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Thanks to everyone on this board for helping me answer some questions.
It is highly highly likely that I will be moving to Tucson this summer....I mean the middle of the summer too...
I am very excited and am trying to plan my move and anticipate the incredible changes that I will have to overcome by moving here!!
I have visited Tucson numerous times and enjoy it somewhat...career choices are somewhat pushing me to move to the area....I will be a resident in the medical field there.
And as for my questions...most of them revolve around nature/plants/heat/water:
- How am I going to make it through the heat of the summer? What if I only left work around 5 or 6? Would that help avoid the brutal sun? And how long will this brutality last? I mean...here in KY it is 35 degrees right now...your 75 degree day sounds great.
- Is there anywhere that I would be able to find a shaded hammock??? Any SHADES at all? I went to the back of a coffee shop in Tucson...on 6th st...it had some tree cover...sort of...
- Water access...where is the closest place to go to find water? And I mean is it only Puerto Penasco???
- I need plants...trees....as I asked above...any trees anywhere? And is it just almost impossible to keep indoor plants? Will it just cost a ridiculous amount of money to keep nice plants everywhere?
- Is the winter a nice time for sweaters? I will miss wearing sweaters I think. How does the professional crowd dress in the summers? I will have to be a shirt and tie man under the white coat most of the time (except when in scrubs). Cotton?
I am sure to have more questions...pardon the ineptitude!
- How am I going to make it through the heat of the summer? What if I only left work around 5 or 6? Would that help avoid the brutal sun? And how long will this brutality last? I mean...here in KY it is 35 degrees right now...your 75 degree day sounds great.
its not as bad is some make it seem. while the temps do go over 100 degrees on a regular basis in the summer, if you keep yourself properly hydrated, wear light colored clothing, and minimize your exposure to the heat, you will do fine.
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- Is there anywhere that I would be able to find a shaded hammock??? Any SHADES at all? I went to the back of a coffee shop in Tucson...on 6th st...it had some tree cover...sort of...
most of the trees here in tucson are mesquite trees, and have little shade. they are the best trees for the environment here due to their low water consumption. if you buy or rent a house, you can build a shaded area where you can put a hammock if you like. if you rent an apartment, you dont have the room unfortunately.
Quote:
- Water access...where is the closest place to go to find water? And I mean is it only Puerto Penasco???
puerto penasco?? water is available just about everywhere. many stores have bottled water available for sale.
Quote:
- I need plants...trees....as I asked above...any trees anywhere? And is it just almost impossible to keep indoor plants? Will it just cost a ridiculous amount of money to keep nice plants everywhere?
any plants will need tending of course, but most grow here pretty well as long as you keep them fed and watered. best to use low water use plants as much as possible though, but it is no more expensive to maintain plants here than anywhere else in the country.
Quote:
- Is the winter a nice time for sweaters? I will miss wearing sweaters I think. How does the professional crowd dress in the summers? I will have to be a shirt and tie man under the white coat most of the time (except when in scrubs). Cotton?
sweaters are nice for the fall and spring time when the temps are actually not too high or low, and often times do well during the day in the winter for many people. as for summer dress, again wear light colored clothing as much as possible, and where you cant, try to wear lighter fabrics, and cotton is one that will breath and help you to be comfortable in the summer.
its not as bad is some make it seem. while the temps do go over 100 degrees on a regular basis in the summer, if you keep yourself properly hydrated, wear light colored clothing, and minimize your exposure to the heat, you will do fine.
most of the trees here in tucson are mesquite trees, and have little shade. they are the best trees for the environment here due to their low water consumption. if you buy or rent a house, you can build a shaded area where you can put a hammock if you like. if you rent an apartment, you dont have the room unfortunately.
puerto penasco?? water is available just about everywhere. many stores have bottled water available for sale.
any plants will need tending of course, but most grow here pretty well as long as you keep them fed and watered. best to use low water use plants as much as possible though, but it is no more expensive to maintain plants here than anywhere else in the country.
sweaters are nice for the fall and spring time when the temps are actually not too high or low, and often times do well during the day in the winter for many people. as for summer dress, again wear light colored clothing as much as possible, and where you cant, try to wear lighter fabrics, and cotton is one that will breath and help you to be comfortable in the summer.
lol about the bottled water...i meant a water source...river, ocean, lake, etc.
What kind of "shaded area" do people have at their house?
Every city has its ups and downs. Fact is that people who live in a cold weather state always wants to move to a warm weather state. Tucson doesn't have what the huge cities offer, but it does have stress free life, beautiful views, warm weather, spring training baseball games, and outstanding Mexican food. Phoenix, is 1 1/2 hours away, Vegas is 6 hours, San Diego is 6 hours, ETC. Tucson is in your small city range, but a big small city. Every city in the U.S has crime, so I'm not going to say we are crime free. I never want to move out of this city!
I understand that Tucson is not a big city...the biggest reason I am moving there is to do the next 3 years at the University...I want to go to a University residency program in warm weather...and I wasn't pleased with the San Diego program. Hence...Tucson, AZ.
I suppose a 6 hr drive or a shorter plane ride to San Diego would be a nice getaway from it all.
I just want to be able to do it all....have an apartment with lots of indoor plants, go out to an active nightlife on any given weekend, appreciate some arts, play some outdoor sports like tennis/golf/soccer, have some food options...mexican is great...but some sushi, some indian, some italian, etc. would be a nice addition.
And the other big thing I will miss is the water....a water source...river, lake, ocean, or some rain (I think I will really really enjoy the monsoons!). I am worried that I am going to be vacationing in San Diego a lot...
What is the closest water park?
Is there a nice coffee house scene in Tucson? I have been to Epic Cafe...that was nice. And one on 6th ave/st...was very hip.
I just broke up with my gf of 4 years...and will be moving. I am looking forward to the single scene in Tucson. I hope there are some nice, progressive, intelligent young professionals in the Tucson area?
For heaven's sake, you say you've been to Tucson, then you talk about it like you think it's Death Valley! Yes, we have trees. And air conditioning to a fault. You'll be wearing those sweaters indoors in August some places. Most Tucsonans have covered patios in their homes. If you're doing a medical residency, you'll probably live in one of the many swimming pool-equipped condominium complexes in the River Road area with hundreds of other medical people, many of whom will be single. We also have Google so you can find all the coffee houses, waterparks, nightclubs, and casinos you'll have time to visit.
As for the people, I'm sure you'll find at least a couple of "nice, progressive, intelligent young professionals" among the many mean, conservative, stupid, old lay-abouts.
though Tucson does not have the cosmopolitan sophistication of New York or Paris, we kinda like it that way....
remember, no daylight savings time in most parts of Arizona, so sunrise on June 21 is 5:17am!!!....it'll be 100 by 9am, but 4% humidity....cools quickly at night and you'll have the blanket pulled up over you by midnight....July and August is a different story, though: our exotically-named "monsoon season" will have humidity very high and temperatures rarely dropping below 75 or 80 for those uncomfortable eight weeks....but bring that much-loved sweater to the movie theater!!
"I am worried that I am going to be vacationing in San Diego a lot..." worried??!!....WORRIED?!
yes, cotton is the fabric of choice in the summer...and the looser the better....and wear a t-shirt if you sweat easily....
lots of coffee joints....great variety of very good restaurants for such a poor town....some lament the dull architecture, but that's life in the desert.....a few man-made "lakes" here and there, but the sparkling blue pool in the complex might be more inviting - and safer-looking....
Location: West of the Catalinas East of the Tortolitas
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There's a water park in Marana. We do have AC. The sun is high in the sky in the summer, so you probably won't get much sun in your home/apt, plants do well at 75 to 80 degrees indoors, if you're a medical resident (as in doctor to be) you won't have any spare time to sit in a hammock, but if you did, you can hang one easily in a back yard that has a covered porch or Palo Verde or Mesquite trees. My Palo Verde and Mesquite trees shade my house completely, as well as my Arizona white oaks. This isn't the Sahara, so it's not all one big, barren sand dune. There are lots of things to do around here. Google is your friend.
If you need a quick trip to the lake, try one of the reservoirs - Lake Roosevelt comes to mind. That's about 2.5 hours away from Tucson. It's where my friends go to hang for a day or weekend for waterskiing and wake-boarding. There are a couple of cheap motels nearby or you can camp out. There's a developed campground right there with grills, shady ramadas, toilets - even nice clean showers. It's a blast.
Speaking of shade, most people have something like a ramada or covered patio. It's a must for me. There's nothing like sitting out there around sunset with a nice glass of pinot gris. If you have access to a pool, even better.
Don't overlook Rocky Point, though. It's about a four-hour drive from Tucson and it's so much more fun and cheaper than San Diego. A friend owns a beautiful beachfront condo at the Sonoran Sea. There's nothing better than a getaway trip with good friends. And the water's warm, the people are friendly and the food (if you know where to go) is great.
Speaking of friends, if you want an easy and fast way to meet people, try meetup(dot)com. There's a group for everyone and every age. You can join a movie group, numerous hiking groups, a group for happy hours and nightlife, etc. I highly recommend it.
If you really need to escape the heat for a day, you can take a quick drive up Mt. Lemmon and go for a short or long hike in that cool, piney air.
So good luck with the move and welcome to Arizona! You'll get used to the summers - I actually look forward to them now, especially the nighttime pool and BBQ parties.
When anyone changes environments they need to change their mental approach immediately.
You are moving from a very humid climate (read: Hot and Muggy), hence the greenery and shade, to a very dry arid climate which offers many advantages. Whatever you do, do NOT try to recreate Kentucky here in Southern Arizona . . . it will not work and will do nothing but make your life miserable. Mother Nature has blessed us with plenty of plants that love this climate, don't try to challenge her intelligence.
There are no beaches here, however, we have so much more. Yes, we have temperatures hovering around 100 during the Summer but, overall, our "ugh" weather is much less unbearable than Kentucky's weather and lasts for a much shorter period of time.
My recommendation . . . try to ADAPT rather than CHANGE the Desert.
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