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What's even weirder is that due to geographic constraints, you can drive hundreds and hundreds of miles without seeing any sort of development, and within 5 miles, be embroiled in dense suburban development, even in California. All of the major Western metropolitan areas are at least 100 miles away from each other, and there really aren't that many small towns dotting the landscape like you'd find east of the Rockies.
Here's a 3D population density map to show what I mean
I find it fascinating how there is almost literally a cutoff line north-to-south.
As a Chicagoan born and raised, you can keep the vast wilderness. I'm one of those horrible people who had to keep quiet during the sunrise at the Grand Canyon and was looking around for a Starbucks.
California has a lot of that sort of thing going on, as does the Pacific Northwest. If hiking is your thing, or for some reason you enjoy being outside, I say go for it.
Many of those Washington pictures look like the Upper Midwest. I never knew that was out there. When I think of "Washington State," I think of rain, clouds, ocean and mountains.
People from that part of WA even sound like people from the upper Midwest. Many of them moved out from MI, MN, WI, etc. Lots of wheat.
I live in Colorado and recently hiked my first 14,000+ foot mountain. A "14er" is what we call one of those. There are 54 of them in our wonderful state, and here is the view looking to the southwest from the top of Quandary Peak at 14,265 feet. The whitecaps just look like they go on forever! I could just sit up there all day and sit there staring out at the view forever.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Utah's magnificent National Parks
Arches National Park
Arches National Park, Utah (http://www.flickr.com/photos/60095477@N08/5601471478/ - broken link) by james.gordon6108 (http://www.flickr.com/people/60095477@N08/ - broken link), on Flickr
Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah (http://www.flickr.com/photos/60095477@N08/5601464360/ - broken link) by james.gordon6108 (http://www.flickr.com/people/60095477@N08/ - broken link), on Flickr
Double Arch - Arches National Park (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomkny/5449651178/ - broken link) by tomkny (http://www.flickr.com/people/tomkny/ - broken link), on Flickr
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park Utah (http://www.flickr.com/photos/36116414@N06/5458376232/ - broken link) by cmellor2002 (http://www.flickr.com/people/36116414@N06/ - broken link), on Flickr
Bryce Canyon National Park (http://www.flickr.com/photos/redeo/4913067164/ - broken link) by Redeo (http://www.flickr.com/people/redeo/ - broken link), on Flickr
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 06-21-2011 at 07:29 PM..
Gotta love the West. Though there's perhaps not as much American heritage/history out here, since these states came to the Union later in our history, there's a LOT of nature out here. California, Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, and Washington, to name just a few, still continue to have many innovative and educated industries and workers. It's a top draw for immigrants (legal and illegal), the natural beauty is breathtaking, and the weather on the West Coast...man.
I love this place.
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