Why Forks suddenly?? (Seattle, Vancouver, Longview: high school, living, store)

[allforcats]

Have you noticed the number of young people who have shown up on this forum lately, wanting to move to Forks? Huhhh??

Here's what it's about: a series of best-selling vampire novels for teenagers called "Twilight" are set in Forks because it's "a cloudy and somewhat gloomy spot". So Forks has suddenly become an international tourist attraction!

"For most of us, we love it; we think it's really neat. We're finally on the map, Forks, our little rainforest," said [a] grocery store employee."

Three cheers, Forks! Here's the KIRO7 story:
Forks Draws International Vampire Book Fans - News Story - KIRO Seattle

[LadyRobyn]

Oh My! What a "Claim to Fame" Hopefully they will bring their wallets, and pick up their trash when they leave...

[j_k_k]

Heh. Tourism is the new timber.

[West coast at heart]

Wow, that is interesting. My wife is a high school teacher and she was telling me how that series of books is all over the school. It is the "in" book to read. Out of curiosity, my wife started reading them to see what her kids were reading. She is hooked as well! We are already planning on moving to WA. I wonder how long it will take for her to suggest Forks as a possibility?!

wc@h

[Ira500]

Forks get an annual average rainfall of 121 inches per year. Seattle gets about 38.
Personally, I enjoy seeing tourists get soaked.

[West coast at heart]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Forks get an annual average rainfall of 121 inches per year. Seattle gets about 38.
Personally, I enjoy seeing tourists get soaked.

That is a lot of rain!
Thanks for the tip. If my wife does suggest Forks, I will throw that into the conversation. She would love the coast, but not all of the rain that comes with it. Ideally, I want to live in the rain shadow. I love the rain, but I think 121" might be a bit much for me.
wc@h

[allforcats]

West Coast, you'd love this map, showing in glorious technicolor the rain patterns of Washington state. Forks is over there in the medium-dark purple area, right smack in the rain forests:
http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printab...precip_wa3.pdf
That's why the grocery store clerk jokingly said "our little rainforest" -- it's the world's largest temperate rain forest. The Quinault, Hoh, Queets and Bogachiel. Almost entirely contained in a national park and forest, the Olympic National Park. Rains almost every day of the year inside the rain forests. The most beautiful place on earth, if you love trees and undergrowth and the smell of the earth...

The west side of the Olympic Peninsula is a glorious, magical, breathtaking place to visit. If you don't need to work, love all the above, are happy to be a hermit, and are a member of one of the Native American tribes whose land that is, you'd be happy living there. Otherwise, choose the northern, southern, or eastern sides of the Olympic Peninsula, or somewhere else so that you can spend weekends there.

P.S. Please tell your wife that the last time I was there -- well, every time I've been there -- I never caught sight of any vampires. Even at night...

[CMKM-Miller]

Allforcats,

Thank you for that map !! My family and I have been actively job searching in Washington (Puget Sound & Vancouver, Longview regions) and this puts rainfall into perspective. It goes with what I had thought and read about Washington's rainfall but I'm a visual person and love seeing it in front of me.

[allforcats]

CMKM, you're very welcome!
If you haven't clicked to the contiguous U.S. map yet, here it is -- so you can compare your current location, and any other:
Printable Maps - Precipitation

[West coast at heart]

Originally Posted by allforcats

West Coast, you'd love this map, showing in glorious technicolor the rain patterns of Washington state. Forks is over there in the medium-dark purple area, right smack in the rain forests:
http://www.nationalatlas.gov/printab...precip_wa3.pdf
That's why the grocery store clerk jokingly said "our little rainforest" -- it's the world's largest temperate rain forest. The Quinault, Hoh, Queets and Bogachiel. Almost entirely contained in a national park and forest, the Olympic National Park. Rains almost every day of the year inside the rain forests. The most beautiful place on earth, if you love trees and undergrowth and the smell of the earth...

The west side of the Olympic Peninsula is a glorious, magical, breathtaking place to visit. If you don't need to work, love all the above, are happy to be a hermit, and are a member of one of the Native American tribes whose land that is, you'd be happy living there. Otherwise, choose the northern, southern, or eastern sides of the Olympic Peninsula, or somewhere else so that you can spend weekends there.

P.S. Please tell your wife that the last time I was there -- well, every time I've been there -- I never caught sight of any vampires. Even at night...

Excellent map!!!!! I love maps. Definitely one for my collection. I spent an afternoon with my family in the HOH rainforest. Loved it. We will be going back. There is so much to see and I know we only saw a small portion of it. I am happy that you have provided such wonderful information. Your description of the area makes me want to visit again.

Your posts are wonderful. Thank you for all of your information and personal insights. It is amazing how well one can paint a picture with words. Hats off to you Cats! Oh, and I will not be telling my wife about there being no vampires. I want to take her there and let her discover that herself. She is so cute. You can see the magic in her eyes!

Peace and respect,
wc@h