I just came back from phoenix and decided that I want to buy a house/condo there… I like the town and thought it would be a nice place to go train to in the winter… I thought about Tempe… Any advice on the best neighboorhood to look at for training?
Stay away from Glendale. My aunt’s backyard neighbor’s kid began by throwing rocks over the fence, then progressed to small dead furry/feathery things. Eventually, he peaked when he killed his parents and sister in the house. They found him a few blocks away “hiding” in a tree.
Best Area… Fountain Hills
Next Best… Scottsdale (close to FH)
Age dependent… Apache Junction (close to Superstition Mtns)
Marisol go to tucson. The training is better, the weather is cooler year round and there are more trails to run or hike, more bike lanes, more hills and mtns to ride, cost of living is lower, house prices are lower. you can get 25% more house at 25% less price in tucson.
But if you insist you should check out Laveen, it’s on the SW edge of phx but is only predicted to grow 400% in two years. Your abit away from everything but after looking throughout phx for houses (over 200 walked through) the best buy was out here.
If you want more info on either PM me.
I lived in Tempe, Phoenix and South Scottsdale when I lived in AZ, so I can’t really comment on the comparison between Tucson and Phoenix. However, if you like Tempe, try to live near South Mtn. That was my little playground and you can run all day around that thing. For swimming, I just used the LA Fitness pools, but you can probably find something better now. (I lived there from 98 -2000).
You can bike out from that area, but I wasn’t a roadie when I lived there, so it might not be ideal for that. Oh, and Supergo is right down the road in Chandler if you want cheap parts.
Finally, I did mortgages when I lived there, and most of my friends are either realtors or brokers, so if you need a referral for someone in the area, I will be glad to forward you some info.
As far at Tempe, there is great running around Town Lake, which has trails going north into Papago Park and also many miles of paved bike trail north into Scottsdale. Lots of college chicks passing me. Great masters swimming program at ASU. Many triathlons, duathlons, and running events based out of Town Lake area. Has the added advantage of a central location, meaning more time to train. Biking is not great but doable. If good (but not great, there is no great) biking was my #1 and access to the rest of the world was a low priority, I’d probably go for Carefree.
Marisol
I’d agree that Tuscon is better.
However, you can find some great training areas around Phoenix. I used to live in Fountain Hills. Lots of great riding and running around there. If you have a commute, you could spend a bit of time in your car.
South Phoenix is also very nice. My sister lives in the Lakewood area and I always enjoy visiting her. You can always find some quiet roads south of there.
The best thing to do is to spend more time exploring and researching.
Good Luck!
Rocketboy
If training means road cycling plus singletrack and jeep trails, you should look north: north Phoenix, north Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Carefree. The south (Tempe, etc.) is crowded and does not have good access to the trail system. South Mountain is a beautiful park but very crowded in the winter. The best road biking is in the north and the best uncrowded trails are in the north (north Scottsdale, the new Sonoran preserve area, Phoenix mountain preserve (more central than North), Cave Creek, etc.). Plus, if you are in the north you have easy access to higher altitude areas in AZ.
and you could even take on Mt. Humboldt with your road bike… 3.7 miles at %11 average grade. Still trying to get up the nerve to ride up that beast!!!
http://www.hlhap.com/azroadclimbs.html
This is helpful… Here more info about what I want… I would still live in cincy and fly there once a month. so being close to the airport is a must. I need to buy a property that would be a great investment, so potential growth is a must. Third, I was looking for “where” triathletes meet, to train together. i would want group runs, group rides and a nice pool with a master program. where is the best place for that?
I am interested in tuscon, and open to the idea of it. however, It doesn’t look easy to commute to… That was my main reason… I know a girl in tucson and have my ex roomate in phoenix… other reason… I would also be interested in renting my place out for others, thinking that phoenix would be good since tempe now has an IM…
Marisol,
Try Paradise Valley. It’s not too far from Sky Harbor Airport and there are several bicycle friendly routes that would get you up to Fountain Hills, Carefree, Bartlett Lake. It’s a bit pricey though.
Geoff
Just to throw in my .02. From what you are saying, I would say that Tempe, is probably the best choice. It is very close to the airport. There are a lot of new condo developments going up near Tempe Town Lake. Being so close to ASU it should be very easy to sub-lease. There is a very good Masters Swim program at ASU. Since you are fairly central, it is just as easy to ride south as it is to ride east or north(not as good road riding on the west side). There are several running clubs in the east valley that you would be very close to. Also, there are some good group rides.
Another option would be Point South Mountain. Pretty much all the same bennies as Tempe, just 7 miles further south.
Ed
I love Tucson, smaller, more culture and art than in Phoenix that’s 10 times the size.
I heard an NPR piece today about cities that attract the “creative elite” or something like that- SF, Austin, NY etc. They definitely would have no reason to mention Phoenix where the official sport seems to be throwing beer bottles from your SUV at prefectly normal lycra wearing roadies.
I have lived in north part of Scottsdale for 10+ years, it’s still my first choice. Great road riding (Ftn Hills soop, Bartlett Lake, Lake Pleasant, Carefree Rolling Hills area) wonderful mtn biking (Pima-Dynamite and the “100 miles of singletrack”). Good bike shops nearmy (PP Cyclery, Bicycle Ranch, Landis). Hiking- Cave Creek Park, McDowell Preserve that’s over 1/3 of the entire land area in the city!
For the most part can’t beat the weather- it’s hot in the summer but way more liveable than Atlanta, Indianapolis, Washington D.C. etc- I can get up here and ride or run with the first light at 4:30 in the summer, be home by 7 or 8 and never really get in the hot part of the day. I swim later.
Good and growing restaurants (3 Tomatoes, Eddid V’s, and with the 51 open it’s now only half hour into Phx if you absolutely positively must have a Chris Bianco pizza. Not to mention my restaurant SASSI (www.sassi.biz).
Stephen
just heard on the radio that phoenix is the 19th worst city in the US to commute in and Tucson is the 37th. LA of course wins the prize.
About sub leasing, In Tucson I’ve rented out 1 sometimes two bedrooms from jan-may to national and world class athletes from around the world of several different sports. Kind of an international athlete hostel but nicer.
Both cities are growing, my house outside of phoenix, since I closed April 1 of this year has only gone up about $30k in value.
Humbolt is a great ride- did it once on my mtn bike. quite a pull up those 12% slopes but a great picnic spot on top and a helluva ride down.
SP