I'm considering a job offer down in Tucson AZ, near the airport. I am having trouble figuring out how to keep the bicycling-centric, generally mustachian lifestyle I've grown so fond of out in Southern California. Dear friends in Tucson believe it's impossible and that I'll be back to their restaurant dependent, car bound lifestyle by the end of the first summer (of course, they made the same erroneous prediction about socal 2 years ago).
First task is finding living that I can bike to and from work in a reasonable time frame. This one is tough: the south side of Tucson by the airport is known to be "not nice/safe". Very few if any coworkers live around there (most commute in over a half hour).
Second task is finding living that I can bike to and from errands without undue fear of getting shot or raped. Tucson is known as a patchwork of good and bad areas. However, most of what people tell me is based on front-page news stories, which tend to be sensational.
For living, here are a few potential options I see:
1. North, along the bike loop somewhere near U of A. About 10-13 miles commute, with dedicated trail available for about 80%. Trail is of questionable personal safety after dark, and I'd be commuting in the dark for 70+% of the year. Several apartment communities are proximate to groceries/UofA (library, recreation), but again of questionable personal safety outside of normal business hours.
2. South, out in Sahuarita. About 13-18 miles commute, all un-lit road, through the middle of nowhere. Only 1 main road (Nogales Highway) which has questionable bike lanes and several bridges where the bike lane disappears entirely. Affluent area, low crime. Groceries/errands should be bikeable.
3. East, out in Rita Ranch. About 15-20 miles commute, half roads, half trails. Affluent area, low crime. Groceries/errands should be bikeable.
4. Sumitt, south closer than Sahuarita. About 5-8 miles commute, same road conditions. No apartments, only houses/trailers. Low crime (for now), possibly low affluence. Not well known. Not much infrastructure (groceries/libraries). Not sure how live-able.
??. Anything I've overlooked?
Note about the summer heat: I recognize that desert summers are brutally hot and not to be under-estimated. Nevertheless, I have biked happily enough with preparation in the occasional 100+ we get in SoCal. I think it can be done and is worth doing, to still bike in the heat of the summer. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this one: am I crazy? What can be done about the long hot summers?
I'm looking for advice. Any mustachians who live out in Tucson AZ? Can it be made to work, or is Tucson AZ sadly not suitable to sustaining a mustachian lifestyle?