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Well that doesn't sound too bad at all! I think It's down to Tucson, ABQ, and El paso...
I'm trying to find things that really differentiates the three. I think the thing I worry about the most with Tucson is the ability to get around with traffic and the road conditions. With ABQ, I worry it will be too cold at times and it seems to be the most violent of the three with most crime according to SperlingsBestPlaces. With El Paso, I worry about finding a partner. I wonder how much race and language will drop my chances. I have no problem at all with dating outside my race, but will a hispanic women go for an english only speaking gringo in El Paso?
I'm probably over thinking all of this. Maybe it's time to bust out a coin and get to flippin'
This is interesting that when I moved to El Paso I was considering the exact cities to move to! I did not regret my move but a problem that I can see with El Paso is the job market, not to say the others are much better and depends what you're looking for.
I over thought the move also and you really don't know how things are until you move someplace, hopefully you have at least visited those three cities. Finding a partner in El Paso shouldn't be a problem and neither the language for this aspect as most are bilingual. I have found that if you find people with similar interests as you probably know you meet people faster and easier. This site might help to which ever city you move to: www.meetup.com. Search the city and interest you are interested in like motorcycle riding, hiking, social clubs etc.
My previous post on El Paso is accurate and does describe the city as it is. Some people commute to El Paso from Las Cruces and vise versa so that's another thing to consider. Good luck.
Last edited by WildWestDude; 02-04-2017 at 10:58 AM..
Not siding with any of your choices. Just wanted to join the ABQ chorus about snow. No, ABQ doesn't get a lot of snow. When it snows it is often overnight and is gone by midmorning. So it might on average amount to 10" a year for the season, but since it rarely sticks long to the ground it's not much. East of the Sandias is another matter. Colder and snowier.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
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Originally Posted by ABQSunseeker
Not siding with any of your choices. Just wanted to join the ABQ chorus about snow. No, ABQ doesn't get a lot of snow. When it snows it is often overnight and is gone by midmorning. So it might on average amount to 10" a year for the season, but since it rarely sticks long to the ground it's not much. East of the Sandias is another matter. Colder and snowier.
I'd argue with the potholes that motorcycles are better than cars for the roads IMO in Tucson. Very easy to go around them.
Also in Tucson, and Phoenix as well, during insane traffic jams in the summer people are empathetic and you CAN drive on the shoulder without any police pulling you over. My family has done this getting stuck on the I-17 just north of the Anthem area in Phoenix, where it's only two lanes. They drove on the shoulder the whole way. People realize that without A/C, you can die out there. Though the summers can be killer and you should plan your rides accordingly. In all these areas you are looking at, even Vegas, there are colder climates very close by. Up on the mountains. In comparison to Phoenix, Tucson has more options and they are closer to boot, but in the summer taking the rides to these colder areas are the best option.
Street traffic in Tucson is bad but not freeway traffic. Even in rush hour the I-10 is good. Lots of stop and go on the streets. Being close to work should be the goal, especially considering how cheap Tucson is it shouldn't be a problem.
There's a big motorcycle culture in Arizona, can't speak for the other areas, especially around dirt bikes you'll find most motorcyclists here will engage in both. Hell I've even seen someone with a Harley haul a dirt bike on a tiny trailer. Yes, a motorcycle hauling another motorcycle, you read that correctly. Bike week (really a month or so) in Phoenix is huge and is in the spring time, around March. My family goes to Westgate every week when it's around. I'm not sure if the culture is as big in Tucson, but there are definitely clubs down there too. Met quite a bit of Harley riders when I lived down there. Also not much of a crotch rocket culture here, almost strictly Harley.
I feel like Tucson's summers can be more mitigated by living in the foothills whereas in Phoenix there aren't really any foothills to live on unless you are a multi-millionaire.
I think Tucson is a better option than Phoenix for you. While the roads are not necessarily laid out poorly as they are poorly timed and not wide enough (and pothole-infested in some areas particularly further east) Tucson provides A) cooler areas in easier access which is important in the summer time B) a prettier desert, IMO, than Phoenix by league.
Phoenix and Vegas are pretty much the same in the summer (maybe a degree or two difference at best but at that point you don't feel the difference) and if you think Phoenix is too hot so will Vegas and Palm Springs. Elevation is your friend.
Visit Tucson in the summer. If you feel that it is slightly too hot go five hours east to El Paso, that'll be the sweet spot. Or you want something quite more drastically cooler, ABQ.
I'd go for Albuquerque. Especially if you don't like extreme heat (though it gets hot enough).
Classic southwest scenery, yet with accessibility to lots of different climates. You can ride in the desert with colorful mesas and granite boulder hills, and 30 minutes later be driving on an alpine road, all before noon from the middle of the city.
Also, great culture, food, Rt.66 and other (frankly better roads for riding), a good community of bikers, etc.
El Paso and Tucson are both good cities as well, but (bias aside) I think Albuquerque rises a head above the other two unless there is something particular about EP or Tucson that you must have, like proximity to Mexico or Saguaros/Sonoran terrain. And you better love extreme heat down there, like 100+ for weeks if not months.
Albuquerque would be a good choice.El Paso could work also.
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