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Old 09-08-2013, 10:53 PM
 
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On a cross country trip east to west, at what location would you confidently say that you have entered the western US? is it a city, a landmark, a change in climate or vegetation or a border?

For me, going on a southern route I would say I entered the west when I hit San Antonio. The desert landscape takes over past that point.

In the central US I would say I entered the West when I crossed the Mississippi river. That's the pioneer mentality.

From the north I'd know I'm west when I see the black hills rise up in South Dakota.
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Old 09-08-2013, 11:02 PM
 
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Originally Posted by workaholics View Post
On a cross country trip east to west, at what location would you confidently say that you have entered the western US? is it a city, a landmark, a change in climate or vegetation or a border?

For me, going on a southern route I would say I entered the west when I hit San Antonio. The desert landscape takes over past that point.

In the central US I would say I entered the West when I crossed the Mississippi river. That's the pioneer mentality.

From the north I'd know I'm west when I see the black hills rise up in South Dakota.
When I cross the Missouri River in South Dakota, I know I'm entering the west. The drier vegetation, ranches, Badlands, etc. all feel western to me, even before the Hills come into sight.
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Old 09-08-2013, 11:08 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by workaholics View Post
On a cross country trip east to west, at what location would you confidently say that you have entered the western US? is it a city, a landmark, a change in climate or vegetation or a border?

For me, going on a southern route I would say I entered the west when I hit San Antonio. The desert landscape takes over past that point.

In the central US I would say I entered the West when I crossed the Mississippi river. That's the pioneer mentality.

From the north I'd know I'm west when I see the black hills rise up in South Dakota.

I would say that for the central U.S. that it starts just west of the Missouri River. Everything east of that is too green, When I think west, I don't think rolling farmland, I think plains. The entire area between the Mississippi and the Missouri has a bunch of river valleys and (contrary to stereotype) lots and lots of wooded areas. I believe the first Pony Express was in St. Joseph, Mo... and they like to use this as a claim to being the "gateway to the west", of course plenty of cities claim that title.

Up North it seems to transition into a Western feel is about 1/3 of the way through the Dakotas, you start seeing small mesas and such as the landscape becomes more arid and trees more sparse.

I don't have much experience with the south, but looking at a topographical map I would say that it starts about 1/3 through Oklahoma, and about 1/2 way through Texas.
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Old 09-08-2013, 11:10 PM
 
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Originally Posted by TheBeagleLady View Post
When I cross the Missouri River in South Dakota, I know I'm entering the west. The drier vegetation, ranches, Badlands, etc. all feel western to me, even before the Hills come into sight.

Agreed, I would even say a small portion east of the river has the more arid western feel, but as you go east from the river trees start to become more common, and the vegetation more green.
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Old 09-08-2013, 11:16 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Xander_Crews View Post
Agreed, I would even say a small portion east of the river has the more arid western feel, but as you go east from the river trees start to become more common, and the vegetation more green.
Yeah, Chamberlain really seems to be in a transition zone. In the east I see corn, in the west I see tumbleweeds and cattle. LOL
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Old 09-08-2013, 11:17 PM
 
Location: City of Angels
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rocky mountains
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Old 09-08-2013, 11:33 PM
 
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Originally Posted by TheBeagleLady View Post
Yeah, Chamberlain really seems to be in a transition zone. In the east I see corn, in the west I see tumbleweeds and cattle. LOL
Yeah, the change is quite abrupt too, I took 90 through SD this summer and slightly after the river it became corn as far as the eyes could see rather than the open plains I had been seeing... the corn palace in Mitchell is quite appropriate.

I personally refer to the area between the Missouri and Mississippi the "Central River Lowlands" because that is pretty much what the area is. And it is on the western fringe of the Midwest which has a totally different feel than Ohio, Indiana, Michigan..etc. So I go ahead and give it a classification of it's own.
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Old 09-09-2013, 12:11 AM
 
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Good responses. I've never been to the great plains so I definitely trust what y'all are saying.

My experience is driving through Texas from Houston to San Antonio. Houston feels a lot like the southeast/gulf coast. It's very humid and green and flat. However as you drive west the trees begin to thin out and the dense forest becomes prairies with stubby mesquite trees. Then as you get closer to San Antonio you begin to see cactus on the sides of the roads which to me totally symbolizes the west.
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Old 09-09-2013, 08:03 AM
 
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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Hudson River

The transition starts in the Oklahoma panhandle, eastern Colorado, and mid Nebraska, Dakotas,
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Old 09-09-2013, 11:30 AM
 
Location: MO
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Quote:
Originally Posted by workaholics View Post
On a cross country trip east to west, at what location would you confidently say that you have entered the western US? is it a city, a landmark, a change in climate or vegetation or a border?

For me, going on a southern route I would say I entered the west when I hit San Antonio. The desert landscape takes over past that point.

In the central US I would say I entered the West when I crossed the Mississippi river. That's the pioneer mentality.

From the north I'd know I'm west when I see the black hills rise up in South Dakota.
I disagree with the Mississippi River. I grew up just a few miles west of the river and there is absolutely nothing western about where I grew up.
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