Forget body language or eye movements — there are much better ways to recognize an Idahoan from afar. In fact, when Idahoans travel to other states, we’re surprisingly easy to spot because of our habits and idiosyncrasies. The following are just a few definite tip-offs that someone is from Idaho.

  1. They dress for function over fashion – and it isn’t always pretty.

Ben/Flickr Layers, tough shoes, pattern blocking… the whole works. Gucci shoes and Coach bags don’t help us traverse mountain trails, face Idaho’s spastic weather changes, or wade through stable muck.

  1. Their hair is always a mess.

Joe St. Pierre/Flickr So much wind. Honestly.

  1. They’re genuinely confused when you tell them that Idaho is flat, boring, and/or has nothing to do.

Debbie Berger/Flickr Our state is basically a giant playground. What do you mean boring?

  1. They appear to experience physical, mental, and emotional trauma at the sight of new buildings going up.

Benny B Photography/Flickr To an Idahoan, construction means imminent disaster and a threat to our precious landscape. The moment orange signs start going up, visions of New York start flashing through our heads and it feels like our hearts are being ripped open.

  1. Their relationship to Californians is… complicated, at best.

Narux26/Flickr Call it what you will: a strong aversion to, dislike of, slight malice towards, distrust of… Just don’t be comin’ in here with your lack of driving skills, “new money,” and swanky sunglasses and think you can trash our environment. This isn’t LA.

  1. We’re experts at dodging potholes, animals in the road, and, of course, avoiding collisions with crazy California drivers.

_chrisUK/Flickr But most of us started driving before we were even 14, so we’ve had some extra practice.

  1. They’re super trusting. They might leave their keys in the car, house doors wide open, or even let precious equipment sit outside overnight because they trust that it’ll still be there in the morning.

Alan Levine/Flickr Don’t look at us like we’re weird.

  1. They don’t need the flashiest, newest technology to have a good time.

Sarah H/Flickr Give us a fishing pole, a day in the mountains, a few close friends, or a project to work on and we’ll be happy as can be.

  1. They might get moderately offended if you ask them about potatoes.

Slice of Chic/Flickr Yes, we grow them – a lot of them, in fact. But most Idahoans have never even seen a potato field. In Southern Idaho, for instance, you’re far more likely to see onion trucks and sugar beets barreling down the road.

  1. If you quote, reference, or otherwise ask them about Napoleon Dynamite, this is the response you’ll get.

Matt/Flickr More than likely they’ll ignore the conversation entirely simply for the pointless redundancy. We’ve heard all the jokes. ALL of them.

  1. We have better taste in steak than you do, and hold firm to the idea that meat should be served in large portions, without frills.

C.C. Chapman/Flickr Meat should be served with a side of beef and garnished with… more beef.

  1. They’ll give you a strange look for running to the store multiple times per day or week. Why would you buy something from the store when you can make it, grow it, and/or fix it yourself?

Dave Walker/Flickr Idahoan ingenuity. And yes, duct tape IS a solution.

  1. They get giddy at the sight of rain.

Allen/Flickr The phrase “excessive annual rainfall” is incomprehensible.

  1. They wear all the camo, all the time.

Wikimedia Commons So if you can’t spot us in your state, that just means the camouflage is working.

  1. They wake up when it’s dark and go to bed when it’s still light.

RawheaD Rex/Flickr

  1. They wave at everybody, regardless of whether they know them or not.

jen Olsen/Flickr We’re of the friendly sort.

What other signs make it easy to recognize an Idahoan?

Ben/Flickr

Layers, tough shoes, pattern blocking… the whole works. Gucci shoes and Coach bags don’t help us traverse mountain trails, face Idaho’s spastic weather changes, or wade through stable muck.

Joe St. Pierre/Flickr

So much wind. Honestly.

Debbie Berger/Flickr

Our state is basically a giant playground. What do you mean boring?

Benny B Photography/Flickr

To an Idahoan, construction means imminent disaster and a threat to our precious landscape. The moment orange signs start going up, visions of New York start flashing through our heads and it feels like our hearts are being ripped open.

Narux26/Flickr

Call it what you will: a strong aversion to, dislike of, slight malice towards, distrust of… Just don’t be comin’ in here with your lack of driving skills, “new money,” and swanky sunglasses and think you can trash our environment. This isn’t LA.

_chrisUK/Flickr

But most of us started driving before we were even 14, so we’ve had some extra practice.

Alan Levine/Flickr

Don’t look at us like we’re weird.

Sarah H/Flickr

Give us a fishing pole, a day in the mountains, a few close friends, or a project to work on and we’ll be happy as can be.

Slice of Chic/Flickr

Yes, we grow them – a lot of them, in fact. But most Idahoans have never even seen a potato field. In Southern Idaho, for instance, you’re far more likely to see onion trucks and sugar beets barreling down the road.

Matt/Flickr

More than likely they’ll ignore the conversation entirely simply for the pointless redundancy. We’ve heard all the jokes. ALL of them.

C.C. Chapman/Flickr

Meat should be served with a side of beef and garnished with… more beef.

Dave Walker/Flickr

Idahoan ingenuity. And yes, duct tape IS a solution.

Allen/Flickr

The phrase “excessive annual rainfall” is incomprehensible.

Wikimedia Commons

So if you can’t spot us in your state, that just means the camouflage is working.

RawheaD Rex/Flickr

jen Olsen/Flickr

We’re of the friendly sort.

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