[toyminator]

Depending on how far from the base you want to live, there are lots of areas that are very nice. On the Illinois side I would look in the Columbia or Waterloo area, especially if you want to live rural. On the Missouri side South County is still only 20 miles from the Base and has nice schools and Suburban neighborhoods. Ihatemud member Xfactor lives in Germantown Illinois about 15 miles east of the base. Maybe he can provide more insight about that area.

I can't be positive but I think the Rockwood Summit school district is probably one of the tops in the State of Missouri. You would have to go to Fenton, Eureka, Wildwood to get in that district and be about 30-35 miles from thr base. Stay away from The city of St. Louis, Missouri or East St. Louis, Illinois. Horrible schools and not so good neighborhoods.

The cost of living in this area is extremely low by comparrison to other cities of this size. As Moj said you have 4-5 good off road parks within 3 hours driving time.

Badlands - Attica, Indiania
Finger Lakes - Kentucky
Cliff's insane terrain - Northern inllinois
Was hita - Farmington, MO
Flatnasty, Salem MO
Hannibal Rocks - Hannibal, MO
Pottowatomi - Fulton, MO

There is not a whole lot of public land to wheel on that I am aware of other than the Mark Twain Nation Forest in the Potosi, MO area. Lots of private land though. Good Camping in MO. If you live in Illinois, get used to lookin at corn.