It rains too much in Washington: and other debatable 'facts' about life around McChord air force base

* You'll need several sport racks for your vehicle and know how to swap them out quickly. Especially if you like to enjoy several sports over a weekend Seattle is the second fittest city in the nation, according to Men's Fitness Magazine, so at least you'll be in good company.

* You may not get home in time to watch "The OC" on television. Home from where? The coffee houses, outdoor lifestyle or music scene. Take you pick. Or come up with your own niche.

Washington is a place where you could go to the Fish Tale Ale Brewery in Olympia and have a state congressman drinking a beer to your left, but the girl who just bumped your elbow has purple hair and seven body piercings, only two of which are visible in public.

It's all part of the northwest low-key lifestyle of jeans with Birkenstocks couture. But just in case outsiders try to fit the right people in the right boxes, realize there's an unspoken concept commonly shared among residents (and not just the younger generations) about reading the book, not the cover.

The bearded guy sitting on the curb wearing a flannel shirt isn't homeless. He earned his Ph.D. when I was in grade school; now he challenges next year's international political science majors at a state university. And although locals may not dress to impress, Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau testifies the South Sound area leads the nation in percentage of residents with a college degree. It's also in first for Internet business startups.

If you get to McChord and want to blend in, get some coffee, get comfortable and get to know someone.

photos by Master Sgt. Scott Wagers

McChord at a glance

Mission: This base is home to the 62nd Airlift Wing and 446th Airlift Wing (Reserve)--flying the C-17 Globmaster III--and the Air National Guard's Western Air Defense Sector. Both flying units support worldwide combat and humanitarian airlift contingencies. And it's a great place to catch a "hop" for traveling Space-A.

Location: With majestic Mount Rainier in the background, the base is located off Interstate 5. It's 10 miles south of Tacoma; 25 miles north of Olympia, the state capital; and about 42 miles south of Seattle.

Climate: The weather isn't what most people might expect. The average winter low is 34.2 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average winter s 45-49 degrees. Summer's high averages 76.3 degrees and the average summer low is 54 degrees.

Economy: The base has almost 1,000 family housing units, some built as recently as 1998. For renters, housing officials said, the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment or home runs in the area of $650 to $700 a month. A two-bedroom apartment or home starts at about $850 a month. And a three-bedroom apartment or home runs more than $1,000 a month.

Recreation: McChord has one elementary school, a golf course, youth center and sports pavilion. Also, miles of wooded trails border the housing areas. Also, there are tons of recreational activities around the base. State parks, lake and seashores, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, boating, whale watching--you name it and it's close by.