No matter what you think of Spokane, you'll enjoy this article. As a native Spokanite, we often feel, let's just say, a different attitude, from those on the other side of the Cascades. (I hope the link works. If not, go to www.outheremonthly.com and click on Jess Walter; Urban Outdoors). Out There is a tabloid magazine that covers outdoor recreation in the inland northwest.

www.outtheremonthly.com/index.php?art=urban_outdoors

How do you know someone isn't from around here?

Spokane is not pronounced 'Spo cane'.

Then we work on 'Sequim' .

Working for the US Postal Service, I can't even begin to count the number of spellings I've seen for Sequim.

For those of you on the east side of the Cascades--'Mesa'.

East Hill

When we get a new radio personality, the shibboleth is Yakima. (It actually makes the weather report entertaining). They usually would say something like: Yah-KEY-Mah.

If you work for the USPS, my helmut's off to you. You could probably fill a book with the stories you could tell.

And I kept wondering why everyone just smiled at me in Sequim.

Here is another fun town name in Washington: Humptulips. Which has nothing to do with people from the Netherlands being intimate in the flower fields.

I love how the news newbies over here butcher "Puyallup."

I read that piece in OTM; but, honestly, we need take neither tack in talking to Seattlites about our area. Neither apologist nor the false 'aw shucks' is necessary. It's God's country - - with just an iffy enough economy to keep the rest of the state from stampeding over here

My husband and I had thought of moving to Republic one day. We're still here in Kent for a reason .

Love the state of Washington and those names...Tenino, Humptulips, Sekiu, Walla Walla...the list goes on .

East Hill

And the rivers. . . Stillaguamish, Suiattle, Skagit, Tuchet . . .

I worked for Keytronic in the early 80's. I absolutley loved Spokane and after moving back to the Seattle area to go back to work for Boeing I tried to get transferred over there when the Boeing facility opened over there. It had at that time a feeling like a midwest town sort of like Akron Ohio and it was so easy to get around we to the Riverfront Park to go ice skating in the winter. Alas I doubt I will ever live there again my wife is from Puyallup and I'll never get her to leave here

Good to see another Spokanite posting, even if it is from Nine Mile Falls :-).

Here's an article from Out There Monthly that should provide a few reasons to come ride the sunny side of the state (written by yours truly, me, who was bred, born and raised in Seattle) and maybe even get a few miles further east for some two-wheeled fun.

https://www.outtheremonthly.com/index.php?art=cycling

Hey, Nine Mile Falls is close enough for government work!

Thanks for article, Bradley. A lot of interesting information in there, and I am seriously mulling over the Tour de Blast...

East Hill