Stevens County,Washington state

[mometal77]

North of Spokane. Took a week long trip to look at properties.  Stayed in a 40 a night hotel in chewelah. Nice small town but all hard water. Blackest soil other than what is in the valley to the south of me. Most lakes around that area people purchased and are back sided to national forest.  So could not fish. Never have i seen more dead turkeys ran over on the road in my life and every mile down the road nothing but white tailed deer. I tried to get lost going from one road to the main and back into national forest was a grand adventure. Even a guy came into the hotel you could tell he was not from around there he shot an elk. Said he thought at first it was a cow in a mans field... shaking head... I found out most californians or non locals move in and throw there money around wanting to change things and up the taxes after building a fancy house. Here you think most people are country living and do not know the difference.  Made my way through colville. Nice people up there. I walked into wally world (walmart) and it must be a super store i felt there were only 40 people in the place. I like that coming from a place were the canadians buy up everything in bellingham.  I did make it up to kettle falls and on the way 2 major log mills that had more lights to them than some refineries I have worked at.  I like it further up north. Fir logs over the pine as you get closer to the southern end of stevens county. Went over the bridge and more decent people as you get closer to the reservation it seems like.  If i did not have my stuff back in the hotel i would have made my way back across the state looking at 20 acre parcels going for 30k.  The bad thing about some of the places over there are the bloody realtors.  One looked like he was getting flustered with my questioning about the properties.  I found most land over there not worth anything.  20 or 30 acres and the small towns want you to put in for the city water/septic ... really? 90 a month for that and 7500 for just 1 hook up not to mention the pipe?  Stuff they do not put online. Many were logged and put on the market and older photos are placed online from other properties in the area.  Like most things online if it is too good of a deal it is.  Like visiting a nice looking house you only get the good 3 sides and then visit and you see it is trashed.  Was a decent trip I did take photos i will try and post some later on this week.   So it was a good learning experience. Next time driving to idaho and looking around. This place I am in is just getting over crowded.  THe 30 aces I own here after i bought it they changed all the laws for septic and wells. Getting a letter for they want me to put in a 3000 epa approved wood burning stove.  And the tabs on your rig. In this state they only give you the year and not the month.  Not to mention a few other ones. I was told by an older friend if i was a millionaire i could just call an expensive atty and get it all done with but I feel it is easier to move.  My uncle did a great thing he married a thai woman retired and just moved himself and her back to thailand. He is the only white guy around for miles.  And he loves it.

[hardtailjohn]

That is pretty country up there. I have a good friend in Kettle Falls....I could live there pretty comfy, I think. 
I spent 9 years in the B'ham/Ferndale area, and know just what you're saying about it getting overcrowded!! I came back home here in '96 and it felt good.
John

[mometal77]

You live in a nice part of the country John. I loved kettle falls and most stores everything was on the shelves and hardly anyone in a store at 9 at night loved it.  I have been looking all over for land and just to move. Northern idaho looks nice so does in your area.  People do not realize how much of a pain it is to live here. It got big too fast and i direct people to youtube costco/milk in bellingham.  I swear the crap people buy. Just the other day a man had 2 shopping carts of milk and 2 carts of the 2 pack cheese the thing was over flowing. Another guy had 2 carts full of cheetos/doritos.  But even property is being bought out.  I would rather spend 3k an acre over 80 to 175k for an acre.  I did find a few places over there just cannot wait for spring save a little more and move. See what the market is doing. Been looking into sing log home design more and that is my best bet for building a place.  My uncle lived in bellingham and moved to thailand with his wife. He is happier than a pig in mug.  Living on a small farm and he is the only white guy around for miles. I need to do more traveling.

[hardtailjohn]

Well, if you get over this way, be sure to holler at me! We hardly ever get away from the ranch anymore.

[sawguy21]

"Just the other day a man had 2 shopping carts of milk and 2 carts of the 2 pack cheese the thing was over flowing."
Probably a Canuck, some buy milk in large quantities to make their version of yogurt and cheese. Dairy products are much cheaper south of the border. We feel your pain. We have had quite enough of traffic and crowded stores, want to move to the Okanagan when I retire next year.