Thinking about moving to Bennington, VT.  Does anyone have any advice for me, either for or against?

Thank you very much for any info.

Great carry laws, lousy winters...

Yes, an old boss called me up today asking if I was interested...

Quoted: Great carry laws, lousy winters...

Lousy because of snow?  I am used to that here in Colorado...both fiancee and I have Subarus, Got to use my snow tires today...

Lot of yankees. Too close to Mass.

Quoted: Lot of yankees. Too close to Mass.

Nothing like MA

I'd give it a shot.  There are a lot of liberals, though.  But it looks like a nice state.

send me an IM if there is any more work.  

Very scenic.  There seems to be a law in Vermont that every town has to have a scenic river running through it...they all look like a Norman Rockwell painting.

Quoted: I'd give it a shot.  There are a lot of liberals, though.  But it looks like a nice state.

I saw that they are going to vote for Kerry.  Well, I assume

I think I can deal with them, as long as the gun laws aren't restrictive.  

Quoted: Very scenic.  There seems to be a law in Vermont that every town has to have a scenic river running through it...they all look like a Norman Rockwell painting.

That doesn't sound so bad...

Isn't Leahy a  senator? He is a disgrace. Same for Jeffords. Seem like Mass. senators anyway.

Quoted: Very scenic.  There seems to be a law in Vermont that every town has to have a scenic river running through it...they all look like a Norman Rockwell painting.

I'm not sure why Vermont is more scenic than NH, but I think it has to do with a lot more 'open space'.  There is more farmland and the rolling hills and mountains are easier to see.  The White River system is very extensive.  Lots of lakes.  If you like fishing, esp. trout, it's awesome.  No CCW laws so you can carry open/concealed.  Title II firearms are legal.  Starting in the 70's a lot of liberals moved up but still a great place to live.  

Quoted: Great carry laws, lousy winters...

+1

I've lived here for two years and I am
sick of the freaking snow. I was born
in OH, college in MA, and now VT...I'm
done with winter and I'm moving down
south or out west next year...

OTOH, if you ski, this place is the shit.

You do have a fiancee, which is good,
because the social scene here sucks.

Awesome gun laws (or lack thereof).

IM me if you need any more info since
I am a recent transplant...

The skiing out east is NOTHING like skiing in the Rockys.... Can you say ICE?

hit me up if you get over this way- I'm up by Montpielier but we could do some shooting...


Like everyone said- very nice up here...summers are great, winters suck but that's life- Great gun laws....

-Roth

Are the winters gray and overcast all season?

No, many days are beautiful clear blue skies that will make you wish they looked like that all year. Most of my friends live in VT now, they all moved up.....

Ah Bennington... I have a gf that lives really close by there but on the NY side. From Bennington it's not even 20 or 30 minutes to get to NY and MA. There's a place where you can go to the movie's at any time for $4 and the theatre is pretty nice. There's even a gun store built into a mobile station.  It's a big little town. Saratoga NY is around an hour away, and there's a nice place for a couple gun shows that come through. There's one in June/July that is a good time. Lake George is an hour and a half away and there's a lot of things to do there for a weekend. As well as Killington VT.

First off, the job market sucks, second, if you want cheap land you need to compete with the yuppies in CT who are looking for vacation property.

The north half of the state is some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen.

Last time I was there (15 years ago), you could pretty much tuck a 45 in your

belt and go anywhere. Gotta love it!

Wow, thanks everyone.  I think I will at least head up there and check it out, but it sounds pretty good from everyone's responses...

I love it here.

What about cost of living?  High?

Great state.
The wife went to college there and we've been going back for over 25 years. We've been up there for all seasons (maybe 4 to 6 times a year when the kids were younger). Winter has never been too bad for us as everybody knows what to expect and acts accordingly (no stupid driving, no stockpiling groceries etc.). Bennington is a great town that we've seen go through the economic ups and downs, but has always maintained it's charm. Did you know a revolutionary battle was fought there prior to the Battle of Saratoga?

RJ

Quoted: Great state. The wife went to college there and we've been going back for over 25 years. We've been up there for all seasons (maybe 4 to 6 times a year when the kids were younger). Winter has never been too bad for us as everybody knows what to expect and acts accordingly (no stupid driving, no stockpiling groceries etc.). Bennington is a great town that we've seen go through the economic ups and downs, but has always maintained it's charm. Did you know a revolutionary battle was fought there prior to the Battle of Saratoga? RJ

No, that is very cool.  I am sure there is a lot of interesting history up there.  I would enjoy that.

decent gun laws.  lot of hippahs though.  

Quoted: Quoted: Great state. The wife went to college there and we've been going back for over 25 years. We've been up there for all seasons (maybe 4 to 6 times a year when the kids were younger). Winter has never been too bad for us as everybody knows what to expect and acts accordingly (no stupid driving, no stockpiling groceries etc.). Bennington is a great town that we've seen go through the economic ups and downs, but has always maintained it's charm. Did you know a revolutionary battle was fought there prior to the Battle of Saratoga? RJ No, that is very cool.  I am sure there is a lot of interesting history up there.  I would enjoy that.

Thats why there is that giant phallic symbol in town. It's the Bennington Battle Monument.

Following is a brief description of the battle:

Battle Of Bennington
American Victory
British General surrendered on October 17, 1777
When information arrived that General Arthur St. Clair had retreated and Ticonderoga had been taken, New Hampshire flew to arms, and called for Stark to command her troops. He consented on condition that he should not be subject to any orders but his own; and to this the council of state agreed, because the men would not march without him. Setting out with a small force for Bennington, he there learned that Burgoyne had dispatched Colonel Frederick Baum with 500 men to seize the stores collected at that place. Sending out expresses to call in the militia of the neighborhood, Stark marched out to meet him, hearing of which, Baum entrenched himself in a strong position about six miles from Bennington, and sent to Burgoyne for re-enforcements. Before they could arrive, Stark attacked him on 16 August, 1777. Tradition says that he called to his men as he led them to the assault: "There they are, boys. We beat them today, or Molly Stark's a widow !"--another of his sentences that has gone into history. Doubts have been cast on its authenticity, for Mrs. Stark's name was Elizabeth.

The second British force of 500 men, under Colonel Breymann, presently arriving on the scene, was likewise totally defeated. Of the 1,000 British, not more than a hundred escaped, all the rest being killed or captured, a result of great importance, as it led ultimately to the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga. Colonel Baum, who was mortally wounded, said of the provincials: "They fought more like hell-hounds than soldiers." The American loss was only about seventy. Washington spoke of it immediately as "the great stroke struck by General Stark near Bennington "; and Baroness Riedesel, then in the British camp, wrote: "This unfortunate event paralyzed our operations."

For this victory Stark was made a brigadier-general, 4 October, 1777, and given the thanks of congress.

Sometimes we forget the sacrifices these men made for liberty!

RJ

Quoted: What about cost of living?  High?

not so bad- then again I'm comming from Long Island.....

If you want to do some shooting when you visit let me know and we'll go on over to the range...

-Roth

Bennington Battle Field! If you're interested in American History at all, you can go to a lot of French and Indian war places and Revolutionary War places. Saratoga, Bennington, Fort Ticonderoga(In Ticonderoga NY), Fort William Henry(In Lake George), it's all within two hours of there. The cost of living is rather low in the surrounding counties in VT, but I don't remember about that county.

I've got a condo in W. Dover at Mt. Snow, 30 min NW of Bennington.  Summer is awesome, fall is beautiful, winter is COLD, skiing is good (for the Northeast).  Fishing, camping, mountainbiking, hunting abound. A very outdoors state.  Bennington has college babes if you are young and single.  There is a pretty cool gunshop on rt.100 north called DeLar Depot.  Best CCW in the country.  If i wasn't tied to NYC for work, would probably be there full time.  2 hour drive to Albany if you need a "big" city, 4 hours to NYC and Boston for a real city.  Hope this helps.