12 Signs You’re From Mountain View, CA
Mountain View is an innovative, diverse town, and you’re pretty lucky if you have the chance to live there. Growing up surrounded by technological giants and just a short drive away from San Francisco and the beach is not something that very many people can say they’ve experienced. If you’re from Mountain View, CA you’ll definitely relate to the list below.
1. Random Google bikes scattered all around your neighborhood seem to magically disappear and reappear.
These bikes are basically lawn decorations for the city of Mountain View. They’re literally everywhere.
2. Freaking out when the forecast predicts a chance of rain coming up.
The California drought has improved recently but we could still use the rain. As soon as water starts falling from the sky or the temperature dips below 60 degrees, you can bet that the weathermen are about to have a field day.
3. You’ve been late to an event because you got stuck behind a self-driving Google car.
Living in a high tech town is great until you’ve been late to a job interview because the self-driving cars are allowed to drive 10 miles below the speed limit on busy roads like El Camino Real and Middlefield.
4. Nothing is more risky than taking Highway 101 when you’re crunched for time.
If Waze is telling you to take 101 during rush hour, you’re better off just staying at home and cancelling whatever it was you were about to go to.
5. Shoreline Amphitheatre + In-N-Out Burger = A Pretty Awesome Night.
It’s the closest and largest concert venue around and it takes less than five minutes to drive to In-N-Out for a cheap bite to eat before or after the show. Need I say more?
6. You either went gold mining or visited a mission for your 4th grade social studies class.
Field trips aren’t nearly as frequent if you’re from Mountain View, CA as they are in other school districts, but this trip was guaranteed to happen regardless of whether or not it was in the budget.
7. Half of the people you know are employees or interns at Google.
While there are several employees from various tech companies like LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Facebook that live here, Mountain View could honestly be renamed ‘Google-ville’. We wouldn’t be the town we are today without it!
8. Receiving an endless amount of ads for summer classes from the city’s Recreation division.
Swimming lessons? Check. Art classes? Check. Sports camps? Check. If you’re from Mountain View, CA and drive past Rengstorff Park, Eagle Park, or the CSMA during the summer, you’ve definitely noticed the massive crowds coming in and out.
9. Going to study sessions, business meetings, and open-mic nights at Red Rock.
Yeah, Starbucks and Philz are nice, but I’ll take the cozy, home-like vibe of Red Rock over chain coffee shops any day.
10. The obligatory trip to the Tech Museum.
The STEM playground of the South Bay. The line to go on the earthquake simulator was insanely long but always worth the wait.
11. “What’s your major?” “Computer Science and Engineering.”
Basically Mountain View High School and Los Altos High School in a nutshell. This really shouldn’t be a surprise.
12. Feeling Nostalgic about ‘Old Mountain View.’
People from from Mountain View, CA who’ve been here since the 60s and 70s love talking about how much the town has changed since Google moved in. If you head to the exclusive Eagles lodge on Castro Street, you’ve probably heard people reminiscing about the days of the original Mountain View High School before it moved to the completely opposite side of town.
