Thinking about an escape to AZ

[Chuhhuniban]

Public Ivy? More like Pubic Poison Ivy. It's probably the best in Arizona, but that isn't saying much.

I will assume the fifth word is just misspelled. Anyhow, the U of A and ASU (it's the one in Metro Phoenix) are both good schools depending upon the specific department you are studying in — just like all universities. As noted before, I am a native, but I went to neither U of A nor ASU. I taught at ASU for ten years. As was true in every university I attended, the student got the education they wanted. If you wanted to party down and just get by, you can do so. If you actually want to learn something, you can do that too. People who pick schools because they "are in a nice warm place," or "skiing is nearby," or "they got a great basketball program," get what they deserve (I think they're the folks on the opposite sides of the berm in my previous post). U of A, for example, has a very fine archeology school, a World-renowned optics department, astronomy, mining engineering and a bunch of others. ASU has a great business school and some of the engineering departments are as good as those at pure engineering schools (one of which I went to).

 

[Eyesac]

What ever you choose... Good for you!

 

[Poper]

Quote:
Home of U of A and nearly as full of liberals as San Fran

Do you think it has some sort of correlation with the school? University of Arizona is considered to be a public Ivy I think, just wondering if the school is liberal like UT Austin. Unquote.

I worked on a High School project designed for Tucson Unified School District. For three years the Tree Huggers held up commencement of construction because one person claimed to have seen a Pygmy Owl. Biologists studies found no burrows, no droppings, no remains, no evidence of Pygmy Owls. In Court a Judge ruled construction could proceed. When the bldg. shells were up but not weather tight, Pygmy Owls began showing up in roof structure. Turns out people don't seem to bother them afterall. However, the Tree Huggers cost the District nearly 2 million dollars. I.E. TAXPAYER dollars.

Moral to the story: The Tucson political arena is VERY liberal. It is reasonable to assume the University is, too.

Again, I strongly recommend an educated decision on any relocation plans anyone may have. Spend enough time there for the newness to wear off. Make sure you've seen it at it's worst. Weather-wise and living-wise (quality of life & environment).
If you decide to relocate, be sure to leave your attitudes, preferences and life style behind you and learn the local ways, customs, attitudes and preferences. Become a part of your new home. Don't try to re-make it into what you left.
Much of what I dislike about Az and Phoenix in particular is what it has evolved into over the last 20+ years I have been here. I loved it the way I found it. Sadly, the Phoenix Metro area has steadily gone down hill and is slowly but surely becoming the hell hole I originally referred to. I am fully aware of what is happening. I am not the proverbial frog in the water brought slowly to a boil. I am trapped, however.

Just a little friendly advice: Do not make your decision lightly.

 

[jester5167]

Thanks for all the great advice, I do not take any move lightly and will spend atleast a few weeks in any town before I move. Anymore input on Reno, the one person to speak on it gave it rave reviews

I know no place is perfect and I dont expect it to be. I get a little stir crazy being in the same place for years and need to jump around. Atleast im still young and can do it.

 

[Quiet]

I like Prescott.
If I was going to escape to AZ, I would move there.

 

[Poper]

Jester,
Wanderlust in your younger days is a wonderful thing. Be careful, though, of the impact it has on your career profession.
With that said, I too, suffered (was blessed?) with wanderlust as a young'un. I was born in Ca., grew up in Wy (truly God's country) and SD. I spent my USAF hitch in ND (GFAFB & the Minuteman Missile complex) and spent a year in Fl after college. (Loved the state, the weather and the native Floridians, but found the NYC transplants rude and intollerable.) Ended up in Az in my early 30's, being lured here by a sister and brother. Been here ever since. Not necessarily because I love it so much, anymore. Like I said earlier, it ain't what it was.
I know little about Nevada in general or Reno in particular from personal experience, but from what friends and aquaintances have passed along, both Reno and Nevada have a lot going for them and seem quite attractive.

You are only young once. I wish you the very best in your quest.

 

[Speer]

I got lots of family and friends in the Grand Canyon State: Scottsdale, Sierra Vista, Bullhead, and, drum roll, Yuma!


I'll be there in a couple of years. Just not sure where.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Jester

I notice no one has responded to your inquiry on Reno.

We have a couple of members, gunsmith and thexrayboy, right off the top of my head, who can give you more on Reno.

There are more of us who live up here, but I don't have them memorized.

 

[AZgunstudent]

Wow, a lot of bitterness here from AZ natives (who only comprise 17% of the state's population, as I understand it).

I moved to AZ from CT four years ago, and I could not be happier with my choice. The only thing that's pulled me away from AZ a National Guard deployment to Afghanistan! But my family and I are happy enough with AZ that we just bought a new house (the market is right!) in Gilbert, and are thrilled with the location.

I do have a long commute to my job in North Phoenix, but it's worth it since I have a (civilian) job I love in the gun industry. My wife has a short hop to Tempe. My daughter is very happy in the Gilbert school system and is doing very well, even graduating a year early.

There are lots and lots of shooting opportunities in AZ, though for rifle shooting you may have to drive to a public range outside the city, or out into the desert (I do the latter). The "gun culture" in AZ is so much more developed than that in the Northeast that comparisons are ridiculous.

I know a lot of people here on THR base their lives in guns and shooting. But living near a city has advantages, especially for entertainment. Not that Phoenix is quite New York City for entertainment, but there are lots of good restaurants and other cultural opportunities if they're your thing. Several professional sports teams, too.

Yeah, it's hot in the summer. CT is cold in the winter; it's a wash for me. The people are friendlier in AZ, and there's just a more optimistic sense of life. No place is perfect, but I will never go back to CT except for brief visits with the family still there.

 

[qajaq59]

Will the last taxpayer leaving CT please turn out the lights.

 

[joe4702]

I was in Scottsdale for a job interview recently and was tickled to see a Class III specialty store (US Auto Weapons) in a suburban shopping center. Bet that one freaks out the liberal CA transplants sipping smoothies at the nearby Jamba Juice.

 

[mashaffer]

How about Cottonwood AZ. I am looking seriously at that area. Looking for less brutal weather than we have here in Indiana but with good hunting opportunities. Lake Havasu City is another possibility but I think that a rather larger income would be needed to live there and it seems that hunting might be better in CW.

Comments?

mike

 

[Poper]

mashaffer,
Cottonwood is definitely less severe than Phoenix. However, it is more or less where the no-so-well-to-do live that cannot afford to live in Sedona, but want to.
I really doesn't matter where you live, your chances of drawing a big game tag in Az will be the same. Just depends on what area(s) you apply for.

Lake Havasu gets hotter than Phoenix and is closer to Yuma weather wise as well as geographically, than Phoenix. Lake Havasu is an interesting place. Fairly small (approx. 40k), on the Colorado River, about 1.5 hr. from Bullhead City/Laughlin, NV and is home to the London Bridge.

Job opportunities in these smaller communities is rather limited and the pay scale is generally lower, too. As previously advised in this thread, check things out very well before you commit. Things may not be all they are cracked up to be.
Best of luck!

Poper

 

[nwilliams]

Come on down!

Arizona is a great state, and everyone seems to be moving here anyway, last I heard it was the nations fastest growing state.

Phoenix is ok but the summers can be brutal, so many golf courses and swimming pools that create a lot of humidity, but get outside the city and you get more of a dry heat. Tucson is pretty nice, I like it more than Phoenix.

Personally I love where I am in Prescott, to me this is just a perfect place, but growing too fast We have two super Wal Marts in the area and theyre building a third:banghead:Fortunately there are still lots of family owned businesses that are doing ok, and the city of Prescott itself still has a lot of charm. Fortunately there are still lots of family owned businesses that are doing ok, and the city of Prescott itself still has a lot of charm. Housing is getting expensive here despite the fact there are new houses and housing communities going up everywhere I look.

I'm from Maine originally and I still love it there in the summers, but I like the Southwest a lot. I moved to Prescott in 2001 and lived here a few years then moved back to Maine for a year, then to Santa Fe NM for a year, but last year I moved back to Prescott, I just love it here. Job market is getting better, a lot of growth in the area, which is good and bad. The weather is perfect year round a few days when its too cold and a few days when its too hot, but most of the year its great.

There is so much to see and do out here in Arizona, you'll never get bored. Presocott is a fun town, but there are other great towns to visit like Jerome, Tombstone and Bisbee. Flagstaff is a great area and so is Sedona and each region of Arizona has its own unique ecosystem. Prescott is high desert, nothing like Phoenix we have a mix of pine forests and rocky terrain. Phoneix drive an hour and a half south (down the hill to locals) and you start getting into the tall Saguaro cactus and open hilly deserts of Phoenix. Drive an hour and a half north and youre in pine forests of Flagstaff the western, thats one of the reasons I love Prescott.

Also Arizona is in a great location Nationally. Its easy to take a few vacation days and drive to places like California, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Utah or even into Mexico (just leave your guns at home). But like I said there's tons to do right here is this state, especially if you like the outdoors.

As far as guns go, Arizona is very gun friendly in most places, Phoenix probably less-so than others. Here in Prescott we have a good number of great gun stores including J&G Sales. Nearby we have the famous Gunsite training facility and Ruger has a plant in the area. There some great places to shoot all over the state, either indoor or outdoor, including the famous Ben Avery Shooting Facility near Phoenix.

Like others have suggested don't just pack-up and move here, take a week or so and spend it here, rent a car and drive all over the state and get a feel for it. If you plan on comming out PM me and I'd be happy to suggest some areas to
you.

 

[nwilliams]

How about Cottonwood AZ. I am looking seriously at that area. Looking for less brutal weather than we have here in Indiana but with good hunting opportunities. Lake Havasu City is another possibility but I think that a rather larger income would be needed to live there and it seems that hunting might be better in CW.

Cottonwood is a pretty nice area, certainly a lot better than Lake Havasu IMO.
I like Cottonwood because its close to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon which are gorgeous areas. Its also fairly close to Flagstaff and about an hour from where I live in Prescott. Also its very close to Jerome which is a such a cool town to visit I go there all the time to photograph.

There is some great hunting north of Cottonwood as you get up around Flagstaff and especially around Ash Fork and Williams, or so I've been told.

 

[thexrayboy]

Regarding a move from the right coast to free America.... If you can swing it I say go for it. I have been to AZ just once. Visited Tucson just last month and loved the place. Great place to vacation, not sure if I would want to live in Phx or Tucson as I am allergic to crowds. Cochise county however was really nice.

NW Nevada is a wonderful place. Been here since the late 80's. Unfortunately it is growing by leaps and bounds and much of that growth is caused by liberals from the gay bay selling high, coming here and buying low.
They then get the impression that since they have a little $ in the bank they
are now "people of importance" and immediately start setting out trying to Kalifornicate the place. It would seem AZ is suffering from the same disease.
The weather here is probably superior to AZ in many ways. I live an hour south of Reno in the Pinenut mtns southeast of Carson City. I have seen
panthers (cougars) in the area of my house. Had bears in my trash, and seen countless deer, coyote, rabbit etc etc.

When I first bought my land a few years ago we had a herd of about 6 wild horses that regularly visited our land. Unfortunately some liberal a few miles away had moved from suburbia
and bought a huge lot in the desert. They proceeded to try and turn high desert into Florida by planting acres of grass and pumping water to keep it green like a mad dutchman. They took exception to the fact that horses like green grass and would drop by to eat the grass. They complained to the BLM and of course the BLM only needed one complaint to justify rounding up the herd, auctioning off the younger foals and yearlings and discarding the mature horses. If the wife and I ever find out who the moron making the complaint was payback will be a bitch. The BLM people of course won't say who it was.

Property values are stagnant here right now. 50 K a year is enough to live on and you can buy a decent house if you have some down but it wont be a mansion and it won't be a lot of land. For lots of land you can shoot on in the sticks figure 300k+ for a 5 acre lot. A decent house on half acre in a newer suburb will be 250K ballpark. I'd rather not see any more people move here but if it's gonna happen I want some pro rights people to show up and counter balance the liberals moving here.

 

[Outlaws]

What local areas around these 3 cities are affordable, safe, and would allow me to have as much freedom with my weapons as allowed but still allow a quick commute to work.

As others have said, there is NO property in the valley that you can shoot on and still drive to work. If you move past Queen Creek and then commute to Chandler, you *might* find a property or two still on the outskirts, but I guarantee that in less than one year you will not be shooting on it.

My suggestion, find a place close to one of the outdoor ranges and get a membership.