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"Do you get to Seattle often?" men ask. My middle finger is twitching.

Seattleites don't want to drive over mountain passes and expect me to do it. Today my reply:

NO, I hate going to Seattle. After graduating from Univ. of Michigan, I moved to Seattle to climb mountains. Immediately saw Seattle has a pair of north/south highways, a pair of east/west bridges and is bound by water: the Puget Sound and Lake Washington. Seattle needed light rail.

Thirty-years ago, Seattle had a half-million residents. Seattle voters rejected light rail for thirty years. Now the population has grown to cuatro millones, as they say in Spanish. Massive traffic jams, slowdowns and no parking makes visiting Seattle miserable.

The Day I Gave Up on Seattle

A few years ago, Seattle Art Museum had a wonderful exhibit, Northwest Native Art and Sculpture. I was excited to see it! Arranged to meet my daughter Claire in Lake Stevens and take her to the exhibit. Off I went.

I had a fantasy that Claire and I would enjoy the art together. Afterward, we'd walk across to the Pike Street Market for lunch, waterfront views, conversation and bonding. Silly me.

When I got to Lake Stevens after driving all morning, Claire said she wasn't going. "There's an accident on I-5 at Mercer Street, huge traffic jams and no parking downtown. I never go to downtown Seattle." But I had driven all that way. Decided to give it a try. Claire was right.

I did an excruciatingly slow grid search downtown. NO PARKING. NO PARKING. No parking at the waterfront due to construction, my usual backup plan. It was Thursday noon. Streams of pedestrians in crosswalks stopped drivers from turning left or right. It was maddening. Drove past the Seattle Art Museum despairingly twice. NO PARKING.

I drink water as I drive. Couldn't even pull over to use a bathroom. Aborted the mission before rush hour. (It's always rush hour.) Guess where I finally peed? At the Denny's restaurant in Monroe forty miles away. I haven't been back. Never saw the exhibit.

LiterateHiker 9 Feb 7
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13 comments

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2

I can't believe Seattle has got that crowded. I lived in the mountains outside of Vancouver in the 80s and regularly drove up to Seattle , but it was rather pleasant as far as cities went, but 4 million people? Yikes, I live in the middle of the Ozarks now, but the entire state of Arkansas only has about 2.7 million. Nearest town has about 350 😅. I've got to drive about 2+ hours just to find a traffic jam 🤣

1

I wouldn't travel into the city just to meet a guy, but maybe to the slower paced Greater Seattle area. It helps to know the traffic patterns when driving into Seattle.

When I go to Seattle, I spend most of my time in the outlying areas and suburbs, at the homes of my children and places they are involved with, but we do go into the city for various events, allowing for driving time. Nice to be close to the big city, without having to go into Seattle often. Lots of cultural activities to do there, and I used to love it. Nice for a visit, but I'm glad I live in a slower paced environment now.

I'm lucky to have had some photo shoots with my daughter and grandkids at some of the iconic spots, Pike Place Market, Space Needle, etc. Fun!

1

Did your middle finger stop twitching yet? 😂

3

Having lived in Seattle over 20 years I saw a lot of transitions in the city. The rain is mostly light but with lots of gray days in the winter. The area is a drought area in the summer and was a far cry from the German city I lived for 15 years. Problem is, beautiful cities with lots of natural wonders and a unique setting not to mention large expanses of water and hills attract more people and more people eventually lead to a deterioration of all the things the city had to initially offer. The extreme diversification of corporations have led to a corporate mentality which has led to even more deterioration. Still, I can think of a lot worse places to live.

@JackPedigo

I lived in Seattle for ten years. Yes, the Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound are beautiful. I love the Olympic Mountains. "The two weeks of summer in August are lovely," I joked.

But Seattle's incontinence is dreadful. What's the point of hiking up to a high peak or ridge when you can't see squat in the rain, mist and fog?

"You seem happiest when you are wearing your down jacket," new Seattle friends told me. My mother said I sounded depressed in my letters.

Love the blue skies and sunshine of Wenatchee, WA.

On the west side of the Cascade Mountains in August.

  1. Age 25, Olympic Mountains.

  2. Royal Basin, Olympic Mountains

  3. Olympics from the top of Mt. Townsend.

On the sunny east side of the Cascades where I live.

  1. Ingalls Lake.

  2. Spider Meadows.

2

I lived in the Tacoma/Bothell/Snohomish area for 5ish years, back in 1993 to 1999. We went into Seattle on rare occassions, mostly because young kids and expense. I loved the area, except OMG cost of living. That and the rain. And distance from family. We had a memorable visit to the Seattle Children's museum on Christmas eve day 1993, and had one of my kids break out in chicken pox at dinner afterwards at Ivar's, and another broke out during the night. We must have infected more than 100 kids, the museum was packed.

1

I used to love visiting Seattle, and have some fond memories. Was probably last there in 2010 for a nice visit on the waterfront, but have heard of the traffic since then - pity!
The pandemic had slowed Portland traffic down quite a bit, but it is increasing now, also a pity.

1

Get that when they say you're from delawhere

3

The only time I in Seattle was 1983.
Spent about a couple of weeks there.
Had dinner in the restaurant atop the Space Needle.
The visit was okay.

I've always preferred San Francisco, and don't really care for much north of the state line.

San Fran is beautiful

@KKGator

I love San Francisco, too. Although I was there in 1982.

1
I was in NOLA couple weeks ago. $28 to park for two hours.  Who knew where a public toilet might be....last time I was there, it was a $1 or 2 to piss at Mardi Gras.
Love the city, but hate the filth. 

I coulda walked. I should have walked, my hotel was not far away. It was rainy and cold. I didn't have anything planned but maybe breakfast.  I wasn't going to shop or visit any shops. Time was too limited.
I just left and went on to Tennessee.

I was just thinking today about Chicago Auto Show. Great fun !....except last time I was there it was Washington's birthday, school was out and....what 3 yr. old doesn't want to go to the Auto Show ??!?!?!?

I'm guessing they've probably added Service Dogs to their "family" outings now.

Fuck it. Go play guitar
twill Level 7 Feb 7, 2022

As someone who lives in NOLA, "Slow Clap".

@twill, @Secretguy

What does NOLA stand for? Not familiar with it.

@LiterateHiker New Orleans, LA

@twill

Thanks.

4

In October I left to two dating sites I was on match and zoosk. My pictures were current and I lied about NOTHING. Even being an atheist. Why would I lie. It’s all there the first meeting. I matched with many women and what they said they were looking for. Since they never replied I guess there was something there they did not like. I am finished and looking into solo trips. Like James Brown said a long time ago, “I Feel Good”

2

Never been in Seattle, like never been to many other cities but one thing I know, in the least my experience tells me, is that driving in cities is a pain in the arse, especially if it's a city you don't know at all. I fully understand what you're saying due to this.

3

Kate had a doctor to see in Seattle.We decided to drive up thinking the trip would take about four hours. To our surprise we did it in three and a half. At about two thirty we decided to go home. It took us one hour to get from the Clinic to the freeway I-5 which we could see from the Clinic. After getting on I-5 we drove at perhaps twenty miles an hour. Knowing something was wrong we changed the radio station and found there was an accident just ten miles farther up the road. Thinking it would not take long to get past the accident we stayed on the highway. One hour lather we finally got to the accident which by that time was gone. Our next segment went quickly for about ten miles until we got to Tacoma, where the dome is located. After that we have no idea why but the road was slowed down by Olympia, it was raining, but who cares about that. After another hour we got past Olympia.
We were tired frustrated and hungry, having not eaten since breakfast we decided to turn off the freeway and go to the first place we found. Taco Bell, since we kind of like the taste of the food, but only go there when we are desperate, it took an hour to eat. Then back on the road and good going the rest of the way home. Three and a half hours to get there and about nine to get home. If we have to go again, I think I will just shoot myself and let the shit land where it may. Not really, next time I will know what I am getting into. It had been years since last going to Seattle, I have no idea how people live there and work and make it. It is expensive and most jobs do not pay the well. Perhaps people sleep on public transportation and know where the good cheep places to eat are.

2

Better stay home and have them come to you.

@Jolanta

That's what I tell them. They need to drive to meet me in Wenatchee.

Most often I don't recognize the man I'm meeting. With online dating, studies show 80% of men and women post old photos and lie about their age, weight, marital status, fitness, etc.

"Kathleen!" I hear. Turning, I recognize no one. My heart sinks. My "hot date" gained 50 pounds, lost his hair and aged ten years. Immediately I see him as a liar.

As a extrovert, I enjoy meeting new people. After he leaves, I let him down gently.

@LiterateHiker I do not understand why someone would go to the effort of not being upfront. As soon as you are seen all is told. It seems to me to be a waste of time. If I were looking for someone to meet and date, which I am for sure not!, I would hope someone from here would find me acceptable. It is all there for the reading, I have never lied, there is a picture of me, and I have talked about many things from which one could learn much. Again this is not an advertisement. Using this site to cheat on my wife would be unfair to her, unfair to whoever I met, and unfair to myself, besides everyone would know I am disingenuous. Which I am not!

@LiterateHiker I don't know how you can be bothered with all those men. It becomes a chore eventually.
Unfortunately I somehow think that men don't really see the 50 pounds extra, the loss of hair, no teeth, etc, etc, or they do not want to see it. Actually not one of us do. Doesn't mean that they are liars, just very, very sad and delusional. Good luck with the hunting.

@Jolanta

On March 1, I will cancel Fitness Singles and Bumble dating websites. That's my plan.

Feel tired of meeting moldy leftovers. I'm done.

@LiterateHiker why on 1st of March? I somehow think that at our age there are only mouldy leftovers, he, he. Probably for you it would be much better if you were to meet someone anywhere, like a brother of a friend, or someone in the supermarket, etc, etc.

@Jolanta

March 1 is when my Fitness Singles membership comes up for renewal.

@LiterateHiker That is a frustrating disappointment! I try to meet them on Zoom befote arranging a date in person. The ones who give excuses about Zoom dates are the ones you have to watch out for. The guy I'm dating now lied about his age, but admitted doing so withing 20 seconds of when I first spoke to him on the phone, so I gav e him a chance. In person, he looked exactly like his picture, and seems to be a very intelligent and considerate person, so I lucked out...so far.

@Organist1

Zoom is a good idea.

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