Charles Dudley Warner once said "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." A funny quote, that at its core really underlies the submissive role humans play in our relationship with Mother Nature.
Some places, like San Francisco" actually have very different "micro-climates", that can change quickly from one neighborhood to another. If you don't believe me ask anyone who has lived in the Sunset District and popped out of the L-Train tunnel into DuBois Circle - totally different worlds.
On the other hand Los Angeles has a "macro-climate". The only thing that varies is the degree of heat depending on how close to the ocean you are. When it's hot on the beach, (and it usually is), then you can bet that 50 miles inland it's insufferable, and fifty miles beyond that live human thermophiles. My bro', Terry thinks LA is a great place to live, and while there is a certain attraction to the glitter and pulse of the area, if you don't like hot winters, then this might not be a good vacation spot.
Portland, Oregon ... cool, wet, and very green, not a lot of snow, and a fair amount of tolerable sunny days with moderate (not humid) temperatures. Now this piccolo player has been transplanted to the beautiful burg of William Pitt, Pittsburgh.
So... here I am in Pittsburgh. I've gone through an interesting winter, complete with snowfalls, ice storms, record low temperatures, and power outages. The spring, so far, has also proved interesting as well. The temperature has slowly climbed to the high 70's as of mid-June, and while the humidity is higher than I'm used to, it's not all that bad so far. There have been a couple of monsoon-like, torrential downpours, the last one setting a record for the most lightening strikes in 5 minute period (about 6,000). It was very reminiscent of a fireworks display with flashes and thunder coming several times a minute for a period of time.
Pittsburgh, having been built in a very hilly region has a lot of creeks and valleys (big gulleys actually), and on June 17th, we got over four inches of water in three hours. The road that runs down my neighborhood "valley" was flooded and looked like a river. There's a creek (pronounced "crik") that carved this particular valley out, Turtle Creek, and I'm sure it empties into the Monongahela River, and then the Ohio, on so on to the ocean. There are probably a few hundred plastic lawn chairs on their way to the Gulf of Mexico at this very moment.
From my old western oriented point of view, this is the east coast of the country, but I'm farther away from the ocean now, than I've ever been. It's about a 5-6 hour trip east to get to the New Jersey sea shore. Now I've never seen any beaches on the east coast, so I really don't know what to expect, but with the population density being what it is around ere, I can speculate that you might actually need to reserve a specific six-foot by six-foot patch of sand "within sight of the ocean".
I'm used to having a good 1/2 mile stretch of beach all to myself so the idea of sharing a beach with 750,000 other desperate vacationers kind of puts me off a visit to the sea. What should I plan for my free time; no mountains, no (attractive) beaches, and no good conifer forests ... maybe I'll learn to knit.
Pete
2009-06-20
2009-06-08
A Trip To The Bretheren
I just returned from a 3 day mini-vacation over in Lancaster. Cynthia & I were visiting "Amish country". It's very pastoral and bucolic. Gentle rolling hills reveal sporadic grain silos to the horizon. The back roads are picturesque, and they are really quite peaceful and serene - which leads me to the point of this missive. Is the Amish and Mennonite social structure affecting the area? Is a slower lifestyle, well - infectious? If so, I'd like to return to that area and breathe deeply in hopes of catching some of it.
Of course, as "English" (anyone who is not Amish), we were very interested in their culture and religion. We visited a few tourist information centers, and did a self-guided covered bridge tour (it was amazing how well Cynthia could navigate with a cheap, hotel tourist map). We passed numerous Amish buggies (that's got to be one dangerous ride), and we even bought a couple of souvenirs. Then it hit both of us: the Amish are being indirectly exploited. The number of "Amish Cafes", "Amish Farms", and "Amish Houses" is really staggering. To have built up such an industry around such simplicity is a standing tribute to human imagination and the capitalist way of life; I wonder what Adam Smith would think if he were alive (but then if he were alive, he'd be clawing madly at his coffin lid).
The trip to Lancaster and back took us through the Appalachian Mountains (well they call them mountains back here, but there are "hills" in Portland that are higher). These mountains are considered to be one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. The are characterized by sharp ridges, and 4-5 loooooong tunnels that cut through them (driving around would be insane).
One thing I have to compliment is PennDOT (the state transportation authority). They sure do work hard on the roads. Lots of work ... about every 5 miles, work. This means that a 200 mile, 3 1/2 hour trip usually takes about 4 1/2 - 5 hours. The upside is, you get an opportunity to take in a lot more of the beautiful surrounding landscape.
And how are the drivers in Pennsylvania? Generally they are courteous, polite, and safe. Oh sure, you get the odd hot-rod pilot, but it's not like Los Angeles - not even by a whole stretch of imagination. Penn drivers don't make a game out of cutting you off from your exit, or view the use of turn-signals as a sign of weakness. Although I doubt the Pennsylvania State Troopers are as courteous and equitable as the California Highway Patrol, they are numerous, visible (and occasionally invisible), and will definitely get you if you're acting like a laxative with your Lexus.
Well, I have to go milk the cows, and shovel off the buffalo ....
Pete
Of course, as "English" (anyone who is not Amish), we were very interested in their culture and religion. We visited a few tourist information centers, and did a self-guided covered bridge tour (it was amazing how well Cynthia could navigate with a cheap, hotel tourist map). We passed numerous Amish buggies (that's got to be one dangerous ride), and we even bought a couple of souvenirs. Then it hit both of us: the Amish are being indirectly exploited. The number of "Amish Cafes", "Amish Farms", and "Amish Houses" is really staggering. To have built up such an industry around such simplicity is a standing tribute to human imagination and the capitalist way of life; I wonder what Adam Smith would think if he were alive (but then if he were alive, he'd be clawing madly at his coffin lid).
The trip to Lancaster and back took us through the Appalachian Mountains (well they call them mountains back here, but there are "hills" in Portland that are higher). These mountains are considered to be one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. The are characterized by sharp ridges, and 4-5 loooooong tunnels that cut through them (driving around would be insane).
One thing I have to compliment is PennDOT (the state transportation authority). They sure do work hard on the roads. Lots of work ... about every 5 miles, work. This means that a 200 mile, 3 1/2 hour trip usually takes about 4 1/2 - 5 hours. The upside is, you get an opportunity to take in a lot more of the beautiful surrounding landscape.
And how are the drivers in Pennsylvania? Generally they are courteous, polite, and safe. Oh sure, you get the odd hot-rod pilot, but it's not like Los Angeles - not even by a whole stretch of imagination. Penn drivers don't make a game out of cutting you off from your exit, or view the use of turn-signals as a sign of weakness. Although I doubt the Pennsylvania State Troopers are as courteous and equitable as the California Highway Patrol, they are numerous, visible (and occasionally invisible), and will definitely get you if you're acting like a laxative with your Lexus.
Well, I have to go milk the cows, and shovel off the buffalo ....
Pete
2009-05-14
The Pittsburgh Left
I was warned about this before I experienced my first one. The "Pittsburgh Left" consists of a car or truck in the oncoming traffic's laft-turn lane making that turn from a stop light (or sign) immediately in front of you. When you're the first car at a stop light and someone swings a very fast left turn just as you take-off, chances are, you're in Pittsburgh.
I was absolutely amazed at this for several months (it also curbed my Los Angles "quick take-off" reflexes). Then it dawned on my why this seems to be common around here. In the short time I've been here, I've discovered that PGH drivers are VERY courteous, very polite. They don't play silly games at high speeds on the freeway (unlike LA). They will allow people to change lanes without trying to crowd them out - they're the most courteous drives I've experienced. So ... when someone is at a stop light in this city of such narrow streets, the person turning left may have to wait quite a while to make the turn, so the oncopming driver usually lets the first car turn before proceeding. I think this is wonderful, but GEEZ, how about some warning!!!
Pete
I was absolutely amazed at this for several months (it also curbed my Los Angles "quick take-off" reflexes). Then it dawned on my why this seems to be common around here. In the short time I've been here, I've discovered that PGH drivers are VERY courteous, very polite. They don't play silly games at high speeds on the freeway (unlike LA). They will allow people to change lanes without trying to crowd them out - they're the most courteous drives I've experienced. So ... when someone is at a stop light in this city of such narrow streets, the person turning left may have to wait quite a while to make the turn, so the oncopming driver usually lets the first car turn before proceeding. I think this is wonderful, but GEEZ, how about some warning!!!
Pete
2009-05-13
The Point
I'm a recent (less than a yer) transplant to Pittsburgh from the west coast. I've never lived "back east"so I'm finding a lot of cultural differences. Most of them are amusing (the Pirates?), pleasing (Primanti Bros.) or just plain nice (the Point). A few (like the famous "Pittsburgh Left") have scared the crap outta me (more on that later).
I'll post reflection here as time goes by, but for now, this is just the big-inning.
PGH Pete
I'll post reflection here as time goes by, but for now, this is just the big-inning.
PGH Pete
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