th and 28th. Any takers? I've got a few track days and schools worked into all of this too.  Thanks, Alan | ||
| Hughlysses |
Looks like a fun tour. As far as being great motorcycle riding locations, Western Carolina and UNC Asheville would have to be at the top of the list. Both of them are smack in the middle of the mountains. IIRC Badwebber "Rubberdown" is a Western Carolina graduate; you might PM him for info. I'd guess that Charlotte and Raleigh would be better locations for finding a job. You might also check out Clemson University (my AM) in northwestern SC; it's also close to the twisties and a nice location. | ||
| Loki |
Mankato is a good school. If ya stand on top of a gopher mound, one can see over the next one. | ||
| Macbuell |
I live in Atlanta and unless you want TONS of urban sprawl and traffic, I would advise you to stay away. Also, I wouldn't classify Marietta as an interesting or nice college town. | ||
| Fahren |
I don't know if Tennessee has a school that would make your short list - depends on your field of study - but it may be worth considering. It looks like the world is open to you. It must have been hard choosing options down to a short list. I like the southeast for its rural and some small city areas. | ||
| Chopped_burban |
Thanks for the input. The more I get the better. Currently I'm looking at majors in this order: 1. Mechatronics Engineering 2. Electrical Engineering 3. Electrical Engineering Technologies I have as AAS in the last one on the list and have already done 107SH worth of college. Having to start almost from scratch to get the "calculus based" version of classes isn't very appealing, but going to talk to the schools and see what they say. Obviously, someplace nice to ride factors in heavily. That's probably an understatement which anyone reading this is nodding their head to. Loki, nice comment on Mankato. I was there once in 1998 and just felt very at home. And the variety of majors there is awesome. Biggest problem I see there is when they say "twisties" I think they mean tornado. And there isn't a whole lot of track time close that I could find. Hugh, I might have to pick your brain about Clemson. I had knocked it off my list earlier, but I don't object to living in SC again. Was a resident prior to divorce and still have a lot of friends in the Aiken, SC area. Mac... can't agree with your assessment more. SPSU just happen to be the only place that has all three of the above majors (Mankato makes a close second with a Mechatronics track). Spent a month in Duluth and wanted to kill myself every day I got in my truck to go to work. Being passed by bicycles, while amusing, is a good indicator that traffic sucks. Please, keep the comments coming... I'll be making my decision early May. | ||
| Mnrider |
I'm 30 miles from Mankato and would be very willing to show you around. There actually is some OK riding along the rivers and a great bike scene. | ||
| Kilroy |
I will restate what you obviously already have figured out - left atlanta a year ago and will never go back. Stay away at all costs!! - now in S. Fla, no good riding whatsoever but the weather's fine - | ||
| 86129squids |
Be sure to holler at Dragonslayer (aka Vince), he lives in W. NC.- I'd offer to lead some rides, but my current steed is a 2 wheel Winnebago. If I'm lucky, that may change sometime this year, so do holler when you're over this way! E. TN and W. NC have some of the best roads in the country! | ||
| 86129squids |
Oh- and, I must mention that this part of Appalachia is beeeutiful! Don't miss the Cherohala, and Joyce Kilmer National Forest... Heck, by that time, you'll be in range of a good tour of N. GA as well! | ||
| Fahren |
Have you considered Virginia Tech, down in the SW corner, in Blacksburg? | ||
| Reepicheep |
University of Cincinnati has a 4 year degree in EET. Bachelors of Science. It was a good program when I went through it, and the department head now was one of my professors and is very good. That might get you done in two years and get you out with a Bachlors degree. | ||
| Mnrider |
4-21 is a sunday so I could ride over to Mankato and meet for lunch then riding,pm me if that's what your thinking. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
Have you looked into decent job prospects while schooling? University of Northern Iowa has a nice situation. Many in those fields of study get some assistance at John Deere in the product engineering center in town. Riding....not so great. 3ish hours from track time. | ||
| Chopped_burban |
Mnrider, shot you a PM. Thanks. Fahren, TN is a beautiful state that I don't know much about outside Pigeon Forge. I did look at a couple couple schools, but nothing really jumped out at me. Who knows, could change by the time I finish with this vacation. As far as Virginia Tech, I looked at that and by the time I got done reading their pre-requisites and admissions timeline, had to scratch it off my list. Reep.... Ohio... where do I start? J/K. I lived in western PA for a couple years so the jokes are plentiful. Seriously, I really want to move up to a full blown engineering degree if I can pull it off. I love being a hands-on tech, but the more I look at jobs coming back to the US and trying to build on what I've already done, everything seems to want a BSE. I'm tactically trying to build my resume without going into management just yet. Maybe in another 15 years, but right now I'd rather do the dirty work (and believe me.... that statement makes me question my direction toward engineering). 99, I'm actually more concerned about a job after school. I've tried the work/school thing 3 times and failed at it 3 times because I always put too much into work and not enough into school. Some would say poor time management, but for me it's a tendency to be a perfectionist at any given task. It's time consuming. I know this is what I'll do time and time again so I set myself up to be able to just go back to school this time. Besides, I'm going to need all that time to study if I'm going to make it through the math classes  . | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Alan, Of the MN schools, Mankato is probably the least "indoctrinating". As suspected when one mentios MN, twisties don't immediately come to mind but like mentioned above there are some nice roads around the MN river around Mankato. Depending on my schedule I may be up for a rid on the Uly! | ||
| Carbonfibrebob |
Alan, I'll chime in with an off the wall idea. Think Colorado and Colorado School of Mines. There are very few better engineering schools in the nation, and the riding can't be beat. Living here is even better. Bob | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
PM me, you'll be in my area I looked at UNC-C and App, applied to and was accepted to UNC-C, but chose Greensboro If youre looking for riding - Charlotte aint your place. , you'll be driving near an hour to good roads for engineering though - if youre accepted, go to NCState, AMAZING engineering program. Know several who went through there | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
if interested, PM me and I can tell you what I know about ASU and UNC-C like I said, toured both, accepted to the one I applied to (chose not to apply to ASU cause of weather...too dang cold for me), so I know a little about those two | ||
| Kenm123t |
Tom you could take him on the Jensen Beach Sky line drive the the 50ft hills are awesome ! lol | ||
| Kilroy |
yes about 1.5 miles of good road in the entire state | ||
| Two_seasons |
Too remote = jobs that don't pay...but the roads are awesome. Mankato is 1.5 hours from the Twin Cities. If, like you say, you are a perfectionist, then you will have little patience for "quiet time". If it were me, I'd do an accelerated program to get it over with asap. Are you going to be interning? If yes, then wait for those better roads when that gig comes along. In the meantime, boring is boring! | ||
| Chopped_burban |
Bluzm2, April 21st Sunday afternoon looks like its going to be a ride somewhere down there. And from the looks of it, when you show up it'll be 3 Ulys  Bob, as beautiful as Colorado is, and Utah for that matter, it takes me a little far from the family I have left. I think I have to keep those two locations as places I visit. Hybrid, I'll be hitting you up on IM. Thanks. For Ken and Kilroy, ironically I'll be taking a side trip to Ocala to to see family after I drop the truck and trailer in Aiken, SC. Don't think that's quite going to get me as far as south as where you are. Two, think you are dead on with the too remote and jobs that don't pay vs. statement. I am going to try to expedite whichever school I end up at. Kinda kills me that I have done so much school and have to back peddle because they aren't the 'right' courses. I would wait for better roads, but I've done that long enough. I'll be 37 when I start school again and will have spent a total of over 8 years in the middle east between my Army time and time contracting for the Army. You don't even want to know how low the mileage is on some of the bikes. "Little patience for quiet time"... I like that. Going to have to remember that one. | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
sounds good dude, just email me and hopefully we can get up and do some riding | ||
| Cataract2 |
Chopped. I see you are from SC. I live in Charleston and am attending The Citadel for EE myself. (Not suggesting the school or anything. Just saying.) Anyway, how far are you from there? | ||
| Chopped_burban |
Hey Cataract. Glad you pointed that out... I hadn't modified my profile in a while. Now it says New Hampshire which is only half true as I'm actually still in Afghanistan. Heading out of here in about two weeks. I was out near Aiken which would be about 2 1/2 hours from you. Good luck with your school. | ||
| Cataract2 |
Stay safe over there man. Are you getting out and going to school when you get back and joining the ranks with us vets? | ||
| Gschuette |
Im just about 50 minutes from Asheville in TN. Might be worth it to look into ETSU here in Johnson City. We are so close to Asheville, yet much cheaper. | ||
| Mnrider |
Brad I hope you can make it we may be riding out of Faribault or Warsaw depending upon where Alan stays when he's here. We could take back roads to St Peter then Mankato or over to co.road 30 and Welch Village road. | ||
| Chopped_burban |
Cataract, believe it or not, I did that in 2005. Got out of the Army at the end of the year, went to Aiken Tech for the Spring and Summer then get on a contract in Iraq doing SATCOM in 2006. Been working in Iraq or Afghanistan since then. So we can call this round two. It's round three if you count going to IUP in Pennsylvania out of High School back in the 90s. Gschuette, I looked around the schools website. Looks like a nice place. That would be a good place if I decide on Engineering Technologies instead of Engineering. Tennessee is definitely one of the more vet friendly places to go to school. They passed a new law earlier this month that lets veterans go to school at in-state rates for their first year while establishing residency. |
