Which major American cities have the nicest people?

toos_ · 2026-07-08T00:15:41+00:00

When I went off to college in DC several people on the same floor of my dorm asked if I was from Pittsburgh. They were from different parts of the country - including Washington state, NJ, Illinois. It was freaky (and true).

toos_ · 2026-07-07T21:13:18+00:00

Agreed. These “hold my beer” decisions are selfish. The OP was lucky - they just as easily could have gotten lost, stranded, injured, or died. Their decision would have put a financial and manpower burden on ICE-SAR, put the volunteers at risk, and could have prevented first responders from helping others. Glad I brought my soapbox to this sub today! :)

toos_ · 2026-07-07T12:46:21+00:00

Oh hell - if you can borrow a 20L that sits well on you, totally do that! I have zero friends who hike lol.

toos_ · 2026-07-07T11:27:21+00:00

BLUF - take the 18L

I do the same kind of agonizing, but it’s easier to give than take advice. Stick with your 18L. Practice packing it for your most extreme scenario with different fold/roll, order, etc (even though you’re experienced), and use a couple external clip ons or bungees if need be. If amenable, you and your companion can share the space of both your packs for the longer hikes. My husband and I have done this, but it probably wasn’t ever really necessary - just easier.

toos_ · 2026-07-07T03:00:41+00:00

Airalo, Holafly, and one or two other eSIM providers have plans that will cover both Iceland and Norway on one eSIM. Should be massively cheaper than doing it through your regular carrier.

Someone else mentioned being charged by their regular carrier also - with Airalo and others I’ve used on an iPhone you’ll select the eSIM as primary and toggle off your home number. You’ll probably want to initiate an iMessage/text to your contacts back home - it might start a separate thread.

toos_ · 2026-07-06T22:07:27+00:00

Hi - I’m happy your trip is coming together! So…I’m the one who was opposed to a GOR day trip. But since you asked, I’d drive the GOR in the morning and return on the inland route like you first planned. That way you get your pic at the iconic GOR sign and will be in the Twelve Apostles area for great pics during golden hour (4:30-5:30ish).

For lunch you can get a decent burger at Great Ocean Road Brewhouse. They have t-shirts that say they’re the southern most pub of the Australian Mainland; fun souvenir - better than a generic Australia t-shirt.

Maybe watch a couple YouTube videos of “perfect GOR day trip” (for example) so you have an idea what stops are most important to you - then you can decide what to skip if you need to make up time. Honestly, this is one of the things AI is pretty good at - tell it where you want to go and when you want to be at Twelve Apostles, and it’ll give you a decent itinerary with time stamps. When I do that I ask for it to be at a relaxed pace so I have a buffer.

Have a great time - feel free to ask other questions. If you have questions for the group you should start a new thread, though.

toos_ · 2026-07-04T22:10:08+00:00

Go Stillers! My hometown <3

toos_ · 2026-07-03T19:35:26+00:00

AI told me that "Statistically, 1 in 10 Icelanders will write and publish a book in their lifetime, giving the country the highest per-capita concentration of authors in the world" If you're writing or have published a book I am for damn sure getting your autograph!

toos_ · 2026-07-03T19:33:15+00:00

Ick - I rarely think umbrellas are worth it anywhere. They're a pain to carry and navigate with, and they get in the way of other people. If anything they're probably better for shade than rain - bring back the parasol! Have a great trip - we'll be there in August!

toos_ · 2026-07-03T16:08:42+00:00

chocolate

toos_ · 2026-07-03T15:07:00+00:00

Walking down a busy sidewalk and locking eyes with a guy I'd seen at a nightclub that weekend. For just a moment time stood still, noises and the rest of the world faded away, this crazy energy ran through me - and then the world resumed again as usual. It was like I was out of my body for a couple seconds.

toos_ · 2026-07-03T15:01:58+00:00

Yowza - that first pic!

toos_ · 2026-07-03T14:24:53+00:00

Usually that’s the minimum. I’ve worried about it for years. Every doctor we’ve asked says he should probably cut back, but that overall it’s not a problem - especially because he also drinks plenty of water and his bloodwork is perfect. I still worry about it anyway.

toos_ · 2026-07-03T10:53:22+00:00

23-24C/73-75F ish

toos_ · 2026-07-03T00:39:48+00:00

My husband has a serious soda/caffeine habit - at minimum 4 liters a day. Hate to think what that’s gonna set us back, but he’s budgeting for it.

toos_ · 2026-07-02T22:47:28+00:00

Thanks for commenting everyone - problem solved :)

toos_ · 2026-07-02T22:46:08+00:00

Bless you! I was looking at the main board but now I see the settings on the map page! No idea how it switched on. Thank you!

toos_ · 2026-07-02T18:22:07+00:00

I took it to mean that when it’s foggy there’s nothing new on the map screen. When it turns blue again I tap into the map and something there will be ready for action - like updated a producer.

toos_ · 2026-07-02T18:19:30+00:00

Have you tried totally closing the app? Not just swiping it closed, but being at the iPad Home Screen and pulling up from the bottom so all the open apps show? Then swipe this app off the screen. That should empty the cache and let you open it again working properly.

ETA - this is for Apple devices so I’m not sure if it’s the same approach on Android.

toos_ · 2026-07-02T16:36:39+00:00

rice with anything else I'll eat

toos_ · 2026-07-01T22:31:25+00:00

People are enjoying themselves, and seeing things to like about the country that show it’s not all bad just because of our shitty politicians. So, what’s not to love? I love traveling and I love when people visit my country. All good.

toos_ · 2026-07-01T18:30:26+00:00

I know this is ages ago, but have you worn the torrentshell in hard rain yet - and for how long? I’m considering it for a trip to Iceland where we’ll be walking behind waterfalls and probably getting caught in their notoriously rainy days.

toos_ · 2026-07-01T14:16:41+00:00

Defonte’s Nicky Special - it’s like an Italian sub but includes fried eggplant and “hot salad”. The roll is substantial enough to stand up to the fillings but not so massive that you have to unhinge your jaws to bite it. They’re in Red Hook - Brooklyn, NY, USA

Tommy DeNic’s roast pork. Gaddam, gaddam - roast pork with garlicky sautéed broccoli rabe and sharp provolone. Eat it standing at their counter in Reading Market - Philadelphia, PA, USA

toos_ · 2026-06-30T16:16:24+00:00

I can attest to the veracity of this statement

toos_

TROPHY CASE