How much would you sacrifice to live in your dream home, right near the head of your favourite trails?

“Dream Home” quite a bit, “right near the head of your favourite trails?” not much.

I love my MTB time, I really do, but moving a couple of miles closer to trail doesn’t really bother me.

We’ve been playing the ‘if we had £xxxx where would we move’ game with Rightmove (lock down is boring) and the places we’d like to live, whilst more rural than we are now, aren’t really known for MTB trails.

Practically, a 15 mile, double school run is going to be a daily ball-ache, especially when school reopens proper and it doesn’t end the moment they finish school either.

In fact your question does not have you personally sacrifice anything?

I love my MTB time, I really do, but moving a couple of miles closer to trail doesn’t really bother me.

A couple of miles wouldn’t make a difference for me. But there’s a massive difference between being able to do rides from your doorstep and having to drive for them.

Not me do like to change my trails and areas even though I am 3miles from being on the Cotswolds hills from riding from home maybe you would not be so keen once you live their!!! who knows till you try know a few people over the years moved to the sea and came back inland within 5 years cost them a lot of time and money.

Disclaimer – No kids, not moving

But, 10 compulsory school runs a week vs a couple of optional drive to rides, would swing it for me. Unless the house was out of this world/bargain of the century

15 miles isn’t that far – easily rideable.

30 miles per day, to school and back? On bikes? for kids? **** me I’ve read some shit on this forum lately, but that about takes it.

The other question would be what are the children realistically going to do when they finish education? Are you and they expecting to move out and go and find work in a town or city or will they likely end up continuing to live at home and finding local jobs? If local and living in the new place, how far away will their jobs be and how will they get there and back.

Unfortunately, they might be reliant on you for longer than you think.

In fact your question does not have you personally sacrifice anything?

It’s not all about me remember! 😉

Joking aside though… Significant personal investment is the obvious one. Obviously helping out with any taxi-ing etc as required… There are significant upsides of course!

However… Went to look at the house yesterday and didn’t factor for one thing… Road noise! Being so close to a 60mph main road, you forget how much louder car tyre roar is at 60 than it is at 30! So have written that house off…

Doesn’t mean we’re not now keeping our eyes open in the area though… Probably for 12 months time now I guess.

Unfortunately, they might be reliant on you for longer than you think.

As someone that had a bungee chord attached at the other end to my parents home that I was unable to break for good until I was 28, don’t worry… I’m fully well aware of that! It’s only the location of the current school that would be the issue, as obviously they’re mid GCSE’s and A levels respectively. Potential new location isn’t in the arse end of nowhere, there are towns very close by…

Might be a nice thing for your kids to have those facilities near by too

Might be a nice thing for your kids to have those facilities near by too

I’m confused… Was that a Pass/agg dig at me…? 🤷🏻‍♂️

To note… Am only looking to move much closer to my usual trails, not to the outer hebrides. There does happen to be 2 fair sized towns very close by (will probably end up living in the one closer to the trails I expect in time), shops, facilities, transport links etc. in both. It’s just that they are currently at school where we are now obviously, 15 miles away.

I grew up in the middle of nowhere myself… Was quite grateful for it! Got on my bike if I needed to get anywhere within a few miles, or waited til my parents were free to give me a lift. When I was 17, my Dad made me a deal that he was happy to help me out with getting a car/driving lessons/insurance etc. but the deal was, I was a family taxi service (I am the oldest, have 1 sister and 3 step brothers) until such a point as I was no longer needed… Worked for me, I had my freedom! More than happy to help out in this regard with the GF’s kids I’ve already said too… 👍🏻

You mean your kids yeah?

I’d probably get a view on this from the kids to see if they were particularly anti. Sounds like it could be a great opportunity. I live close enough to the trails but if I wanted to be at the trail head of my favourite I’d need over a million quid and put my kids in an unsuitable school.

You should definitely sacrifice the children. I’ve even suggested to the wife that we do the same. Not moving though, too much hassle.

Go for it. If the kids and the boss are happy with it then go for it.

As long as you’ve listened to and taken into account their opinions then go for ut

You mean your kids yeah?

As a wise man once said:Give it a rest hey… we get it, you’ve told us, you’ve told us again. You’re just coming over as bitter, angry and downright sodding pointless now. 😄

He’s already answered this one:

Honestly, as someone who had a step parent come into my life when I was already 16, this is just hand wringing of the highest order! They were teenagers already when I came into their lives, I wasn’t there at their conception. I am obviously their legal guardian whilst they’re under my roof, and I care a great deal about what happens to them. But for someone who isn’t your actual parent to get all possessive about your existence is the strangest thing in my book! My Stepmother didn’t do that with me, which I was grateful for. I’ve seen possessive step parents create some real tension in family units before!

Don’t get me wrong, I know and accept my responsibilities towards them, and I won’t cease caring once they’ve turned 18 and/or moved out of the family home… I’ll give them whatever support they want or need until such a point as they no longer want it, but I ain’t taking any credit for their existence, nor would they want me to!