Community Chat

[On It]

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. 

[on the bay]

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!

[cheriere]

@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.  

[Kachina624]

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. 

[rockygems123]

@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.

[Group 5 minus 1]

Yes.

[Desertdi]

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.

[on the bay]

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.

[deepwaterdotter]

No, I'm a full-time midwesterner.

[On It]

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.