topic Re: East or West? in Community Chat

East or West?

On It — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 18:28:40 GMT

If you live in one half, have you visited the other half of the US traveling by car? Understanding dense urban populations vs rural open space is difficult for those who have not experienced both. Intellectually we know about it, but until you have actually been in a densely populated city or driven a 100 miles without seeing a town, the emotional impact is missed. This NASA photo shows the population centers.

Re: East or West?

on the bay — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 18:44:27 GMT

My sister and I drove cross country when we were teenagers. Or rather her friend's boyfriend drove and we rode. We saw the Rockies, swam in a mountain lake, visited a true hippie type living in a kind of cave, had one of the first Coors beers., drove threw miles and miles and miles of Iowa and Kansas cornfields, slept in a forest, saw the four corners-it was 110 degrees but not as bad as a place with awful humidity. I"m glad we got to do it but as Dorothy says-"There's no place like home."

I've seen a lot of the US at other times-always amazing how many different climates and environments, nature, wildlife and accents and people

there are all across this country of ours!

Re: East or West?

cheriere — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 18:40:36 GMT

@On It That's so true about driving to a city or a hundred miles without seeing a town lol, HUGE difference that can't be appreciated by flying.

Re: East or West?

Kachina624 — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 18:46:42 GMT

I live in the West, which is my favorite half. However, I lived in Pennsylvania, Tennessee (2 cities), N. Carolina, and Louisiana. In the West, i was born in Colorado, lived in Nebraska, Illinois, and a long time in Texas. I've visited the whole country except for California and upper Mid-West.

Re: East or West?

rockygems123 — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 18:56:59 GMT

@On It

That's actually quite shocking to see the density mostly on the middle to right side of the map!

Looks like the settlers just stayed put lol.

As for traveling, working for 2 different airlines in SF headquarters (not flying for a living) we had great benefits and at a time when it was fun working for an airline traveled all over outside of the US.

Finally realized it was time to see the US, drove from SF to Montana with a girlfriend to her hometown for her wedding, that was a blast seeing Yellowstone.

Flew to Chicago for the Art Institute, one of my most favorite trips, Staten Island to stay with my sis for 3 weeks, Hawaiian Islands lots of times.

California is big so growing up there had lots of Lake Tahoe trips, Wine Country, Hollywood LA area going to game shows, theatre and art exhibits.

Once in Colorado, traveled with a Native American friend to her pueblo in Albuquerque NM she snuck me in because whites weren't allowed.

Drove from Denver to Omaha NE with stops in between once or twice a year and then one trip all the way to St Louis MO back to Denver for antique shows and antique store shopping.

Traveled 3x a year from Denver to Portland OR for an antique show, that show doesn't exist any longer and wouldn't go now most likely as Portland has changed tremendously in the last few years.

Flew to the Rose Bowl Flea Market a few times with a fellow dealer here in Denver.

Go back to my elementary grammar school reunions in SF when we have them. The attendance dwindled the last year as everyone ages, hopefully we'll have more.

Re: East or West?

Group 5 minus 1 — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 18:59:08 GMT

Yes.

Re: East or West?

Desertdi — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:03:39 GMT

Grew up in Chicago, but have spent the rest of my life in California and Arizona.

I've visited every place else, but have no desire to live there.

Re: East or West?

on the bay — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:01:57 GMT

My favorite places were Boston, all of Vermont, San Diego, Seattle, W VA for the beautiful land, VA mountains,

Dallas,Cape May Pt, and

not Miami or Ft Lauderdale or NYC.-too hot and NYC just too too! sorry NY.And I have close family there too so gotta do it.

I wish I could have visited Montana it just seems so beautiful though I wouldn't like the hunting that goes there like many places. I never saw TN strangely though most of my family has, nor New Orleans but I don't want to.

I have family living on both coasts and up and down like so many families do. I don't like to travel now at all but do to see family.

I've been to Hawaii-beautiful but like something out of Peter Pan, and sunburn in 15 minutes- all restrooms have aloe vera!; the Bahamas,(wealth and extreme poverty on same street), tourist sections have bars along the walks open at 10am, and Japan. I wish I could have gone to Ireland but many in my family have.

I do feel very lucky I got to see so many places.

Re: East or West?

deepwaterdotter — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:08:45 GMT

No, I'm a full-time midwesterner.

Re: East or West?

On It — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:17:58 GMT

I have been guilty of flying most places. We have been to many states and cities, but most of our travel has been by plane. Two years ago, we drove to LA. We had been there on numerous occasions but always flew. We departed from Southern New Mexico and drove I-10.

It was worth the drive to see the saguaro cactus. The interstate highways have stops for gas and snacks, so the drive was quite pleasant. Phoenix is larger than I expected. I fell in love with the Palm Springs area. The drive from Palm Springs to Los Angeles was white knuckle, but we made it. It was a great experience.

I cannot imagine driving from Texas to Manhattan. (I have been to Manhattan many times.) We will have to fly to NYC, visit our son, and rent a car to see upstate areas and New England. That trip is questionable, but I hope we make it.

Re: East or West?

PickyPicky3 — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:29:40 GMT

God bless my sweet Bos-Wash Megalopolis home!

Re: East or West?

On It — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:32:45 GMT

@rockygems123 There is a distinct population dividing line between the East and West. I once thought it was the Mississippi River. Now this photo looks like the divide is closer to I-35. I know the majority of the population of Texas lives on or East of 1-35.

Re: East or West?

KingstonMom — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:34:07 GMT

Yep! Got a wild hair and decided to drive to CA (L.A.) from lower coastal GA.

Took a 30' travel trailer to live in, knowing housing out there is hard to find and expensive!

Took my time checking out the areas I traveled thru and had a blast!

Re: East or West?

Sooner — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:36:04 GMT

I have been all over the US and parts of Canada by car. Seen the leaves in fall, deserts and everything between.

I live in Oklahoma where north meets south and where literally on this map east meets west. I can drive 3 hours any direction and be in a far different geography or culture.

We have swaps and a few gators in the southeast, Mesas in the nothwest, rolling hills in the east and grassland prairie and desert sand dunes all in this one state.

Re: East or West?

LindaSal — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:44:28 GMT

Living in RI I have not driven to the west coast at all. Been out west many times , rented a car and drove hundreds of miles while there but not from home. The longest road trip from home was either Virginia or PEI in Canada. Road trips can be very interesting and exciting but in today's world I rethink it a bit.

Re: East or West?

J Town Girl — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 21:53:03 GMT

Back in 1981 we moved from Northern Virginia to Southern California. We stopped at a lot of states along the way.

Growing up on the east coast in a very populated area I was very surprised to see how spread out the towns were throughout the Midwest. It seemed like we would be driving for hours between towns.

I will say that we had some car trouble in a small town in Illinois. It was Morris, Illinois in case anyone here knows that place. The people there went out of their way to help us. We broke down at night and the local police tried to help us but our car needed to have some mechanical work done and since it was after closing time at the Chevy dealership they drove us to a hotel and made sure our car was safely stowed until it could be towed in the morning.

I have a very special place in my heart for the east coast, but I'm not sure that we would have been treated the same way had our car broken down there.

Re: East or West?

Carmie — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:53:37 GMT

I am an East coast gal, my husband and I have driven pretty far south to Florida, and all the states south as far as Texas and north through the states as far as North Dakota. We have been all the way north east as far as Maine and even Canada.

We have only ever flown out west to visit states, like California, Nevada and Arizona. We rented a car to travel while there.

We have never been to the middle states or Alaska. Been to Hawaii.

We have also traveled to Asia and Europe.

I love to travel, love meeting people, experiencing their customs, trying new foods and seeing the different landscapes.

I don't think I would like to travel to the west coast by car, but would travel in our RV...I hate motels and hotels and only stay in one when I have no choice.

Re: East or West?

wilma — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 19:51:15 GMT

Born, raised, and lived in KY all my life. I have driven as far south as Florida, as far north as Toronto, Canada, and as far west as Missouri.

I've visited by car the following states: Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, New York, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana.

I've been to California, but we took a plane there. My husband and I discussed driving Route 66 west from Missouri to California, but we never did it.

Re: East or West?

Bookplate — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:11:55 GMT

You are suggesting there is country west of the Hudson River?!

Re: East or West?

On It — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:27:17 GMT

@Bookplate wrote:
You are suggesting there is country west of the Hudson River?!

Yes. I realize that is a bold assumption. Every time I am in Manhattan I cannot believe how that many people can be in that small a geographical space.