Geographic pride

[bugo]

I was in the Flint Hills of Kansas a couple weeks ago, something I suspect you would find to be ugly, but I really liked it, especially at this time of year. Sure, there weren't giant mountains to tell you " LOOK AT ME I'M BEAUTIFUL,"  but the leaves were changed in colors you just don't find in the northwest and the rolling hills are a terrain type you just don't find in the northwest (to a small extent in certain areas, but nothing like eastern Kansas/western Missouri). Even compared to the western northwest, the forests have an undergrowth you just don't find that's really neat as well.

The Flint Hills are beautiful.  I liken them to a blanket that has been tossed on the ground.  I drove through on I-35 and I was very impressed.

[corco]

As far as really diverse states go, I'd advance Wyoming as another candidate- at least on par with a state like Washington or other west coast states KEK so dearly loves. Washington basically has give different sorts of ecosystems- there's the forested western Washington, the Cascade Curtain mountain/forest/desert area, the desert southeast Washington, the Palouse in extreme eastern Washington, and the differently forested northeastern Washington. Wyoming has all sorts of stuff- the Black Hills invade the northeast corner of the state,

(US-85 in Weston Cty)

the southeast part is very much like panhandle Nebraska- there's not much in the way of Sandhills but there's usable farmland.

(WYO 213 in Laramie Cty)


The south central part of the state is godawful desert,

(I-80 in Carbon Cty)

with the Snowys (the extension of the Front Range from Colorado) going from Laramie up to Casper and providing some well-treed mountains

(WYO 130 in Albany Cty)

(WYO 251 in Natrona Cty)

then the Uintas and Flaming Gorge area in the southwest part of the state,

(WYO 150 in Uinta Cty)

(WYO 430 in Sweetwater Cty)

then Yellowstone and the Tetons in the northwest,

(US-26 in Teton Cty)

with the Winds and Big Horns providing sort of a buffer zone for all of that in the middle of the state.

(US-287 in Fremont Cty)

(US-14 in Sheridan Cty)

[Ian]

Going back to the origin of this thread, I live in the Philadelphia area, have been all my 15 years of life. To be honest, I don't mind being a Pennsylvanian, but I really hate living here. Even if I go on a 20 minute car trip down to Delaware, I am still miserable coming back. This is mostly so because I had a miserable childhood here. I'd much rather be living up in the northeast, like New Hampshire, Maine, or upstate New York, where I actually enjoy going to, and never would want to leave.

Plus, Flyers and Phillies fans are really annoying 

[MechaKnight]

Being born on the Gulf Coast of Florida gives me confidence. Tampa is my home city and I'm proud of it

[BigMattFromTexas]

KEK, you didn't really prove any point in those pictures....
Texas has beach, forest, desert, plains, mountains, and hilly areas.. So you don't have much to dog us about..
How often do you see this in the NW:

And you have to GO to Big Bend to appreciate it..
Cattail Falls, Big Bend Nat'l Park:

Grapevine Hills (that's me in the red) :

Santa Elena Canyon:

Rio Grande, look at those cliffs in the back:

The window:

Me at 7000+ feet:

Emory Peak:

BigMatt

[KEK Inc.]

Eastern Washington and Oregon are actually fairly arid and have deep canyons (not as deep as Big Bend).  Also, I was citing California, which isn't part of the NW, and there are plenty of arid wonders in the East Sierra Nevadas. 

We're both extremely biased here, so this won't really go anywhere. 

[BigMattFromTexas]

^ I agree. I want to go to the West coast...
BigMatt

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

^ I never wanted to leave Texas during the winter months just because I hate dealing with the cold.

How far south in Texas do you have to go before there is no snow...ever?  Last two years we've seen snow in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

[BigMattFromTexas]

I'd say South of San Antonio would make snow less "common", I say common cause it snowed here (Angelo) TWICE this winter, and we also had 107 degree weather this summer.... But I don't really know the South Texas climate that well..
BigMatt

[jgb191]

^ I never wanted to leave Texas during the winter months just because I hate dealing with the cold.

How far south in Texas do you have to go before there is no snow...ever?  Last two years we've seen snow in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Not that it's never snowed down here, I've just never seen it in person.  Before the freak Christmas 2004 snowfall (which I missed), the last time Corpus Christi got any snow was 1941, which was a 63-year time difference, and before that was 1895 (a 46-year gap).  I think throughout the city's history to date, you can count the total number of snow days in one hand.

Also in in that same cyclone in 2004, Brownsville received their first snowfall (1.5 inches) ever recorded in history, and Laredo got their first snow (2 inches) in 106 years and overall second time ever, 1898 was the last time before that.

You get the idea.  I probably will not have to worry about snow ever again in my lifetime, which is why I'm glad I am from and still live in this part of the nation.  So I guess that means (for the sake of this thread) I have geographic pride in my region!


You want to know another thing I'm particularly proud of.....in my lifetime, we are the only state in the union to have recorded excess of 100 degrees in all twelve calendar months (January, December, and all months in between).  We're probably even the only state in the nation to have recorded 90s in every calendar month.  I could be wrong, but Texas may also be the only state to have recorded 110 days in the months of March and April, although maybe the same might have happened in Death Valley, CA.

[Ian]

I love the snow just as much as I love the winter, and the cold weather. I just don't get how people in the south deal with hot weather most of the year. I love the 4 seasons we get.

[jgb191]

^ Just like we don't get how any of you up north can deal with the below-freezing cold for almost half-the year.  It works both ways.

[Ian]

And I'm not saying I don't like the heat either. I just prefer to the cold, mostly because I'm used to it.

[jgb191]

Oh yeah, I totally understand.  Just meaning to stress that your definition on winter greatly differs from ours.  But that's what makes this nation so great is that there are so many climate variations -- a little bit of everything.

Some parts are generally warm practically year-round, some are cool/cold year-round, and most places seeing both hot and cold every year.

[Ian]

and most places seeing both hot and cold every year.

... which is what I like. A bit of everything. I especially enjoy the fall, when it is starting to get cold and the foliage pops up!

[NJRoadfan]

Texas (and Oklahoma to an extent) is one of the most diverse regions of the world in terms of climate. Its where the eastern hardwood forests end and the Great Plains begin. Most every eastern plant species reaches its western extent in Texas, particularly in the Cross Timbers. You also have a transition to the drier desert climates to the west. Just look at where I-10 enters/exits Texas. The western crossing from NM is desert, the eastern crossing from LA is swampy and pine forest.

NJ for a small state packs a lot of diversity. You have the coast and the mountains. In terms of development you have a mix of suburban, urban, and rural. The state lies in two climate zones (humid subtropical and humid continental) and the Pine Barrens are another one of those transition zones for plants. Most southern plants reach their northern extent in NJ and most northern plants meet their southern extent.

As for weather, its not quite as cold and snowy as New England. This year was abnormal for weather, a cold snowy winter like New England, and a hot and humid summer like the Carolinas! Keep in mind, I have experienced cold weather in Florida, its by no means hot there during the winter outside of the south-eastern coast.

[BigMattFromTexas]

And I'm not saying I don't like the heat either. I just prefer to the cold, mostly because I'm used to it.

Ha! Heat, what like 90 degrees?!

And Texas has the most awesome terrain in the U.S. Guadalupe Peak is taller than any mountain peak East of the Mississippi!
BigMatt

[Ian]

Ha! Heat, what like 90 degrees?!

Anything above 50=no jacket for me

[BigMattFromTexas]

Ha! Heat, what like 90 degrees?!

Anything above 50=no jacket for me

Oh my gosh, everyone down here freaks out and grabs their parka in 50s! I think 70 and up is awesome, 90s is great, 100s is warm, 108+ is hot.
BigMatt

[jgb191]

I need a jacket at 70 degrees.

[bugo]

Texas (and Oklahoma to an extent) is one of the most diverse regions of the world in terms of climate.

I've heard that Oklahoma has the most diverse terrain in the country.

As for the hot/cold debate, I'd rather be in cold weather than hot weather.  Not -65 degree cold, but normal winter temperatures from 20 degrees up.  It's easier to stay warm than it is to stay cool.

[bugo]

Ha! Heat, what like 90 degrees?!

Anything above 50=no jacket for me

50 degrees is short sleeved weather. 

[KEK Inc.]

Everything depends on humidity.  I can tolerate 100 degrees easily in California, since everything is dry, but with humidity I can barely stand 80...  I did grow up in the West Coast, so there is an issue there.  The thing is, to get comfortable, you can't exactly remove layers...  Yes, you can see hot bikini chicks in warmer areas much more often, but you also sweat a lot more.  Up north, you can wear bundled clothing.  Exposed areas can be quite nippy, though.

[J N Winkler]

I can deal with very low and very high temperatures, but as I have gotten older, I have found I have difficulty tolerating temperatures over about 90° F. without air-conditioning, and I really can't do without a jacket and gloves when the temperature goes below 55° F.  In fact, the latter is my main objection to the climate in Britain.  Britain has a maritime climate so temperatures are quite moderate compared to the US and continental Europe--but I can expect to wear gloves on some days any month of the year, I have to wear gloves most of the time for at least nine months of the year, and except in high summer there is no time that I cannot avoid carrying gloves in my coat pocket.

I also don't like places where a significant proportion of the annual rainfall falls cold.  Britain meets this description, unlike parts of the inland US where winter precipitation tends to fall as snow and summer thunderstorms produce warm rain.  Cold rain entails special measures to keep rainwater from soaking your clothing since if that happens, the water will be very slow to evaporate and you will catch a chill.  In the US you can generally do without rain trousers unless you are a serious biker; in Britain rain trousers are a necessity.  In the US cotton (which does not hold heat in if it gets wet) is regarded as a year-round fabric, whereas in Britain many people modify their wardrobes by wearing woollens or synthetics (which will hold heat in even when they are wet) for many months of the year.

[mightyace]

I can generally handle heat well (not with 99% humidity), but what is there to do in Texas?  In California-Washington, you're close to the ocean, mountains, rivers, gorges, canyons, etc.  There's way more interesting topography in the far west.  I don't know of any other place in the country where you can be an hour away from the beach and an hour away from a ski resort. 

New Jersey might come close.  You have the Pocono mountains just inside PA and beaches to the east.