Does Chicago dislike downstaters?

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Yeah, but Steve, you live in Sycamore -- that's not really Chicago. That even beyond the usual suburbs.

And while I don't doubt that you all have seen wildlife in downtown Chicago, let's not forget that old saying: "One swallow does not a summer make". Chicago (the city, not the outlying suburbs an hour away) is not really a "nature" place. Let's not kid ourselves.

Disclaimer: I love Chicago -- lived downtown for 3 years and go back every other month to visit family.

Now back to your regularly scheduled bickering about Chicago versus downstate IL...

The poster sounded like you have to live in the middle of the state to get wildlife and corn, I was just stating that it existed right outside of Chicagoland. IMO, once you cross 47, thats the "frontier" right there. You go from homes and subdivisions, literally right into cornfields. I actually have more wildlife closer here to Chicago that I did in Oregon, IL. Believe that!

BTW, I live in Warrenville, not Sycamore.

[Fuzz]

Agree with you both j33 and Steve. The suburbs (especially the far ones) do provide natural respite, often in the form of forest preserves.

I was simply putting a reality check before we ran away with the idea that Chicago (the city) is a nature paradise.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Agree with you both j33 and Steve. The suburbs (especially the far ones) do provide natural respite, often in the form of forest preserves.

I was simply putting a reality check before we ran away with the idea that Chicago (the city) is a nature paradise.

I would hope that people wouldnt think that Chicago is a nature paradise. LOL

[j33]

Right, there are so few large trees in my neighborhood when one falls over the whole street comes out to watch (yes, this just happened a couple of weeks ago).

[Tex?Il?]

You all should check out Chicago Wilderness, a publication (magazine comes out 4 seasons during the year). Chicago Wilderness Magazine Or just google it. Great magazine talking all conservation/nature related things going on in the six-eight or however many counties that make Chicagoland. Great articles. When you add up all the forest preserves, state parks, and the few pieces of federal land (Indiana Dunes, Midewin tallgrass Prarie)

within 50-60 miles of downtosn its well over 200,000 acres. That's almost the size of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. We're very lucky to have that, and people are constantly surprised how remote some our protected lands feel.

Check out the Palos Forest Preserves immediately SW of the city if you want to get a good sense. Or some of the forest preserves, Spring Creek, Crabtree, or Poplar Creek NW past Schaumburg in the Barrington area.

Even in places you least expect; the Calumet Harbor in the city limits on the Indiana border. Hundreds of acres of more-or-less original marshes that were never paved with state endangered species of birds and turtles. Why? Thats where the heavy industry was, (and still is to a lot smaller degree) and who wants to live there?

Theres lots to see around here. It takes a little more work though, because you don't have mountains looming on the horizon like you do out west!

[Drover]

Originally Posted by AnimalLover

To each his own. I'm right in the middle of the state, on the corner of corn and beans.

LOL... I had a friend in college who lived just outside of Springfield on the corner of Chicken Bristle Road and Possum Trot Lane. I swear, I am not making that up.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by j33

Manigult -- I learned how to canoe last summer in the chicago river, I would have liked to have learned in a more idyllic setting....

You'd be quite surprised how idyllic the Chicago river is once you get north of Goose Island. It isn't too far beyond there that the river is no longer navigable by barge traffic, so it very rapidly stops having an "industrial" shoreline and there is a lot less boat traffic, especially north of Diversey. Check out these pictures of the Chicago River:

http://www.epa.gov/bioindicators/images/Chicago%20River_1629sm.jpg (broken link)

http://www.dismalgarden.org/images/river.jpg

http://gis.depaul.edu/envirsci/Pictures/ENV102SU99/watertemp.jpg (broken link)

http://gis.depaul.edu/envirsci/Pictures/ENV102SU99/watersample.jpg (broken link)

http://fredthewebsite.com/Blogger/uploaded_images/Wilson-Bridge-719463.JPG (broken link)