Pocatello is in Southeast Idaho, about 2.5 hours north of Salt Lake City on I-15. It's the home of Idaho State University, where losing at varsity sports is a (male) campus tradition. The women do okay.

In the 1.75 years I've been here I've decided that it's a well-kept secret. We have four seasons here at 4,400 feet, and sit in a valley between two ranges of mountains. If you want outdoor life, this is the place -- 86.4% of the people in Idaho do some form of outdoor activity, from active birding to hunting to skiing to snowboarding to fly fishing.

We get 17 inches or so of precipitation per year -- that's rain, snow, whatever. Today, January 21, the temperatures ranged from 19 in the morning to 48 during the afternoon -- and we had fog most of the day. Yeah, it can get MUCH colder than that, but it's rare. All winter so far we've had 12 inches or thereabouts of snow.

The cost of living is 14% UNDER the national average. I was able to buy a house that I couldn't have afforded anywhere else that I know of -- 4,000 sq. ft., two fireplaces, 2.5 kitchens, 3.5 baths, and beyond the backyard is a golf course.

Idaho is also a state that's growing very quickly. Pocatello has more housing starts ready for inspection since Oct. 1 than all of last year (fiscal year, that is, Oct. 1 to Sep. 30).

And, as I said, there's a fine acoustic scene. Last year was the first annual bluegrass festival here, too.