Growing up, going from my house on the southside of youngstown to the mall in boardman, 3 miles away, was “far” and way on the other side of town. Going to Farrell, Pa where my extended family was, 25 miles away was a day trip! LOL I mean you left the city and got on an interstate where there was nothing but trees and woods and it felt like you actually left something.
My local growing up was a 5 mile stretch.
Moving to California I met my old babysitters husband who had driven to Rancho Cucomonga from Los Angeles with no sweat. He was like yeah we can go here and there all over LA county like it was nothing. He knew the freeways and had the confidence and I was like THATS the kind of freedom I want! Looking back coming here a small town boy I wasn’t ready for big city getting around like that. It took over 10 years for me to gain the experience, knowledge and confidence to feel i can go anywhere in Los Angeles at anytime. From that came yahoo maps and then gps and google maps and the confidence i could go to any city anywhere and get around freely.
Now living in the SF Valley I’m use to travelling 20 miles every time I start a car! My mother lives 70 miles away from me and I consider that local! Going to her house on the expressway 70 mph thru city after city its like you never leave town. Im so familiar with the places in between that I consider everything between me and her like local.
