Illinois Illinois Jeep life

Dunkut88TJ

Living the Dream
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Anyone in Illinois?? I have a pretty lucrative job opportunity that requires relocation to Champaign and was curious. Struggling thinking about leaving the oasis of East TN and all the trails, mountains, and lakes.

Flat and corn fields is all I keep hearing, anywhere decent to go around that area besides pavement??
 
I'm in Illinois. Closer to Chicago than Champaign. Pickings are slim around here, but they do exist. I've owned this Jeep 7 years now, and every year it's gone out west to go off road, but has never seen anything in the midwest except asphalt. But hey, if it's a good job??
Look at taxes and housing costs, and general cost of living in IL vs. TN. The job may not be as lucrative as it seems. I'd much rather be where you are.
 
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I'm in Illinois. Closer to Chicago than Champaign. Pickings are slim around here, but they do exist. I've owned this Jeep 7 years now, and every year it's gone out west to go off road, but has never seen anything in the midwest except asphalt. But hey, if it's a good job??
Look at taxes and housing costs, and general cost of living in IL vs. TN. The job may not be as lucrative as it seems. I'd much rather be where you are.
Housing is to my advantage for the most part, property taxes are insane from what I see. State tax sucks too, it’s 3x my salary so even with some of the added costs it’s worth it financially. Hate to hear there is not much, but I never bought my Jeep to go to Moab. I just like to know I can hit the mountains and trails whenever I desire. Thanks for your input!
 
Good to know!
Close enough to get a membership!

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I'm in NW Illinois, and there is nothing near me. The Badlands is the closest thing to me and it is 3.5 hrs away. I trailer mine around the country to go wheeling.

I know this thread is a couple weeks old, but I'm in the northwest suburbs of Chicago as well.

Badlands is great; a few hours there and a few hours back means it's a weekend thing. There's a few hotels in the area and they've got on-site camping, so that helps.

Redbird State Recreation Area is also in Indiana, but a little further than Badlands. I don't remember if it's bigger or smaller than Badlands, but still a fun place to visit.

Cliffs Insane Terrain used to allow 4x4s. Unfortunately, to save the park, the new owners were awarded a grant from the state of Illinois that doesn't allow anything larger than dirt bikes and side-by-sides. It's a terribly outdated stipulation in the grant and the owners were (unfairly) griefed on the park's Facebook site for using it. Had they not received it, though, the park would've been shut down.

Every state has its upsides and downsides. Do your due diligence.
 
I know this thread is a couple weeks old, but I'm in the northwest suburbs of Chicago as well.

Badlands is great; a few hours there and a few hours back means it's a weekend thing. There's a few hotels in the area and they've got on-site camping, so that helps.

Redbird State Recreation Area is also in Indiana, but a little further than Badlands. I don't remember if it's bigger or smaller than Badlands, but still a fun place to visit.

Cliffs Insane Terrain used to allow 4x4s. Unfortunately, to save the park, the new owners were awarded a grant from the state of Illinois that doesn't allow anything larger than dirt bikes and side-by-sides. It's a terribly outdated stipulation in the grant and the owners were (unfairly) griefed on the park's Facebook site for using it. Had they not received it, though, the park would've been shut down.

Every state has its upsides and downsides. Do your due diligence.

Thanks for your input, as time goes on it seems more and more probable that I will be living the Midwest life.
 
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Illinois sucks. Don't move from TN to IL. I lived in IL my whole life other than southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana. I'm from Chicago, lived in Joliet, and southern Illinois most of my life until I moved out here to Arizona 4 years ago. Biggest regret in life is that I didn't come out here a lot sooner. That said. Illinois as a state logistically and economically has gone downhill pretty hard last few years. Northern Illinois winters suck. Have to hibernate 6 months out of the year. Chicago politics ruin the whole state. Jobs market isn't that great. Caterpillar and Boeing Corporate HQ just moved out of the state. IL had the largest exodus migration of any other state in the country last year. 2nd was California. I only miss seeing greenery from the Midwest. We were set to move to outside southern Nashville area before we came to AZ. That's about the only place we would move to if we left this part of the country.
 
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Illinois sucks. Don't move from TN to IL. I lived in IL my whole life other than southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana. I'm from Chicago, lived in Joliet, and southern Illinois most of my life until I moved out here to Arizona 4 years ago. Biggest regret in life is that I didn't come out here a lot sooner. That said. Illinois as a state logistically and economically has gone downhill pretty hard last few years. Northern Illinois winters suck. Have to hibernate 6 months out of the year. Chicago politics ruin the whole state. Jobs market isn't that great. Caterpillar and Boeing Corporate HQ just moved out of the state. IL had the largest exodus migration of any other state in the country last year. 2nd was California. I only miss seeing greenery from the Midwest. We were set to move to outside southern Nashville area before we came to AZ. That's about the only place we would move to if we left this part of the country.

This sums up how I feel, geographically not pumped, but the job and being with my family is most important. Even if that’s in Illinois sadly!
 
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Well that can outweigh everything I just mentioned. I hear that. My wifes family still in Illinois. Its around $1500-$2000 for the 4 of us to fly back there. Almost 2,000 miles and 24hrs to drive it. Makes it difficult to visit family anymore. Inlaws are slowly becoming snowbirds and coming out here more often.
 
Used to be where all the states high school football championships were played too. Clinton lake, Lake Shelbyville, Lake Carlyle, Decatur lake, I grew up on Rend Lake and Lake Kinkaid party coves. I do miss that life.