Moving to Chambana... have a few questions. (Champaign, Urbana: appointed, ski resort)

[BruBru]

Hello Everyone,

First, I visited the area and found a place to live. I was rushed, as I didn't have as much time as I would have liked, and am wondering if the area I chose is a good place to live. How is the area around W Washington and State? Also, I will be a graduate student, and am wondering if catching a bus that takes me directly to campus from this area will be possible.

Second, I am moving from the West (Boise, ID to be specific) and am concerned about finding things to do that will replace my old hobbies. Being from Idaho, I am big into the outdoors and am not sure what to make of the flat landscape in Illinois. I assume that skiing is out, but was wondering if there are any decent hiking trails or any whitewater friendly to rafters. What kind of outdoor activities do people enjoy in the area?

Thanks,

Bru

[chet everett]

University of Illinois had a pretty active ski club that competed in midwest events and sponsored trips to the Rockies at least a couple of times a year.

Whitewater? Without changes in elevation that is hard to achieve, though there is river rafting place on the Vermillion near Utica: from: urbana IL to: La Salle, IL - Google Maps
Closest actual river base stuff might in Wisconsin: from: urbana IL to: Silver CLiff WI - Google Maps

There are State Parks: http://maps.google.com/maps?near=Urb...e=UTF8&t=p&z=9

Football is generally an outdoor activity, as is tailgating...

[asearchforreason]

Originally Posted by BruBru

Hello Everyone,

First, I visited the area and found a place to live. I was rushed, as I didn't have as much time as I would have liked, and am wondering if the area I chose is a good place to live. How is the area around W Washington and State? Also, I will be a graduate student, and am wondering if catching a bus that takes me directly to campus from this area will be possible.

I don't really frequent that area, but my impression is that it is a transition area between a nice neighborhood to the south and a not so nice one to the north. It should be okay, but not the best around. One good thing is that you are close to downtown Champaign which has lots of places to eat and nightlife for adults (as opposed to the undergrad scene west of campus on Green St).

Buses go almost everywhere here, and you can get maps and schedules at Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District.

Second, I am moving from the West (Boise, ID to be specific) and am concerned about finding things to do that will replace my old hobbies. Being from Idaho, I am big into the outdoors and am not sure what to make of the flat landscape in Illinois. I assume that skiing is out, but was wondering if there are any decent hiking trails or any whitewater friendly to rafters. What kind of outdoor activities do people enjoy in the area?

Skiing is pretty much out. I believe they have some "skiing" in Wisconsin but I think you will be disappointed in it coming from out west. I like to backpack and there are a couple of national forests within 4 hours that are nice. Shawnee NF covers most of southern Illinois and Hoosier NF covers a large section of southwestern Indiana. They will not compare to anything out west, but you can get away from all the people and enjoy some time in the woods if that's your thing. Also the Ozarks begin in central and southern Missouri and there is even more hiking, fishing, whatever there but it is a little farther. For a day trip there is Allerton Park, Kickapoo SP, Turkey Run SP (Indiana) and some other less advertised places nearby. Being that it is very flat in the immediate area, biking is quite popular because you can ride long stretches of country road.

Welcome! Happy to help if you have any other questions, about the U or anything since I'm also a grad student.

[doll lady]

Illinois has a ski resort....in Galena (upper northwest side of the state) plus you can visit Ulysses S. Grant's home while there.

www.chestnutmtn.com

[BruBru]

Thanks for all of the replies. I feel a bit nervous being on the border of a so-called "bad neighborhood," but as you stated asearchforreason, I am sure it will be fine. Looking at the crime statistics for the area, it seems that even the "bad" parts of the city are not all that bad. Also, I must say the public transportation is amazing for being such a small town. In Boise, public transportation is horrible and not even helpful to the majority of the population. I guess this explains the lack of traffic in the UC area.... good stuff.

I am glad to see there are a few outdoor things to do in the area. If I get bored, I can enjoy all of the cities that are nearby. In Idaho you have to drive 5-6 hours to get to any city of substance. In Illinois there seems to be several decent-sized cities nearby.

[gingerbookgoddess]

There are some places in champaign I wouldn't recommend living in. That isn't one of them. Some people in Champaign have an unreasonable fear of certain areas of town, including the Bradley corridor (the area around Bradley avenue). Its fine. You can drive there any time of night, car doors unlocked, and not worry. I do. Google maps can also help you figure out the best routes to take for certain things. I highly recommend cycling-- you can put a standard bike on the front of the bus as well and download a bike map from Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District While Champaign is overwhelmingly flat, there are some places for hiking-- Allerton in Monticello (about 30 mins away) is nice, and there is also Busey woods in Urbana.