MD residents say MD is one of the worst states to live (Baltimore: insurance, violent crime)

[DaveinMtAiry]

Funny I've been to Baltimore, DC, and a number of other cities hundreds of times, probably closer to a thousand. Not once did I carry a gun and not once was I a victim of a crime. And I wasn't always in the best part of town.

It is simply amazing to me how paranoid gun nuts are.

[jchughes05]

I've lived in MD for all my life (32 years so far), and frankly...I hate it. The only parts I like are the Eastern Shore and the Mountains.

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by jchughes05

I've lived in MD for all my life (32 years so far), and frankly...I hate it. The only parts I like are the Eastern Shore and the Mountains.

But you see that's just it, Maryland is unique in that you can go west and be in the mountains or east and be on the water. All within a few hours. How many states offer that?

Not sure where you live but if you lived in Mount Airy, or any of a number of other places around the state, you would probably feel differently.

[ktaadin]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

But you see that's just it, Maryland is unique in that you can go west and be in the mountains or east and be on the water. All within a few hours. How many states offer that?

Not sure where you live but if you lived in Mount Airy, or any of a number of other places around the state, you would probably feel differently.

Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Viirginia, Alabama. Each of those states offers many areas you can live and have mountains, ocean coastline/beach, farmland, and city within a couple hours driving time.

I've never really agreed with the "America in miniature" assessment, or at least the idea that in that respect Maryland is somehow unique.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by ktaadin

Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Viirginia, Alabama. Each of those states offers many areas you can live and have mountains, ocean coastline/beach, farmland, and city within a couple hours driving time.

I've never really agreed with the "America in miniature" assessment, or at least the idea that in that respect Maryland is somehow unique.

It's not an assessment but a tourism slogan. After all, You've Got A Friend In Pennsylvania and Ohio Is The Heart Of It All.

[Infinite_heights77]

Those Confederate flag waving hillbillies in Western Maryland!!! You like being around that?

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Well, you have the transplants that are only here for jobs and don't give a crap about the state, some actively loathe it but still want to collect their big paychecks.

Then you have the natives, many of whom sincerely feel our state is being taken from us by "one size fits all" leftist politics.

Not too many left to say "Yeah, Maryland is great!"

I say "Western Maryland is great!"

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by ktaadin

Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Viirginia, Alabama. Each of those states offers many areas you can live and have mountains, ocean coastline/beach, farmland, and city within a couple hours driving time.

I've never really agreed with the "America in miniature" assessment, or at least the idea that in that respect Maryland is somehow unique.

Delaware? Rhode Island? That's kind of a stretch, the highest point in RI is 810 feet. By comparison the elevation in Mount Airy is 781 and we understand we can see the moiuntains but are not in them. Delaware's highest point is 447 feet, the only state with a lower high point is Florida.

So now you are down to only 14 vs 35 that don't. As I said it's unique. And I'm even giving you states like NY and PA where PA does not touch the ocean and it's a much much longer drive from mountain to ocean in NY than it is in MD. The same is true for Alabama and a few others I'm sure if I bothered to research.

I should clarify that when I said water I meant ocean beaches as I said in earlier posts, sorry if that was not clear.

[ktaadin]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

Delaware? Rhode Island? That's kind of a stretch, the highest point in RI is 810 feet. By comparison the elevation in Mount Airy is 781 and we understand we can see the moiuntains but are not in them. Delaware's highest point is 447 feet, the only state with a lower high point is Florida.

So now you are down to only 14 vs 35 that don't. As I said it's unique. And I'm even giving you states like NY and PA where PA does not touch the ocean and it's a much much longer drive from mountain to ocean in NY than it is in MD. The same is true for Alabama and a few others I'm sure if I bothered to research.

I should clarify that when I said water I meant ocean beaches as I said in earlier posts, sorry if that was not clear.

Ocean to Mountain in NY is quite close: Coney island is only 65 miles from bear mountain state park. The Catskills, bigger & more dramatic than anything in Maryland, are only about 3 hours from the beach. By DE and RI I was including states which are an easy drive to both MTNS & Ocean: in northern DE you can be to both Appalachian mountains and coastal beaches in approx 2 hours. Same in RI: in Providence you're about 2 hours from the mountains of western MA. I agree that you don't have real mountains within the state lines of those two states, but the point is residents there enjoy very easy access to both for quality of life. PA is similar-you can be to the Jersey or Delaware beaches very easily. Montgomery Alabama is within less than 3 hours drive of both the mountains of the Talladega National Forest and the beaches of Pensacola Florida.

Ultimately though, I think it comes down to your definition of 'unique', which varies in the context of this conversation.

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by ktaadin

Ocean to Mountain in NY is quite close: Coney island is only 65 miles from bear mountain state park. The Catskills, bigger & more dramatic than anything in Maryland, are only about 3 hours from the beach. By DE and RI I was including states which are an easy drive to both MTNS & Ocean: in northern DE you can be to both Appalachian mountains and coastal beaches in approx 2 hours. Same in RI: in Providence you're about 2 hours from the mountains of western MA. I agree that you don't have real mountains within the state lines of those two states, but the point is residents there enjoy very easy access to both for quality of life. PA is similar-you can be to the Jersey or Delaware beaches very easily. Montgomery Alabama is within less than 3 hours drive of both the mountains of the Talladega National Forest and the beaches of Pensacola Florida.

Ultimately though, I think it comes down to your definition of 'unique', which varies in the context of this conversation.

Well argued, thanks for the clarification. I guess I should try a different way of putting it. As I said you can see the mountains from where we live in Mt. Airy. If we go a little over an hour we are in Annapolis, a bit further and we hit the the beach towns of the Chesapeake such as Edgewater, Deale etc. It's totally different down there and like visiting a completely different state, yet it's just over an hour away from our house on the edge of Appalachia. Now THAT is unique.

[Jahodor]

Originally Posted by Knaptown

Hmmm. Well, I'm a transplant here. I've lived in the Northeast and the Midwest, and frankly I love Maryland. I came here by choice and luck, and thus far I really prefer it to anywhere else that I've lived in my 50-plus years. The weather suits me, the people are mostly friendly, and there's a lot to see and do in the area.

Just out of curiosity, why did you leave the Midwest? When I lived in Pennsylvania, I came across a significant number of transplants who moved to PA, not so much in MD. I noticed most of the people I met went back to the Midwest. I am considering a move to the Midwest, probably Ohio. Just wanted your thoughts considering you have lived in both regions.

Thanks.