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nonchellent t1_iy76uqz wrote

West coast best coast!

Thanks for sharing this, one of my new favorite photos.

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JayArrgh t1_iy7a07y wrote

I have the same reaction after every road trip. The only problem is that then I start cussing at Washington drivers because stay right except to pass is apparently actively ignored.

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jthanson t1_iy7acey wrote

Any idea where that pic was taken?

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Montu_Walks t1_iy7f6rg wrote

I was happy to return to Washington in 2001 after living near the other Washington for a little over six years.

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Netopalas t1_iy7gwzp wrote

This looks a hell of a lot like the hills around Newman Lake. That would be the WA/ID Stateline at hwy 290. Trent avenue if you're a local. I think the road had a different path back then but the hills sure look right. Complete with Ponderosas and a fresh pile of Rathdrum Prarie dirt.

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Tawptuan t1_iy7jgnh wrote

Hurtling along at 50! The good old days!

Raised in Washington here. My first trip back east was when I was 8 in the 1950s. After experiencing mid-west and east-coast summer humidity for the first time in my life, for three sweltering weeks, I felt EXACTLY the same as your grandfather—especially after crossing the Cascades to the natural air conditioning of Western Wa.

The other thing that struck me were the clear, cold, drinkable streams running in little rivulets down the cliffs next to highway 2 in the Cascades. We stopped and drank from them at least 4-5 times. This was pre-giardia days. For 3 weeks, we had seen only brown, muddy water everywhere east of there. Despite the awful humidity in the east, none of us wanted to go swimming where “you couldn’t see your feet.” Coming back to WA, to swim in clear water was luxury again!

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BourbonBurro t1_iy7vthk wrote

Big feels. Left home almost eight years ago. Still miss Washington every day.

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WhereIsKeithJackson t1_iy85pc4 wrote

Is the photo distorting the map of the state on the sign? That's not what the outline of the state looks like today.

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kodiak_attack t1_iy8h8wj wrote

I was born and raised in Washington. I lived in Tennessee and Illinois briefly before moving back to WA and I feel this picture so hard. As much as I want to move sometimes, I really can’t imagine living anywhere else.

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SemaphoreBingo t1_iy8hahl wrote

Hope that welcome sign is a little bit inside the line otherwise he's kissing Idaho.

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sassy_cheddar t1_iy8mn3o wrote

I think we might benefit from the more assertive driving style of the East Coast. Had a colleague from Boston talk about how weird our lack of honking was to her ("If you don't use your horn, how will they learn?"). Made me smile extra when she upped her Bostonian accent to say it.

Best driving I've ever had was Germany though. It's a privilege, not a right, and so the standard for your driving skill and your regard for other drivers is high. And even their two-lane country roads were gorgeously maintained.

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Calamity_Jesus t1_iy8qerk wrote

Out of sight, out of mind. My understanding is that while it has always been prevalent, it wasn't really identified officially as being prevalent in the American wilderness until the 1970s (when researchers went looking for it).

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sheskrafti t1_iy8s0ej wrote

You could for real sell posters of this if you wanted.

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Foolhearted t1_iy8x5la wrote

Was your grandfather nick carraway?

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lovesmtns t1_iy8xa5b wrote

Born and raised in Washington. A mountain climber. Did a 2,000' elev gain easy hike before leaving. Lived in Ohio near Cincinnati for 5 months. Only brown water everywhere, and it was undrinkable. No mountains. No hills. The highest elevation anywhere near us was 300' Mt Rummke. The local garbage company was the Rummke Trash Disposal company. Mt Rummke was the local garbage hill, with bulldozers constantly running around over its surface. Never so glad to get back to Washington in my life. Clear blue water, gorgeous lovely mountains. Felt EXACTLY like your father :):):).

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Kim_Thomas t1_iy8zk1i wrote

Clearly he loved his Pacific Northwest & Washington. I don’t blame him one bit.

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AgentOli t1_iy90fs0 wrote

I'm from Philadelphia and the driving rules there are "do whatever you want and make sure you do it before the guy who has right of way can do it." Everyone is in an enormous, angry hurry, and the law is for suckers.

Driving here is really peaceful in comparison. Though I also felt that way going cross country.

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ChewbaccaFuzball t1_iy91tk1 wrote

Being from Washington then moving to the east coast, I can completely relate

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Montu_Walks t1_iy94j53 wrote

Some of the dumbest can be encountered on the freeway between Olympia and Vancouver. Enormously long lines of people camping in the left lane. Only place I've ever encountered such idiocy. I don't think any of them live there, I expect most are just passing through.

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NUKE11520 t1_iy96y0b wrote

Boy do I know the feeling! I live in Texas now! Miss the Pacific Northwest every day!

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theloop82 t1_iy998zq wrote

I like how that picture of Washington isn’t accurate in the slightest bit. It’s like they drew the east and then realized they didn’t have room for the west and said “fuck it”

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moonpuddding t1_iy9dl4t wrote

Me at SeaTac after coming home from the east coast. Lived there for 10 years, would not do again 😂

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Nightshade_Ranch t1_iy9hcc8 wrote

It's like that every time lol always glad to be back.

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sassy_cheddar t1_iy9pzel wrote

Compared to Germany, we invested much less in infrastructure that would let us not be car dependent, especially for lower income folks. It's very expensive to live within walking/biking distance of a transit center, a grocery store, and important services like banking and healthcare in much of the United States.

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Lupine-lover t1_iy9ssh9 wrote

I lived in Virginia and Maryland for work, couldn’t wait to get back too!

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NF-104 t1_iy9sz3t wrote

Traffic school in Germany is required and expensive (several thousand Euro 20 years ago) and driving infractions are expensive, so the professionalism of drivers is more on par with that of pilots. Plus Germans love to follow laws.

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Thundrpigg t1_iy9xmgs wrote

Fully agree, I just think the testing requirements need to be overhauled in the US. Driving at road legal speeds is very easy, but we should have a better system for ensuring competency.

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machine010101 t1_iya3tqw wrote

This was my family after moving back from Minnesota to the PNW after 3 years lol. I about cried after seeing mountains again. Experiencing the midwest makes you really appreciate where we live now.

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TallGuyGreg13 t1_iyahzhy wrote

When I was a driver's Ed teacher, I told my students that the horn was the least used tool for most drivers. It's one of the best things to use and NEEDS to be used way more often! If they wouldn't honk, I would do it for them (if it wasn't a dangerous moment, of course). Drivers are especially apt to cut off drivers' ed cars to get in front of them, so I would warn them and tell them that they should honk if someone is making things dangerous for their driving.

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XelfinDarlander t1_iyalrqa wrote

Yessss. I’m coming home in a few short months. I hate the south/east. West coast, best coast. I think I may do this too.

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Tawptuan t1_iyap5oc wrote

Exactly. Interestingly, I freely drank unfiltered wilderness water for 20 years before the 1970 research with no problems. Then added those gagging iodine pills for the next 20, followed by a proper mechanical filter for another 20 yrs. A victim of hyped research and clever marketing? 🤷🏼‍♂️

I guess the sad alternative might have been my epitaph: “Here lies wilderness enthusiast JQ, killed by Giardia at 97 years old.” 🙄

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