[pct-l] CA/OR

[Matt Thyer]

Oh it extends well beyond the northwest.  I grew up in western Colorado.
For those of you who don't know Colorado is essentially three states in one
package.  There's the West which includes the Rockies, the urbanized Front
range, and western Kansas.  External economic pressures from places like
California and Texas were a constant in my childhood.  I spent most of my
early adulthood working for the Forest Service above Meeker in the White
River NF and got a front row seat to what kind of havoc money can bring.

Essentially, the private land of the north and south forks of the White
river were bought up by really wealthy people for second homes and hunting
lodges.  What used to be arable, even irrigated land of which a first son of
Colorado might be able to afford a small, sustainable bit was quickly
transformed into Dude-ranchettes, quazi-Scottish abbey-like retreats and
Long Horn bedecked hunting lodges.

At one point my first wife and I were trying to complete our educations at
Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO.  Both of us has applied and been accepted
to the school and we knew that finding housing was going to be difficult.
That summer we moved into a camp ground outside of town and spent six weeks
looking for a place that we could afford to rent.  My spirit was finally
broken when we were at a town park and were chatting with another couple.
They complained about something regarding their house (right off the main
drag and just east of the railroad station) in town when Jennifer asked how
they managed to land such a great rental.  "Oh, my Daddy just bought the
place.  We don't actually rent it."

They were both from California.

It took me a while to get over the invasion, I had to lose my sense of
"home" or at least gain a more mature understanding of what that concept
really means to me.  Also, realize that many people, some of whom still live
in these places and daily experience this kind of incursion, will never get
over their loss.  They've lost something, often they can't even tell you
what it is, but they know it's gone and the natural reaction is to blame.
Blame is an easy response, and over the long haul it becomes prejudice.

2 cents,

Matt Thyer

PS: We welcome all, and hope that all welcome us back.  Even people from
California.


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Ken Powers
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 10:29 AM
To: PCT-L
Subject: Re: [pct-l] CA/OR

I was raised in southern Idaho. They have the same feelings about 
Californians.

On the ICT this year we were looking for NFS maps for northern Idaho. 
Someone told us that if we told one shop owner we were from California we 
would be given directions that would send us in the wrong direction.

I remember the word "Californicate" which is used in sentences like "Don't 
Californicate Idaho." Seems the whole Northwest has those feelings.


Ken,  who now lives happily in California

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jomike at cot.net>
To: <diane at santabarbarahikes.com>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 10:12 AM
Subject: [pct-l] CA/OR


but I guess I would have to keep it a secret
where I came from, even if all I can afford is blue tarp yurt in the
forest.
________________________________

When my oldest daughter moved to OR and still had CA license plates, she'd 
get all sorts of nasty looks and being flipped-off from the locals (Salem). 
But, then again she was a wild driver!

are we there yet
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