Arizona: Home is where the heat is.

[Ookii]

Never heard of the place.  Personally, if I want a goofy, folksy type place to grab a meal I like going to "Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog."  That's up in Cave Creek.  They're the inventors of Chili Beer if you're the type to experiment with such stuff.

I'd love to, and probaly will eventually, check out all these places, but that one seems like quite a hike from Chandler.

Courtsey of Google Maps:
Distance: 44.9 mi (about 54 mins)

[Ezdaar]

This seems about as good a place as any to put a moving story.

The gf and I started out in San Diego last Friday morning with the van all loaded up and ready to go. We made it to Yuma, stopped and grabbed a bite at the Dennys. About 40 miles outside of Dennys the van died completely, stuck on the side of the road. Tried a few tricks to see if it would run again but no dice, it wouldn't start. Mind you now we're 40 miles away from a city and it's about 115 degrees outside in the midday sun. I now understand why people choose to drive at night in the desert. Called AAA, one hour and one strange insect bite later a tow truck arrived and towed us back to Yuma with a short stop in a small town called Tacna that had a fellow running a repair place/junkyard that was straight out of some strange movie. He was called "The boss" by everyone and was a large man in all white with a cloth in his hand to wipe the sweat from his face constantly. The mechanic would break out in cackles of laughter at random, and the whole place was ringed with classic cars from as far back as the 40s that had died and The Boss refused to sell any of them.

Roughly 8 hours later the van was ready to go with a new fuel pump. Stayed the night in Yuma and drove to Tempe the next morning.

Got most of the stuff moved in to the new place and decided to drive around and look at the local places. At this point the left front ball joint on the van gave out over a speed bump and the whole front left of the van came crashing down. 3 hours later we got another tow and started an adventure to find a place that could fix it. Found one eventually and the van was fixed on Monday. Turns out the first towtruck driver had hooked it up incorrectly and broken it. In the interim we went up to Mill Ave. by the university and caught a movie and basked in the nice sprinkler things along the area there. Also got to check out the local game store that is literally behind me.

After all this we got to drive back to San Jose for 13 hours, spending the night in LA after trying for 2 hours to find a motel that wasn't booked up or didn't have armed robbers hitting up the gas station across the street from it.

Things I learned that are really handy:
1. The desert is meant to be driven across at night, not in the day.
2. It is good to bring lots of water when driving across the desert.
3. Dust storms are real.
4. When in the desert you don't want to have any skin showing that the sun can hit. You will be hot either way, having skin showing just means you will feel like you are on fire in addition to being hot.
5. The price of renting a Uhaul just might be worth it after you total up the cost of repairing a broken down vehicle.
6. Anything over 110 degrees feels like death.
7. Tempe is actually pretty nice.

[Pococurante]

Having a breakdown at night isn't necessarily an improvement.  Small town folks have their own notion about what constitutes an emergency that gets them out of bed...

[Strazos]

Roughly 8 hours later the van was ready to go with a new fuel pump. 

Wow, lucky...Usually, it's something borderline-catastrophic when you break down.

At this point the left front ball joint on the van gave out over a speed bump and the whole front left of the van came crashing down. 3 hours later we got another tow and started an adventure to find a place that could fix it. Found one eventually and the van was fixed on Monday. Turns out the first towtruck driver had hooked it up incorrectly and broken it.

Ouch.

[Cheddar]

So how is Arizona now that you kids have been there awhile?  I just got word that my brother is getting transferred there; him and the future wife are pretty thrilled (especially considering they live in Anchorage, Alaska).  I have also been informed that I will be required to take my GF there (she has a Arizona fixation for some reason) for a vacation.  I will probably wait until the fall due to the intense heat you guys have down there.

I believe he will be stationed at Fort Huachuca.  Kinda hard to talk to him right now; after a year and a half in Iraq him and the fiance barely leave the house.



Sorry for the necro, did not want to start an entirely new thread.

[Yegolev]

http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Giant_Desert_Hairy_Scorpion.asp

[Rasix]

http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Giant_Desert_Hairy_Scorpion.asp

I had one of those on the wall a couple months ago.  When I smashed it with my shoe, it left a perfect, ghastly silhouette.

I called an exterminator the next day.  Those people are crooks.  I'll take my chances.

[Strazos]

Fuck that shit. I prefer the cold to obscene heat anyway. PC runs better in the cold. 

[Rasix]

Fuck that shit. I prefer the cold to obscene heat anyway. PC runs better in the cold. 

We've got air conditioning here.  It seems to work. 

On the upside, I played tennis in a short sleeve shirt and shorts last week.  At night.  Mid 70's all week.

[WayAbvPar]

I saw a bunch of asshats in San Diego wearing stocking caps last night. It was probably 65 degrees there. Pussies.

[Yoru]

I saw a bunch of asshats in San Diego wearing stocking caps last night. It was probably 65 degrees there. Pussies.

Yeah, even up here in SF, everyone bundles up once it hits 60. It's in the 40s-50s most days and I'm still walking around in a windbreaker. It's nice to not be freezing my nuts off stamping through multiple inches of wet snow in mid-December.

I think poor temperature tolerance something genetic to Californians.

[Strazos]

I somehow think air conditioning can get a bit pricey down in Arizona. I know it can sure run up a bill if you live in NJ.

We still don't have man-eating arachnids here. 

[Yegolev]

On the upside, I played tennis in a short sleeve shirt and shorts last week.  At night.  Mid 70's all week.

We have that in Atlanta this week.  I also don't have to worry about being attacked by something that can survive being frozen in a solid chunk of ice for a week.

[Sir Fodder]

My AC is actially very cheap to run; evaporative "swamp cooler" is just a little water pump with a turbine fan pulling air through moist pads. Works great most of the time with the exception of the ~4 to 6 weeks of monsoon weather when the humidity goes up, then it sucks to have no real AC.

[schild]

Ched - or anyone from f13 that doesn't freak me out - here's the rules.

You show up in Phoenix, there's room in our house. There's beer in the fridge. And there are games in 3 different rooms. There's a porch with chairs, ashtrays, and a bbq.

It's not a bad place to be any time of the year.

[Ironwood]

Ched - or anyone from f13 that doesn't freak me out - here's the rules.

Post a list.

[schild]

You're not on the "freaks me out list." That list is super short. Super, super short. Honestly, there are people I'd entertain who I don't like on f13 solely because I'd want to see if they were dicks off the internet too.

[stray]

I just might show up and set up headquarters at your house. There's an ex-girlfriend in Phoenix that I've been meaning to stalk.

[schild]

Fair nuff. Just don't strategically hide her inside of the couch pillows.

[Signe]

I knew there'd be another rule!

[Cheddar]

Ched - or anyone from f13 that doesn't freak me out - here's the rules.

You show up in Phoenix, there's room in our house. There's beer in the fridge. And there are games in 3 different rooms. There's a porch with chairs, ashtrays, and a bbq.

It's not a bad place to be any time of the year.

It would be interesting to have some sorta f13 get together next year.  I am curious to see how people are offline compared to their persona. 

I am more coherent IRL.  I also bring my own beer. 



edit.  The more I think about it, the better it sounds.  We can even coincide it with GDC or something similiar.  How many people would be interested in this?  I would love to meet some Devs IRL and get some swag to give away here on F13 (imagine how many lurkers would sign up if we had a give away for a mug signed by Raph!). 

[Yegolev]

Put some pants on first.

[Signe]

I think he looks lovely, even if he is a Ginger.

[Cheddar]

I think he looks lovely, even if he is a Ginger.

Who is a Ginger?  I am have strong polish heritage!  No red hair and freckles for me!

Oh, and I have Mediterranean skin.  I never get sunburned, I just tan, baby.

[Signe]

Your pics make you look ginger.  I can only believe my eyes.  It's all I have.

[Cheddar]

Your pics make you look ginger.  I can only believe my eyes.  It's all I have.

<insert sexual innuendo here>

I do have light facial hair.  I assure you the rest of the hair on my body is dark, though.  You will just have to take my word on it.  :)

[Signe]

Good Grief!  I was only talking about the hair on your head!   

[Yoru]

It would be interesting to have some sorta f13 get together next year.  I am curious to see how people are offline compared to their persona. 

I am more coherent IRL.  I also bring my own beer. 

edit.  The more I think about it, the better it sounds.  We can even coincide it with GDC or something similiar.  How many people would be interested in this?  I would love to meet some Devs IRL and get some swag to give away here on F13 (imagine how many lurkers would sign up if we had a give away for a mug signed by Raph!). 

I'd be in, although not during GDC (unless it's also co-located at GDC) as I'm likely to be in attendance there. At least, as long as I have some vacation days to spare.

[Cheddar]

I'd be in, although not during GDC (unless it's also co-located at GDC) as I'm likely to be in attendance there. At least, as long as I have some vacation days to spare.

I was thinking something along the lines of overlap; a few days in Arizona and a few days around GDC.  I would be spending the bulk of Arizona time with my brother anyhow.  I got pre-approval to attend nerd seminars and plan on taking full advantage of it.

[Sky]

I'm pretty sure the devil took over the southwest and bathes it in the furnace of hell. Rest easy that you'll never see me down there!

[WayAbvPar]

As long as there is AC and cold beer, I couldn't care less how hot it is outside. See Vegas, Las.

[Strazos]

I try not to go south of the Mason-Dixon line. I'm not a fan of sweltering heat (Fuck you, Florida).

[stray]

Florida is a bit more tropical. Even though I've been raised in the south Texas climate, Florida's brand of heat can be overwhelming at times.

They have the best beaches in the country though. Better than Hawaii even. You should still go there for that.

[Strazos]

Sorry, I despise the beach.

Also, it bores me. I'm not one to sit around in the sun and do not much of anything.

But really, it comes down to me really disliking heat. Do people need a cooler for their swimming pools down there? Went in one once and it was like a warm bath...

[Nija]

You're not on the "freaks me out list." That list is super short. Super, super short. Honestly, there are people I'd entertain who I don't like on f13 solely because I'd want to see if they were dicks off the internet too.

Wow, so when should I visit?