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So Nick moved to Florida

abc

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Quoting myself because of the news that they are pulling the plugon EpicSki. Keeping the lights on is something to be thankful for.
I can't help to be concerned about this board too. It also experienced a lot of technical difficulty related to the hosting company lately. It could ultimately manifest itself as too high a cost for the owner to justify, which is basically what happened to epicski.com

The same COULD happen here too. (I hope not the "same" of 3 day notice though)
 
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Jcb890

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I didn't particularly like Florida. It wasn't a place I sought out to move to. But I had no hang up about it. I went there for a job I really like. It didn't pay any more than the other offer, in Virginia. But it was the job that launched my career. So I'm glad I followed my head rather than my heart (though my heart was indifferent about it).

Give me interesting work and reasonable pay, I would not rule it out. Ironically, the pay in Florida is typically LOW because the expectation that people wants to live there!

Having lived there for 2 years, I know what it's REALLY like, not just how one THINK it's like. It's one thing to know what you probably don't like anyway. I just know get all that hate, especially from people who haven't actually lived there.
I'm not trying to convince anyone that Florida is bad or anything, I just know I wouldn't want to live there.
 

yeggous

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I can't help to be concerned about this board too. It also experienced a lot of technical difficulty related to the hosting company lately. It could ultimately manifest itself as too high a cost for the owner to justify, which is basically what happened to epicski.com

The same COULD happen here too. (I hope not the "same" of 3 day notice though)

I've been trying to get a grapple on this issue for my new endeavor. I believe the community needs an actively maintained site with modern features. I'm going to try to make it happen. But it certainly takes a commitment of both time and financial resources. I haven't yet figured out how to make the books balance, but I guess I'm going to find out. In starting up a site I'm guessing the initial costs are around $100/month for all of the hosting and licenses to do it right. As things grow I'm estimating about $500/month in costs to keep the lights on with a greater load.
 

BenedictGomez

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Same here, plus it's more convient for me to head down to Lorton, VA, throw myself and the vehicle on the Amtrack Auto-Train, and be in Sanford/South side of Orlando the next morning.


Funny thing is I have family in Sanford and I've never done that (I drive the whole way).

The Auto Train seems outrageously expensive, but that's not the problem as I'd try it once anyway just for the helluvit. The issue I have is that on top of the expense, the train ride time from VA to FL is longer than the entire drive time from NJ to FL! :-o
 

skifree

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Funny thing is I have family in Sanford and I've never done that (I drive the whole way).

The Auto Train seems outrageously expensive, but that's not the problem as I'd try it once anyway just for the helluvit. The issue I have is that on top of the expense, the train ride time from VA to FL is longer than the entire drive time from NJ to FL! :-o

ding ding. Tried it once. Train stops constantly. never again. Jet Blue and rental car for now on.
 

MEtoVTSkier

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Funny thing is I have family in Sanford and I've never done that (I drive the whole way).

The Auto Train seems outrageously expensive, but that's not the problem as I'd try it once anyway just for the helluvit. The issue I have is that on top of the expense, the train ride time from VA to FL is longer than the entire drive time from NJ to FL! :-o

I just missed my 14 day window for my ticket last week. It should have been $198 for the truck, and $99 for me. It ended up being $344 with a veteran's discount thru Veterans Advantage. Supper included, and a continental breakfast. Leaves 3:30-4pm and arrives 9-9:30am and you didn't drive all night to do almost the same thing. Takes me about 8hrs to drive from RI to the Lorton station.
 

MEtoVTSkier

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ding ding. Tried it once. Train stops constantly. never again. Jet Blue and rental car for now on.

I don't know about constantly, a few times maybe as they use CSX's tracks, so they have to give way here and there. But I've never arrived later than 10am. I find the rental car just sits to much to justify it for trips over a week. I do like flying better, but the cost of flying and the car rental on longer stays was too much for me. This trip was all the way from Northern Maine anyhow, so it was pack the vehicle once, and go.
 

deadheadskier

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My folks come North from Florida a couple of months each summer. My father has had several back surgeries and sitting in the car for extended periods of time is quite uncomfortable for him. They are looking into the auto train as an option. It's too bad that service doesn't come further north to at least NYC metro.

Sent from my XT1565 using AlpineZone mobile app
 

MEtoVTSkier

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My folks come North from Florida a couple of months each summer. My father has had several back surgeries and sitting in the car for extended periods of time is quite uncomfortable for him. They are looking into the auto train as an option. It's too bad that service doesn't come further north to at least NYC metro.

Sent from my XT1565 using AlpineZone mobile app

I feel for him, It's going to be a long ride back north this year as I only bought a southbound ticket. I've been told they can't fit the AutoRacks thru some spaces around DC and/or Baltimore, and that they need some sizeable area to build a new station, as they separate the AutoRacks from the passenger cars at either station and move them to the loading docks. That's supposedly why they don't run it further North. I'd like to see central CT myself, It would make it easier on my family coming from all directions. It's a pretty good sized train with sleepers and coach and enough AutoRacks to haul 350 cars/trucks on each run.

Obviously there the northbound trains are pretty booked this time of year with all the Snowbirds returning to the North. You want to try to book at least 14 days in advance if possible, and during mid-week, for the cheaper fares.
 

BenedictGomez

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It ended up being $344 with a veteran's discount thru Veterans Advantage.


How much does a budget ticket from RI to SFB cost? I can usually get them for $225 - $250 as long as it isnt Thanksgiving or Christmas. Off-season, if you get lucky and buy early you can score $125 - $200 RT.

As for rental cars, I use comparison websites (Expedia, Kayak, Travelocity, etc..) and "book" the cheapest 100% refundable option available to lock it in, but then I check again every few days before my trip. For my recent Colorado trip, one month out I had a 10 day rental on a mid-size SUV for $508 reserved (that was the cheapest), and I ended up with a 10 day rental on a full-size SUV for $316 by canceling and re-booking about 72 hours out.
 

wa-loaf

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He was actually sharp, dedicated, and very active on the site. He took it serious and is upset now because he's out of a job (part time) with three days notice.

Ah, that's a bummer. I bailed on Epic when Phil and Tricia got booted. Just spend my time on Pugski and here now.
 

MEtoVTSkier

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How much does a budget ticket from RI to SFB cost? I can usually get them for $225 - $250 as long as it isnt Thanksgiving or Christmas. Off-season, if you get lucky and buy early you can score $125 - $200 RT.

As for rental cars, I use comparison websites (Expedia, Kayak, Travelocity, etc..) and "book" the cheapest 100% refundable option available to lock it in, but then I check again every few days before my trip. For my recent Colorado trip, one month out I had a 10 day rental on a mid-size SUV for $508 reserved (that was the cheapest), and I ended up with a 10 day rental on a full-size SUV for $316 by canceling and re-booking about 72 hours out.

Yeah, but I'm traveling from central Aroostook County, ME to FL, so not really near a flight hub, and I hate flying from Logan. Rather fly from Providence, and leave vehicle at my sister's instead of the airport. I was finding cheap tix from PVD into Tampa changing in either Charlotte or Atlanta, and I guess Southwest is flying direct now from PVD to Fort Myers, but not sure how cheap.

I never had any luck finding cheap car rentals booking really far out. Usually got better deals waiting for the last minute. Why is that?

I had fragile stuff that needed to be brought down anyhow, not shipped, so that's why I end up driving, instead of flying, half the time. Once I'm in FL, I usually spend a 7-10 days in Ocala, and another 7 or so in Fort Myers/Naples. The rental usually just sits once I'm in one spot or the other. Was thinking of just buying a second vehicle, (econobox) and just leaving the pickup up in New England. I'm leaning more towards wintering in FL, just spending the height of ski season in ME/NH/VT, with maybe a couple trips west tossed in.
 

deadheadskier

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Allegiant air out of Portsmouth might be worth a look for you. Usually good rates plus free parking at the airport.
 

BenedictGomez

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I never had any luck finding cheap car rentals booking really far out. Usually got better deals waiting for the last minute. Why is that?

I dont know. Supposedly, it's not supposed to work like that. If you GOOG, "how to get the best rental car rates" on travel tip websites, they tell you to book early, but in my limited experience, I too have got great deals last minute.

Allegiant air out of Portsmouth might be worth a look for you.

My family calls Allegiant, "Death Trap Air", but they do have great deals to Florida, and are the airline I was referencing with the cheap rates I posted above. SFB is about 10 minutes from where my Mom retired, so it works out great. Plus I fly out of ABE, and going from tiny airport to tiny airport is fantastic. Security is a breeze, and you park closer to the airport than you typically do at the ski resort.
 
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