I LOVE Arizona!

[lugerholsterrepair]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QshRcmDl3hw

[rhuff]

I love it too......I have been here a loooong time now!!

[pmanton]

Ditto !

Paul
Salome

[calibrator]

Moved to Scottsdale in '91 from Cleveland with a 3yr old daughter and a wife. Bought a house on a 1 1/2 acre plot with 20+ vacant acres in front and back, beautiful ! 6 months later there was an 8' block wall on either end with what they call "Patio Homes", an Olympian could broad jump roof-to-roof.

Always enjoyed driving out to Cave Creek (north of Scottsdale) on the weekend when I wasn't being "Mr Mom". It reminded me of Key West, only with Jeep Tours instead of Fishing Boats. The drive was a 2 lane road (one lane each direction) that was like a roller coaster. After 9pm it was a rare car you'd see coming the other way. Today it's 4 lanes with a median and most drive it at 60+mph.

I've lived in Cave Creek since '93 and still have mostly undeveloped land on either side at the base of Black Mtn;

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DHDRSC3

At 1:43, my home is in the middle of the screen closest to the mtn, for perspective. I do LOVE it here, yet I hate to see it change SO dramatically, So quickly. My biggest caution to anyone looking to move to AZ is; BEWARE of vacant land nearby !

Zoning laws are so easily changed to allow Up-Zoning for more density and changes from Residential to Commercial are quite common. I KNOW, you can't close the door behind you !

Had great times 4wheelin' in Tonto Nat Forrest just to the north. Saw all that beauty in Jerry's video there. Then it burned for days and turned to moonscape. Feds said they would re-open it for Wheelin' in 2 yrs, that was 12 yrs ago. It just burned again this last summer. Once the Govt takes something, don't expect to ever get it back.

What will kill the joy of living here is, WELL, ... you know, ... that which is unspeakable here. Let's just call it "Changing Demographics". Talked to a Phx Cop last year, and he stated that 4,500 people move into Maricopa Cty each month, and have been for years, and are predicted to continue. Then there's projects such as this;

https://www.globest.com/2020/03/05/a...20201103102138

Even in '91 there was a fear about water becoming an issue soon. New development had to prove that it had legal rights to a certain amount of H2O to proceed. They called it "Paper Water", because they were buying the allotments from Indian Tribes. People were and are buying up Grazing rights to land in order to take the allotted water. Bottled water vendors drive 40' tankers out into Tonto to pump said water for your convenience. They turn over quite frequently on the hairpin turns getting there and back. Scary to run into one driving out there. Yeah, ... WATER, ... it will likely be THE issue since the blind/greedy refuse to see.

[calibrator]

For the "Green New Dealers" that will flock to Gates Cyber city, consider this. This is in your backyard there, and prevailing winds being what they are;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_V...rating_Station

Can't live comfortably in AZ without AC ! Gonna need a LOT of windmills and solar panels to sustain your presence.

[G.T.]

Hi to all, I loaded up my family in South Dakota in a 25 ft rider truck and made a, "Grapes of wrath!" epic move to AZ with the hope and promise of a better life for my wife and I, and opportunity for my kids.
As for me, I miss the springs and falls, hunting and fishing, but it seems a fair trade for the absence of spring tornados and brutally cold winters! I had a chance to offer my family a better life and I took it, the outcome remains to be seen, but I've won some and lost some... One always has many steps and choices to make in life going forwards! And some steps back as you struggle to make the right decisions with both your head and your heart, most times not even relatively close in the outcome?
Now, 20 plus years down the road, not much has changed except the view ahead, and the experiences behind... I can't imagine moving to any other place than AZ. So, still, I go forward! Best to all, til....lat'r....GT

[grantman]

Originally Posted by G.T.

Hi to all, I loaded up my family in South Dakota in a 25 ft rider truck and made a, "Grapes of wrath!" epic move to AZ with the hope and promise of a better life for my wife and I, and opportunity for my kids.
As for me, I miss the springs and falls, hunting and fishing, but it seems a fair trade for the absence of spring tornados and brutally cold winters! I had a chance to offer my family a better life and I took it, the outcome remains to be seen, but I've won some and lost some... One always has many steps and choices to make in life going forwards! And some steps back as you struggle to make the right decisions with both your head and your heart, most times not even relatively close in the outcome?
Now, 20 plus years down the road, not much has changed except the view ahead, and the experiences behind... I can't imagine moving to any other place than AZ. So, still, I go forward! Best to all, til....lat'r....GT

Hi G.T. I was in AZ in 1964, as a young child. A business associate of my father was married to a woman whose father was the chief developer of the Carefree & Cave Creek area. At that time, there was easily a mile between homes and the landscape was unreal. I would wander around in the desert and pretend I was on another planet. The amount of wildlife at that time as unreal. I'm sure it has been developed densely since then. The town of Carefree had a sundial that heated water for the local residences...thats how low the demand was.

[lugerholsterrepair]

I have cousins live up in North East Phoenix. Right below some big mountains..I have NEVER seen so much wildlife! Sitting in their house you see coyote packs go by several times a day..Critters crawling all over! & the birds! They have bird feeders where the wildest flocks of birds show up! I guess a lot of kept birds get away from owners in Phoenix and breed. It really is amazing. NOTHING like here in Yuma.

When we have lived here in the Summer you can't GET cold water! The ground gets so warm you can shower all summer with just the cold turned on!

[calibrator]

Yeah Jerry, the wildlife here is spectacular, but not like it was 10-15 yrs ago. List of one's I don't see anymore;

Jack Rabbit
Bats
Tarantulas
Bobcat
Rattle Snake (any snake in the last 3-5 yrs)

In hard times, a person could easily live on all the quail and rabbit that walk around the neighborhood daily. Doves galore also.

The closest call I've had with injury was from a deer on the lot next to mine. I saw a few (5-6) deer there and walked over to investigate. Suddenly a Buck came forward and began a choppy kind of trot towards me a few yards at a time. I pulled out a Kabar and held it 2 handed in front of me, backing up slowly until I was clear. I believe that if I had turned my back on him, I likely would have been gored.

Most annoying are Pack Rats, Ground Squirrels and Chipmunks. The latter 2 want to dig under your foundations for their burrows and are quite destructive. The Rats will totally destroy anything they build nests in. Don't leave a vehicle sitting for months unless you open the hood. They will completely pack fender to fender on the engine with cactus debris and mesquite beans, as well as a fair amount of rocks ! They also love to eat the wiring down to the copper.

You're also right about not needing hot water to shower in the summer. However, in a few weeks, water left outside at night will get an ice film on it before sunrise.

Yeah, ... I gotta say that being able to count on a bright sunny day most days is a plus. I just wish it would rain and lightning and thunder as often as it did back in the late'90s.

[tomaustin]

this is a nice thread....a lot of heartfelt comments about the way it was, is, and gonna be.....

coming out for the machinegun shoots near Wikieup is a high-lite of my annual vacation periods.....

I see Calibrator and his friends and have a really good 4-5 days...

I do enjoy driving out and traveling through different parts of AZ...

Some seriously beautiful country....

Have another good friend who lives on a mountain top west of Wikieup, some 20+ miles....a retired science professor who taught in the California graduate schools.....said he couldn't wait to retire so he could get to AZ............

I completely understand his sentiments...

Have a GREAT DAY ARIZONA.....................

[spangy]

Think im gonna move to Arizona once this covid crisis ends.

[rhuff]

My brother and his wife live in Carefree, and love it. Their son lives in Scottsdale, and my brother wants no part of that mess. We grew up in a small town, and I guess we just like living like that.

[calibrator]

Carefree is on the other side of Black Mtn from me. It's a totally different lifestyle from Cave Creek. Cave Creek could be called more like the Old West outside the commercial core. Carefree is more like Old Money, and it shows. The Boulders Resort is a World-class hotel in some VERY dramatic rock formations;

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DHDRSC3

Just north of there, you can see Penis Rock from the main road;

https://www.bing.com/images/search?v...RST&ajaxhist=0

Carefree Conference Resort is an upscale hotel that is in the heart (somewhat) of this area;

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DHDRSC3

This one just opened a 1/4 mile from my house. You can walk to all the cool Cowboy/Biker Bars/Restaurants from there;

https://pricklypearinnaz.com/

[calibrator]

I forgot about Lake Pleasant, not having been there in over 4 years. It's a 30 minute drive west. The water level looks to be over 15' lower than what it was back then;

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...54&FORM=VDRVRV

Bartlett Lake is about the same distance in the eastward direction;

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...2&&FORM=VDRVRV

Also just joined this private shooting range. It's located off the road to Lake Pleasant. You can buy glider rides along their access road;

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DHDRSC3

[lugerholsterrepair]

When I was a young children, I lived in Tucson on Orange grove road. We had horses & pigs. It was very rural and just what it indicated, orange groves, 1963 or so..could shoot right off the back porch. Now it's all city & condo's.

The weather was very different too...I guess the world changes in a half century.

[Ron Wood]

We live in New Mexico just outside of El Paso, TX, but our daughter lives in Tempe, AZ, not far from out friend G.T. So we are frequent visitors to AZ and enjoy it every time, like a second home...after all, Arizona is just New Mexico west .
Ron

[rhuff]

Originally Posted by lugerholsterrepair

When I was a young children, I lived in Tucson on Orange grove road. We had horses & pigs. It was very rural and just what it indicated, orange groves, 1963 or so..could shoot right off the back porch.

I live about a 1/4 mi. North of Orange Grove Road. I came here in 1977, and Orange Grove Road and Ina road were little two lane roads with minimal traffic. Back then, I lived "out in the boonies", but not any more!!! I liked it a lot better back then.

[Lyn Islaub]

We moved to Phoenix in 1995 after a 2 year stint working in England and have been here ever since. Found a nice place in the Ahwatukee foothills and we see, bunnies, bobcats, coyotes and javelinas routinely. Too old to move again, so I'm guessing that we will be planted here. As you can see from this post, we have several Forum members in the valley along with several noted collectors that use the internet infrequently. Lots of Forum members find reasons to come through the Phoenix area which helps to keep contact as we get older.
Lyn

[G.T.]

Hi to all, when I first came to Arizona, it was, for me, as mentioned above, almost a "Grapes of Wrath" experience. I was 46 years old, and had practically nothing loaded up in a 25 foot Rider truck, along with my family, and two boxer dogs pulling into Mesa, a part of the larger Phoenix metro area. My first job was a general manager of a Mobil gas & auto service station. Just a year earlier, I was managing a boat service shop and I made the comment, "I'll never move to a big city, and I'll never work on cars!" And then, there I was, in an auto service shop smack dab in the middle of a major metro area! Taught me to be a lot more careful when using the word never?...
That was twenty plus years ago, and fortunately we survived most all of the trials and tribulations that come with moving to a far off place. In retrospect, it finally became clear to me, no-one, or hardly anyone, is from Arizona, instead, everyone has come to Arizona. Either from failed business, failed relationships, or just a better or different look at the world. It's tough down here, and the people are tough as well, but the environment and opportunity balances it out some what... I think my fellow Arizona forum members would agree, it would be nice to have an alternate place to live in another state, but I can never imagine not having a place in Arizona.... Best to all, where ever you call home! til.....lat'r....GT...

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by lugerholsterrepair

The weather was very different too...I guess the world changes in a half century.

That has been my impression for several years. Back in the 50's, it used to rain all day long. I can recall dressing in my hip boots and rain slicker and floppy fisherman's rain hat and playing out at the curb where the downpour drained into the brand-new storm sewers. (The city had just paved the street - it was cinders before). I was maybe 5. Little pieces of scrap wood in the stream. Now, it only rains for a few minutes at a time. And last Winter, I did not use my snow blower at all. The year before that, I used it three times, when the snow was over 6 inches. I can remember snow drifts as tall as I was in the early 60's. Blizzards in the 70's.

Alarmists are heralding global warming but climatologists are predicting that we are entering a mini-Ice Age.

Whatever happens, I'll miss it.