Can a midwest girl survive and thrive in Seattle?

[NbyNW]

Check out the website for Cascade Bicycle Club. They have a lot of organized rides -- different locations & abilities. Also a great resource for general information and bike advocacy.

I keep meaning to try out one of their rides, but have been too busy/sick/anti-social.

A lot of new office buildings have secure bicycle parking for bike commuters.

Recreationally, there are some great trails. You might be able to look up the Seattle City Bike Routes map online. I use it all the time to make up my own rides.

[Biciclista]

I don't think people here are so cold, however, I've heard young women say that guys NEVER ask them on dates here.

[Tuckervill]

I didn't spend very much time in Seattle when I was there, but I didn't find anyone to be particularly unfriendly, no more than anywhere else.

Karen

[ASammy1]

Great thread! BF and I are thinking about making the move to the PNW soon too and this is all great info!

[cobalt]

Great thread is right! Super.

We lived in Connecticut and there is a difference in areas and how people can be. CT was a bit standoffish. WI people can be friendly but they do tend to keep to themselves and their friends from high school. Small towns are hard to move to. I left,went to college, moved 8 times and am back in my hometown and I need to leave!

Where we have lived in case anyone wants info on a place in return:
WI, Campbell (San Jose) (ages ago though), Connecticut, Atlanta suburb (traffic), Holland, England. I did not mind the winters in Holland or England and they were perhaps closer to the PNW than most other places might be.

[Biciclista]

considering how many different walks of life we have in Seattle, including people from dozens of different countries, I find it really tough to swallow that Seattle is not a friendly place. coming here from NYC, you will find us downright smarmy; but if you live in a town of 2000 i'm sure you'll find us a bit chillier, since we don't know your name. Having said that, i've been to plenty of small towns that treated me like I had a scarlet letter on my forehead.

Many people that move to Seattle give up after a year. They can't take our grey dark days, and they really miss "a real" summer. I've seen many people come and go. And some of course, stay.

[salsabike]

considering how many different walks of life we have in Seattle, including people from dozens of different countries, I find it really tough to swallow that Seattle is not a friendly place. coming here from NYC, you will find us downright smarmy; but if you live in a town of 2000 i'm sure you'll find us a bit chillier, since we don't know your name. Having said that, i've been to plenty of small towns that treated me like I had a scarlet letter on my forehead.

Actually, many of us transplanted New Yorkers also find Seattleites to be somewhat reserved. I consider New Yorkers to, in general, be friendlier--by my definition of friendly. Polite (Seattle) and friendly are not really the same. However, that said, I have made many good friends here, and I think people everywhere are friendly. They're just more reserved about it here in their approach. It's more of a style than substance difference, I think.

[ilima]

The thought of a dreary Seattle winter sends shivers down this native Clevelander's spine.

Yes, the summers are glorious in the PNW. But there are plenty of places that have wonderful summers without a sunless, gray winter.

[salsabike]

That's what makes this all interesting. I don't find Seattle winters in the least dreary--I find the weather pretty energizing. And it really isn't "sunless". It's grey often, but sunny days get interspersed in there. I like it a little cool, and I hate humid heat and relentless sun. So it's all pretty idiosyncratic---one person's dreary is another's pleasure.