How would you describe Phoenix to someone who has never visited? (appointed, apartment)

[john3232]

I noticed the water in my pool is getting a bit colder these days. Told my wife (who doesn't like swimming much) if she plans to use the pool she'd better do so soon.

I guess I'm becoming an Arizonian. Anything under 100 and I think it's too cold for a swim.

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by john3232

I noticed the water in my pool is getting a bit colder these days. Told my wife (who doesn't like swimming much) if she plans to use the pool she'd better do so soon.

I guess I'm becoming an Arizonian. Anything under 100 and I think it's too cold for a swim.

Sounds about right. I was in our pool on Sunday. The water temp was 84.

Should be good for a dip this week

[singlegirlinaz]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

It is definitely a place of change. I can understand why some of the change is difficult to accept, but it makes absolutely no sense to live in what's considered the "fringes" of the metro area & expect it to be in the middle of nowhere. Most people who moved to the outskirts end up complaining to the hit when all the new housing developments, apartments, condos, businesses, and increased traffic move in ... and it certainly doesn't take long for that to happen. Then they move even further out, and the same thing happens within a short period of time. Rinse, repeat.

It's not realistic to have tranquility & everything remaining the same in a large growing region like this. There are still small towns & rural areas in Arizona that are far away from Phoenix & its surroundings which still look the same as they did 30 years ago. That's where the ones who want to be "out there" should be headed! Metro Phoenix is a completely different animal than much of Arizona. Anybody who expects to come here for wide open spaces is just fooling themselves because they certainly aren't very easy to find anymore.

I've been here 28 years and it's a lot different. No longer a big cow town and more of a real city than it used to be.

It's change for the good mostly. I don't get the resentment to sprawl and being more urban, it's part of life in a big city.

[singlegirlinaz]

Originally Posted by john3232

I noticed the water in my pool is getting a bit colder these days. Told my wife (who doesn't like swimming much) if she plans to use the pool she'd better do so soon.

I guess I'm becoming an Arizonian. Anything under 100 and I think it's too cold for a swim.

A pool with cold water is a bit of a shock when you step in but it makes being outside in 110 a whole lot nicer.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by singlegirlinaz

A pool with cold water is a bit of a shock when you step in but it makes being outside in 110 a whole lot nicer.

It's more like stepping into a warm bowl of soup when its 110 outside. Getting out though is another matter. It's freezing cold for a minute or so as the water evaporates off of you.

[john3232]

The 100 degrees I was referring to was the weather. Not the temperature of the water. (Just check the water. It's 91.)

In any event I find swimming during the peak 110-117 summer weeks very refreshing. One of the reasons for staying here (E. Mesa) instead of moving to Chandler where I own rental property is the pool.

I really enjoy my afternoon swims.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by locolife

Any idea how many total miles LA has now and how many are being added besides the 19 mile rail line connecting SE LA county? Phoenix is planning 42 new miles of rail by 2050 in addition to the 28 miles currently in operation, that doesn't count the street car or sky train at sky harbor.

2050 is a long time to be waiting for 42 miles of rail, in an ever growing Metro the size of Phoenix. Is the city currently or in the very near future in the process of rail extensions? I've taken the train from Mesa to downtown Phoenix when visiting and found it enjoyable, although it seemed its primary passengers were students.

[loose cannon]

It's an endless stream of circle ks and dairy queens. Apartment move in signs, 1st month 699. rent no longer low. But, you should go where you wanna go. Sit at the bus stop of Valley Metro. Ride East, Ride west. It still is the best. Call Center workers rush to their connections. Struggling to cross the busy intersections.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

2050 is a long time to be waiting for 42 miles of rail, in an ever growing Metro the size of Phoenix. Is the city currently or in the very near future in the process of rail extensions? I've taken the train from Mesa to downtown Phoenix when visiting and found it enjoyable, although it seemed its primary passengers were students.

The 42 mile plan is not metro Phoenix, it's just the city of Phoenix plans. You can read about it here if you'd like. https://www.phoenix.gov/t2050

It's a phased expansion plan of course, so nobody is waiting until 2050 for the expansions to be added, that is when the plan runs through which includes a lot of other transportation upgrades besides light rail. The south central extension and northwest phase II extension are both under construction now.

There will be even more students using the trains as expansions are built focusing on connecting GCU with it's 23,000 campus based students allowing connections to downtown Phoenix and Tempe. Between the 79,000 campus based ASU students in Tempe, downtown Phoenix, downtown Mesa plus others and the addition of GCU it's understandable why you see a lot of students on the trains.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by loose cannon

It's an endless stream of circle ks and dairy queens. Apartment move in signs, 1st month 699. rent no longer low. But, you should go where you wanna go. Sit at the bus stop of Valley Metro. Ride East, Ride west. It still is the best. Call Center workers rush to their connections. Struggling to cross the busy intersections.

While at the same time it's an urban renewal, with vibrancy and energy, a city rising from the ashes like the bird which name it bears.