Learn me Seattle

Well I want to leave Baltimore by the end of this year (my resolution for the year) and I'm open to a lot of areas and some how Seattle keeps popping up for many reasons.

Being raised in Maine how do the 2 compare?

How do east coast people do with the west coast?

How is the Veteran support out there? (Not many issues physically but want to be close if need be to a base)

I know Washington state is a highly rated college but what of others in the area?

Cost of living seems about the same as is here from what I see but am I wrong?

I hear a lot about the weather but is it just a bunch of Bob Costas that cant take cloudy days?

And most importantly I know the Rally-x scene is amazing out there but I would love to hear what locals have to say.

Thinking of visiting mid late around April if funds work correctly (open to suggestions on when to go)

BTW thank you Chattanooga thread for reminding me to ask here too!

Joint Base Lewis-McChord is just to the southwest of Tacoma. I've been trying to get there for the last 12 years

I was born and raised in the PNW and I really want to get back there.

Bring an umbrella

short post (kid woke up)

When either of you get to Seattle look me up (I just started work at Lewis-McChord).

ps So far love it here nice mild weather

I was really trying to get up there for my next assignment but it didn't happen. I did get Mountain Home, ID though. I have to be moved up there by 1 Oct 2014. I might have to make my way over there sometime

We need to talk. I live in suburban Seattle now and I've live in Bawlmer (7 years), OOB and Saco 2.5 years.

Seattle is a bit different, but fine for east coasters. If you like the outdoors (especially winter sports) and can handle some dampness, it's a great place.

Jack

The wet days outnumber the sunny days.

We have what they call sun breaks 15 min later its raining again.

Seattle is over populated and traffic is the suck.

Not cheap, you can live cheaper on the peninsula but you have to enjoy the ferry.

It's solid city from Tacoma to Everett and east all the way around the lake up to monroe

PM sent jack.

As someone who has lived is the Seattle area for more than forty years I strongly suggest you don't dismiss the weather. I can take a cloudy day yet endless days become difficult for some. I have people in my family who struggle for months every year because of it. Bob Costas...really. Please stay home

In reply to Sultan:

Baltimore is not home, And growing up in mid coast Maine I can take not only E36 M3ty weather but extremely short and dark days.

In saying that I'm thinking I can endure but I hope to see.

Make sure you can handle only rare appearances from the sun.
As a native PNW guy, I've found it harder and harder to handle the winters as I've gotten older.
Didn't used to believe in SAD, but now I want to die/leave every winter.

YMMV, I'm trying to get the hell out of the area.
(Disclaimer: I'm north of Seattle, have no input on big city life other than generally disliking Seattle in my visits)

Ok, longer post. (I woke up before the kid)

I had a friend from Baltimore when I was stationed here at NAS Whidbey Island. He absolutely loved it and dreams of moving back. Friend from Texas (same situation) talks endlessly of moving back as well. Both people fell absolutely in love with the mountains and the outdoors.

I have no experience outside of San Antonio, but there are an "above average" number of bases near by. There is McChord AFB, Ft. Lewis Army base, Naval Sub base at Bremerton, Naval station at Everett, Naval Air Base Whidbey Island, and an Air Force base near Spokane.

There are probably more colleges than I could list here, but a couple would be WSU (you already mentioned), University of Washington, Seattle Pacific University, Pacific Lutheran College, Western Washington University, Central Washington University, Gonzaga, and then lots of community colleges.

I can't compare the cost of living to where you live, but I can say that the cost of living was lots lower when I lived in Texas, but so was the money I was making. A couple examples:

A waiter in Texas makes $2.32 an hour plus tips, a waiter in Washington state makes $8.50 an hour plus tips.

In Texas I was making more than $10 an hour less than I do now (basically doing the same job for a different company)but the house I'm living in would probably be sold for $100k less.

The weather is "big deal" for some and "no big deal" for others. My buddy from Texas never complained once, where a friend from the UK cried like a sissy girl. They say it "rains" but a better description would say it "mists" constantly. Just enough to make the roads wet and to let moss grow on cars that weren't washed for 3-years.

I know absolutely nothing about the Rally-x scene. I would ASSUME there is a crowd, and I would ASSUME it wouldn't be too far from the outlying cities (like Auburn, Bothell, Tacoma, -ish) but I couldn't be positive. I DO know that the nearest auto-x is about 35 minutes from where I live in Tacoma, but I've only been back for a couple weeks so I haven't had a chance to see the crowd.

From what I understand, there is a bit of a "car hating culture" centered in Seattle. Sounds reasonable as there are a lot of hippies and yuppies (read: the overly smug section of smart car / prius owners).

If you want a great idea of the weather then visit in the spring. If you want to fall madly in love with the state and be shocked when the clouds roll in around late Autumn then visit in the summer months (June, July, or August).

I would say the main appeal of Washington is the ocean and the Cascades (and the outdoor options they offer). City life here doesn't bug me as much as I thought it would, but I think I would do some research as to where I live versus where I work to avoid the traffic. I got lucky and found myself heading in the opposite direction of traffic, but when I worked in Bellevue, it took me over an hour to make it 8-miles down I-405 from Bothell.

Whwew! Hope that helped!

-Bill

I almost forgot. Lots of micro-breweries, liquor is sold in grocery stores but there's a 20% tax, and weed is legal.

You have it right, were sissy girls. Your an asshat.

Little harsh to pull one word out of context like that after he writes a pretty good essay about the pacific north west.

The rain is an issue. I live in BC and our climate is very similar. It rains a lot and I complain and I hear others complain every winter. I have been here for 48 years. I can imagine what the effect is on someone who grew up in a balmy southern state. At least in Canada is you move from another province the weather is most likely an improvement over what you had.

Sultan, your attitude needs a check.

Read my earlier post. I have people in my family that are affected by the weather. I have been on this forum for many years and this is the first I have called anybody an asshat or anything else. Long periods of darkness and seemingly endless days of rain can have a serious affect on some people.

You seem to be taking things personally. A difference of opinion is no reason to resort to name calling.

read this: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/seattle/66532/page1/

I Just moved here from the east coast... Here are some interesting thoughts:

Pros: 1. salaries are higher here and with ~3.2% unemployement, you will find a job fast. 2. Cost of Living vs. CT is much cheaper(food, gas, utilities, well everything execept buying a house.. There its on par with BOS/DC/NoVa, but you can rent). 3. Lots of great outdoor things to do. 4. If you are a youngish single person, this place has tons of very educated hot ass.
5. It's a neat experiment to live in the city for a few years. My wife and I, with our two kids live in Phinney Ridge. We are walking distance to a market, multiple restaurants, a few great parks, a neighborhood center, and a library. If the city thing doesn't work out we'll move someplace else soon, like Shoreline or Lynnwood. 6. Nerd stuff is celebrated. 7. Not a great car culture, but I haven't met the "anti" group yet and probably won't. I don't hang out on capitol hill.

Cons: 1. The weather can be tough. I liken it to ohio on the lake or Buffalo/Rochester NY. There will be weeks with no clouds. It kinda stinks, but I'm getting used to it. I never had an issue with Rochester NY, so this should be Ok... Locals suggest you take little trips to CA or Leavenworth to ease the pain. 2. People are generally really nice, but all the couples we meet with kids are in their 40's.. Like we're 10 years younger than you and our kids are the same age.. No I don't wear 7 layers of Patagucci but You'll be in a wheelchair by the time that kid is out of college. 3. Used cars are expensive, but east coasters will consider them rust free. People from Reno may not like them, but hell they are pretty rust free.
4. Sometimes, I don't want a locally grown organic amazing ham and swiss sandwich served by a skinny jean wearing mustached berkeleytard who thinks bicycles with multiple gears are crazy.. Give me my berkeleying sandwich you ass monkey.. Being a barista isn't a damn career. 5. This place is fitness crazy, sometimes though, I'd just like to have a regular gym instead of CROSSFIT CROSSFIT CROSSFIT, BARRE TRAINING, SPIN PLACE... berkeley people.. you don't need to go to some berkeleying place that costs $150/month to get fit. Just admit it, it's some kinda stupid ass club.. Also stop trying to convince me being vegan or crossfit or whatever is better.. I'm 35.. Kinda made it this far without falling apart. I'll be good.

Basically, It's a really cool place. Lots of interesting people and I am no longer the most liberal/weirdest person in the room. Never will be here. There will always be someone weirder.

That is an awesome summary fueledbycaffeine, and I thank everyone for the advise!

I've been on indeed for the past 3hrs just sifting through all the jobs, trying to figure out how to not be a mechanic but still make good money lol.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: 4. Sometimes, I don't want a locally grown organic amazing ham and swiss sandwich served by a skinny jean wearing mustached berkeleytard who thinks bicycles with multiple gears are crazy.. Give me my berkeleying sandwich you ass monkey.. Being a barista isn't a damn career. 5. This place is fitness crazy, sometimes though, I'd just like to have a regular gym instead of CROSSFIT CROSSFIT CROSSFIT, BARRE TRAINING, SPIN PLACE... berkeley people.. you don't need to go to some berkeleying place that costs $150/month to get fit. Just admit it, it's some kinda stupid ass club.. Also stop trying to convince me being vegan or crossfit or whatever is better.. I'm 35.. Kinda made it this far without falling apart. I'll be good.

This!

This is the neighborhood I live in!

In reply to Hungary Bill:

I'm in phinney wood by green lake and work in slu. Let me know if you wanna ever meet for a drink or kart race somewhere.

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine:

Shoot! I'm game for both. I'll send you a PM when I have a bit more time (this is just a "drive by" GRM session because the laptop was open)

With all the "Moving to Seattle" threads we've had recently I wonder how many Seattle-ites we have on here...

I'm in Portland and Javelin is just north of Vancouver Washington. There's a few more in Oregon, but perhaps some of the SeaTac folks will chime in?

BTW, if you're looking for auto events in the area, a great place to check out is Where2Race.com. Its free and you can add events and venues to your profile and track them a bit more easily, the guy that runs it is pretty cool and runs a Subaru powered 914 with Lotus Elise suspension, so he's one of us :)

Awesome link!

I forgot to mention that I was having a bit of trouble finding an online automotive resource. I joined a forum that was completely dead (and had been for quite some time) and signed up for a mailing list. I ended up getting kicked off the mailing list because yahoo's spam filter kept blocking the e-mails (?).

Good times.

Seattle sounds like Denver with more rain and ocean.