Where are you moving?

Keene, New Hampshire.  It is located in the southwest corner of the state.  It is one of the biggest towns within an hour or so drive and is becoming the commercial center of the region.  Keene State College is there which accounts for about 5,000 of the roughly 25,000 residents.  Keene claims to have the widest main street in the world (so do at least three other towns in the U.S.) and is home of the Pumpkin Festival which holds the world record for most simultaneously lit jack-o-lanterns. 

When is (was) the move?

We left California on October 18th, 2004 and arrived in Keene on October 25th, 2004.  We closed on our new house and moved in on October 29th, 2004.

Why did you choose New Hampshire? 

The short answer is because the Free State Project chose New Hampshire.  The first 5,000 participants voted on the state (among 10 candidates) and New Hampshire won the vote.  Beyond that, New Hampshire has several strengths even without the Free State Project.  It is one of only two states with no income tax and no sales tax.  It's also the last state with no mandatory seat belt laws and motorcycle helmet laws for adults.  It's a beautiful place, the economy is reasonably good (compared to some other states) and the people are very friendly.

A quick compairison of NH v.s. CA using objective measures provides a clear view of why it makes sense to move to New Hampshire from California.  Continuing to preserve the liberty friendly culture in New Hampshire will only make the difference more noticable.

Of all the places in New Hampshire, why Keene?

In November of 2003, we toured the southern 1/2 of New Hampshire.  We wrote an extensive trip report after that trip outlining what we found.  As a result of our findings, Keene was my first choice and Edi's first choice.  I think the kids liked it, but they were a bit young to be influencing our decisions ;)  Keene has one downfall for us, which is its distance to a usable airport for my job.  However, I usually only go to work once or twice per month so we decided it would be worth it to give up the commute time in exchange for having all the other traits we liked in Keene.  Some of the things that stuck out to us were lower real estate prices (compared to southeastern NH), excellent shopping and eating, the college, and the overall atmosphere.  It's something you have to visit to appreciate.

Do you know anyone in Keene?

Yes.  We got to know a few people as a result of our visit in November of 2003, and we have gotten to know some other people throughout the course of the last year.  Additionally, several people we are acquainted with through the Free State Project moved to the Keene area before we did.  We also know many people throughout New Hampshire.

Can I hear all about the house project?

The house project and the move 'diary' will be detailed in a separate page.  (to be written)

How did the move go?

The move went reasonably well.  It wasn't without challenges but nothing insurmountable.  Read the house project and move diary for more information.  (to be written)

What do your family and friends think about the move?

Family members are generally supportive, though the ones on the west coast are sad to see us go and the ones on the east coast are happier to see us closer.  Our friends have had varied reactions.  Some think we're crazy, some think we're taking part in an exercise in futility, some admire our conviction, some are very supportive, and some show an underlying desire to do something similar, though none have yet joined us. 

If any of our family and friends would like to post a comment here in their own words, please email me at varrin@varrin.com.