Anybody lives there? Info I found so far…it’s the dry area of Washington state, it’s mostly rural, life seems cheap, it snows a shitload, you have more chances to hit a cow than a car on the roads, it’s green (compared to El Paso), it’s cold (same thing)…
Where in Central Washington are you looking? I’ve spent some time on Lake Chelan, it’s gorgeous out there in the summer. Leavenworth was also a neat little town. I’d guess as long as there isn’t snow on the ground it’s great for training.
Ellensburg…It’s small and in the middle of nowhere. Compared to El Paso that is just in the middle of nowhere but not small. Going there saturday next week.
Lots of good riding, hot in the summer, and rodeo is big. Eastern Washington is (for the most part) the Republican side of the state.
If you are going the university there and meet an older guy named Dan Curtis (he’s in Math), please say hi to him for me. We worked together until he retired from Boeing several years ago and joined the faculty in the Math Dept.
Chris
I only know Ellensburg from driving through, and I keep driving. Middle of the state is just as you describe. Flat, desert, hotter and colder than Seattle. It is worth checking out though because it might find more there than I know about. I love it up here in the PNW.
Only stop in Ellensburg to stretch my legs on the way to Seattle…BUT…what I can offer is this…
Every single time…every time…I’ve ever been in Ellensburg it has been windy as all get out. I say for a visit, a short visit, fine…any more than that…no way.
Well, that would definitely be a major difference from El Paso 
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I live about 1:15 SE of Ellensburg. You could come over for dinner. We could watch Love, Actually together in December… heh-heh.
It’s a pretty area. The town sits in a bowl like valley, so driving in from where I live is nice. It’s just east of the Cascades, so getting to Seattle is very easy. A good friend of mine runs the Japanese exchange program at CWU and likes it there.
E-burg!
Feel free to add … 
I think if you liked El Paso you would not mind E-burg. It’s a small gateway to the farmlands of Eastern Washington. Close to skiing and easy access to PDX or Seattle. The “Courage Ride” goes through there every year. Not a whole lot of culture, but lots of outdoor activities and great isolate riding. I doubt you will meet many cultured females, but your French accent will make you quite the talk of the town. Maybe Erin can import some hotties for you. What is a math genius like you going to do in a place like that?
I’m not a math genius AND…my French accent is not that French
Sometimes it actually sounds awfully Aussie
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Either way it will get you laid in E-burg (not saying that is a good thing). Take that to the bank. They will think you are exotic. Actually, I think the chicks will dig your chili more if they think your Aussie.
You are as close to a math genius as we have here.
Its a nice area with good outdoor activities but it is a small town. Windy as hell but so is El Paso. You’re also close to some decent wineries and the drive to Seattle is pretty easy. If you’re in Seattle for any length of time a French friend keeps telling me I need to try Cafe Presse. Il Fournil is a good bakery too run by a guy from Nice.