Phoenix - Round Two (Plus Pictures!!) (Mesa, Scottsdale: live, pollution, bills)

[acrylic]

Hello all!

Just yesterday, I got back from a trip to the Phoenix area. I was there over Christmas. My parents and I had a GREAT time. We stayed in downtown Phoenix, so we got a taste of that. We also got a taste of being kinda "out there". But I didn't show them the "middle of nowhere - out in the desert" areas.

Overall, it was a successful trip! We drove around. I showed them many areas in the Phoenix metro area, but we spent most of the time in the East/Southeast Valley. (Though I do like the West Valley! ) I showed them Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa. We saw the highrises downtown, all the way to the natural highrises (mountains). My favorites tend to be South, Camelback, and San Tan mountains.

It was a little colder than I would have liked it to be (Though when the sun was out and it was 60, it was actually quite nice), but I can't complain. It's super cold here in MN, so it was like paradise!

My parents love the Phoenix area. So I'm very happy about that.

Also, I just wanted to point out how nice the roads and highways are maintained. It's unbelievable. I just got used to it when I was there, and now that I'm back in MN it's a night and day difference.

I've attached some photos for you all to look at. (With a second post containing a couple more!)

EDIT: I also wanted to ask a question. Since Gilbert (more specifically, southern Gilbert) is about 30ish minutes away from Phoenix, how are the night skies there? Can you see the stars well? Also, are the nights a bit cooler than closer to the center of Phoenix?

[acrylic]

Post #2 with more pictures!

[adolpho]

nice photos.

[Grannysroost]

Looks like you had a good time! Hope you didn't hug the cactus

[acrylic]

Originally Posted by Grannysroost

Looks like you had a good time! Hope you didn't hug the cactus

You know what's funny about that? I kept warning my parents, "Whatever you do, DO NOT touch that cactus. You can touch any other cactus you want, but don't even THINK about touching that cactus!" I told the same thing to everyone else I showed the picture to. (And the thing is, they live there, and didn't know that. So I helped them out in that aspect!)

Oh, and I have a comment to make. No offense to anyone who lives in Guadalupe. But holy bejeeeeezus is there a night and day difference when driving from Guadalupe to Tempe on Ave Del Yaqui/Priest Dr. It was very interesting though...

[observer53]

Originally Posted by acrylic

You know what's funny about that? I kept warning my parents, "Whatever you do, DO NOT touch that cactus. You can touch any other cactus you want, but don't even THINK about touching that cactus!" I told the same thing to everyone else I showed the picture to. (And the thing is, they live there, and didn't know that. So I helped them out in that aspect!)

Oh, and I have a comment to make. No offense to anyone who lives in Guadalupe. But holy bejeeeeezus is there a night and day difference when driving from Guadalupe to Tempe on Ave Del Yaqui/Priest Dr. It was very interesting though...

You are right about the cactus!

And, about Gualalupe.... yes, there is a huge difference driving either east-west across Guadalupe Road through Tempe, into Guadalupe, and then into Phoenix on the other side of the 10 freeway, just as driving through north/south on Priest/Avenida Del Yaqui.

I remember a poster here a few months back who had crossed south Tempe off his list, without ever seeing it, because, well, it was just Guadalupe. I encouraged him to actually drive around south Tempe (which is actually a bit further east than you may have driven,) and he'd see a world of difference between the two. He DM'd me back after their visit, and told me south Tempe was now at the top of his list. The contrast is, indeed, extreme.

[acrylic]

Originally Posted by observer53

You are right about the cactus!

And, about Gualalupe.... yes, there is a huge difference driving either east-west across Guadalupe Road through Tempe, into Guadalupe, and then into Phoenix on the other side of the 10 freeway, just as driving through north/south on Priest/Avenida Del Yaqui.

I remember a poster here a few months back who had crossed south Tempe off his list, without ever seeing it, because, well, it was just Guadalupe. I encouraged him to actually drive around south Tempe (which is actually a bit further east than you may have driven,) and he'd see a world of difference between the two. He DM'd me back after their visit, and told me south Tempe was now at the top of his list. The contrast is, indeed, extreme.

It really was a "wtf" moment indeed. We went hiking on South Mtn. and needed to get to Kyrene Rd. According to my GPS, going through Guadalupe was the fastest route. Ya know though, it was a really interesting experience.

And I'm wondering if anyone that lives in Gilbert or has knowledge of the area could answer the question from my original post (which definitely kinda got lost in the mix):
"Since Gilbert (more specifically, southern Gilbert) is about 30ish minutes away from Phoenix, how are the night skies there? Can you see the stars well? Also, are the nights a bit cooler than closer to the center of Phoenix?"

[observer53]

Originally Posted by acrylic

And I'm wondering if anyone that lives in Gilbert or has knowledge of the area could answer the question from my original post (which definitely kinda got lost in the mix):
"Since Gilbert (more specifically, southern Gilbert) is about 30ish minutes away from Phoenix, how are the night skies there? Can you see the stars well? Also, are the nights a bit cooler than closer to the center of Phoenix?"

The night skies are really not that different in Gilbert, if you are talking about being able to see lots more stars. It's 30 minutes away, but there are bright lights all the way there, so the distance or time to drive there isn't what controls. You can see the lights of the whole Valley from a long way away-- the "light pollution" extends out into Gilbert as well.

As far as cooler, in my experience maybe it may feel a little cooler, if you are in the more rural parts of Gilbert, but not enough anywhere else in the town to make that much difference.

[intmd8r]

Originally Posted by acrylic

Also, I just wanted to point out how nice the roads and highways are maintained. It's unbelievable. I just got used to it when I was there, and now that I'm back in MN it's a night and day difference.

Aren't the roads there awesome? They are definitely some of the best-maintained roads in the country, in my opinion and I miss them oh, so much now that we're back in Minnesota.

The rubberized asphalt is a dream to drive on ~ I'm sure they use it elsewhere in the country, but I have no idea where. And of course, not having to dump salt and such on the roads all winter long helps, too.

[acrylic]

Originally Posted by observer53

The night skies are really not that different in Gilbert, if you are talking about being able to see lots more stars. It's 30 minutes away, but there are bright lights all the way there, so the distance or time to drive there isn't what controls. You can see the lights of the whole Valley from a long way away-- the "light pollution" extends out into Gilbert as well.

As far as cooler, in my experience maybe it may feel a little cooler, if you are in the more rural parts of Gilbert, but not enough anywhere else in the town to make that much difference.

Too bad you can't see more stars from a bit farther out. It's amazing here in Duluth what a 15 minute drive out into the sticks can do. You see all the stars on a clear day!

And that's good that it might be a little cooler in the evening. I'm just thinking about the sometimes hot summer nights, and it would help on energy bills to not have the A/C running constantly.

Originally Posted by intmd8r

Aren't the roads there awesome? They are definitely some of the best-maintained roads in the country, in my opinion and I miss them oh, so much now that we're back in Minnesota.

The rubberized asphalt is a dream to drive on ~ I'm sure they use it elsewhere in the country, but I have no idea where. And of course, not having to dump salt and such on the roads all winter long helps, too.

That's exactly it. The extreme cold here in MN, as well as salt, sand, etc.... it all contributes to the constant potholes we see. It's really horrible.


Oh, one more thing I wanted to point out. Apparently, I've been saying Tempe wrong all the time. You add emphasis to the "pe". I just find that too weird, it's kind of a struggle to say than straight up "Tempe".