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View Poll Results: Philadelphia v. Phoenix
Philadelphia 78 65.00%
Phoenix 42 35.00%
Voters: 120. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 01-25-2021, 11:30 AM
 
4,222 posts, read 3,736,668 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino View Post
I'm not sure why that's particularly unreasonable. A lot of people (myself included) just don't care for a desert climate/ecosystem as a place to live. So yes, that would definitely factor into the outdoors.

Is it really so crazy to appreciate this outdoors more than this outdoors?
The roads in either location is not what I'm talking about, that's not what we outdoorsy types are going for. This type of variety just isn't present in the Northeast, minus perhaps Northern New England.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4927...!7i8704!8i4352
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Old 01-25-2021, 11:33 AM
 
Location: Surprise, AZ
8,633 posts, read 10,152,688 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino View Post
I'm not sure why that's particularly unreasonable. A lot of people (myself included) just don't care for a desert climate/ecosystem as a place to live. So yes, that would definitely factor into the outdoors.

Is it really so crazy to appreciate this outdoors more than this outdoors?
I can totally relate and it is completely subjective. That forest is pretty, but I just cannot handle mosquitoes nor the long winter months. I did that growing up in the Chicago area. No thanks!
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Old 01-25-2021, 12:37 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
8,851 posts, read 5,876,506 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by locolife View Post
The term East Cost Bias is primarily oriented towards teams and journalism but I'd say it carries through in CD forums as well. I can see why the post was perceived as bias, you really give the nod to Philly for the outdoors? What nice beach is Philly located on?
What I've noticed about this site, which does in a sense translate into some east coast bias, is that everyone on this site loves traditional ”big city” characteristics. They can't comprehend that some people would like greenery or even ”boring” suburbs. For that reason, east coast cities tend to fare better. In the real world, people have all kinds of preferences, so what city is better is really based on those preferences.

I digress- if you are talking about the Philadelphia ”area,” there are certainly some nice outdoors stuff in the surrounding suburbs. Even in the city itself, people are not aware of how large and green Fairmount Park is and the nice outdoors along the Schuylkill. Philly experiences the same bias in the opposite direction, in that there are a lot of nice, non-urban parts to it that don't get recognized. Northwest Philly is also very green and outdoorsy.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0497...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9680...7i13312!8i6656
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Old 01-25-2021, 12:56 PM
 
Location: New York City
9,380 posts, read 9,342,287 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZLiam View Post
I can totally relate and it is completely subjective. That forest is pretty, but I just cannot handle mosquitoes nor the long winter months. I did that growing up in the Chicago area. No thanks!
One crit...Chicago winters are much longer, colder and grayer than Philadelphia's. Philadelphia winters are largely chilly / temperate with little snow nowadays. Still nothing like Phoenix (obviously).

I split my time between between NYC and Chicago, and in Chicago a switch flicks in late October and stays that way until May.
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Old 01-25-2021, 01:33 PM
 
Location: Surprise, AZ
8,633 posts, read 10,152,688 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpomp View Post
One crit...Chicago winters are much longer, colder and grayer than Philadelphia's. Philadelphia winters are largely chilly / temperate with little snow nowadays. Still nothing like Phoenix (obviously).

I split my time between between NYC and Chicago, and in Chicago a switch flicks in late October and stays that way until May.
Yeah, I get it. I can deal with a couple weeks around the holidays in Chicago or a day trip or two to Flagstaff or Sedona, but anything longer than that...forget it lol.
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Old 01-25-2021, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Chicago, IL
8,851 posts, read 5,876,506 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpomp View Post
One crit...Chicago winters are much longer, colder and grayer than Philadelphia's. Philadelphia winters are largely chilly / temperate with little snow nowadays. Still nothing like Phoenix (obviously).

I split my time between between NYC and Chicago, and in Chicago a switch flicks in late October and stays that way until May.
Very true. Although there has been a lot of variability the last few years. Some years winter has not been very bad at all (for Chicago standards). There are obviously cold days, but not bitter cold, unbearable days for weeks on end. There have been some years where it is classically cold from Oct.- May though. But overall, Chicago's winters are colder than Philly's because of the lake effect and wind. With a few exceptions though, you don't get the huge Noreaster dumpings of snow that can happen in Philly (where you can get 2 feet within a few days). Chicago gets snow throughout, but rarely gets large large dumpings. The exception being winter of 2014 (which set records) and winter of 2015 where on the day of the Super Bowl there was a huge snowfall. Most years it's more light/moderate throughout the winter season.
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Old 01-25-2021, 05:01 PM
 
Location: Boston Metrowest (via the Philly area)
7,271 posts, read 10,601,386 times
Reputation: 8823
Quote:
Originally Posted by locolife View Post
The roads in either location is not what I'm talking about, that's not what we outdoorsy types are going for. This type of variety just isn't present in the Northeast, minus perhaps Northern New England.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4927...!7i8704!8i4352
I think the rock formations are pretty cool, and certainly unique to Arizona, but it's not as though the East Coast is devoid of more rugged hiking terrain, either.

The Delaware Water Gap, for example, is around 90 minutes north of the Philly area. Bonus in my mind for terrain and greenery:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MRuereee3as7CdM29
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Old 01-26-2021, 06:50 AM
 
4,222 posts, read 3,736,668 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino View Post
I think the rock formations are pretty cool, and certainly unique to Arizona, but it's not as though the East Coast is devoid of more rugged hiking terrain, either.

The Delaware Water Gap, for example, is around 90 minutes north of the Philly area. Bonus in my mind for terrain and greenery:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MRuereee3as7CdM29
I'm not saying it's devoid, it's just not on the same level and this is a comparison. The picture you're responding to is in the Superstition Mountains on the east side of the Phoenix metro. The Superstition wilderness covers 249 square miles and reaches over 6,000' in elevation (the valley floor is about 1500'), as of today the top is covered in snow. It features seasonal waterfalls, hidden canyons, caves, and dozens of hiking trails ranging from beginner to advanced. This is just one location.

Here is just some what you get within 90 minutes of Phoenix.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.3440...!7i3584!8i1792


https://www.google.com/maps/@34.8615...!7i8704!8i4352

Last edited by locolife; 01-26-2021 at 07:00 AM..
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Old 01-26-2021, 09:16 AM
 
Location: Philadelphia
2,539 posts, read 2,316,080 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by locolife View Post
I'm not saying it's devoid, it's just not on the same level and this is a comparison. The picture you're responding to is in the Superstition Mountains on the east side of the Phoenix metro. The Superstition wilderness covers 249 square miles and reaches over 6,000' in elevation (the valley floor is about 1500'), as of today the top is covered in snow. It features seasonal waterfalls, hidden canyons, caves, and dozens of hiking trails ranging from beginner to advanced. This is just one location.

Here is just some what you get within 90 minutes of Phoenix.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.3440...!7i3584!8i1792


https://www.google.com/maps/@34.8615...!7i8704!8i4352

I think it is 100% fair to say.

Phoenix wins the hiking culture for outdoors.

But Philadelphia wins the beach/water culture for outdoors.

The beach is very much part of Philadelphia culture being only an hour from Center City Philadelphia.

I prefer the beach over the desert.

Here is the Philadelphia CSA Beaches: Only 70 minutes from Downtown Philadelphia.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.2701...!7i8704!8i4352
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Old 01-26-2021, 10:45 AM
 
4,222 posts, read 3,736,668 times
Reputation: 4588
Quote:
Originally Posted by rowhomecity View Post
I think it is 100% fair to say.

Phoenix wins the hiking culture for outdoors.

But Philadelphia wins the beach/water culture for outdoors.

The beach is very much part of Philadelphia culture being only an hour from Center City Philadelphia.

I prefer the beach over the desert.

Here is the Philadelphia CSA Beaches: Only 70 minutes from Downtown Philadelphia.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.2701...!7i8704!8i4352
Using this logic I guess I call Phoenix a forest city then, because technically Payson Arizona is in our CSA but realistically I know that's not a characteristic of majority of Phoenix.

You realize Phoenix is pretty SoCal oriented right? Our shopping centers are full of surf oriented stores like Tillys and Vans with all kinds of overflow beach culture here from the LA-OC-San Diego proximity. Phoenix is home to the country's first wave pool and we frequent the San Diego beaches so much that they have a nickname for us. There could be an argument that Phoenix is more beach culture oriented than Philadelphia to be honest.


https://www.google.com/maps/@34.3729...7i13312!8i6656

Last edited by locolife; 01-26-2021 at 10:57 AM..
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