View Full Version : Goodbye New Jermany, Hello Freedom (for now)
No State is safe but we had to make our exodus.
It's rather fitting, my Father was 36 when we left the Soviet Union and I am 36 when I escape a different but still oppressive regime.
The UHaul is nearly packed, full to the brim but there are still a few more things to squeeze in there in the morning. Our friends helped up pack up ten years of stuff from our condo and I will be forever greatful for them.
I'm leaving my whole family behind but I have a feeling that in a few years many of them will make the escape South as well. They are all calling us the guinea pigs. Some have already spoke of using our temporary rental to hunt for rentals of their own.
I don't think the gravity of the situation has really hit me. Call me a mama's boy but I see my parents 4 to 5 times a week, we live in the same town and I exicuted a hostile takeover of their basement to build myself a pretty nice gym. Being so close to them and only being able to see them once every couple of months will be incredibly hard but staying in New Jersey is just not sustainable. Gun laws aside the taxation is stifling. The idea of paying $10k or $15k in property taxes for 1/3 of an acre makes me choke. We want to buy a house and I would love to have some land, we make good money but I don't want to be housepoor. If we stayed in NJ, that is what we would be.
Tomorrow we set sail for Raleigh NC. My wife and I don't have children but we do have two fur babies. We will be our own support system until we can make friends. I hope we can adjust.
I am looking forward to taking some Pat McNamara classes in Carthage. Only an hour away.
Congrats on your exfil. Best of luck to you and the wife.
MountainRaven
05-27-19, 21:55
Welcome to Free America!
everready73
05-27-19, 21:57
Good luck man! We are in PA and though taxes and gun laws are better, we plan on heading south on about 5 years
We plan on relocating somewhere in NC and have Raleigh ranked pretty high
Let us know how you like it
SomeOtherGuy
05-27-19, 22:04
Congrats, and enjoy.
Just don't make the mistake of voting in the same policies and politicians that sent you fleeing NJ. I doubt that you would, but so many people who have left California and NY due to their problems have done exactly that in Washington, Colorado, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, and elsewhere.
Good for you. I've always wondered how members here can keep their sanity in places like that. Hawaii was bad enough for me, even though it really wasn't too terrible. I've only spent a few days in NC, but I always liked it.
buckshot1220
05-27-19, 22:33
Congrats on the move!
I just moved from Raleigh to Wilmington, NC a few months ago, but lived in Raleigh for 5 years as a former New York refugee. I've also lived a few other places in the South. Raleigh is easily my favorite and the only thing that got me to leave was a better job in a beach town. Even so, Raleigh is only a two hour trip for me and I'm there frequently.
Check out Fuquay Gun and Gold - easily one of the best selections and pricing on guns/accessories anywhere, you will not be disappointed. Triangle Shooting Academy is great for the range (also they have machine gun rentals) but can be pricey. PDHSC in Garner is also a good little shop/range.
Enjoy the hell out of the area man. Downtown/Glenwood South/Warehouse District are all great Fri-Sun. There are a lot of parks, lakes (even a few that rent canoes/kayaks), any hiking with legit elevation is at least a 1.5hr car ride FYI. Multiple beaches within 2hrs. Dare I say it is my ideal city.
Although Raleigh is getting more expensive by the day it is still very affordable compared to anything north of the Mason Dixon Line. If you can buy a piece of the earth do it early. I follow real estate and development closely in that area and it doesn't look to be slowing any time soon.
If you have any questions, want suggestions, places to eat, a good realtor etc. just PM me.
Congrats! Raleigh is great. Lived there for almost 4 years, 12 years in Chapel Hill before that. You will love it.
turnburglar
05-28-19, 00:26
I'm in escrow right now for my place in Arizona.
The California beach cities are where I grew up, but there is NOTHING sustainable about a million dollar mortgage on 1,000 sqft, with 15K + a year in taxes. Oh ontop of that, the homeless have a RIGHT to leave fecal matter in your driveway, side walk, what ever...
Im glad to be leaving. That place (hollywood) is sodom and gamora if there ever was one.
I moved from California to Wisconsin when I was 19. It was the best decision I made, for many reasons besides being in a free state.
I hope your move goes well, you'll appreciate the freedom.
It isn't freedom when you have to leave family and loved ones to enjoy your rights.
Welcome.
Check out Range 37 PSR in Sanford.
NC is beautiful and you won't regret your decision. If Ohio wasn't right there among the remaining free states, I'd pull up stakes and move there in a heartbeat. The hospitality and geniality are at least a huge draw for the south, and there's so much to see and do. Congrats and best luck in your new lives.
platoonDaddy
05-28-19, 06:22
Dang man, can’t believe u are leaving the Jersey shore!
Of course that was BS, great decision on ur move! Friggin Jersey is worst than MD. I love to visit South Jersey shore, but would never live there.
All the best! Now ur goal is to get ur parents to follow!
We're full. Please fight for your home states and quit over developing it here:lol:
Seriously, welcome. Like minded refugees are a great addition. Unfortunately, the majority of folks coming down to escape what decades of idiotic public policy has wrought seem bound and determined to bring it with them. This state is going to be an urbanized blue hellhole in 10-20 years, which makes me very, very sad.
You're gonna miss the snow a d all the jug handles and roundabouts!!!
The_War_Wagon
05-28-19, 06:52
I'm leaving my whole family behind but I have a feeling that in a few years many of them will make the escape South as well... Tomorrow we set sail for Raleigh NC.
Being ten generations from NC, I can assure you - you can rest easy. Raleigh hasn't been a "southern" city in at least 30 years... :no:
But I reckon even IT beats Joisey.
NC is beautiful and you won't regret your decision. If Ohio wasn't right there among the remaining free states, I'd pull up stakes and move there in a heartbeat. The hospitality and geniality are at least a huge draw for the south, and there's so much to see and do. Congrats and best luck in your new lives.
I didn’t think there was anybody left in Ohio. Your compatriots are all in South Carolina. I’m pretty sure Berkeley County EMS is a third or more Ohioan. We’re hiring, by the way. Come on down; the weather’s warm. And College of Charleston is two-thirds female.
We're full. Please fight for your home states and quit over developing it here:lol:
Seriously, welcome. Like minded refugees are a great addition. Unfortunately, the majority of folks coming down to escape what decades of idiotic public policy has wrought seem bound and determined to bring it with them. This state is going to be an urbanized blue hellhole in 10-20 years, which makes me very, very sad.
Preach it.
Born and raised on the coast of North Carolina, been living in the Triangle since my youth. Now in Durham, about 20, 25 minutes west of Raleigh. If you have any questions, message me. Oh, and welcome!!
Outlander Systems
05-28-19, 09:38
THE SOUTH RISES AGAIN!
Man, it’s going to be tuff... you’re gonna have to learn how to pump your own gas.
awesome to hear :) I often wondered why some folks stay so long :)
close to my family even in my mid 50s I call them all the time etc.. (close as in relationship to far to visit much sadly)
nice to hear others still appreciate the family having great parents is HUGE IMHO :)
SeriousStudent
05-28-19, 17:21
Congrats, Alex!
North Carolina is a very pretty state, and all of the folks I have met from there were really nice.
Do you already have a new architect gig lined up, or are you going out on your own?
We will, of course, expect to see lots of pics of your dogs rolling around in a giant pile of normal-capacity magazines. :cool:
FromMyColdDeadHand
05-28-19, 17:53
Even my wife, the CO native, is lamenting our move to CO. Full stupid here now. Plus, I miss bodies of water that aren't almost tidal due to snow pack and irrigation or so small that its NASCAR racing to have a boat. When CA implodes, it will only be worse since they people with money will move here, having learned nothing, and finally tip this place hard blue.
Good luck in your new endeavor! Just tell people, "I escaped the Soviet Union and NJ was worse."
Congrats on the move. I know you've wanted to do this for a long time. We have friends in NC who really like it.
Even my wife, the CO native, is lamenting our move to CO. Full stupid here now. Plus, I miss bodies of water that aren't almost tidal due to snow pack and irrigation or so small that its NASCAR racing to have a boat. When CA implodes, it will only be worse since they people with money will move here, having learned nothing, and finally tip this place hard blue.
Good luck in your new endeavor! Just tell people, "I escaped the Soviet Union and NJ was worse."
I fully imagine that if heroin ever comes up for legalization, CO will be the first state to approve it. Get out while you still have a soul! Those ghouls will try to take it from you for disagreeing with them!
Congrats, Alex!
North Carolina is a very pretty state, and all of the folks I have met from there were really nice.
Do you already have a new architect gig lined up, or are you going out on your own?
We will, of course, expect to see lots of pics of your dogs rolling around in a giant pile of normal-capacity magazines. :cool:
"Normal capacity" LOL! I would be using that on my buddy in CO tonight, but he's in the process of moving to Idaho!
Being ten generations from NC, I can assure you - you can rest easy. Raleigh hasn't been a "southern" city in at least 30 years... :no:
But I reckon even IT beats Joisey.
No kidding. My family has been here since the beginning. I cant stand the Triangle. Used to be nice. I'm fond of the sandhills and coastal plain. If I could, I'd move to SC. Reminds me of NC 40 years ago. I think it will stay normal until I'm worm food
Good deal!
Each person has different circumstances, but I don't see how people could stay in places like NJ, NY, etc. Good luck in NC! Probably a bit warmer too.
No kidding. My family has been here since the beginning. I cant stand the Triangle. Used to be nice. I'm fond of the sandhills and coastal plain. If I could, I'd move to SC. Reminds me of NC 40 years ago. I think it will stay normal until I'm worm food
Truth.
OP, congrats Alex, hope the move goes smoothly for you. If your willing to drive, you can ski and surf....Enjoy!
Congrats. I'm very jealous,stuck in New Jermany for a while yet. You are right though, the gun laws stink but the taxes are insane! Have to look at half the home you could afford elsewhere in order to fit the taxes into the budget.
Best of luck with your escape. Shame you couldn't drag Governor Murphy behind your vehicle as you left. Sorry, must have been a typo, I meant "take Governor Murphy with you" on your long drive.
I feel ya bud. Best of luck to you. I was born and raised in California. 5th generation and I can count ancestors as amongst the first to settle CA. (They named the town of Truckee and Truckee lake (now Donner lake... Donner party came two years later). Anyway I am popping smoke as soon as the missus retires. We have 40 acres in Wyoming...
It just really burns me up to leave a state I truly love, but can no longer tolerate the politics, taxes and people in general. And the crowding.
No kidding. My family has been here since the beginning. I cant stand the Triangle. Used to be nice. I'm fond of the sandhills and coastal plain. If I could, I'd move to SC. Reminds me of NC 40 years ago. I think it will stay normal until I'm worm food
I was born on the coast, Morehead city, grew up aboard Camp Lejeune. I have lived in the Triangle most of my life now, minus college and the military, and if it wasn't for my wife's family, I would have been gone a long time ago.
No kidding. My family has been here since the beginning. I cant stand the Triangle. Used to be nice. I'm fond of the sandhills and coastal plain. If I could, I'd move to SC. Reminds me of NC 40 years ago. I think it will stay normal until I'm worm food
I completely agree. I’ve lived in NC since ‘01, when I moved to Chapel Hill. NC unfortunately has a huge liberal component of the population. The Triangle gets all the university and tech crowd. Charlotte gets the Manhattan, Connecticut, and San Fran bankers. Asheville gets the super hippy crowd. And the coast gets Northeastern retirees.
SC seems safer. Though Charleston has become a hotspot for retirees and has Boeing and a big Google data hub.
I completely agree. I’ve lived in NC since ‘01, when I moved to Chapel Hill. NC unfortunately has a huge liberal component of the population. The Triangle gets all the university and tech crowd. Charlotte gets the Manhattan, Connecticut, and San Fran bankers. Asheville gets the super hippy crowd. And the coast gets Northeastern retirees.
SC seems safer. Though Charleston has become a hotspot for retirees and has Boeing and a big Google data hub. Volvo, too.
Charleston’s full. The population growth last year was 34 mofo’s per day. 14th fastest growing Metro in the US. Infrastructure isn’t even close to keeping up. All these cats that come here to retire because they remember how awesome it was that one time they visited 30 years ago, get disappointed with traffic, crime, overcrowding. Tinder and Bumble work, though.
I completely agree. I’ve lived in NC since ‘01, when I moved to Chapel Hill. NC unfortunately has a huge liberal component of the population. The Triangle gets all the university and tech crowd. Charlotte gets the Manhattan, Connecticut, and San Fran bankers. Asheville gets the super hippy crowd. And the coast gets Northeastern retirees.
SC seems safer. Though Charleston has become a hotspot for retirees and has Boeing and a big Google data hub.
I lovedddddddd Asheville. I could die happy stuffing my face with Blue Mountain pizza
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I lovedddddddd Asheville. I could die happy stuffing my face with Blue Mountain pizza
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Ashville is a great place except for the people..... the crunchy crowd has taken over. Besides that it is great.
I completely agree. I’ve lived in NC since ‘01, when I moved to Chapel Hill. NC unfortunately has a huge liberal component of the population. The Triangle gets all the university and tech crowd. Charlotte gets the Manhattan, Connecticut, and San Fran bankers. Asheville gets the super hippy crowd. And the coast gets Northeastern retirees.
SC seems safer. Though Charleston has become a hotspot for retirees and has Boeing and a big Google data hub.
I graduated from UNC in 87 and haven't been back to CH since. It was a zoo then and has only gotten worse. Ditto Asheville. Last time I went the crazy homeless running amok made it a no go for me, which sucks because it used to be awesome. Unfortunately, I see the day where I end up leaving for good. Sad thing is the US , and especially the SE region, is running out of places I would want to go.
I graduated from UNC in 87 and haven't been back to CH since. It was a zoo then and has only gotten worse. Ditto Asheville. Last time I went the crazy homeless running amok made it a no go for me, which sucks because it used to be awesome. Unfortunately, I see the day where I end up leaving for good. Sad thing is the US , and especially the SE region, is running out of places I would want to go.
When my father retired from the Marines, we moved to Hillsborough, that's just right outside of Chapel Hill. Most of my time in EMS was with Orange County; Chapel Hill, you would not even recognize it today. It's about a billion times worse than it was when you were here. I hate going there now. The traffic is so bad, in the afternoon it can take you 30 minutes to get from one side of the town to the other.
Welcome.
Check out Range 37 PSR in Sanford.
Hear, hear! I used to love competing there.
I’m planning to move to NC myself after the Misses finishes her Residency. We’re thinking about Raleigh as well.
I lovedddddddd Asheville. I could die happy stuffing my face with Blue Mountain pizza
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Told you.
BMP masterrace.
Stop pooping in my cheerios!
Last night I loaded a standard AR mag to 28 rounds for the first time without feeling like a felon. It was nice.
The move was a total shit show. The U-Haul was too small lol. I have no idea how we got that much crap. We didn't leave our condo until nearly 4pm on Tuesday and were packing until the very end. I severely underestimated how long it takes to pack up a 948SF condo. We pulled up to the apartment in Raleigh at 2am Wednesday and I had to go to Walmart to buy an inflatable mattress because there was no way I was going to set up the bed.
We've been unpacking ever since. Problem: can't find room for all my ammo lol.
Cable guy comes in on Thursday and sees a bin of sorted spent 308 brass I intend to reload. "Hey, I thought you were from New Jersey" LOL
I will follow up with all the PMs. Thank you all for the advice and offers of assistance, it's truly appreciated.
I have been looking at ranges to join, 37 PRS looks really cool, especially if they allow you to do a little run-n-gun practice. I was also looking at Frontline Defense in Warrenton because they have a 1000 yard range. Not sure I can do both, starting to get expensive.
Thank you all!
37 PSR is absolutely shoot n move friendly. The owner and his brother are former SF CIF and are all for it. They also host the Friday Night Fights matches which are shoot house competitions under low/no light, depending on the season. (1168 got me all nostalgic with the FNF talk). I left Bragg in 2016 when they were renovating the shoot house and it looks really bad ass now. So if you want to run it with your HD weapon and a light, or if you own NODs and want to get some good training use out of them, that’s an option. You don’t have to be a member of the range to compete.
You’re also not far from The Range Complex. Most of their instructors are former CAG and their facility is a great venue for training.
Friday Night Fights!
Dude, are you in my house? I’m pretty sure thats my bookshelf.
Only the finest Wal Mart furniture on a Paramagician salary.
37 PSR is absolutely shoot n move friendly. The owner and his brother are former SF CIF and are all for it. They also host the Friday Night Fights matches which are shoot house competitions under low/no light, depending on the season. (1168 got me all nostalgic with the FNF talk). I left Bragg in 2016 when they were renovating the shoot house and it looks really bad ass now. So if you want to run it with your HD weapon and a light, or if you own NODs and want to get some good training use out of them, that’s an option. You don’t have to be a member of the range to compete.
You’re also not far from The Range Complex. Most of their instructors are former CAG and their facility is a great venue for training.
The wife said I can't have NODs until we have a house, but my HD guns all have white lights. She isn't stopping me from buying silencers and a few more rifles (AR Pistols/SBSs), so that's cool. lol
I will have to read up more on 37 PSR. Wish there was a do all range where I can get the shoot and move practice and long range. Two memberships will be close to $1K, but I am not totally opposed.
When you get down here, sign up on carolinafirearmsforum.com. It's a great place and a good source for classes, ranges, and instruction.
Told you.
BMP masterrace.
GTF!!!!!
Yasssssssssss
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buckshot1220
06-14-19, 22:47
Truth.
OP, congrats Alex, hope the move goes smoothly for you. If your willing to drive, you can ski and surf....Enjoy!
With NC weather patterns the way they are and a heavy right foot, you could probably do both on the same day!
"Cable guy comes in on Thursday and sees a bin of sorted spent 308 brass I intend to reload"
Please don't think you have escaped crime by moving south. I would keep everything gun related out of plain view. Too many people have the keys to your apartment. An example is the pest control company.. They pretty much go through every room in the apartment at least 4 times a year. Most are honest but some have been tied to burglaries down here.
"Cable guy comes in on Thursday and sees a bin of sorted spent 308 brass I intend to reload"
Please don't think you have escaped crime by moving south. I would keep everything gun related out of plain view. Too many people have the keys to your apartment. An example is the pest control company.. They pretty much go through every room in the apartment at least 4 times a year. Most are honest but some have been tied to burglaries down here.
Agreed. And....there are lots of liberal turds in Wake, Durham, and Orange counties. Why let anyone other than a trusted friend in on your hoplophilia.
Agreed. And....there are lots of liberal turds in Wake, Durham, and Orange counties. Why let anyone other than a trusted friend in on your hoplophilia.
Yes. Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times, yes.
Hear, hear! I used to love competing there.
I’m planning to move to NC myself after the Misses finishes her Residency. We’re thinking about Raleigh as well.
I was a medic in 3 of the counties in the Triangle. If y'all come Raleigh, give me a shout if you're looking for info on local EMS.
I agree about the security aspects. I hid everything else but with boxes everywhere that bin remained in the open.
No place is safe from crime, I totally get it. There is a security system which logs every door and window opening and the app on my phone shows me every time a door opens. No level of security is impenetrable but for now I am working from home so that helps.
I appreciate the heads up guys.
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