Why are SO many Illinois folk attracted to Arizona? (Chicago: school, live)

[Drover]

DuPage of the Desert.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

I've only ever been to the Phoenix area. My parents like to spend most winters there. I visited once and hated it. I'm a water person, all those cacti and flat brown stretches along the roads was just hideous to me. Brown mountains don't do anything for me either. The area my parents stay in is a gated community and there is nothing to walk to. I am happy that they get away from snow and ice, one bad fall could probably kill them at this point in their lives.

Its not for everyone. However, Im lucky to see the beauty here. I love stark, harsh environments. I love the wildlife here, the skies, the mountains, the flora, etc. The calm that the desert brings is one of the most serene things one can ever experience in life. The abundant sunshine is good for the soul. I used to think otherwise until I moved here. I would venture to say the desert is an acquired taste. Ill tell you now that just driving around in your a/c cocoon car wont make you appreciate the desert. You need to get out and explore it on foot to appreciate it. Just trust me on that.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Drover

DuPage of the Desert.

NYC of the desert, LA of the desert, Pittsburgh of the desert, Denver of the desert, Cleveland of the desert, Seattle of the desert, Portland of the desert, Cheyenne of the desert... Lots of Chicagoans here, but there are huge numbers of people from the cities I just mentioned, too.

[ShampooBanana]

Originally Posted by linicx

I was only there once and in the summer. I may have encountered some of the Ponderosa, but the scent I remember is a strong pine smell reminiscent of the Christmas tree. The first few minutes were awesome but then the headache started. By the time I reached the California border the headache was a full blown migraine. The pitch black of the desert night and its midnight heat helped calm and reduce the pain to a tolerable level. . And it was mostly gone by the time I reached Palm Springs.

In any case my physical reaction to the pine smell was so strong I don't think I would try to return to Flagstaff. I entered into the mountains at Shamrock, and I stayed in it through Flagstaff. It was the only place I had a problem. I suspect if I encounter the same trees elssewhere my reaction will be very similar.

Some of the mountain areas I was in were so desolate the silence was deafening. It was awesome.

Are you sure the headaches didn't have something to do with the elevation? Flagstaff is at around 7,000 ft, considerably higher than almost anywhere else in AZ, or the southwest in general for that matter. It is very piney, though.


To the OPs original question: Personally, I enjoyed my time in Arizona very much. I lived in Illinois for 30 years before moving there and was attracted to it for the sunshine, lack of snow/cold temps, scenery, cleanliness, lower cost of living (taxes), "newness" of it, casualness (flip flops and shorts year round!), lack of tornadoes, and it didn't hurt that there were already a lot of midwesterners (and Illinoisans in particular) so I could feel somewhat at home. Heck, there's even Portillos now!

The only reason I left was because of having a child and wanting to be a little closer to family (my wife's and my own) and in a place with better public schools. Colorado fit the bill. Plus it still has the scenery (even better, IMO) and winters are at least better than IL. Not so grey.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

casualness (flip flops and shorts year round!),

Brrrr. Way too cold here in winter (at night) to wear short and flip flops, unless you like hypothermia. 30s and 40s at night is far too cold for that attire.

[ShampooBanana]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Brrrr. Way too cold here in winter (at night) to wear short and flip flops, unless you like hypothermia. 30s and 40s at night is far too cold for that attire.

At night, yes. But I was around last winter and it was in the 70s through most of December and January. Loved it. I like to say "The best summer I ever spent was a winter in Arizona." I was certainly missing it last week when it got down below zero here in Denver! One thing you do't get, though, is the snow and that true feeling of the holiday season. Christmas lights on cacti and palm trees just aren't the same.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

At night, yes. But I was around last winter and it was in the 70s through most of December and January. Loved it. I like to say "The best summer I ever spent was a winter in Arizona." I was certainly missing it last week when it got down below zero here in Denver! One thing you do't get, though, is the snow and that true feeling of the holiday season. Christmas lights on cacti and palm trees just aren't the same.

I agree. Christmas here is hokey at best. Seeing red and green-lit palm trees is tacky beyond tacky.

I saw the weather in Denver last week and WHOA! That would explain the influx of CO plates Ive seen in the last few days. They normally hold off on coming down here until after Thanksgiving, but I think that cold scared em away from Denver earlier than normal.

[linicx]

It is! At the same time it is hard to describe. There is a lot of desert between Flagstaff and LA. I drove through the desert all night when the temperature was still close to 100 degrees. I was able to watch the desert wake up, and dark come to the mountains. and observe the mountain that cries. .

I was in desert when cactus blooms, when cotton is picked, and in the winter when it is decorated with Christmas lights. Once I stop moving I will put SW tiles in my kitchen.

I used to think it was boring, but that was before I began to pay attention to what was before my eyes. Did you ever stop at night, turn off the engine and listen to the desert?

There is much to learn about the desert and mountains, and nature. .

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Thats such an awesome thing to experience. Such silence is almost eerie, but very enjoyable.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by linicx

I used to think it was boring, but that was before I began to pay attention to what was before my eyes. Did you ever stop at night, turn off the engine and listen to the desert?

There is much to learn about the desert and mountains, and nature. .

Yes, I have done that, actually. It was just outside Scottsdale, but it was remote enough to see the vast stars, listen to the ringing in your ears due to the silence, watch the sunrise cast shadows on the mountain ridges as they turn from gray to purple to gold to brown and back again. I love listening to the Gambels Quails start their song, while the owls, scorpions, rattlers, coyotes, etc, make their retreat from the daylight. The desert is awesome. Nothing better than the towering Saguaro cacti under a cloudless night sky. Theyre creepy, silent sentinels. I love it!

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by At1WithNature

Chicago doesn't have much of a fall either, it's like 2 weeks of fall and then snow and cold like it is right now outside even though winter doesn't officially start until the winter equinox on December 21st.

And yes, the 6 hour drive from chicago to southern illinois is a snooze fest!

September and October were very nice overall, as usual. Novembers and Decembers are always unpredictable-at least for us life long residents.

Actuall, I find the drive down I-57 gets rather pleasant south of Effingham. Much more wooded and some rolling hills. Gets quite scenic south of Marion. Scenery and climate are "different strokes for different folks" topics. Sure the mountains and desert have their own beauty; but I love the woods! I guess it's a glass half full or glass half empty thing; are you going to find the beauty where you are?