Mountains/hills VS Flat Spaces

[Henro]

This is probably another strange post by yours truly...But...

Growing up in Western PA, hills were the norm and I learned to enjoy them I guess. Not sure why other than we get used to what surrounds us.

Over the years I noticed that if I visited a place that was essentially flat, that I felt something was missing, and had the feeling that space was compressed, rather that expanded, since one might expect the feeling of space would expand if hills and mountains were removed from wherever he was located.

I guess what I am wondering is if having hills and mountains in the picture somehow, although they limit the total distance you can see, if they actually add to the visual experience and give one the impression that more is around, rather than less.

So what do people who grow up in the "open spaces" part of the world think? Do they feel some kind of confinement when in a location that is not "big sky country?"

I am absolutely serious with this question. Just something I wondered about over the years and never thought to ask anyone.

 

[foobert]

Grew up in an arid and rural part ID where I could see for ~20 miles in most directions. Post college, lived in city ‘burbs for 20 years where I could see hill tops from some vantage points.

Now I live amongst the hills and trees of the Pacific Northwest. It’s semi-rural and the farthest view I get is ~100 yards in one direction. My mom feels closed in when she visits, but, it doesn’t bother me.

Sure, I’d like to have a view of the Olympic Mts, or a commanding view of the sound, but it isn’t worth chasing.

 

[Henro]

Grew up in an arid and rural part ID where I could see for ~20 miles in most directions. Post college, lived in city ‘burbs for 20 years where I could see hill tops from some vantage points.

Now I live amongst the hills and trees of the Pacific Northwest. It’s semi-rural and the farthest view I get is ~100 yards in one direction. My mom feels closed in when she visits, but, it doesn’t bother me.

Sure, I’d like to have a view of the Olympic Mts, or a commanding view of the sound, but it isn’t worth chasing.

You know, that is very interesting. I do not think from my home I can see further than a few hundred yards either, but I can if I leave and go somewhere...but NEVER 20 miles, or even ten miles probably, at the best vantage point.

Edit: UNLESS I look up on a clear night, then I can see for light years... Like everybody else...

 

[Mossy dell]

What we grew up with is generally what we've imprinted on. I grew up on the flatlands of Georgia and Florida and love them.

I now live in the Blue Ridge mountains. I LOVE the views of hills and mountains in the distance. I HATE living and working on slopes. That is getting worse as I get older. Much of my land is 20% slope. Hills are so much harder to work on on foot or on machinery. Gravity wears me down. And I also fall more. Hard.

 

[Henro]

What we grew up with is generally what we've imprinted on. I grew up on the flatlands of Georgia and Florida and love them.

I now live in the Blue Ridge mountains. I LOVE the views of hills and mountains in the distance. I HATE living and working on slopes. That is getting worse as I get older. Much of my land is 20% slope. Hills are so much harder to work on on foot or on machinery. Gravity wears me down. And I also fall more. Hard.

Good to hear you are feeling the same as me as seeing hills and mountains.

AND you share my dislike of using the tractors (and my older body) on slopes!

Welcome to my world! LOL

 

[Mossy dell]

Henro, my paradise would be mountains in the distance and utterly FLAT where I live. I guess they have that in places out west . . .

 

[Henro]

Henro, my paradise would be mountains in the distance and utterly FLAT where I live. I guess they have that in places out west . . .

Me too! LOL

BUT I don't have mountains in the distance and don't have flat land either...So I am starting to adjust my thinking a bit....as far as wishful thinking goes...

Still happy where I am though.

 

[MINICUP28]

I certainly love the view from the elevation but spending 2-3 hours clearing the 1/2 mile private road this weekend was no picnic. It's like a ski jump with the ice we had. One disadvantage with a steeply sloped parcel is every time we want to add a shed or barn, you have to call for a contractor to level & fill. We have a great sunset view to the west but don't get the morning sun until mid morning or later. That doesn't help the garden grow well and we have to use raised beds, there is no level spot except over the leach field.
Overall, it sure beats living in the city.

 

[lugbolt]

I growed up in the midwest, where a measurable "hill" was nowhere in a 200 mile radius. Corn fields is all that there was, very fertile land for crops.

Moved here, hills. I often travel and during travel I hate going anywhere outside the hills. There is literally, nothing to see. I call them "fly-over states"....better off flying over them than driving through them. Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, part of colorado, part of Wyoming, Nebraska, part of S. Dakota, Iowa, Indiana, etc. You get the idea.

Spent my childhood traveling those states racing go-karts, along with some (now) big names.

Even going from Here to memphrica, it's hilly for a while then it's flat, river bottoms for about 100 miles or so. Really nothing to see but cotton fields, state troopers, and cottonmouths. Boring drive.