Tips for someone moving here from the South (Madison, Johnson: neighborhood, university)

[applesoranges]

Wisconsin is safe, but you're not going to find the laid-back, easy-going, non-grudgeful people here that you have in the South.

[1984vt]

I am from Alabama "The Beautiful State", (motto) and I have left it to live in the Northeast and the West and returned here because I love the state. Having said that, I've visited WI twice and fell in love. If I were young and single with no children again, I would move there in a heart beat (probably to return to Al at a later date because I just can't get away from the Land). It was beautiful and clean and the public transportation was unbeatable (compared to anywhere I have lived.) I was in a bit of a tourist area this past time but, the locals I have met were very friendly and helpful. The weather in mid-September was beautiful. The Winter was also lovely but, very cold. I suppose it is like the south, when it is soooo hot outside you just stay inside.

Southern Stupid - it can work to your advantage if people constantly underestimate you! He He

[ReddStealth]

MidwesternBookWorm, thanks for the convention info, and thanks to everyone else.

[south-to-west]

I think that the most horrible thing about winters in Madison--and Wisconsin overall--is their length. It's one thing to have to deal with harsh cold--of which below zero windchill only lasts for a few days at a time with the rest of the time having highs at least in the 20s--but it's another thing to have to put up with crappy, dreary, cold weather as late as April! Seriously, as someone raised in Wisconsin and as an alumn of UW, I can attest that I always hated looking at national weather reports in March and April and seeing the rest of the country basking in warmth while a band of cooler temps lingered over Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Northern Illinois. I can remember driving to Florida for Spring Break and by the time we reached Indianapolis it was already 20 degrees warmer...freaking Indiana for crissake!

Winter in Madison can be beautiful, especially when you see a beautiful snowfall over one of the lakes. Also people remain pretty active there in the winter as the city has a number of cross country skiing trails and people will actually go out on the frozen lakes to play football and even softball at times--no joke!

On a final note, you will be surprised at how hot and humid Madison can get in the summer. It doesn't stay hot, but there are some heat waves that hit Madison that could give Columbia, SC a run for its money!

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by south-to-west

I think that the most horrible thing about winters in Madison--and Wisconsin overall--is their length. It's one thing to have to deal with harsh cold--of which below zero windchill only lasts for a few days at a time with the rest of the time having highs at least in the 20s--but it's another thing to have to put up with crappy, dreary, cold weather as late as April! Seriously, as someone raised in Wisconsin and as an alumn of UW, I can attest that I always hated looking at national weather reports in March and April and seeing the rest of the country basking in warmth while a band of cooler temps lingered over Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Northern Illinois. I can remember driving to Florida for Spring Break and by the time we reached Indianapolis it was already 20 degrees warmer...freaking Indiana for crissake!

Winter in Madison can be beautiful, especially when you see a beautiful snowfall over one of the lakes. Also people remain pretty active there in the winter as the city has a number of cross country skiing trails and people will actually go out on the frozen lakes to play football and even softball at times--no joke!

On a final note, you will be surprised at how hot and humid Madison can get in the summer. It doesn't stay hot, but there are some heat waves that hit Madison that could give Columbia, SC a run for its money!

Madison is surrounded by lakes. Wouldn't the lake be a source of relief, in the form of a breeze perhaps?

[Megan1967]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Madison is surrounded by lakes. Wouldn't the lake be a source of relief, in the form of a breeze perhaps?

They aren't deep enough to make that much of a difference, not like Milwaukee's lakeshore, for example. All our lakes do is clog up with algae and smell horrible.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Megan1967

They aren't deep enough to make that much of a difference, not like Milwaukee's lakeshore, for example. All our lakes do is clog up with algae and smell horrible.

Is that so? I hope not because I was actually looking forward to visiting the Madison area and checking out those lakes. My father mentioned the lake area around Milwaukee(he is a Milwaukee native) and he said the breeze coming off of the lake made summer much better in Milwaukee. He would take a summer in Milwaukee before taking a summer in the South(where he currently lives).

[Megan1967]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Is that so? I hope not because I was actually looking forward to visiting the Madison area and checking out those lakes. My father mentioned the lake area around Milwaukee(he is a Milwaukee native) and he said the breeze coming off of the lake made summer much better in Milwaukee. He would take a summer in Milwaukee before taking a summer in the South(where he currently lives).

I was being a *little* facetious, the lakes themselves are fine, it's the lake shore that gets a little ripe shall we say. There are million dollar homes that can't open their windows during July due to the algae stink, however.

[Drover]

I dunno, maybe my nose isn't very sensitive but I lived within a block of Lake Mendota for 2 years and don't ever recall smelling it. Maybe it's a problem for those who live literally on the lake shore, but it's not a problem once you get just a little bit inland.

[south-to-west]

I lived in a place right on the lake for nearly three years and I remember a few days during the summers when the air is really humid and the temperature is extrememly hot (90+ degrees) that the lake would really smell from the algae. A lot of the algae results from the runoff from the other side of the lake that kills the microorganisms that eat the algae. The problem compounds itself due to the fact that more sunlight is able to penetrate the water's surface, providing ample sunshine that fuels algael growth. Most of other days are just fine and Lake Monona usually remains a little cleaner than Mendota.