I'm off to Seattle on Sunday for ten days on business. I've been there once before, so have done a few of the obviously touristy bits (Space Needle, EMP, market etc)

I'm planning to take a drive into the Cascades at some point, but does anyone have any recommendations for anything else I shouldn't miss this time ?

P.S. I also get to drive in the US for the first time, which should be fun, especially as I've never driven an automatic before...

This would be a good place to start. I have never been to Washington state, so I have no personal input.

What you say about the automatic trans is quite interesting. I once read that, in the US, 80-85% of new cars are auto and the rest are manual. The article then went on to say in Europe it's almost the exact opposite. Maybe fuel economy has something to do with it? Anyway, I drive a manual and I've been wondering lately what would happen if I had to drive in Europe. Imagining shifting with my left hand doesn't seem right. I would probably have to rent an automatic.

Anyway, I drive a manual and I've been wondering lately what would happen if I had to drive in Europe. Imagining shifting with my left hand doesn't seem right.

You do know that most of Europe has left hand drive cars right ?

This would be a good place to start.

That was about the first place I looked, but it has very little info.

You do know that most of Europe has left hand drive cars right ?

No. I am ignorant of Europe outside what I see in movies and on TV. Never been and know nobody from there. I guess what I'm usually looking at is England.

Those darn English and Japanese...

First off, I'd try to find if there were any good concerts going on at the time. I'm a monster "grunge" fan (basically if they covered it in "Hype!", I'm a fan of it), so I'd try to see if anyone was playing at the moment. All my favorite artists usually don't leave the Seattle area anymore, so I keep seeing concerts scheduled in and around the city (Argh!).

But I'm sure there are some lesser-known folk still pounding out the chords all the time. I hope so, at least.

Of course, my favorites aren't in the area at the moment. Mark Lanegan is in Italy and soon touring with Queens of the Stone Age who I will see for a second time this summer, and Barrett MArtin is touring with Tuatara who I saw just last night

Be warned compared to uk tyres the american tyres have almost no grip from the few times i drove in the states and from what i have heard about american tyres.

I'll duck now as i am sure someone will flame back

Well first off, we do call them "tires"

I also get to drive in the US for the first time, which should be fun, especially as I've never driven an automatic before...

As a very infrequent automatic driver I've found that it helps to tuck the left leg back towards the seat, at least for the first hour or so - otherwise I tend to stomp the brake pedal with the left foot, trying to declutch. Caused some rather abrupt stops occasionally...

/Michael

My friend's mom had driven manual all her life.

She simply could not figure out how an automatic worked

When do you get into Seattle on Sunday? This weekend is "Sea-fair" and the hydroplane races are on Sunday... The Blue Angels are practicing as I type. It's like a war zone here!

To bad it's not next month. The first weekend of September is "Bumbershoot," the Seattle music festival. This year has a number of good acts, including Maceo Parker and Jerry Cantrell for you "hype" fans...

Oh that's sweet. I really want to see Cantrell, but for some reason he decided to tour with Nickleback in the beginning of the summer, and Creed at the end. CREED for crying out loud! Damnit.

When do you get into Seattle on Sunday?

Arriving at Seatac (or whatever it's called) at 3:30pm. Where are the races, over Puget Sound ?

By the way, is the Boeing factory worth a visit ?

Ah, just found the details at http://www.seafair.com/

Looks like I'll miss all the fun. Would have loved to take the tour of the USS Constellation.

once read that, in the US, 80-85% of new cars are auto and the rest are manual. The article then went on to say in Europe it's almost the exact opposite. Maybe fuel economy has something to do with it?

Interesting perspective, you could well be correct.

I think that auto cars are perceived as luxurious over here (Merc's etc.) although it's usually available as a factory option on a lot (most?) cars.

One other important factor (in the UK at least) is that if you pass your driving test in an auto then you are not allowed to drive a manual. Of course, if you pass in a manual you are eligible to drive either.

Is this a UK only thing?

By the way, is the Boeing factory worth a visit ?

That's a bit of a sore point isn't it?

Rob

That's a bit of a sore point isn't it?

Eh ?

Imagining shifting with my left hand doesn't seem right.

Speaking of which, I've always meant to find this out somewhere, but in the UK, do stick shifts still have the lower gears to the left, so that the stick comes towards you as you go faster or is it reversed so that you still push outwards? And I assume that the pedals are still in the same order, clutch on the left, and not reversed. (And no comments about US-centrism. I'm aware of my bias, but it's my bias and I like it. )

in the UK, do stick shifts still have the lower gears to the left

Yes.

And I assume that the pedals are still in the same order

Yes again.

Arriving at Seatac (or whatever it's called) at 3:30pm.

I'm flying out of Sea-Tac -- short for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport -- about 2 hours before you arrive. One depressingly interesting bit of trivia is that the town adjacent to the airport incorporated a few years back and the town is called SeaTac. Is that low-budget derivative, or what???

If you happen to be working downtown, a cheap thrill is to take the ferry from Coleman Dock over to Winslow, have some fish and chips, then take the ferry back. It's still light pretty late and you can get some nice views of the city.

Good idea on the Cascades. A short version is to take I-90 east, go south to Yakima, then take Chinook Pass back through Mt Rainier Natl Park. A longer day is east on I-90, northeast to Wenatchee, pause for cheeseburger, north to Winthrop, then west on North Cascades Highway through N. Cascades Natl Park. If you've ever read the first chapters of Kerouac's Desolation Angels, this route may prove irresistable -- the highway wasn't built yet when he wrote about his stint as a fire lookout on Desolation, but you can get an idea of what is was like. It's a longish drive back down I-5 to Seattle ('course you could always hang a right and go see Vancouver!!)

Another not-too-hard trip is to take a ferry from North of Seattle (Edmonds) cross to Kingston, then drive up to Port Townsend and Port Angeles. You can get pretty high up into Olympic National Park to Deer park Ranger Station (gravel road) or Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center (paved) in your rental car. If you started fairly early, you could even drive counter-clockwise around the Olympics -- go see the Pacific beaches.

FYI, my friend tells me that the South/International arrivals area is a mess of construction lately, so be prepared for some extra fun getting through Customs and such.

Have fun!

You could always drop into Redmond, and do DarkStorm a favour...

LOL, funny, very funny!

Last time I was in Seattle someone told me that Boeing were pulling out of the area big time, and it was all doom and gloom. Not true?

Rob

Ah, I see.

Last time I was in Seattle someone told me that Boeing were pulling out of the area big time, and it was all doom and gloom. Not true?

Boeing moved headquarters to Chicago, and, yes, that's a sore point for a lot of folks who saw it as "our" company. Boeing said they wanted a handier location and one that represented the "new", more diverse Boeing ("Not just airplanes, but Death Stars, too!")

Some saw it as punishment for Washington State's complete paralysis when it comes ot matters of transportation/transit. More significant, I think,is that it got the CEO 1500 miles away from picketing machinists and engineers ("Ha! Try and picket me *now*!"). Rather than the CEO being hostage to Seattle/Washington, now it's the other way around.

I've never done the Everett factory tour, but they're still making 777s and such up there and I think the tours are still on.

Hmm. I wonder if the tour includes the Rather Large Milling Machines (tm)...Ever seen a milling machine the lenght of a football pitch? They're impressive. I know that BAe use the largest milling machines in Europe to mill airbus wings - I'd guess that Boeing use some big machines too.