Scoping out Arizona Feb 14-16...where should I check out?

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Rufblackbird

actually thanks to Rick's post a while back about the Utah CCW permit, me and the g/f went and got ours kinda miss holding and firing...something ever since i got out of the military.

what i really want? is 15-20 min away from civilization, so i can do whatever the hell i want, whenever the hell i want. not so sure on what the g/f wants yet

The area where Rick lives sounds like what you are looking at.

Take a look on the map from Cave Creek road North of the 101 up to Buckeye Highway, then West to the I-17 highway. All of this area is pretty close to major roads, shopping and so on, yet close to the desert.

When I bought my place in 2001 I could walk 30 feet out of my property and be in bare desert. Now they developed the area North of my place and its houses but they are 300 yards away.

There are places in this section I mentioned above with 1-10 acres of land and where you can do what you want, yet be in town pretty quickly.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Assume you meant OUTSIDE of the 101 loop? I would not think of living anywhere inside the 101 loop unless it was Paradise Valley or Snottsdale areas.

I like being north of the 101 too, but there are some cool houses around Bell and 44th that are not HOA's.

Ruf, you can't use a non-AZ CCW here once you become an AZ resident. UT permits are no longer accepted in NV and AZ permits never have been. Don't worry though. Pretty good chance that AZ is soon to abolish requirement for a CCW to carry. Problem is that the cops have become dependent on the fee revenue from the applications and a lot of local gun stores make good money on the CCW classes. Once they abolish the law, permits will only really matter for out-of-state reciprocity. But you can get the permit and class for about $100 total and it takes less than two weeks for the whole thing. Gun culture here is second to none. Really. I just got made at a Coldstone Creamery an hour ago and no one said anything. The gun buster signs do not have the force of law unless they serve booze there.

[Rufblackbird]

thanks Joe! this is sounding better by the minute!

[Rick Lee]

Joe means Carefeee Hwy (SR 74). I live at the intersection of that and I-17. Smoking deals on houses here and a little south in 85050. I would prefer to live somewhere between Pima and Cave Creek Rds., well north of the 101. Probably gonna land a house at Cave Creek and Ashler Hills. Inspection this Sunday. Gargae is three car and can take a lift.

[Rufblackbird]

I was gonna say, I don't see Buckeye Hwy on google maps...

thought AZ had reciprocity with UT, at least at the time I took the CCW permit class, but seems like it won't matter soon! Oven or no oven I think I'm gonna love Arizona!

[Rick Lee]

After my wedding, this was the best day of my life, crossing into AZ in my own car, hopefully, never to see the east coast again.


This is riding in Prescott in April, still snow on the ground.


Some serious desert here, about 15 miles from any pavement or cell phone signal.


Apache Trail


A hard day at the North Rim


Bear in mind, the vast majority of AZ's amazing scenery is only accessible by offroad vehicle or horseback. If it's paved, you can be sure it's mediocre scenery at best. You can really get lost out here and it's just endless beauty.

[Rufblackbird]

um..WOW. thanks for sharing, Rick

[Joeaksa]

Sorry about that, did mean Carefree Highway.

Rick, were you talking about 44th Ave? Correct that there are some nice places out West but still inside the 101 loop. Even some places with acreage but they aint cheap!

Joe

[LeeH]

Here's a photo of "Ahwatukee" that Don mentioned. On a map it's the area that's on the south side of South Mountain park, west of I-10. bordered by Elliot to the north and Pecos Rd to the south. Being on the south side of town we do have to drive a little further to go play in the north, but day in and day out the scenary here is amazing. I'm minutes from some great hiking and biking trails. I live fairly deep in Ahwatukee and can make it to Sky Harbor Airport in under 20 minutes.

Yeah, our lot is tiny, but our house backs to a large natural hillside, we're a few houses away from a 45 acres city park, and we're minutes away from South Mountain park which is over 16K acres.

[Rick Lee]

That looks like scorpion country there.

[KNS]

Lee,

You forgot to mention, you're a few minutes from Firebird Raceway!

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

That looks like scorpion country there.

And we have photos to prove it!

Thank God that my area does not have these critters very often...

[Rufblackbird]

ooooh....scorpions are bad. are they more prominent in some areas vs others?

[Rick Lee]

Critters tend to be in those areas that have a lot of turned up dirt, back up to mountains or are relatively new developments. I haven't seen any where I live, but they are pretty common in some areas.

[Joeaksa]

Jeff,

You either have them or you do not. For instance Lee's house must be in a hot bed area for them as he goes out at night and finds them with a blacklight.

I have seen them exactly 3 times in the 9 years I have lived here. Found out that its not a good thing to have firewood up near the house so moved it to the exterior wall and never seen one since. That said I do still spray a couple of times a year to keep anything from coming inside anyways. As well I have gone out at night looking for them around here with a blacklight and cannot find them, so I am not in an area where they frequent.

Same with snakes. This is the desert dammit. We are in THEIR land, not the other way around. You either have them or do not. I have seen two snakes in the last 9 years here and they were dead after being run over on a highway not far from here.

Now, if you go walking out in the desert you are going to find critters. If you do not carry a walking stick, wear boots and hopefully have a hog-leg (pistol) with you, you are silly. A friend of mine lives out in the real desert and he has a .357 with snake-shot loads in it and uses it often.

Do not let the possibility of critters scare you. They are everywhere. Back in the mid-west where I used to live they had them, just different flavours. Texas the same. Just take precautions and keep your eyes open until you are there for a while and know what to look for.

[Rufblackbird]

thanks for the clarification Joe. I think the rest of us will be fine, but it's the dog (4 1/2 year old german shepherd mix) that I'm a bit concerned about...

[vash]

Originally Posted by KNS

Lee,

You forgot to mention, you're a few minutes from Firebird Raceway!

is firebird the track right next to I-10? i just drove past it a few weeks ago. a 911 was testing, and doing laps.

you guys have me ready to pack up and move? what is the job market like..for a civil engineer, and a nurse? california is pissing me off. be nicer closer to my mom and brother too...and further from the in-laws...shhhhh.

[Rufblackbird]

Originally Posted by vash

is firebird the track right next to I-10? i just drove past it a few weeks ago. a 911 was testing, and doing laps.

you guys have me ready to pack up and move? what is the job market like..for a civil engineer, and a nurse? california is pissing me off. be nicer closer to my mom and brother too...and further from the in-laws...shhhhh.

seems a bit easier for her than you, at least in phoenix

Civil / Structural Engineer
phoenix all jobs classifieds "nurse" - craigslist

we're getting ready...

[KNS]

Firebird is right next to I-10. We have two tracks in Phoenix, Firebird and Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). They are both okay tracks but pretty small. As an instructor told me once, we are lucky to have any tracks at all. They are not "real" road courses like Road America or Road Atlanta. And Cali has some great, famous tracks as well.

Bob Bondurant has his school at Firebird. He used to be at Sears Point many years ago but moved to Phoenix - can't remember why

[Joeaksa]

Jeff,

When you get a place they have disclosure. Ask them about everything (a good realtor will do this for you) and if its in a area where there are scorpions, look elsewhere. Its not everywhere...