How do people cope with the intense weather in Phoenix?

[CheyDee]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

While I respect your disdain for heat, you have to be one of very few people who avoid it to the extent of shopping for food online. Most everyone I know is not bothered by hopping in the car on the hottest of days and going to the supermarket, the mall, or the movies. If the car is garaged, it cools very quickly and the walk from the parking spot to the store (or back) may feel hot but it is far from unbearable for most.

I think perhaps those who dislike it as much as I do either don't move here to begin with, or leave shortly after they get here. This was never on my list of places I wanted to ever live. (I could much sooner envision living in Alaska.) Sometimes life takes us strange places, in which case we do what we feel we have to do to make the best of it.

Most people on this forum already know I detest hot weather. I only posted on this thread because the OP asked how people cope. I wanted to show that even those who dislike the heat as much as I do can manage, if they want to.

[observer53]

The topic here is Phoenix area, only, and summer weather, only. Thanks.

[rgscpat]

From Fountain Hills and Mesa, Payson is only a little more than an hour away, and offers cooler summer temps and lots of greenery. Arizona's dramatic differences in elevation mean that people can choose weekend escapes that give them 20 degree or more temperature differences.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by rgscpat

From Fountain Hills and Mesa, Payson is only a little more than an hour away, and offers cooler summer temps and lots of greenery. Arizona's dramatic differences in elevation mean that people can choose weekend escapes that give them 20 degree or more temperature differences.

Yup - that was one of my summer "escapes". A close friend had a log cabin off the Houston-Mesa Rd (just past the third crossing); when we'd had just about enough of 110°+ in the Valley, we'd take off for the weekend. It was 20-25° cooler - and the "river" (more like a creek - but it was cool, running water) was less than 100yds from his front porch. Usually took less than 1.5 hrs to get there, unless it had just rained - the Houston-Mesa (a graded dirt fire road at the time) would have 10,000 studder-bumps per mile, and looked like the surface of a golf ball.

I had a Honda CRX at the time.

I cried.

[JoeC]

To answer the OP's question directly: Even working graveyards, I had to get out of the Valley at least 2 or 3 times every summer. I had the aforementioned friend with the cabin north of Payson; I also had another friend who's family owned a condo in Pinetop, and one of my sisters was renting an apartment a block from Newport Beach, CA. Made for cheap escapes from the heat. If I had a little money, I'd take off for San Diego for a few days.

No different than living up here in Chicago; when I'd get sick of the winter cold & snow, I'd fly out to see my family in Scottsdale. The big difference? It took less time to drive to Pinetop than it takes to drive to O'Hare, find a place to park, and get thru the airport security screening...

[Alexico]

doesnt really bother me at all, Ive gone on high noon bike rides in the middle of the summer.

I always garage my car at home/work though
I will use black out shades on windows in the summer during the day when not home (turn off AC when at work) then when I come home the place has stayed cool since the sun was not beating down in my home

also I almost always leave every memorial day/4th of July/Labor Day