Need info about Winslow (Phoenix, Flagstaff: houses, buying, camping)

[elkotronics]

Sounds like you're pretty much all against the Winslow idea. I just found another Williams one for rent. It's $750 a month plus $400 deposit. Pets are allowed, which is good. But it says "haul water" and it's 6 miles north of Williams towards the Grand Canyon. "Haul water?" Are they gonna provide the truck or what are they talking about here?

[azdr0710]

"haul water" is common in the more rural areas there....you literally hire a company to bring you drinking water that gets put in a big tank at your place....not too expensive, but weird for city dwellers to get used to at first.....

[magnum0417]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

More great information, magnum0417. I do love the Route 66 things, it's cool. I am torn right now between the house in Williams for $740 a month - closer to Flag and you say pretty good things about it and water should not be a problem. Close to the Grand Canyon no matter where in the Flag area we decide to live - though we'll probably only go about twice a year. That is my favorite National Park or favorite Park of any kind, anywhere. The landlord in Williams has been in touch with us already and knows our situation. $740 is do-able, too.

The advantage to the Winslow house is it leaves more money monthly for a car payment. It's only $595/mo. I don't know if it has a fenced back yard but I suppose it will because it's downtown in Winslow on Elm St. That will be another advantage-a possible fenced back yard. The contact for that house is a local Winslow real estate saleslady - but that's OK. I called and will have to call her back Monday sometime - she doesn't do business on the weekends! I remember that about Willcox, AZ, real estate ladies. They don't work on the weekends!

So I'll be checking Craigslist ads again later on tonight. There's also a trailer in Lake Montezuma for $550/mo. It has a fenced yard and it is nice inside but kind of dumpy on the outside. My new boss in Flag has suggested moving south of Flag because it may be easier traveling in the snow. What do you guys know about that area south of Flag...even Sedona, Lake Montezuma, Cottonwood is way too far to the SW, though, eh?

$150 savings in Winslow at $595 as opposed to Williams at $745 ? Williams 30 miles closer to Flag saving you 60 miles a day in gas and vehicle wear and tear. I'd jump on Williams $745 if it was up to me.

Stick with Williams. Although lake Montezuma and the Verde Valley region gets little to no snow being under 4000 ft elevation, you have to climb the mountain on I 17 3000 ft every day for 45 miles or so . Williams to Flag is 30 miles and pretty level since both sit atop the Mogollon Rim. You will have to deal with Flag snow so why have to deal with it north of Sedona climbing the mountain.

Not only are you further away in the Verde Valley, your utilities in an uninsulated trailer will be quite a bit more too. Again, Williams should be your ticket. 60 miles to Grand Canyon up Rte 64 past my 2nd home in Valle (halfway point) and 30 miles from Flagstaff. As far as Grand Canyon trips, pay the $50 fee for UNLIMITED access for a whole year. Otherwise it's $25 a visit.

[elkotronics]

Great tips on both housing and the Grand Canyon, magnum0417. I am starting to hone in on Williams now, I now have two I could go for and it's a short 30 mile drive, too. I will get the $50 yearly pass to the Canyon, too.

The water being trucked in- is that your shower water and sink water both? How much per month - $50 or so? Interesting but that sounds very do-able. Here's a link to the one for $750 a month/$400 deposit. Sounds like the one for me.

Williams Rental

The views are so relaxing and beautiful and the kitchen nook looks good...there's plenty of room in that home for us. I don't think it has a fenced yard so we'll have to tether the pups up and walk them. Heck, there's literally hundreds of yards outside in every direction to walk them though! We'd already be 8 miles up 64 towards the Canyon, too. Cool. Take a look-see at the home if you want.

I'l have to see if I can bring my DirecTV and CenturyLink high-speed internet service both there. I'll look in to that stuff Monday and Tuesday. Now my wife and I will have stops to make if they want me to come up there for a visit. I'm sure they will. I would wonder about them if they didn't want to see someone they're hiring in person before they hire them.

My wife brought up a good point. Does the train still bring people up to the Grand Canyon from Williams? Or was that an old-tyme thing? Actually, guys, Williams is the place I have felt the most comfortable about living in ever since I applied at this place and went about trying to get the job. It sounds like I have a great chance at getting it, too. I can't think of anywhere else in America I'd rather live than this, to be honest with you. I'm from the Seattle area and that area is so full of rich snobs I'm so turned off by it anymore I can't even begin to tell you.

[magnum0417]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

Great tips on both housing and the Grand Canyon, magnum0417. I am starting to hone in on Williams now, I now have two I could go for and it's a short 30 mile drive, too. I will get the $50 yearly pass to the Canyon, too.

The water being trucked in- is that your shower water and sink water both? How much per month - $50 or so? Interesting but that sounds very do-able. Here's a link to the one for $750 a month/$400 deposit. Sounds like the one for me.

Williams Rental

The views are so relaxing and beautiful and the kitchen nook looks good...there's plenty of room in that home for us. I don't think it has a fenced yard so we'll have to tether the pups up and walk them. Heck, there's literally hundreds of yards outside in every direction to walk them though! We'd already be 8 miles up 64 towards the Canyon, too. Cool. Take a look-see at the home if you want.

I'l have to see if I can bring my DirecTV and CenturyLink high-speed internet service both there. I'll look in to that stuff Monday and Tuesday. Now my wife and I will have stops to make if they want me to come up there for a visit. I'm sure they will. I would wonder about them if they didn't want to see someone they're hiring in person before they hire them.

My wife brought up a good point. Does the train still bring people up to the Grand Canyon from Williams? Or was that an old-tyme thing? Actually, guys, Williams is the place I have felt the most comfortable about living in ever since I applied at this place and went about trying to get the job. It sounds like I have a great chance at getting it, too. I can't think of anywhere else in America I'd rather live than this, to be honest with you. I'm from the Seattle area and that area is so full of rich snobs I'm so turned off by it anymore I can't even begin to tell you.

8 miles up Rte 64 ? Puts you even closer towards Grand Canyon. I personally think you should take the older house in Williams for $740 even though this mobile home on an acre makes for great peace and scenery. Hauling water isn't cheap if someone delivers the water which adds up pretty quickly.It goes into a large cistern and that is both your drinking ,bathroom and shower water. I have an RV I keep in Valle so I personally have not hauled water. Just make sure you have heat tape on the cistern and have it winterrized as nights can dip down to around zero degrees at 7000 ft elevation.

The train still does run to Grand Canyon Village from Williams. While 90% of the tourists go to GC Village, I find the 25 miles of Rte 64 from Tusayan east to the Desert View Watchtower more fulfilling and there is way less tourists as well. Tusayan is a tourist trap btw. Avoid ever getting a hotel there and plan on overpaying for a meal there. I do love the GC and yes, that $50/yr pass has gotten plenty of use.

[azdr0710]

keep in mind if you get the place a few miles N of Williams, you'll have to drive back-and-forth to I-40 each day as part of the commute (if that's even a concern)

yes, Tusayan is horrible....almost all the businesses are owned by a couple competing families milking the tourists for all they can....a classic National Park gateway town run amok.....

[elkotronics]

Well, both houses in Williams appear to still be available. I'm open to Winslow still...just called someone in Flagstaff who said they only shut down I-40 a few times a year due to either dust or snow. I can handle that. I also want cheaper rent. But my phone interview is Thursday morning, and, if I do indeed get the job I can apply to renew my Respiratory Care Arizona license, seriously apply for housing in the Flagstaff area, etc. I have confidence that my wife and I and our 2 dogs and two Willcox, AZ, rescue cats will find suitable housing for us. It does take a little time.

I need to feel it out during the 2nd interview phone call to see if it might be possible we can get moving money from the company. Moving is so expensive and if we could get some help from the Flagstaff employer it would be great.

[corydon]

I myself would never ask money from a (future) employer.... They get these requests daily.

[elkotronics]

It's not just getting the money from the employer. I called AZ Respiratory Licensing and that particular country club takes 2-3 months to renew my Respiratory License for Arizona. I don't think this idea is going to work out. I can try and take my Polysomnography test ($500) and if I pass that, get licensed in Arizona as a RPSGT. With the extra $800 0r $900 I have laying around the house. Right.

It was fun to talk about for a while but it's not gonna work. We're staying in southern New Mexico. At least I'm working in a field I love. And we have a rental we like. The swamp cooler in our rental house in Alamogordo is on it's last legs and the landlord just sent an e-mail saying they're looking at a central air unit for the house. Not that's truly good news! So we don't have it so bad.

Hopefully GCRMC doesn't shut the Sleep Clinic down and I can keep my job. That's what spawned this job search in the first place. The hospital is bankrupt and they have to meet certain terms every fiscal year that the bank requires of them. Yearly report kind of thing. Then if it isn't good enough the hospital bean counters look and see what they want to cut. So I thought I should start looking around for something. I forgot about the AZ Respiratory Licensing Department and all of their red tape. Sloooooooooooooooooow red tape. Life in the 2010's!

[elkotronics]

Well, tomorrow morning's the big phone interview with the firm's Managing Partner. I think that AZ licensing slowness is going to kill this one, though. I'll let you know how it goes. It's tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM Mountain Time.