diving in the DC area?

[DA Aquamaster]

We have lots of friends who live in DC and love it. Personally I would not live there myself, but there is something to be said for not having to commute. Arlington / Crystal City are also good options with lots of housing choices very close to metro. Also, personally, MD would be my last choice. That being said, people in MD say they would never consider VA.

I am leaning toward an apartment in VA with good metro access and am gloing to try to find a realtor and or property management company to show me some options on Friday/Saturday with the intent of renting something before I leave.

I am not inclined to live in MA given that my other hobby is practical pistol and tactical rifle shooting. MA does not strike me as being thrilled with either handguns or assault rifles - and DC is out of the picture entirely given that many of the firearms I own would not be legal there.

I'm sure that being from SD you are used to traffic and high prices, so it should not be too much of a culture shock for you. Good luck!

I went to college at SDSU and then transferred to Arizona. When I'd wear my SDSU sweatshirt everyone was impressed that I went to a cool school like SDSU. Being 19 at the time with typical 19 year old interests (girls, parties, more girls - maybe one that could help me with calculus as finals approached) and fully enjoying the beneifts of cool status, I never clarified that "SDSU" are the initials for both San Diego State University and South Dakota State University.

Given that San Diego has about twice the population of the entire state of South Dakota and that San Diego State has 3 times the enrollment of South Dakota State, the confusion is understandable.

In South Dakota, if you tell someone you have a 45 minute commute, it is generally accepted that you live about 60 miles from work and drive at the socially accepted 6 or 7 mph over the posted speed limit (on snow packed roads in the winter, during the summer you have to slow down a little due to the road construction). A traffic jam means having to sit through more than one cycle of the traffic light (usually because the little old lady in front of you with the left turn signal that has been on for the last three weeks, fell asleep.)

Needless to say despite living in Phoenix for awhile and some very brief temporary duty stays in Denver, Minneapolis and Milwaukee DC will involve some culture shock. Not having my own 200 yard shooting range in the back yard or being able to sit on freind's deck and shoot small rocks off a large cliff across the creek with a 45-70 Sharps will be a couple of them. I suspect that sitting on the deck and shooting at anything would be frowned upon even in northern VA. :no

 

[paddler3d]

Everyone has covered the diving in the area...not a single person has mentioned looking at Baltimore.

There is a large and growing population of people who live and own property in Baltimore and take the MARC train to Union Station. If you are at the Air and Space Museum, you are right next to an Orange Line stop.

Some of the neighborhoods around Penn Station here in Baltimore are Mt. Vernon, Bolton Hill and Charles Village. There are also a few neighborhoods on the train line itself. Mt. Washington for instance.

The advantage of Baltimore is the affordability vs. DC and most of it's suburbs. Also frankly, no offense to DC suburbs, they are the burbs and you're in chain restaurant and corporate hell. Nothing, or very little, original and privately owned.

Check out this website...

http://www.livebaltimore.com/home/

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[NTSilver]

Needless to say despite living in Phoenix for awhile and some very brief temporary duty stays in Denver, Minneapolis and Milwaukee DC will involve some culture shock. Not having my own 200 yard shooting range in the back yard or being able to sit on freind's deck and shoot small rocks off a large cliff across the creek with a 45-70 Sharps will be a couple of them. I suspect that sitting on the deck and shooting at anything would be frowned upon even in northern VA. :no[/quote]

Oops, sorry! You know what they say about assuming. I moved to DC from West Virginia a few years back (well about 20) and it was definitely culture shock to me. The things that I like about the DC area is there's always something to do - not like WV. There are some places that you would be able to shoot, but that involves lots of land in the way outer suburbs, far from any metro stations. There are quiet a few gun clubs and shooting ranges and LOTS of folks that hunt.

Also, getting back to the diving, I was certified in the Millbrook quarry and hope to never return there. There is a lot of wreck diving off of NC and Myrtle Beach SC. We were in Myrtle Beach over labor day and visited one of the dive shops. Water temp was low 80s, viz (depending on site) 20 - 80 ft.

 

[Sheepdog]

The 13th and 14th I am working Midnights, with the plans of attending the Atlantis Rangers meeting on the night of the 14th. I am off the 15th and 16th, let me know if you need anything while your in town.

 

[The Logic Theorist]

The advantage of Baltimore is the affordability vs. DC and most of it's suburbs. Also frankly, no offense to DC suburbs, they are the burbs and you're in chain restaurant and corporate hell. Nothing, or very little, original and privately owned.

Yeah, but you're still in Baltimore.

Seriously though, DC itself has quite a lot of small mom and pop shops and privately owned businesses. In terms of restaurants in particular there's a lot of variety and very few chains.

But yes, once you get outside of The District and into NOVA, you might as well be in Anywhere USA. There are apartment complex/strip mall spots in NOVA that look exactly, down to the stores and layout, like complexes friends of mine live in in Dallas TX.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

Baltimore would be a heck of a commute! Even with the metro ride. Plus, wasn't Baltimore the murder capitol of the country for a while? I would say big "no thanks" to that. VA is def better if you are into the second ammendment. Plus, not to start a huge debate, but I think there are less ghetto areas in VA then MD...not saying there aren't nice places in MD though.

In any event...now that it's Monday, did you find a place this weekend?

 

[King_of_All_Tyrants]

DA-

Most of the other aspects of your move have been covered. However, in terms of the types of shooting you're talking about, the NRA range in Fairfax and the Quantico VA shooting club (on the USMC base) are the places to go (though for the latter a military connection helps). There's also an IDPA email list for VA with several matches per month. PM me if you want more info.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

In any event...now that it's Monday, did you find a place this weekend?

I am goign to DC this Thursday (13th) to meet the boss on Friday and hopefully connect with a realtor to find an apartment on Friday/Saturday.

Any leads on a good realtor or property management company would be appreciated.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

DA-

Most of the other aspects of your move have been covered. However, in terms of the types of shooting you're talking about, the NRA range in Fairfax and the Quantico VA shooting club (on the USMC base) are the places to go (though for the latter a military connection helps). There's also an IDPA email list for VA with several matches per month. PM me if you want more info.

I shot National Match about 15 years ago in the DCM days, have more recently shot local pistol and tactical rifle matches and have also been involved in BPCR shooting with a Sharps on 45-70.

I am still set up very well for National Match with a match grade, heavy barrelled, float tubed AR-15 and that would probably be my first choice for shooting competetively.

 

[cmalinowski]

...but I think there are less ghetto areas in VA then MD...not saying there aren't nice places in MD though...

Ouch! :mooner:

I live in MD (columbia) and my sister lives in VA (Farilington). We both like our choices so I am sure you will do well wherever you end up.

If it were me, right now, I'd look at near Haymarket, VA. That place looks to be exploding. The metro is a few miles away, and there is a quarry and a scuba shop nearby. Although, honestly, I don't know the area well at all...

If you are at the quarry on the 15th, I will be there. I will be in a large, dark gray Yukon denali. Should have a platform sticking out the back.

Good luck on your hunt.

Chris