How is life in Yakima WA?

I lived in OR for 25 years (so exactly 5/6 of my life), and I can count on one hand how many times I went into eastern OR proper (not counting tourist areas like Bend or Sisters when visiting the mountains). In fact, the first time I ever crossed the eastern border of OR by car was last Dec en route to VA. There just isn't a whole lot out there in Eastern OR and WA. I have flown through the tri-cities airport in WA a number of times, and visited Spokane a couple times as a real young kid to see family members long since deceased, but most of the nice places to live in OR and WA follow I-5 as a generality. Bend, OR is a bit of an exception, but it has basically a Big Bear kind of feel, if that means anything to you Fencer. Possibly good, possibly bad, depending on your tastes. I'd imagine Yakima is a meth wonderland, like most of the other places in eastern WA, OR, and most of ID.
 
I've lived in Seattle. Owned a nice view house in W Seattle that's prolly worth a million today. I wouldn't trade the investment for being away from the rain, traffic, wall to wall people...rain, traffic. When I left SEA in the 90's, my real estate investment bought me a view mansion in Spokane Valley with 10 acres of pine trees. YYMV.... but you couldn't pay me to go back to the wet side of the hills. That's just me.
 
DE727UPS said:
I've lived in Seattle. Owned a nice view house in W Seattle that's prolly worth a million today. I wouldn't trade the investment for being away from the rain, traffic, wall to wall people...rain, traffic. When I left SEA in the 90's, my real estate investment bought me a view mansion in Spokane Valley with 10 acres of pine trees. YYMV.... but you couldn't pay me to go back to the wet side of the hills. That's just me.
Click to expand...

Whatever floats your boat. I like city life and I actually love the weather in the PNW. Then again, anywhere out there is beautiful, so I'm sure said mansion was/is cool too. I do hate traffic, and while not as bad as socal, PDX and SEA both have incredibly poor traffic management, and it is excruciating at times......especially if you have to travel anywhere between Tacoma and Seattle. Either way, Seattle is the one place (aside from maybe San Diego after living there previously) that the wife and I can envision settling down in after I leave active duty. Her family is from there, so she spent a lot of time there as a kid, as did I with an older brother who went to UW, and I think we both have good memories of the place. Not to mention that it is one of the few places in the PNW where I could continue to fly and still make decent money.
 
Don't know about the town, but the FBO at Yakima is pretty nice. I fly there quite often and send students there on cross countries. Most of the FBO's in eastern OR and WA are nice, as far as I've seen. I fly out of Bend.
 
Northern Exposure is a great show.

Amazing how much small town "stuff" (both good and bad) is the same, no matter the geographic location.
 
Fencer said:
I am thinking of moving there if job talk ends in my favor. If I am lucky I may work for a well known light plane manufacturer. So what's good in Yakima and what's not?
Click to expand...

The airport had its struggles, Noland Lease debacle and cafe closing a couple years ago for example, I have attended great BBQ's at KYKM (strong chapter with Washington pilots association). Airport has a fly out group planning the whole Summer. As noted QX serves the airport from SEA. West Valley fire chief is a friend, I know a few CAP pilots living there; areas to live in west of the city (West Valley) or Selah.
 
I grew up in Yakima, did my private and instrument training there, and married my wife there. We moved away in 02' but for my first 25 years I called it home. Still have family and friends there and visit often, but the tipping point was our house being completely emptied by some crooks while we were at work. The town isn't what it used to be and crime is fairly high, there are nice areas and nowhere is immune from crime. The weather in my opinion is great, long warm summers and real winters. Also I have a very close friend that works at Cubcrafters and really enjoys it, I assume that's the job you are referring to. We probably wouldn't ever move back unless someone paid us piles of cash which sucks cause I like the area.
 
///AMG said:
Whatever floats your boat. I like city life and I actually love the weather in the PNW. Then again, anywhere out there is beautiful, so I'm sure saidmansion was/is cool too. I do hate traffic, and while not as bad as socal, PDX and SEA both have incredibly poor traffic management, and it is excruciating at times......especially if you have to travel anywhere between Tacoma and Seattle. Either way, Seattle is the one place (aside from maybe San Diego after living there previously) that the wife and I can envision settling down in after I leave active duty. Her family is from there, so she spent a lot of time there as a kid, as did I with an older brother who went to UW, and I think we both have good memories of the place. Not to mention that it is one of the few places in the PNW where I could continue to fly and still make decent money.
Click to expand...


How come you didn't go Growlers?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top