I haven't and would love to give it a try. I feel very much the same as you. However, my girlfriend wouldn't want to miss the city and the opportunities/culture

I haven't and would love to give it a try. I feel very much the same as you. However, my girlfriend wouldn't want to miss the city and the opportunities/culture it comes with, so moving to the countryside is currently not a possibility for me. Another thing that makes me a bit skeptical is that living on the countryside seems to increase relying on the Internet for communication, and much of the grievances and disappointments with the current (IHMO completely unsustainable) way we live is based on the constant bombardment with information on the net. Is perhaps going offline a key to a better life than moving away from the city? I'm not sure and would also be interested in stories from other HN readers. Another thing you might consider is moving abroad. There are cities with better living quality than many car-centered US cities, e.g. cities with lots of walking and hiking opportunities, lots of cultural activity, nice outdoor cafes in Southern Europe, commuting by bike, etc.