Is Chicago FLAT out incredible? (Algonquin, Geneva: statistics, move, farmers)

[Tex?Il?]

There is no other experience than watching city limits from atop a hill or mountain. It is possible one of the most romantic date to take a woman on.

Plus, inner city kids that went to crappy high schools and never left their city can get a much more hands on, engaging learning experience in environmental and the earth sciences when you have hills in a city. Environmental because all steep areas in the middle of cities end up staying covered in wild, natural vegetation with wildlife often times that give city people a much more real nature experience than a flat landscaped park.

Hills and mountains in the middle and on the edge of a city are valuable, enviable assets.

[linicx]

I once lived atop a high cliff. There was access to six hills on the top of the cliff. In the winter when the roads were icy and snow covered, every road was one giant @$@#$@$ to use to get down to the city to shop and then back up to the house. On a clear day you could see forever.

[Alacran]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

There is no other experience than watching city limits from atop a hill or mountain. It is possible one of the most romantic date to take a woman on.

Plus, inner city kids that went to crappy high schools and never left their city can get a much more hands on, engaging learning experience in environmental and the earth sciences when you have hills in a city. Environmental because all steep areas in the middle of cities end up staying covered in wild, natural vegetation with wildlife often times that give city people a much more real nature experience than a flat landscaped park.

Hills and mountains in the middle and on the edge of a city are valuable, enviable assets.

We have a great lake.
They don't.

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by MassVt

There are times when a flat surface comes in handy. Driving around SF with a standard shift transmission is a sure way to burn out a clutch in a few weeks, not to mention having a few nervous moments holding your position on a steep hill..

Yeah, try doing that in a borrowed family Toyota with a stick when you're 17, have never been to SF, and are doing it as part of your HS graduation "circle California" road trip.

As for Chicago:
- it's flat out, but
- it's NOT flat out incredible

[LakeShoreSoxGo]

A lot of areas with mountains have nasty smog issues.

[raleightransplant]

Chicago's an incredible city. Period.

Regarding the topography, I guess I have noticed that since it's flat--you seemlessly transition between neighborhoods, and it feels continuously URBAN to me. There are plenty of parks to enjoy, but for the most part I always feel like I'm in a true metropolis in Chicago. Many cities that are broken up by topography (California cities come to mind) give you this 'separation' from the larger city...I don't feel that in Chicago with the exception that some neighborhoods feel like their own village within the city (ie Hyde Park).

The flatness in the city is cool for biking and running. I enjoy both here. For nature and topography--Wisconsin and Michigan are nearby.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

There is no other experience than watching city limits from atop a hill or mountain. It is possible one of the most romantic date to take a woman on.

Plus, inner city kids that went to crappy high schools and never left their city can get a much more hands on, engaging learning experience in environmental and the earth sciences when you have hills in a city. Environmental because all steep areas in the middle of cities end up staying covered in wild, natural vegetation with wildlife often times that give city people a much more real nature experience than a flat landscaped park.

Hills and mountains in the middle and on the edge of a city are valuable, enviable assets.

tex, you're right in your observations of hilly and mountainous terrain: it is incredibly beautiful and it does raise the spirit.

if i were to choose one metropolitan area in the united states that is the most sublime, it would hands down be the bay area; nothing, to me, compares: tremendous open waters of the huge bay in the middle with hills rising on virtually all sides (and in the most of urban setting...obviously san francisco itself...the hills add beauty, but are still scaled for urban development....and then the mountains behind the hills.

all i was trying to say is that at the other end of the scale, a very flat city, best exemplified by chicago, offers its own advantages and own charm. i think pancake flat is an ideal place to build a city that thrives on iterconnectiveness, ease of transport, and incredible walkability. and such a setting is a wonderful platform for a soaring skyline.

chicago proves that point; while san francisco doesn't lose a thing in its hilly setting where the skyline works with the hills in an incredible mix of man and nature.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by raleightransplant

Chicago's an incredible city. Period.

Regarding the topography, I guess I have noticed that since it's flat--you seemlessly transition between neighborhoods, and it feels continuously URBAN to me. There are plenty of parks to enjoy, but for the most part I always feel like I'm in a true metropolis in Chicago. Many cities that are broken up by topography (California cities come to mind) give you this 'separation' from the larger city...I don't feel that in Chicago with the exception that some neighborhoods feel like their own village within the city (ie Hyde Park).

The flatness in the city is cool for biking and running. I enjoy both here. For nature and topography--Wisconsin and Michigan are nearby.

Again, city people have access to real nature when its "broken up". What you describe as a true metropolis is one where people are deprived. If they have to drive to Wisconsin or Michigan it is not easily accessible at any time, and "not theirs."

HOWEVER,

LUCKILY there is a great forest preserve system, and believe it or not there is great nature and topography to enjoy right in Cook County, and surrounding collar counties. Some of it is even accessible by public transit for those in the city without cars.

You can take the South Shore line to get to the Indiana Dunes. You can take Metra and get off at the hillside suburb/small town of Lemont (maybe there is a Willow Springs stop) and use that as a base to explore the Palos forest preserves only 20 miles from downtown. You CAN and people DO get lost in those woods.

You have the rolling estates, huge forest preserves, state parks, lakes, and wetlands great for bird watching from the Barrington Hills area through Western Lake County and more rolling hills in McHenry.

The suburban and exurban belt has lots of nature to enjoy right under peoples noses.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Again, city people have access to real nature when its "broken up". What you describe as a true metropolis is one where people are deprived. If they have to drive to Wisconsin or Michigan it is not easily accessible at any time, and "not theirs."

HOWEVER,

LUCKILY there is a great forest preserve system, and believe it or not there is great nature and topography to enjoy right in Cook County, and surrounding collar counties. Some of it is even accessible by public transit for those in the city without cars.

You can take the South Shore line to get to the Indiana Dunes. You can take Metra and get off at the hillside suburb/small town of Lemont (maybe there is a Willow Springs stop) and use that as a base to explore the Palos forest preserves only 20 miles from downtown. You CAN and people DO get lost in those woods.

You have the rolling estates, huge forest preserves, state parks, lakes, and wetlands great for bird watching from the Barrington Hills area through Western Lake County and more rolling hills in McHenry.

The suburban and exurban belt has lots of nature to enjoy right under peoples noses.

i'm not really sure what the "it is not easily accessible at any time, and "not theirs." means. I would agree that both Wisconsin and (particularly) Michigan have some of their hilliest areas well removed from Chicagoland.

That said, there are still some close in areas of both states that offer a nice change of elevation. Lake Geneva comes to mind and that is definitely "our", but in distance and the fact that the lake's location is virtually Chicagoland.

in Michigan, there are bluff areas along the lake in Harbor Country that definitely give a nice sense of elevation.

Even in Illinois, we in Chicago have pretty easy access to Starved Rock and, if one truly likes very hilly and picturesque, Galena is not all that far away.

No, we're not California or the northeast when it comes to mountains, but the Midwest has far more of change of elevation than alot of people outside the region realize and Chicago is not all that far away from those a number of those places.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by edsg25

all i was trying to say is that at the other end of the scale, a very flat city, best exemplified by chicago, offers its own advantages and own charm. i think pancake flat is an ideal place to build a city that thrives on iterconnectiveness, ease of transport, and incredible walkability. and such a setting is a wonderful platform for a soaring skyline.

It is easy to do that, but not always just the case versus hilly. Best example I will give, and one I give a lot, is Istanbul. Very hilly place in many areas, and it's pretty seamless with the urban transition, very walkable, etc. I do agree that flatness is a great platform for a soaring skyline, but it is possible to build a city like it on a hilly area as well. The European side is a great example in areas like Sultanahmet in the old city and maybe Beyoglu.

A few pictures from my collection. They still seamlessly have integrated urbanism in with their topography.


http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...19610797_n.jpg
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http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...11433923_n.jpg

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http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...27748565_n.jpg
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I remember walking probably 10 miles one morning through this. I looked at a map later and found out that I had passed through about 4 different neighborhoods. I had no idea because it was so seamless from one neighborhood to the next. Very hilly in areas and even though it was like that, it was very walkable still and tons, and tons of people were out walking (yes, people can afford cars over there). They don't have the skyline that we do, but they still have a handful of large (700-800 feet) skyscrapers there

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40...y/17de0f13.jpg