Moving to Casa Grande / Phoenix / Kayenta / Anywhere

[PaleoRob]

Well, I guess I'll have to change my screen name soon. My wife and I are going to be moving to Casa Grande before the end of the year. Listing the house for sale up in Page. No job yet, kinda scary, but my wife needs to go back to school full time. Even commuting to and from UofA, with the house prices in CG we'll save money over moving to El Pueblo. Big change - this will be my first time living off The Plateau since '99. Eeek!

[Jim]

Well, the forecast is for 111 today, and it is moving day! Who wants to come out and help? There is a pool, for after. I can grill steaks! BYOB

[FOTG]

@Jim_H

How much AEG? you got stairs?

[Jim]

Maybe 1 meter. It is a single story rental house, apartment style, but a free standing house. They are common in Tucson, it seems. I basically went with it b/c it is right near my work, brand new, and very nice. Not as quiet or as nice in some ways as my other rental house in a normal neighborhood, but it is still not a traditional apartment, which I hope to never live in, again.

[cactuscat]

What can anybody tell me about living in Kingman?
Obviously it's not a glamorous place to live like say, the Grand Canyon ... but if I get the job offer there, I just might have to take it!
I was there on Monday for testing and took bit of a look around, drove up to Hualapai Mt. park ... look at a neighborhood with some houses I had seen for rent online, etc. ... looking for input from folks with first hand knowledge.

[Jim]

I spent extensive time in Kingman in early 2010 for school, and I had a friend who worked there for about 2 years at the hospital. It all depends, if you have local friends who are educated, have decent jobs, and match your life philosophy, you may love the desert, being close to the Vegas/Spring Mountains, Hualapai Mountains, various other local desert ranges, and the Colorado River as well as California desert regions. I think, depending on the job and your experiences and if you can find some friends that match your lifestyle, you could be very happy there. I use to like Kingman, or rather the area, until I found out how bad the health of the population is out there, but that is a totally different circle than you will probably experience.

My experience, and the friend who worked there, found it to be a town with a class system, of wealthy and pretty well off and somewhat to very insular Mormons who will not really accept outsiders, and a class of very poor locals and transplants who chose to move there to die. The hospice system is basically (or was in 2010) all people dying of COPD, with virtually no other diseases. Old chain smokers wheezing to death in trailers, that is my recollection. A lawyer I knew, described Mohave county in very poor terms, tons of child abuse, meth manufacturing and distribution, and generally an undesirable population. Breaking bad style shacks of meth manufacture litter the landscape, I have been told. It is a poor county and city, relatively speaking, so consider that. That said, I'll never forget the strange lunch myself and a few other classmates spent with the trophy wives and socialites of Kingman, all dolled up and implanted, starting and ending with prayer, and being a generally bizarre affair. It isn't all toothless tobacco and meth addicts.

However, one could enjoy it, as the natural beauty of the area is vast. Not GC sexy, but there is some very attractive country out there. Hualapai Peak and park is nice, and the proximity to the Spring Mountains makes them a far more attractive proposition that simply visiting the Peaks over and over, and Lake Mead is super close, too. You're close to desert peaks and range to the south, and a bit more to the north, if you have a suitable vehicle. Then, Zion is not too distant, as well.

[big_load]

What can anybody tell me about living in Kingman?

One of my cousins has been in Kingman for about a year. I think she finds it a bit small, but she enjoys having good hiking nearby.

[azbackpackr]

I met a very nice physical therapist from the East Coast on a hike last week, who moved there fairly recently. Her main issue was that the only meetup group for hiking is the one we were hiking with, which is based out of Bullhead. (So why not start a new one?)

[SuperstitionGuy]

What can anybody tell me about living in Kingman?

Do not rent an apartment next to the railroad tracks!!!

[cactuscat]

@Jim_H
Thanks, Jim - good info.
I definitely got the low class/ tweaker vibe there, but hey the job I'm trying to get is in law enforcement so all those tweakers would just mean job security!
I do like the proximity to the Canyon, Vegas, lakes and mountains ... and it's cool that Zion would be just as close or closer than from here.
The cost of living seems agreeably low ... I can get a decent house there for the price of an apartment in Phoenix.
Hualapai Mt park seemed good, and it does seem like there's plenty of other places to explore nearby ... yeah, I think it could work for me.

[cactuscat]

@big_load
It's definitely not small compared to Grand Canyon - seemed like a big city to me!

[azbackpackr]

The river is close by, Topock Gorge, Topock Marsh, Lake Havasu, lots of great paddling!

[big_load]

I met a very nice physical therapist from the East Coast on a hike last week, who moved there fairly recently. Her main issue was that the only meetup group for hiking is the one we were hiking with, which is based out of Bullhead. (So why not start a new one?)

Ha! Check your PMs.

[cactuscat]

@SuperstitionGuy
When I was there on Sunday night, I was in a hotel near the tracks but it didn't seem nearly as loud or bad as staying near the tracks in Flag.
Still, when I rent a house I will definitely take that into account!

[cactuscat]

@big_load
I might need your cousin's contact info!

[cactuscat]

@azbackpackr
I haven't done much paddling, but I would like to do more!

[JasonCleghorn]

Adventure and most places are what you make of them...

[azbackpackr]

@big_load
I might need your cousin's contact info!

It turns out I've met her and hiked with her! I'm sending you a pm!

[gretchNboo]

@cactus cat
Jason is correct: Adventure and most places are what you make of them...

big_load's cousin, here. I moved out to Kingman almost 2 years ago. Didn't have high expectations for the city overall, but I've been pleasantly surprised. I've met lots of genuinely nice folks. There are lots of transplants these days from the midwest and from California. This influx of relative newcomers (presumably coming for low cost of living and/or good weather) appears to be revitalizing the small town - at least compared to stories I heard about Kingman from the 80's.

Mt. Hualapai is a key feature. Nice trails in the park itself, albeit limited. But there's plenty more on the mountain outside the park from what I hear. There are a few nice desert hikes in and around the area to keep one occupied in between excursions to outlying areas. The BLM folks are friendly and helpful. (the office is on Hualapai Mtn Rd.)

I'm a physical therapist and live in a quiet, family-friendly neighborhood. So MY snapshot of Kingman is: family-oriented town (reference community center near Harrison across from library and high schools with football fields; not to mention the family events at the fairgrounds such as rodeo, county fair, etc.) with a couple good restaurants (Thai, Japanese, Siren's cafe and the lodge on Hualapai;) not to mention a surprisingly nice wine bar with live music across the street from a new microbrewery and next door to an independent coffee shop; 2 dog parks; 1 yoga studio; 2 cross-fit studios; at least 4 gyms (1 with pool); 2 public pools; a nice looking golf course; a cross-section of pretty friendly people (both local and transplants;) hardly any place to shop for clothing or gear. For shopping I go to Henderson, NV.
Hope that helps. :-)

[big_load]

Welcome to HAZ!

[azbackpackr]

Welcome to HAZ!

:GB: