I'll start with a strength. The low humidity makes the high temperatures bearable. For a city not the expensive. Sedona up north is neat.
But the sun is like being zapped constantly by dangerous gamma rays. I learned to HATE the damaging sun rays.
The whole area around Phoenix is barren and lifeless. There is no lush green, just brown and tan and death.
I could not like in this area.
I hear the winters are nice there. I think they also have a few golf courses, if you're in to that.
"Water, water, water.... There is no shortage of water in the desert but exactly the right amount , a perfect ratio of water to rock, water to sand, insuring that wide free open, generous spacing among plants and animals, homes and towns and cities, which makes the arid West so different from any other part of the nation. There is no lack of water here unless you try to establish a city where no city should be"
-ed abbey
With constant watering some homes and businesses can maintain a good appearance. But there are so many areas in the city and certainly the surrounding areas that just reek of barren lifelessness. Some homes don't do grass, seriously, they don't want to bother trying to water it I guess.
It felt so good to return to the Northeast with the vivid greens and life and growth all over. The northeast air with all our trees just seems full of oxygen and good to breathe. The sun is to enjoy not like in Phoenix, where you have to hide from its damaging effects.
Try to do stuff outside and the parched dry air dehydrates the lungs and wrecks the skin.
I guess its good for those with allergies, but to me it seemed like a very hostile environment.
Summers can be brutal here, June-September. But the rest of the year is fantastic. If you actually venture out a bit, away from the scores of strip retail centers you can find some pretty neat stuff. Phoenix is in the middle of the Sonoran desert- one of the most lush and full of life deserts in the world.
Also, if the heat is overbearing, you can always drive an hour or two north or East and enjoy some greenery.
Not that into Phoenix either. I didn't like flagstaff at all. It was awful too. Liked Sedona plenty tho.
I like Arizona kind of wrote:
Not that into Phoenix either. I didn't like flagstaff at all. It was awful too. Liked Sedona plenty tho.
I agree 100% with this. As far as the other poster saying you could drive miles to find lush areas, maybe, but around Phoenix that's not the case. I drove a number of miles through Sedona, up to Flagstaff, Grand Canyon and I was stunned by the miles and miles of basically no life.
I'm sure the winter is better, but there is never a time where that area abounds with life. Its not a natural place for humans to live.
It's where people go when they are close to death to stay warm just a little longer.
seriously its a barren area wrote:
I like Arizona kind of wrote:Not that into Phoenix either. I didn't like flagstaff at all. It was awful too. Liked Sedona plenty tho.
I agree 100% with this. As far as the other poster saying you could drive miles to find lush areas, maybe, but around Phoenix that's not the case. I drove a number of miles through Sedona, up to Flagstaff, Grand Canyon and I was stunned by the miles and miles of basically no life.
I'm sure the winter is better, but there is never a time where that area abounds with life. Its not a natural place for humans to live.
I actually enjoyed Sedona and some small towns south of there. I found flagstaff about as disappointing as disappointing could possibly be. The town was ugly and it just wasn't what I was expected. One of the dudes (who is a pro marathoner whom I will not mention) who worked at the running store there was kind of a jerk too. The running store was disappointing as well. The place was either white trash tweaked or college students and it was expensive there.
Aridzona wrote:
Phoenix is in the middle of the Sonoran desert- one of the most lush and full of life deserts in the world.
Nope.
Phoenix is on the extreme northern edge of the sonoran desert. Nowhere near the middle. Some eremologists don't consider phx a desert at all.
Every time I've been to phx it's been raining.
Sedona had great trails, great restaurants, neat views.
The area of Phoenix is a like death zone though. I can see why the population doesn't respect the environment (it really is the enemy out there) or environmentalists and why they are obsessed with guns out there.
Well if you'd stop hanging out in Guadelupe and travel up north to Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, you might find the decent part of town. Raise your standards a bit, ok?
Because of the weather (Oct to June...still fun in the summers at pool parties and such), the decent cost of living, all the things to do (awesome running/cycling/tri/hiking/professional sports scene...people are always out and about seven days a week socialzing...fantastic restaurants), the desert landscape gets very serene with all the flowers, easy to meet people, beautiful women (east valley...scottsdale area)... I'm from WI and lived in AZ for 12 years. I think you were either with the wrong people in the wrong areas (scottsdale area is my favorite) or perhaps just homesick...
mwwwin wrote:
Because of the weather (Oct to June...still fun in the summers at pool parties and such), the decent cost of living, all the things to do (awesome running/cycling/tri/hiking/professional sports scene...people are always out and about seven days a week socialzing...fantastic restaurants), the desert landscape gets very serene with all the flowers, easy to meet people, beautiful women (east valley...scottsdale area)... I'm from WI and lived in AZ for 12 years. I think you were either with the wrong people in the wrong areas (scottsdale area is my favorite) or perhaps just homesick...
Actually I did mention the costs were reasonable. I do think the people were pretty friendly but they all were heavy into guns and were clearly anti-environmentalists.
Don't get me wrong there are nice areas of the city but really the general region is stark. The sun down there seemed toxic. Truthfully the older population looks very old. The sun ages people fast.
Scottsdale is awful...it looks nice but is full of wannabes with zero education or culture
take god n guns OUT of usa wrote:
Aridzona wrote:Phoenix is in the middle of the Sonoran desert- one of the most lush and full of life deserts in the world.
Nope.
Phoenix is on the extreme northern edge of the sonoran desert. Nowhere near the middle. Some eremologists don't consider phx a desert at all.
Every time I've been to phx it's been raining.
You forgot to mention that you've never actually been to Phoenix. Small detail, I know.
Different people like different things.
luv2run wrote:
Different people like different things.
True, some people might like barren desolate regions devoid of life.
a monument to mans arrogance
If it's so bad, then why has it been the fastest growing city over the past 20 years? It's now the 6th largest city in the country, so obviously it's a desirable place to live. You know what they say: if you can't take the heat, get your ass out the kitchen!