One of the gtc threads inspired the inquiry.
michealski says living by the ocean aint no big thang.
Let's hear what the rest of you think. I, for one, find the ocean amazing and never seem to tire of it. Are there other lakesiders out there that agree with m-ski that the ocean's just a buncha silly salt water? What about the mountain men & women in the group and the great plainers and the valley folks......let's hear what you think....
I have lived by the ocean. It was nice to visit on the weekends, but not enough to make me want to live by it the rest of my life. I do find myself drawn to some landscapes more than others. The savanna region in which I live is a favorite. I like the rolling hills covered with prairies and clumps of trees. It doesn't really matter if that is California, Wyoming, Wisconsin or any other state (except Texas).
Anyone want to adopt a dog?
Living in such a narrow country like Chile, I just can't imagine living far away from the sea. Right now I live just 10 miles from the sea and 60 from a big lake...
I just like the sound of the sea waves crashing onto the beach and rocks, and it's not just a flatland that gets to the sea, but rather a mountain chain that dives quickly to the sea.
I just hate the Patagonian prairies... just soooo boring... you lose the sense of scale quite quickly there... I just need lots of trees to live
Me like sea. You're never that far away from it in New Zealand and I love going to the beach. I think I'll always try to live near the sea. It's part of our culture.
This is near where I grew up - Kapiti Island in background
Last edited by JNL; 10 Feb 2004 at 10:44 PM.
I grew up on the jersey shore;
went to school in cache valley,ut;
worked/lived in the upper blue river valley, co;
now work/live in the ohio river valley.
prefer the jersey shore and cache valley.
Oddball
Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves?
Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?
From Kelly's Heroes (1970)
Are you sure you're not hurt ?
No. Just some parts wake up faster than others.
Broke parts take a little longer, though.
From Electric Horseman (1979)
I have always lived in the southeastern US and loved it. I have lived next to or close to lakes, rivers, springs, oceans, mountians, caves, farms, large cities, small cities and finally medium cities (not all at once of course). I think my fav (if I could combo) would would be a medium city in a warm climate with a lake and and mountian view. Has anyone found this place? (is does not have to be in the US).
Last edited by H; 11 Feb 2004 at 7:57 AM.
The interesting thing about my upcoming move and my curren tlocation is that teh landscapes are in some places identical and in other ways completely different.
Where I live now
2 blocks to the river/mouth of the bay to the ocean
Hilly / River valleys
Trees - let em grow for 60 years then clear cut
Where I'm going
Great beaches
Flat, cleared farmland, managed woodlots
Niagara Escarpment
I missed the farmland living here, I think I'll miss the trees where I am going.
Too lazy to beat myself up for being to lazy to beat myself up for being too lazy to... well you get the point....
I am an upper mid west man. I was born here, raised here, tried the East Coast thing, now I am back and better than ever. I like how there is everything from small mountains, and hills, flat planes, rolling hills, small lakes, big lakes, large cities, small towns, skiing, snowboarding, and the Red Wings.Originally posted by plankton
As for the Ocean thing… I will agree that it is pretty to look at, but then again so is a forest in the winter, a busy but little downtown, and several other places with a tenth of the property cost. I would change my tone if there were docks or some other feature, and if it is a bay, that would help as well. There is something about seeing something on the other side. I grew up a few blocks from Little Bay de Noc on Lake Michigan, I loved it, because it was a bay, and you could see the other side. It was something more than just water. But when I got to Marquette, I would go running along the lakeshore on a regular basis, and it just seemed to be “nothingness” to me. I stand by my it ain't no big thing thought for the time being.
When compassion exceeds logic for too long, chaos will ensue. - Unknown
I like New England / Northeast. I couldn't picture living more than a couple hours from the ocean. We've got big cities, little cities, historic towns galore, lots of shoreline, mountains. There's always some new unique town to see. New England could use some more global warming though. I'm at the southern end and its too damn cold.
From what little I've seen of the Great Lakes (just Ontario) its just not the same as the beaches, waves, rocks, and seaport towns of the ocean. I've only seen some of the Midwest from a plane and the infinite squares of farmland seemed very strange to me.
I also love the Pac NW landscape. I do really want to visit every part of the country though - they all have their ups and downs.
I'm a southern New Englander by birth, and a northeastern U.S. resident by choice.
I love the diverse landscapes (especially our river valleys) and the relatively mature (ablieit small) mountain ranges of the norther Appalachian range.
I currently live in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on Chicago's near northside.
More specifically, I live on the block of North Clark Street where the infamous St. Valentine;s Day massacre happened.
I grew-up in Alpena, MI in the northeastern part of Michigan's lower peninsula on Thunder Bay (not the Canadian Thunder Bay). Alpena is on the shores of Lake Huron and I, much like michaelskis, lived a couple blocks from the lake.
I love the Great Lakes and the varied landscapes of the states and provinces that surround them. I also really love a real urban city, and I wasn't about to become a Canadian, so Chicago was the place to come.
If you want relatively unspoiled, lightly populated nature, then the Upper Great Lakes are a great place to see.
Plus, when all the people in southwest start running out of fresh water, all us up here can laugh at them.
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/communi...0Bay(NASA).jpg
Last edited by NHPlanner; 08 Sep 2005 at 12:21 PM.
I'm sorry. Is my bias showing?
For me, I am a Florida girl. It does not matter what area of the state as long as it is Florida. I absolutely love being in the south, but now we are moving to a place we never ever dreamed of going to. . . the north!
I live in the Midwest and love the Midwest.
I need seasons and variety. If I were to move at this point in my live it would have to another area in the north. I like the variety of the seasons, I like looking forward to spring and summer after a long cold winter, and I look forward to winter after a hot and humid summer.
I enjoy many, many outdoor recreation activities from x-country skiing to mountain and road biking.
If I were to move out of the north I would have to give up some of my interests or at least have to resign myself to only being able to do them less frequently and I am nor ready to do that.
But ask me when I'm 50 years old. I may be sick of the winter and you might find me in the Southwest.
New England.
Born here, will probably die here.
"Growth is inevitable and desirable, but destruction of community character is not. The question is not whether your part of the world is going to change. The question is how." -- Edward T. McMahon, The Conservation Fund
Just in case nobody has got the gist yet, I am NOT a prairie girl. It has been very difficult these last two years living so far from the mountains and the ocean. I don't know which I miss more... probably the mountains. I was spoiled growing up in California: lived in the mountains (Santa Monica Mountains that is) and 15 minutes away from the beach. A few hours to skiing and BIG mountains. After I moved out of the house, I lived in N. California (near BKM ), also an hour to the beach on one side and an hour to the Sierras. I moved from there to Whidbey Island (see below), and then Portland and then here to Edmonton.
I think Whidbey Island/Puget Sound and Portland were the best 'fits' for me. I'd move back to the North or West Puget Sound in a heartbeat (Port Townsend, Bellingham, Oak Harbor, San Juan Islands).
http://www.donferrario.com/travel/_images/whidbey.jpg
Last edited by NHPlanner; 08 Sep 2005 at 12:21 PM.
Born in a big northern smelly industrial city, currently living in the midwest. I like the seasons, and the vistas combined with rolling hills and forests, but I miss the ocean (it was less than 50 miles away from where I was born). I've grown up in the midwest, though, and anything else seems strange. Portland, OR is beautiful, I love the northeast, especially Boston, but I'm a midwestern girl for now.
I don't dream. I plan.
I am a born-again West Coaster. What I like about California is not so much one aspect (the ocean, for example) but the incredible diversity of landscapes within a short drive or even a modest bicycle ride. For example, if I go riding in Napa County, I can start in a very nice traditional Victorian farmtown (Napa City), quickly get into a fine rolling oaks and savannah landscape, then descend into a beautiful fog-blessed vineyard country, then climb a mountain road along an oak and bay laurel lined creek, follow a ridgline through redwood forest, descend a 16% grade into another agricultural valley (Napa Valley), then climb through a rugged chaparell and wildflower filled canyon into rugged countryside reminiscent of southern California. (This all assumes I get my act in gear and drop the flab enough to ride this route). Plus, I love large rivers, and California has some within a short drive, including the American River and its 37 miles of bicycle paths and parks-and the Sacramento River, of course. Finally, I really like many urban areas of the inner Bay Area. Not only San Francisco, but also Berkeley, parts of Oakland (its not all tragic-there are some truly lovely areas), some of the Penninsula towns, and Marin County.
I liked the Knoxville (TN) area, but it just doesn't have this kind of variety. My hometown in Northern Indiana? I don't like corn and soybeans and urban sprawl THAT much. Like Nerudite, I'm not sure I am a prairie person, either. Give me hills.
Negatives: In an ideal world, though, I would probably live right near the Ocean. As much as I love my part of the world, I am, sadly, pretty allergic to it. Every Spring, I get sick from the pollen. Valley air quality leaves something to be desired.
If I had my druthers I'd live on the ocean, not just near it. I love the mountains and valleys of western Montana. I love the rocky coast of Maine.
I love fall mornings, with azure skies and brisk air that warms to shirt-sleeve weather and red-orange-golden foliage. I love winter grey skies and the silence of snow falling. Although I am allergic to the "Ohio Valley Crud", I am amazed at my wife's garden coming to life each spring. I can do without 98F and 100% humidity with tornado watches.
As it seems extremely unlikely that I will ever leave here to live elsewhere, I just hope that I will always be able to visit the places that are special to me.
I have seen
old ships sailing
like swans asleep
Born and raised in FL. Always lived here, except for college in New England. Less than an hour to great beaches. I don't think I'd want to live anywhere else.
Grew up in southern Michigan, amidst rolling hills, fields, woods, and lakes (both Great and not-so-great). It was nice, but there was way too much sprawl for me.
I spent as much of my existence in MI on the Lake Superior shore and basically anywhere around the UP I could get to. Still my favorite places in the world: Isle Royale, the Sturgeon River Gorge, the northern Keewenaw, and the Porcupine Mountains.
Now I live in Maine, right on the water, in the rocky (rugged?) mid-coast area in a delightful small town, not too far from the action in Portland, not too far from the mountains of inland Maine.
I love living by the ocean, but really its the variety of scenery that the rocky-ness and that living in coastal maine affords that I appreciate. For instance, during my ten-mile commute to work, I cross three rivers (all salty), pass by two lakes, cross over three saltmarshes, drive along a large cove, come within view of a handful of islands, and pass through various stretches of farm, forest, residential/commercial land and village.
Ocean views around here rarely come without an island, a craggy peninsula, a tidal saltmarsh, a lighthouse, lobsterboats, buoys, or gull-covered rocks. I've visited the Atlantic coast down south where it is a long flat stretch of sand, and I have to say I'm less impressed. Looking out and seeing nothing but the flat surface of the water doesn't do a whole lot for me either - I'm with those who say they like to see something out there across the water.
Born and raised in virginia and truly enjoyed the rural nature, the farmer's markets, the mennonite-tended landscapes, and the old, old communities where I had the pleasure of growing up.
Have spent quite a few years now out West and, to put it bluntly, ain't never going back. The landscape, the amenities, the recreation, the great little towns- its gotten in my blood and I'm doing everything I can to put down roots. I had the pleasure of working as an archaeologist for a few years, and i was able to experience the western landscape in a very unique way.
I need never live in a big city, but give me a lively little community, some decently sized mountains, and some decently open landscapes, and i'm happy.
Born in Jersey but I've grown up in San Diego, thanks mom and dadLove the beach,coastal hills are the best! mountains and desert.
I was born and raised in the countryside of the southern Appalachian foothills near a couple of clean and sizable lakes. It is beautiful there with four seasons (well, two of those were summer) and the sun setting over the mountains... I at times get homesick for that scenery but really coulnd't go back becuase it's just too far from everything. I then spent five years living near the beach and loved it. The life-style, the salt air...it was great there, just too flat for my taste.
Right now I'm living in a city plopped in between three major river valleys. The topography of this region can be very dramatic and definitely unique.
Like H, my dream city would be medium to large in size, within view of the mountains, on or very close to a nice lake, and no more than a half days drive from the ocean. Although, it doesn't necessarily have to be in the south.
Last edited by biscuit; 12 Feb 2004 at 9:21 AM.
Unique, historic towns = definitely. A place with character. And mountains, rolling hills, lakes, and streams need to be included too. I've lived most of my life in the northeast & mid-Atlantic states, with short stints in the southeast and southern California. Although I flirted briefly with the idea of living in the Seattle area, I can't imagine living outside the northeast. I like my four seasons, the colors of autumn, and even (though hard to imagine now) snow.
I am a transplanted boy from the Bayou. Born in Houston but spent most of my life in Louisiana. But I always loved the West. Every time I went West for vacation I did not want to leave. So when a friend and I visited Montana in 1986 I decided when it was time to go that I would stay. Minus 19 months in Alaska, I've been here ever since. I love the mountains and the rivers. I love four seasons, though winter does wear on me around February. I love the long summer evenings. I love the big sky. I could live in Montana, or Idaho, or parts of Wyoming, Washington or Oregon. I am a northwesterner by choice.
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