Twin Cities metro "mental geography" (Minneapolis, St. Paul: apartment, house)

[Haver]

Just for fun I'd like to imagine how people slice and dice the twin cities into their personal comfort zones for commuting, i.e. Minneapolis/St Paul, North of the River/South of the River, North/South and so forth.

So here's my map: growing up in Richfield, my "local map" was Richfield, Edina out to Southdale, east Bloomington out to France avenue & 98th, and Minneapolis up to about 46th street. That is still pretty much the zone I use for everyday activities. My extended map as far as "always knowing where I was" is bounded by 394 & 169, the Mississippi, and the Minnesota.

[K-Luv]

I dunno, the whole directional thing really through me off (N. 4th St.....S. 4th St. for example). I basically just navigated based on my current position to downtown, and if I was every 'lost' I would just head towards the skyline and I knew that I would be fine.

[MNNative]

I rarely know exactly where I am unless I'm in Richfield, Bloomington or in Edina mostly east of HWY 100...the farther west of 100 and I feel a little more "lost". I'm getting better with directions...lol...I sat down with a map a few years ago and really took note of the major highways so I at least know my escape routes home. I am helpless in St Paul (really anywhere east of the Mississippi) and the downtown area of Mpls. I can probably figure things out as long as I'm south of 694, west of the Mississippi, north of CTY RD 42 and east of 169.

Even living in Burnsville now, with the exception of Cub and Target, I run my errands at Southdale, Southtown, MOA. I still make excuses to shop around those areas versus nearby in Eagan/Burnsville. I don't typically venture south of Cliff Ave unless it's down Cedar in Apple Valley. That's one thing that will suck about living in N. Mpls...the hike from there to my shopping havens will have to be planned out cause it's not so much of a skip and a hop away like it is now.

[MNNative]

Originally Posted by Haver

So here's my map: growing up in Richfield

Where in Richfield did you grow up Haver? Are you a Spartan, too?

[Haver]

63rd & Humboldt - I went to Woodlake Elementary - and then 72nd & 3rd. I'd walk home from the High School (class of '79 [the year the music died] and frequently stop at Augsburg park or the library, a building which should get more recognition than it does.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Haver

So here's my map: growing up in Richfield, my "local map" was Richfield, Edina out to Southdale, east Bloomington out to France avenue & 98th, and Minneapolis up to about 46th street. That is still pretty much the zone I use for everyday activities. My extended map as far as "always knowing where I was" is bounded by 394 & 169, the Mississippi, and the Minnesota.

I grew up in Minnetonka, so my local map there was north to Ridgedale and Hwy 12 (now 394), south to the Eden Prairie border (too much south of Glen Lake and I'd get lost), west to the old 7Hi drive-in at 101 and Hwy 7, and east to Wax Museum, Oar Folkjokeopus, and some of the other record stores on Lake Street and 27th, and of course Little Tin Soldier for games.

Later on after when I "grew up" I moved to an apartment in east Bloomington and to finally Eden Prairie, and I worked near the airport or in Eagan most of the time, so my "world" in the Twin Cities ended up being bounded by 394 and downtown Minneapolis to the north, Shakopee to the SW, Burnsville Center and County 42 to the south across Burnsville, and 35E to the "far east".

Northern suburbs and St. Paul were things visited infrequently and were seen as being "out there" somewhere near Brainerd and the Apple River.

[MNNative]

Originally Posted by Haver

63rd & Humboldt - I went to Woodlake Elementary - and then 72nd & 3rd. I'd walk home from the High School (class of '79 [the year the music died] and frequently stop at Augsburg park or the library, a building which should get more recognition than it does.

Ah...I graduated in 2002...I remember walking from Intermediate to Augsburg on occasion with my class. Aside from school I was rarely over in the eastern side of town. For the most part (unless walking to a friend's house after school) I'd mostly hang up until Penn Ave until HS when my friends would drive. Oh, and for 4th of July.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by MNNative

I rarely know exactly where I am unless I'm in Richfield, Bloomington or in Edina mostly east of HWY 100...the farther west of 100 and I feel a little more "lost". I'm getting better with directions...lol...I sat down with a map a few years ago and really took note of the major highways so I at least know my escape routes home. I am helpless in St Paul (really anywhere east of the Mississippi) and the downtown area of Mpls. I can probably figure things out as long as I'm south of 694, west of the Mississippi, north of CTY RD 42 and east of 169.

Even living in Burnsville now, with the exception of Cub and Target, I run my errands at Southdale, Southtown, MOA. I still make excuses to shop around those areas versus nearby in Eagan/Burnsville. I don't typically venture south of Cliff Ave unless it's down Cedar in Apple Valley. That's one thing that will suck about living in N. Mpls...the hike from there to my shopping havens will have to be planned out cause it's not so much of a skip and a hop away like it is now.

Getting to edina from the NW corner of Mpls is actually pretty easy and quicker than I thought it would be via Hwy 100. I have a friend that is transitioning out of a job in Edina due to relocation- he stayed with us a few days recently and said it was a lot quicker commute from our house than his previous uptown/Lowry hill east location.

[MNNative]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

Getting to edina from the NW corner of Mpls is actually pretty easy and quicker than I thought it would be via Hwy 100. I have a friend that is transitioning out of a job in Edina due to relocation- he stayed with us a few days recently and said it was a lot quicker commute from our house than his previous uptown/Lowry hill east location.

You're right, it's not bad at all. It's just not the 10-15 min that I'm doing now.
Mostly it'll be a transition for me considering I don't regularly travel outside my bubble... And N. Mpls seems "way out there" for me as it is.

Knowing me (and how often I'm actually at the mall anyhow --read:not often...shop online...) I will probably make the rounds down there just cause I can.

Then again, with these gas prices...