Today closes one chapter of our life and begins another. After nearly 13 and 15 years, respectively, for Judy and me, we’re finally moving from San Diego. Ten years ago, I would have never thought I’d leave San Diego, what with its near perfect weather, proximity to the ocean and beaches, varied restaurants (gonna miss Thai House!), and of course, great people.

While there’s undoubtedly a lot to like about SD, near perfect weather gets a bit bland over time, and the beaches aren’t as significant to me anymore since I became a cold water surf wuss (of course, if I’m willing to brave the even colder water and great white sharks, surfing will still be an option). Restaurants are present everywhere, and indeed, part of the fun is in trying out new restaurants. People can’t be replaced, but that’s what group trips are for.

The other truth is that San Diego is unfortunately not very close to a lot of the things that Judy and I like to do. While it is true that climbing destinations like Joshua Tree, Black Mountain, and the Tramway are reasonably close, other things are not, like the mountains and ski resorts. The Big Bear resorts are fairly close, but they also suck. Mammoth is the closest resort of decent quality, but it is 6-7 hours away. Our new home will be 2-3 hours away from numerous ski resorts, making weekend trips much easier. And the comparative greenery of Northern California and its near surroundings should make for better mountain biking and backpacking.

For me, I’ve always had a high degree of interest in the tech industry so moving to Silicon Valley will have special significance to me. Not only will I be working in the heart of the tech industry, but I will be working directly for one of the most innovative consumer technology companies of today. After spending my entire career working at a stodgy, old school company with a brand and product identity of virtually nil, it will be an incredibly refreshing change for me to work at a place representative of the near polar opposite end of the spectrum.

Moving to a new city should be an exciting change, and although we are looking forward to what the future may bring, we will always look back at San Diego with the fondest of memories. And who knows, we may even move back someday.

Here’s some pics from our move.

Posted by Roger at 8:47 pm.