Dislike about the state/province/country/city you live in, including weather

[Road Hog]

From about July 10 to September 10, Texas heat blows goats. That's about the only negative thing I focus on.

[Scott5114]

I keep duplicates of basic toiletries for travel usage.  They never leave my travel bag and thusly are ready to be thrown in the car at a moments notice. 

Yeah. I'll add to that that I have a little zipper bag that contains travel size versions of all of my toiletries. If they don't make something in travel size, they make little TSA-approved bottles that you can just pour a little bit of product into. Then you just have to refill everything when you get home and stash it back in the suitcase for next time.

I use an electric toothbrush too, but I pack a basic one because if my teeth are going to rot from 3 days or whatever of not having a slightly better toothbrush, then that's their personal choice.

[vdeane]

I can see how one can pack (or at least set aside) clothes ahead of time (although I usually don't bother, since this takes the least amount of time), but how does that work with things that get used in the morning, like my shampoo, conditioner, and the tweezers I use to pluck my eyebrows every day?

Packing one's toiletries and pajamas into already-packed luggage takes, like, what? two minutes, tops.

Or, pack your toiletry bag the day before and set it in the bathroom and grab the stuff out of it that morning, just as you will do on the trip.

I have to do that, or something inevitably gets forgotten ("How the f did I forget a toothbrush?").

One of these days I shold probably get a proper toiletries bag.  My parents each have one (bought for a trip to Ireland) and they're very nice.  I just have an old brown thing that doesn't even hold everything and isn't optimized for using things directly from the bag; it holds my shampoo, contact lens solution and case (I do have a specific case for traveling at least), pill case (that works for up to 5 nights; more than that, or to Canada, and I'm taking the bottle of multivitamins), deodorant, floss case (that works for up to a week of floss thingies and q tips, or close to two weeks if going to my parents and I don't need to take q tips because I know they have them), toothbrush, razor, toothpaste, and travel moisturizer (my regular moisturizer is a pump bottle and I don't know how to close it up for traveling; alas, it doesn't come in a travel size, and I have to switch brands for trips).  My conditioner is stuck riding in my bag separately, along with my wide-toothed comb, any extra razors (I use disposable ones), and my tweezers.

[Rothman]

I can see how one can pack (or at least set aside) clothes ahead of time (although I usually don't bother, since this takes the least amount of time), but how does that work with things that get used in the morning, like my shampoo, conditioner, and the tweezers I use to pluck my eyebrows every day?

Packing one's toiletries and pajamas into already-packed luggage takes, like, what? two minutes, tops.

Or, pack your toiletry bag the day before and set it in the bathroom and grab the stuff out of it that morning, just as you will do on the trip.

I have to do that, or something inevitably gets forgotten ("How the f did I forget a toothbrush?").

Yep.  My wife and I are headed out on a little vacation and we packed our clothes tonight, we have a toiletry bag we'll fill tomorrow morning, throw it in our big bag and away we go.

[kphoger]

One of these days I shold probably get a proper toiletries bag.  My parents each have one (bought for a trip to Ireland) and they're very nice.  I just have an old brown thing that doesn't even hold everything and isn't optimized for using things directly from the bag; it holds my shampoo, contact lens solution and case (I do have a specific case for traveling at least), pill case (that works for up to 5 nights; more than that, or to Canada, and I'm taking the bottle of multivitamins), deodorant, floss case (that works for up to a week of floss thingies and q tips, or close to two weeks if going to my parents and I don't need to take q tips because I know they have them), toothbrush, razor, toothpaste, and travel moisturizer (my regular moisturizer is a pump bottle and I don't know how to close it up for traveling; alas, it doesn't come in a travel size, and I have to switch brands for trips).  My conditioner is stuck riding in my bag separately, along with my wide-toothed comb, any extra razors (I use disposable ones), and my tweezers.

Wow.  I just travel with a toothbrush, toothpaste, hair gel, deodorant, and all-in-one liquid soap/shampoo/conditioner.  If I have to shave, then I pack a razor, double-edge blade, soap stick, and brush—but typically I just wait to shave till I get back home.  The gel and soap go in a baggie inside another baggie (in case of eruption), everything else goes in another plastic bag (which once belonged to a roll-up toiletry case with multiple bags).

[JayhawkCO]

One of these days I shold probably get a proper toiletries bag.  My parents each have one (bought for a trip to Ireland) and they're very nice.  I just have an old brown thing that doesn't even hold everything and isn't optimized for using things directly from the bag; it holds my shampoo, contact lens solution and case (I do have a specific case for traveling at least), pill case (that works for up to 5 nights; more than that, or to Canada, and I'm taking the bottle of multivitamins), deodorant, floss case (that works for up to a week of floss thingies and q tips, or close to two weeks if going to my parents and I don't need to take q tips because I know they have them), toothbrush, razor, toothpaste, and travel moisturizer (my regular moisturizer is a pump bottle and I don't know how to close it up for traveling; alas, it doesn't come in a travel size, and I have to switch brands for trips).  My conditioner is stuck riding in my bag separately, along with my wide-toothed comb, any extra razors (I use disposable ones), and my tweezers.

Wow.  I just travel with a toothbrush, toothpaste, hair gel, deodorant, and all-in-one liquid soap/shampoo/conditioner.  If I have to shave, then I pack a razor, double-edge blade, soap stick, and brush—but typically I just wait to shave till I get back home.  The gel and soap go in a baggie inside another baggie (in case of eruption), everything else goes in another plastic bag (which once belonged to a roll-up toiletry case with multiple bags).

If I'm staying a hotel, I just bring toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairspray, assuming that the hotel has body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. If I'm on a long trip, normally I'll just bring a toothbrush and then buy toiletries when I get to the location.

[kkt]

Bad things about living in Las Vegas:

- The summer heat, of course. This year wasn't as bad as last year, but...
- ...electricity is expensive (thanks, Berkshire Hathaway!), so if you want to afford your power bill in the summer you have to turn the thermostat up. I have to keep it set to 75°F because my office tends to run 5° hotter than whatever the thermostat is set to. I tried setting it to 80°F once and I hated my decision.
- I do sort of miss thunderstorms. (This is not the desert's fault, of course, but I was told there'd be monsoons. Where are the monsoons?!)
- The water in the Colorado River is so hard that I have to keep various forms of acid around to mitigate the calcium buildup. About once a month I have to soak my dishes in vinegar to get the calcium off.
- There is some sort of belief on the city's part that the primary cause of mosquitos is stagnant pools, so Code Enforcement appears to fly a drone around looking for pools with green water. Given that this is my first year owning a non-salt pool and I've having to learn how to keep the chemicals balanced, this has been incredibly anxiety inducing.
- Las Vegas is a notoriously transient city. Thus there isn't a lot of civic pride, which is probably why there's a lot of litter and graffiti. It is hard to make friends since so many people are just here "for the time being" and don't have any interest in putting down roots.
- Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is worse than useless; they tend to ignore most sorts of reported crime in progress in lieu of promising to send an officer around to do a report later (who then never shows). They will, however, send SWAT to destroy your garage door if the person who lived there five years before you has a warrant out. They offer zero traffic enforcement, so there are lots of people driving around running red lights with no insurance and no license plates. Packages get stolen all the time (fortunately it seems like it's not bad where I live now, but when I lived off of Rainbow and Charleston we had stuff go missing all the time).
- There are not really any nearby cities. Once you get outside the LV Valley your options are...Pahrump, Boulder City, and Laughlin/Bullhead/Kingman, or else drive for a few hours to somewhere like St. George or Barstow. Even Beatty and Tonopah, in the next county over, are hours away. None of these cities are anywhere near the size of LV, so it's kind of hard to even scrounge up a reason to want to do a short-ish road trip after you've already run up the score on Travel Mapping. You may as well just stay home until you can put aside enough time for a multi-day trip to California or Utah.
- This is a me-specific problem and not a Las Vegas problem, but...judging from my kitchen and shower, my house was designed by someone no more than five feet tall who ordered takeout every day.

Tonopah is a city now?  When I was there last it was one gas station at a crossroads.  When we drove up with an overheated radiator he just opened the cap right up instead of letting it cool a little and opening it just a crack to let the pressure out.  He was treated to a faceful of boiling water.  He was okay after he rinsed off his face with cold water... but who operates a gas station in the desert and doesn't know that?

[I-55]

Things I don't like about northeast Indiana (particularly Fort Wayne)

• Unless you're going to Indy or Lansing you have to take traffic signal ridden routes with speed traps and accelerating semis
• Up until recently we only had national restaurant chains (in addition to local restaurants) but didn't have any regional chains. Now we have more variety from Midwest, southern, east coast, and Chicago based chains
• We're blacked out of any any sporting event it's possible to get blacked out from since we're between major markets
• Too big to have much local charm but too small to have big city retailers, restaurants, entertainment, etc.
• Everyone goes to the lake on weekends so if you're like me and don't go to the lake there's no one left to do anything with
• If you live and work in Allen County the interstates are mostly useless for commuting. I've had to commute 30 minutes downtown and spent probably 15 of those minutes stopped at traffic signals.
• Adding a lane to a ramp is considered a "big project" up here so I don't work on anything close to the INDOT major project list
• The different parts of town are all physically separated from each other and none of them feel like the same city
• New Haven seemingly can't make up their mind if they want to be a small town or a suburb. Has led to some really weird development

[kphoger]

If I'm staying a hotel, I just bring toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairspray, assuming that the hotel has body wash, shampoo, and conditioner.

True, but I'm often not staying at a hotel.

[JayhawkCO]

If I'm staying a hotel, I just bring toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairspray, assuming that the hotel has body wash, shampoo, and conditioner.

True, but I'm often not staying at a hotel.

It also depends on whose house I might be visiting for my non-hotel visits. I know my parents, for instance, have shampoo and body wash in the guest bathroom. So no need to be redundant and bring them.

[gonealookin]

One of these days I shold probably get a proper toiletries bag.  My parents each have one (bought for a trip to Ireland) and they're very nice.  I just have an old brown thing that doesn't even hold everything and isn't optimized for using things directly from the bag; it holds my shampoo, contact lens solution and case (I do have a specific case for traveling at least), pill case (that works for up to 5 nights; more than that, or to Canada, and I'm taking the bottle of multivitamins), deodorant, floss case (that works for up to a week of floss thingies and q tips, or close to two weeks if going to my parents and I don't need to take q tips because I know they have them), toothbrush, razor, toothpaste, and travel moisturizer (my regular moisturizer is a pump bottle and I don't know how to close it up for traveling; alas, it doesn't come in a travel size, and I have to switch brands for trips).  My conditioner is stuck riding in my bag separately, along with my wide-toothed comb, any extra razors (I use disposable ones), and my tweezers.

Wow.  I just travel with a toothbrush, toothpaste, hair gel, deodorant, and all-in-one liquid soap/shampoo/conditioner.  If I have to shave, then I pack a razor, double-edge blade, soap stick, and brush—but typically I just wait to shave till I get back home.  The gel and soap go in a baggie inside another baggie (in case of eruption), everything else goes in another plastic bag (which once belonged to a roll-up toiletry case with multiple bags).

If I'm staying a hotel, I just bring toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairspray, assuming that the hotel has body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. If I'm on a long trip, normally I'll just bring a toothbrush and then buy toiletries when I get to the location.

A few other small things I routinely travel with, and are in the toiletry bag:

1.  A few Band-Aids.  It's sort of embarrassing to leave little spots of blood on the sheets.
2.  A couple travel packs of Kleenex.
3.  Church key.
4.  The big plastic clips you use to close a bag of potato chips.  I use these to close the gaps between the sections of curtains.  The hotel room air conditioner is often directly below the window blowing the curtains around, and it's annoying when there's some bright light from the parking lot shining in.

[Scott5114]

Tonopah is a city now?  When I was there last it was one gas station at a crossroads.

Well, it has a clown motel now, you see.

It would be pretty cool if they sold toiletry bags there which you could keep pulling bottle after bottle out of.

[Max Rockatansky]

Tonopah is a city now?  When I was there last it was one gas station at a crossroads.

Well, it has a clown motel now, you see.

It would be pretty cool if they sold toiletry bags there which you could keep pulling bottle after bottle out of.

The Clown Motel has been around for a good while now.  It actually is a relatively good deal given it usually undercuts the price of other hotels in the area.

To clarify, Tonopah is not incorporated.

[Scott5114]

To clarify, Tonopah is not incorporated.

Not that that really clarifies much, since practically nothing in Nevada is. Tonopah has the same legal status as Paradise (no city government, but has official boundaries, and any tax money the county collects there has to be spent there).

[kphoger]

4.  The big plastic clips you use to close a bag of potato chips.  I use these to close the gaps between the sections of curtains.  The hotel room air conditioner is often directly below the window blowing the curtains around, and it's annoying when there's some bright light from the parking lot shining in.

Binder clips can do the same thing but also have other uses.

On a related note, here's a picture from March 2009, during our eldest son's first road trip (well, the first since we moved when he was three months old) and first time sleeping away from home.  We were still working on sleep training at the time, and this was our first driving trip from Wichita to southern Coahuila.  My wife had packed thumbtacks specifically for the purpose of hanging a bedsheet to the motel ceiling.  When it was time for bed, we just closed the flap and then he was in darkness.  Relax Inn, Dilley TX, return trip northbound.

[gonealookin]

Tonopah is a city now?  When I was there last it was one gas station at a crossroads.

Well, it has a clown motel now, you see.

It would be pretty cool if they sold toiletry bags there which you could keep pulling bottle after bottle out of.

The Clown Motel has been around for a good while now.  It actually is a relatively good deal given it usually undercuts the price of other hotels in the area.

To clarify, Tonopah is not incorporated.

I love that the Clown Motel is next door to the cemetery.  That has me laughing every time I drive by.

The town does have a brewpub, Tonopah Brewing.

I also like that the restaurant adjacent to the casino in the Mizpah is an A&W.

However, I usually take NV 264/CA 266/NV 266 on the Tahoe to Vegas run, because (a) there's almost zero traffic and (b) what real Roadgeek out there doesn't have CA 266 on their bucket list, and I get to drive that somewhat regularly.

[Scott5114]

However, I usually take NV 264/CA 266/NV 266 on the Tahoe to Vegas run, because (a) there's almost zero traffic and (b) what real Roadgeek out there doesn't have CA 266 on their bucket list, and I get to drive that somewhat regularly.

Where do you do the fuel stops on that route? Hawthorne and Beatty?

[gonealookin]

However, I usually take NV 264/CA 266/NV 266 on the Tahoe to Vegas run, because (a) there's almost zero traffic and (b) what real Roadgeek out there doesn't have CA 266 on their bucket list, and I get to drive that somewhat regularly.

Where do you do the fuel stops on that route? Hawthorne and Beatty?

The station in front of the Alien Cathouse at US 95/NV 373 is one tank of gas from Gardnerville.  The Rebel in Beatty also works.

Edit:  Related, and to get back to the thread topic, I don't like the price of gas at the stations in the Lake Tahoe Basin.  There's a tourist-town "surcharge"; our stations are currently around $4.79, while the lowest-priced ones down the hill in Carson City and Gardnerville are around $3.49.  Ridiculous.  I have to go down to Carson at least once a month, and I never leave there without a full tank, even if I only need 4 or 5 gallons to fill.

[Scott5114]

The station in front of the Alien Cathouse

Well there's a string of words you won't get in any other state.