Curious, what do people think of WI?

[KateDaum]

We have tons of friends and have only been here almost 2 years. Maybe because we are big on joining and volunteering we have never been short of friends. We have been guests at many of our new neighbors cottages, dinner guests, bonfire parties etc.
We live in a small town and the people have dug out our driveway, stacked wood, shared apples, and vegetables. We have nothing but positive relationships with our community.

[Tunky]

Originally Posted by KateDaum

We have tons of friends and have only been here almost 2 years. Maybe because we are big on joining and volunteering we have never been short of friends. We have been guests at many of our new neighbors cottages, dinner guests, bonfire parties etc.
We live in a small town and the people have dug out our driveway, stacked wood, shared apples, and vegetables. We have nothing but positive relationships with our community.

Good to hear! That was our experience for the 20 years we lived in WI too!

[notmuch69]

I've had people say to me, why would you move to Wisconsin? I love living in a small town, no traffic issues, friendly people, no one impatient or rude in the stores, everyone puts their shopping carts back, no used lottery tickets on the ground or litter everywhere, amazes me how clean parking lots are!

I've had people come to visit me and the first they say is wow, coming through town, it is so clean! Another friend and I went for a long walk (4 miles) and she was amazed that everyone (young and old) we passed smiled said, hello and some wanted to stop and chit chat!

Exactly what it's like where I'm from in Clark County WI!
Probably has a lot to do with not being overpopulated and crowded.

People and traffic are what makes me grumpy in Phoenix. Always a person or car being rude or in the way. The environment is anti-relaxing.

[dude1984]

It is decent. An occasioanl trip to Wisconsin is good, but I would never purposely move there.

[ImaloneJill]

Right now, I am aching for it. I only have pictures of the land we bought: giant red pines and aspens. Pine needle floor. Shimmering, clean river.
Someday soon, my husband and I will have the same weekend off and be able to drive up there and drink in the quiet beauty.
Every time I have a bad day, I want to jump in my car and drive the 6.5 hours to Rusk county, but I have to be content to pour over my pictures.
For now. Maybe next week?
Jill

[Wellstone]

Originally Posted by dcisive

Having grown up in Illinois, but having also had a passion for Wisconsin, I can say quite frankly that I fully understand the prevailing attitudes of many an Wisconsinite regarding tourists. Honestly there were far too many that traveled up there with a bit of an arrogant attitude as if they were on some loftier level than those who were natives up there. They came, they left their footprint of garbage left over and toddled back home to Illinois not giving a rats a$$ about their negative impact. They were after all "consumers" of the highest level. I found it especially rewarding to travel to Door County on business as I did (long after I had left Illinois) when it was off tourist season. At least I wasn't lumped in with that group.

Sure they bring their money, but commerce can be handled in a way where it doesn't exude a arrogant flair to it. This is just something I observed over the years. Heck I felt much the same when i lived a block from the Pacific Ocean in Northern California. We so loved it there. They had a building moratorium and the area in general (Half Moon Bay 40 miles S. of San Francisco on the Coast) the population was quite small and quaint. Shopping was ample and over all it was a good lifestyle......UNTIL. the onslaught of people from the East Bay came over in throngs clogging up the one and only 2 lane road into town from the West. They brought their crime, noise, trash and basic mayhem with them. We were virtual prisoners in our home on weekends when it was nice and hot over the hill so to speak, and they all migrated to the water for the cooler temperatures. I lived through that, but the last nail is when they finally removed the moratorium on building. Everyone and their 1st cousin's decided to build there and it got nuts. Even Ritz-Carleton built a huge 5 star hotel and golf course there. We left. I'd had enough.

One of the things I always liked about traveling Wisconsin was the small towns. The family like feel to them, and needless to say their stable size. It was like I could go there 5 years later and it would be much the same. I am rare but enjoy the stability of some things, especially when they are nice. It's like "if it works DON"T fix it". Fortunately there are still some places like that....Wisconsin has it's share and I found it refreshing. Oh well....too bad here in Utah they are consumed with growth, commerce and babies. We enjoy our vacations out of town that's for sure..........

I agree. I'm up in northern Wisconsin usually 2-3 weekends a year and in my view a lot of the attitude toward the illinois folk is deserved. sometimes they forget that it's not chicago. Go out to restaurants in minocqua and no table is good enough. They treat their server like garbage. Then I'm driving on highway 51 in downtown minocqua and there are pedestrians everywhere and you are required by law to stop for them. I do this and then this jerk honks at me from behind and then floors it past me while I turn off. Realize where you are and if you don't like it, then stop coming. This is not an isolated incident either, anyone who spends any time up there knows about the rude behavior. Apparently they think they can show up and throw some money around while treating the locals like dog crap.

[ImaloneJill]

Sounds like you are talking about "typical American" behavior to me. This is the kind of thing the rest of the world has said about Americans ever since we started traveling to other countries. I don't think it is indigenous to Illinois.

[notmuch69]

Right now, I am aching for it. I only have pictures of the land we bought: giant red pines and aspens. Pine needle floor. Shimmering, clean river.
Someday soon, my husband and I will have the same weekend off and be able to drive up there and drink in the quiet beauty.
Every time I have a bad day, I want to jump in my car and drive the 6.5 hours to Rusk county, but I have to be content to pour over my pictures.
For now. Maybe next week?
Jill

All we have 11 months of the year are pictures to look at too. Hopefully by 2012 we can live the Wisconsin country life dream permanently.

[ImaloneJill]

Originally Posted by notmuch69

All we have 11 months of the year are pictures to look at too. Hopefully by 2012 we can live the Wisconsin country life dream permanently.

I hope you can, too. I still have about 10 more years to slave to the grindstone.