Discussion: Phoenix

I'm not nearly as familiar with Phoenix as Tucson, but I think your best bet with about an hour of daylight left is to head just a few km east of the airport to Tempe and run by Tempe Town Lake (a dammed portion of the Salt River, Melissa used to row there) and maybe through the ASU campus and surroundings. Pleasant enough area, and maybe even other people running!

That did look like the likely candidate. As long as it's safe, I guess that's a good plan!

If you had more daylight I would have suggested South Mountain Park, south of and overlooking Phoenix, but I think Cristina has the better idea for this trip.

The weather change will certainly be something. I won't complain, though!

Yup, not going to have much daylight - might not have any if the car hire firms are as "helpful" as they were at Denver airport! Looking forward to packing light!

Okay, getting a car Thurs night versus Friday early morning was a bizarre difference in price, so looks like I won't be visiting after all!

What does that mean? Are you renting Fri instead of Thur? Where are you staying? I'm confused!

Years ago I spent some time in Phoenix, used to enjoy running at Squaw Peak, which now seems to have been reinvented with the less objectionable name Piestewa Peak. Not particularly near the airport, but a pretty fine place, as I recall.

Fri first thing instead of Thurs 4pm - $100 difference in price?! Daily price was cheaper starting on Friday than Thursday. Very strange.

That's if I get there at all on Thursday - we just started to get winter storm warnings :s

Ooh, good luck with the travel. I will make sure to be insanely jealous of your Arizona fun as I mope around in +3 slush here in Oslo.

We're on wintry mix thus far, so I think we'll be grand. Hope so! I am sick of the ice here, but not quite sure I'm ready for the high twenties degrees sensible!

Remember that the much lower humidity makes it much easier to tolerate.

Indeed, it was not quite that warm the last time I was there but it was far more pleasant than 30 up here.

Yeah, upper 20s in Arizona does not feel hot. We used to set our A/C to 25 which would be unthinkable in MA. The key is staying out of the sun in the middle of the day, since that makes people melt. I could run intervals in the low 30s in the evening, but orienteering in the middle of the day in much cooler temperatures would leave me half dead.

Is the mid day advice even true in February?

It's probably not going to melt you, but even in February I like to use a hat and seek shade when not running. I do seem to be particularly meltable, however, so YMMV!

I'm almost jealous, and then I remember that I actually enjoy winter and snow and skiing, and I get less jealous. But have fun! sounds awesome!

I ran at Papago Park a bunch when I came to ASU several times. Quite easy to run to from Tempe and nice scenery.

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I can actually get there now! Toying with the idea of airport hotel, as Amtrak is not too reliable in the storms. Why did the storm pick Thursday? Grrr.

I have enjoyed the snow too, but work is too busy at the moment so I am looking forward to the headspace and totally different focus in AZ.

Good luck getting to the airport.

Supposed to be pretty warm on Saturday in AZ, don't melt! ;-)

I know! Insanely warm given what we have outside right now! I am going to see how ridiculously priced airport hotels are for Wednesday I think...