Shuggie
Well-known member
I've done all 50 states and three quarters of the largest 80 metropolitan areas (this is a look at me thread, isn't it?) and love the place generally.Having said that, I'm not too keen on San Diego although I know it is many people's favourite US City. All down the West Coast there is poverty, homelessness and hopelessness on a scale that beggars belief in the big cities and SD is no exception. We cleared our own 'jungle' a couple of years ago because of a TB outbreak. I actually live in Coronado which is a bit tasty but would never be able to afford it if I had to pay the bills. Now, take me to a cool college town or somewhere that's obscenely well off or dripping with history and you've got me. Pacific North West, specifically Oregon would be my recommendation.
Seattle, Puget Sound, Olympia and down to Astoria continuing down the Oregon Coast as far as the Avenue of the Giants in Northern California. Then head back up through Oregon via Ashland with its Shakespeare festival, quick 7 hour detour to Crate Lake, then up past Eugene through the Willamette valley and then out to Bend and the high desert East of the Cascades before rounding Mount Hood and coming back along the Colombia River gorge. Apart from white water rafting (for softies), mountains, prairies, hiking, wine country, scenery, culture, fancy restaurants and a climate similar to Bordeaux it hasn't got much to offer. Finally, get pissed up in Seattle to round things off.
Everywhere else is gorgeous in one way or another but the state I try to avoid is Florida (thought I'd lucked out when I was sent to Tampa only to discover that the climate is just like Sussex - four months of lovely weather and 8 months when it's just not nice outdoors).
We seem to be going back to The Rockies time and again from Montana (Jasper actually) down to Albuquerque. Glacier, Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are brilliant if you avoid high summer. Do a one way trip from Salt Lake City up through Idaho and then out through the NE of Yellowstone over the Beartooth pass (11,000 feet up) before crossing the prairies to Little Big Horn and stopping off at Cody, WY for a Saturday night rodeo (bit of a zigzag that). Then across the prairies to places like Laramie and Cheyenne before ending up in Denver which has a zillion option.
And, if you ever want to be really bored, drive across Texas. **** me, that was a silly idea.
I think I ought to get back to work ... pub-time in 20 minutes, Just time to send out a couple of emails to ruin Monday morning for a few Limeys.
To be continued on Bell Cheeses At Work thread ...
PS special mentions for Chicago, Philadelphia, DC and (grudgingly) NYC.
Seattle, Puget Sound, Olympia and down to Astoria continuing down the Oregon Coast as far as the Avenue of the Giants in Northern California. Then head back up through Oregon via Ashland with its Shakespeare festival, quick 7 hour detour to Crate Lake, then up past Eugene through the Willamette valley and then out to Bend and the high desert East of the Cascades before rounding Mount Hood and coming back along the Colombia River gorge. Apart from white water rafting (for softies), mountains, prairies, hiking, wine country, scenery, culture, fancy restaurants and a climate similar to Bordeaux it hasn't got much to offer. Finally, get pissed up in Seattle to round things off.
Everywhere else is gorgeous in one way or another but the state I try to avoid is Florida (thought I'd lucked out when I was sent to Tampa only to discover that the climate is just like Sussex - four months of lovely weather and 8 months when it's just not nice outdoors).
We seem to be going back to The Rockies time and again from Montana (Jasper actually) down to Albuquerque. Glacier, Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are brilliant if you avoid high summer. Do a one way trip from Salt Lake City up through Idaho and then out through the NE of Yellowstone over the Beartooth pass (11,000 feet up) before crossing the prairies to Little Big Horn and stopping off at Cody, WY for a Saturday night rodeo (bit of a zigzag that). Then across the prairies to places like Laramie and Cheyenne before ending up in Denver which has a zillion option.
And, if you ever want to be really bored, drive across Texas. **** me, that was a silly idea.
I think I ought to get back to work ... pub-time in 20 minutes, Just time to send out a couple of emails to ruin Monday morning for a few Limeys.
To be continued on Bell Cheeses At Work thread ...
PS special mentions for Chicago, Philadelphia, DC and (grudgingly) NYC.
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