Well, actually I did live in UT for three years (1993-96)... It was VERY nice in many ways, and not so great in others. Since I love to shoot, it was paradise... Crank out a few hundred rounds on the Dillon 550, head out to the desert and enjoy the freedom and solitude. Get up above the trees for a hunt/camp, and the silence and peace is absolutely glorious, and deafening... Only way you knew other humans were on the planet was when a plane flew over, and the night sky will leave you struck with awe and wonder. The vibe is very different than the Midwest/NE/South, all of which I have lived in.
I have been considering the West in some form or fashion, but it was expensive when I first lived there, and it is absolutely insane now. Politics now are different too, and water issues seem to be increasing. I could swing it $$$ wise in some fashion, but now just being me, it seems like such a huge undertaking- I'm not sure why exactly I feel this way. Lack of humidity was a godsend, but believe it or not, I got sick of the constant sunshine... Sounds weird to some, but sun up to sun down cloudless blue skies I found draining, especially since there were no trees to seek shade, only endless miles of sagebrush outside of developed areas. The huge amount of snow we got was so much lighter than the snow of the Midwest/NE, which was fascinating.
I got along pretty much OK with the Mormon/Latter Day Saints folks I worked with/interacted with, but there was always a feeling to me of you will never truly belong/your kids being accepted. Even little things like your wife laying in the sun in a two pc swim suit with a jug of sun tea brewing in your yard, kinda got under their skin. I'm sure not all areas are like this, as I was in Provo/Orem, home of BYU.
Utah/much of the west is absolutely stunning, and it does have a certain draw, pull for folks like me and you... Maybe someday, but for now I'm gonna keep investigating Northern OH, and see what shakes out. Thanks for all of your replies, and thoughts.