So Im Moving To Arizona

[diggerdan11]

So im going to be moving to Tucson, AZ here very shortly for work. Im excited and a little nervous at the same time.

 

Its going to be a big change, right now the town I live in is only about 9k people and im moving to a city of a million, and the biggest city i have lived in is a little less then 50k so that parts going to be interesting.

 

Im trading the Heavy rain and the mild summers of the Oregon Coast for the mild winters and extremely hot summers of the Sonoran desert

 

I was wondering if there are any SS members in Tucson, I know there are lots in the Phoenix area just not sure bout Tucson. Also wondering if there is anyone on here that has recently lived in Tucson so i might know what to expect, I have never been there so im curious about things like crime, traffic, whats the automotive scene like, and what are the fun things to do

 

All i know is the first thing im going to do is rip off my front license plate and maybe re-tint my windows since they are a little less strict there

Edited December 13, 2008 by diggerdan11 (see edit history)

[misterp]

You are in for a BIG adjustment. The desert, you will either love it, or hate it; I've never met anyone who felt halfway about it. The big city didn't bother me, it was the desert. I grew up in Grants Pass, moved to Tucson when I was a senior in high school and f'n hated it. No green ANYWHERE. I spent my entire life to that point rafting the Rogue and then find myself 300-miles from water and 30-feet from hell. I made the mistake of washing my truck in the front yard one day and had the cops give me a ticket for wasting water. WTF. Also, doni't make the mistake of lighting a burn barrel, major ticket on that too. I lived on Ina Road, about 2-miles east of the freeway. I had to go to school at Marana, which has a 8-ft high prison fence around the campus however there is nowhere to run to because it's in the middle of the freakin desert miles from anything. I met fellow student that had never seen real snow, me and a friend played hooky one day and drove my truck to Mt. Lemmon, filled the bed with snow above the cab and mad it back to the Marana parking lot by 3pm, when school let out we had snowball fights in the parking lot. You will find a *high* Mormon population in north Tucson. I didn't stay, I ran away from Tucson while still in school, I loaded everything I considered mine in the back of my truck and drove back towards Oregon, and the further down the road I got, the faster I drove... I ended up in Modesto CA and enrolled myself in HS there and graduated.

 

You are going to find native Arizonans are far more uptight than Oregonians; there are some issues that are very important to Arizonans which at first might seem fanatical to you.

 

However, to be fair - my mother loves AZ, she's never regretted leaving Oregon (she lives in Mesa). I've got more family in Mesa, Chandler, and my aunt (dad's sister) and uncle have lived in Tucson over 15-years now, just north of Ina Road. Your experience will no doubt be different than mine was for me, I like the bigger city life (there's more to do and see) but I just could not handle the desert, it was absolutely depressing for me. Be careful driving for the first 2-3 months until you get your city driving skills sharp; make sure your brakes, tires, and motor are tip-top because driving downtown is almost a rubbin-is-racin experience.

 

Personally of all places I've lived in AZ I had the most enjoyment in Ahwatukee (Chandler); that area is IMO the best place to live in AZ.

 

Mr. P.

 

OH YEAH - treat yourself to a drive down Roller Coaster Road.

Edited December 13, 2008 by Mr. P. (see edit history)

[diggerdan11]

You are in for a BIG adjustment. The desert, you will either love it, or hate it; I've never met anyone who felt halfway about it. The big city didn't bother me, it was the desert. I grew up in Grants Pass, moved to Tucson when I was a senior in high school and f'n hated it. No green ANYWHERE. I spent my entire life to that point rafting the Rogue and then find myself 300-miles from water and 30-feet from hell. I made the mistake of washing my truck in the front yard one day and had the cops give me a ticket for wasting water. WTF. Also, doni't make the mistake of lighting a burn barrel, major ticket on that too. I lived on Ina Road, about 2-miles east of the freeway. I had to go to school at Marana, which has a 8-ft high prison fence around the campus however there is nowhere to run to because it's in the middle of the freakin desert miles from anything. I met fellow student that had never seen real snow, me and a friend played hooky one day and drove my truck to Mt. Lemmon, filled the bed with snow above the cab and mad it back to the Marana parking lot by 3pm, when school let out we had snowball fights in the parking lot. You will find a *high* Mormon population in north Tucson. I didn't stay, I ran away from Tucson while still in school, I loaded everything I considered mine in the back of my truck and drove back towards Oregon, and the further down the road I got, the faster I drove... I ended up in Modesto CA and enrolled myself in HS there and graduated.

 

You are going to find native Arizonans are far more uptight than Oregonians; there are some issues that are very important to Arizonans which at first might seem fanatical to you.

 

However, to be fair - my mother loves AZ, she's never regretted leaving Oregon (she lives in Mesa). I've got more family in Mesa, Chandler, and my aunt (dad's sister) and uncle have lived in Tucson over 15-years now, just north of Ina Road. Your experience will no doubt be different than mine was for me, I like the bigger city life (there's more to do and see) but I just could not handle the desert, it was absolutely depressing for me. Be careful driving for the first 2-3 months until you get your city driving skills sharp; make sure your brakes, tires, and motor are tip-top because driving downtown is almost a rubbin-is-racin experience.

 

Personally of all places I've lived in AZ I had the most enjoyment in Ahwatukee (Chandler); that area is IMO the best place to live in AZ.

 

Mr. P.

 

OH YEAH - treat yourself to a drive down Roller Coaster Road.

 

Wow sounds like you did not enjoy yourself too much there. I hope my experience will be a little better. Its going to be different adjusting to the heat. As for the no green i should not have a problem, i am from eastern oregon which is not a very green place either, not as bad as the desert. Im just going to have to spend my free time getting away from the heat. I will be spending most of my time for about a year working alot so that will take up most of my time. As for driving in a big city i got that covered i have had losts of experience driving in a big city, my gf is another story. It will be fun to have a track close by too, right now i have to go 3 hours to drag.

Im excited to be closer to other things to do as well. Like LA is only 6 hours away and so is Vegas (where my sister lives) and Phoenix is only 2. And mexico is close too so that may be fun

[fox_forma]

can't say much about Tucson but I am up in Mesa, AZ just outside phoenix and love it but I could easily see how it isn't for everyone. No one can drive for shit here, more wrecks in a day than I saw back east in a month, be prepared for traffic, at least up here its brutal because no one can drive for shit like stated. It gets hot in the summer so hope you are near a lake or have a pool. Oh and I make sure you have a nice alarm on your truck, car theft and break ins are pretty high in AZ, esp south where you are. Other than that you should like it! lol

[scooter3]

Aw yes another transplant to Az. Welcome. I have lived in the Phoenix area for 31 years and have loved every moment of it. You will have to adjust to the heat, but the winters are awesome. I am not saying it does not get cold, but it is much better then sub zero temps and snow. Tucson is a great college town so if you are young you will enjoy it. Please keep an eye on your truck. As Fox said the theft rate for vehicles is high, especially trucks likes ours. You are just minutes from the border so get a nice alarm and keep it someplace safe. Yes the traffic is bad, not as bad as Phoenix, but people down here jut don't seem to know how to drive, especially during the monsoons. I for one love the desert. there is no place like it. Yes it is brown, but the desert cactus and wildlife make up for it. Plus the great smells of the desert after a nice summer rain. Again things I have loved while living here. Welcome and I hope things go well for you.

[diggerdan11]

Yeah im sure i will have a good time, and i will just have to get use to the heat. I am use to driving in bigger cities and around crappy drivers. After everything i have been hearing about the auto theft problem i have decided not to get a new exhaust setup and buy a good alarm system for my truck.

 

I mean how can i enjoy my new exhaust setup if my truck is stolen lol

 

me and my gf should be making decent money so we will try to find a place in a nicer neighborhood so maybe there is less of a chance of something happening, maybe live in a gated community. But im not exactly sure where im going to be working so i dont want to live to far away from work.

 

By the way we are going to have have a G2G in a few months in the phoenix area i think that will be lost of fun

[misterp]

Wow sounds like you did not enjoy yourself too much there. I hope my experience will be a little better. Its going to be different adjusting to the heat. As for the no green i should not have a problem, i am from eastern oregon which is not a very green place either, not as bad as the desert. Im just going to have to spend my free time getting away from the heat. I will be spending most of my time for about a year working alot so that will take up most of my time. As for driving in a big city i got that covered i have had losts of experience driving in a big city, my gf is another story. It will be fun to have a track close by too, right now i have to go 3 hours to drag.

Im excited to be closer to other things to do as well. Like LA is only 6 hours away and so is Vegas (where my sister lives) and Phoenix is only 2. And mexico is close too so that may be fun

OK since you are from eastern Oregon then yeah it will be a very familiar climate; I remember in the winter 25-30 in the morning and 70+ in the afternoon (40+ degree temp swings). And there is a lot more to do and see in the city, that is a plus. There's caving just north of town, if you are in to that kind of thing. The heat in Tucson isn't really that bad, or at least I was not affected that much by it, and it's always 10-degrees cooler there than Phoenix; besides everywhere you go it's climate controlled.

 

Just don't make the mistake of leaving your spare change on the dash or getting into the car and immediately grabbing the searing hot steering wheel

 

If you do like to drive, there is a lot to see in AZ and I encourage everyone to do so; AZ has an amazing variety and difference of geography.

 

Mr. P.

[fox_forma]

just move to the phoenix area, we're so much cooler up here than the people in Tucson!

[misterp]

... its brutal because no one can drive for shit ...

Of all places I've lived and driven in, Mesa AZ (Hwy 60 Superstition Fwy) is by FAR the most dangerous place I've regularly driven.

 

Mr. P.

[RockHead]

Good Luck on your BIG Move

[diggerdan11]

Good Luck on your BIG Move

 

Thanks man

[mike1booth]

great idea dude, im on vaca RIGHT NOW in glendale/phoenix, been here a couple times now summer and now winter and i LOVE THIS PLACE... the people camt drive for shit and EVERYTHING gets broken into but the weather is worth it... ill have more details and maby some pics when i get home tomorro

[1BAD2K]

great idea dude, im on vaca RIGHT NOW in glendale/phoenix, been here a couple times now summer and now winter and i LOVE THIS PLACE... the people camt drive for shit and EVERYTHING gets broken into but the weather is worth it... ill have more details and maby some pics when i get home tomorro

let's see those pics I love the desert. Az, nv and especially cali. Tryin to talk the wife into moving out there someday.