Idaho BS thread in the PNW

Ladies and Gentlemen in the Boise area. My wife is a high school teacher and at the end of this school year she is retiring. (Thank God) Anyway we are located in Convention Oven AZ or better known as the Phoenix area. E. of Phoenix because Phoenix is a rat race and the rats have won! With the ungodly amount of heat we are getting anymore and the summers that last forever. Monday 10-14-24 was the first time we were not in the triple digits since I can’t remember. I was born here in the Phoenix area too. We are thinking of relocating to the Boise area. I’m sure we will freeze the first year or two but I’m really looking forward to getting out of here!

Any recommendations on what suburbs to check out?

We don’t want to be in a busier part of a city but also don’t want to be way out in the sticks. I’m done with my 4x4 days but I absolutely love my LS Swapped reg cab 5 lug Taco w/ a Tremec TKX. Oh, I love cycling I’m a former MTB racer but had to give it up after having double shoulder replacement surgeries. But I still like to get out on one of my 853 steel hard tails and puts around. Dr. said no more MTB’s but what he don’t know won’t hurt him. So sadly I ride mostly on the canals and roads on one of my converted 853 MTB’s. Steel is real…

Thanks In Advance!
Randy & Meg

 

Boise is hot in the summers, cold in winters but it pleasant. There's plenty of quiet areas if you get away from the main roads. Meridian is pretty good balance of not being in the city but east access to it. Nampa was a lot quieter for me than either Meridian or Boise, but I think it's one of those things you just need to scope it out, talk to a realtor and find what fits you best. I just moved from Boise to Albuquerque myself and surprisingly, don't miss Boise. Good luck with your big life change!

 

I came from Western WA 10yrs ago and the Treasure Valley has grown exponentially just in those 10 years. And it doesn't seem to be slowing down.

For my husband and I, the valley has grown too much and we are yearning for something quieter.. but we also are still young and need the "good" paying jobs the area offers, so there's that.

I would say rent in the valley before buying a house, even if you can find a short term rental. I know its outrageous but at least you wouldn't be stuck with a mortgage in some area of town you hate. Realtors can be some real lying pieces of shit to make a sale, I feel like renting and knowing the area better helps with that.

It also depends on how close you want to be to things like costco or entertainment/city stuff. There are some real gem of communities the farther you get away from Boise.

 

I'm from AZ and spent a lot of time exploring ID this summer. Eagle, Meridian, Cascade, Bonners Ferry/Sandpoint, Coeur D' Alene, ect. I didn't spend much time in Star or Nampa.

Check out the Avimor subdivision just north of Eagle up the 55. I think it's still part of Boise. Maybe 25-30 minutes back into town from there for supplies. There's a really nice bike/track park in North Eagle too. Any of the neighborhoods nearby are picturesque, but pricy.
https://adacounty.id.gov/parksandwaterways/open-space-and-trails/ada-eagle-bike-park/

Eagle and Meridian were my favorites. Eagle's more expensive, but has really nice, clean, landscaped community parks. Eagle ID reminds me of that one episode of the Simpsons "You only move twice" where the family moves to the perfect little neighborhood suburb "cypress creek" and Homer takes a new job with Hank Scorpio.

Anyway, if Eagle is out of the budget Meridian is runner up and still has Costco, Walmart, Target, Home Improvement stores, World Market, and grocery stores.

ID doesn't have nearly the amount of restaurants, stores or shopping that AZ does. Most states don't. However, the outdoors activities are plentiful. The Payette river is really pretty. ID is a very clean state meaning you don't see litter, homeless, ect like you do in other states. I will say that new Cracker Jack Box subdivisions are popping up here and there (tiny homes too close together) more so farther out in Star and that takes away from the surrounding beauty of the state and the older homes on larger lots and land. I'd prefer to have a few acres with an older home, but could settle for a subdivision in Meridian or Eagle.

The economy in ID appears very small, but it's nice if you're retired.

If you can tolerate the weather, the limited economy and the things that can't be discussed on this forum it's a wonderful place to see and live. It's one of my favorite states I've been to this summer and I've seen almost all of them.



edit: There are parts of Boise that are less than desirable.

 

Thanks guys & gals too!
Only thing that really worries me is I have had a few surgeries‼️ I can’t even remember how many shoulder surgeries including 3 total shoulder replacement surgeries the right one twice. Right knee replacement because a surgeon that my employer (City of Phoenix) sent me to screwed up! The only way to fix it was a total knee replacement! The good knee surgeon & my shoulder surgeon are parters in a practice and they both were contacted by the city’s industrial and apparently they informed industrial that the other Dr. may have made a mistake. I’ve been on disability for over 4 years now and my employer will not place me another position. They flat said if you get hurt in another position we could get sued! So they said enjoy your early retirement. I asked both of the Doctors if they would testify and they said no, Oh well. I also need my back fused but I’m putting that off and believe it or not I had three thumb surgeries and replaced a joint in my right thumb. Work hard play harder! So I hurt when it gets cold as well as my wife as she has arthritis in her back and I do as well. Sadly the golden years aren’t so golden. My wife is off for a little over two weeks during Christmas so we are driving to the Boise area during her Christmas break with the two furry kids to check out if we can handle the weather and look for a casa.
Thanks again to everyone who contributed!!
Randy & Meg

Oh, Thanks for the bike park info! That looks awesome‼️ God that brings back memories of the good old days of racing MTB’s. Believe it or not front suspension wasn’t even available when I started racing. Then the first RockShox hit with it’s 60mm of travel with the bright pink decals. They sold faster than they could make them… My first MTB race bike was a Bridgestone MB-1 that I cracked the frame so the only frame the Rep. had was an MB Zip. God it was a sweet riding frame and it lasted until Shimano released the first clip less pedal the 737. Why until then? Learning how to bunny hoop with the pedals I hit a parked car!

 

Treasure Valley friends. Who ya'll using for auto insurance? State Farm has increased our rate several times this year and I'm wanting to shop around.

Tacoma, F150, Utility Trailer and the SxS is up to $200 a mo.

 

United Services Automobile Association, founded by a group of Army officers to ease the difficulties of periodic relocation. I'm a second generation USAA member in the Silver Valley, born in Elmore County.

 

My husband is going to get a quote from USAA, he's a veteran. Have you ever had to deal with them for a claim?

 

Yes. When the front entry porch deck collapsed (rot plus some snow load), we were able to replace the deck and front entry with a mudroom (better place for the chest freezer) and extended the roof farther to dump snow on the driveway instead of the deck. In the olden days, with older vehicles, we'd just carry liability, but these days with the newer Taco ('09 just over 30k) and '07 Malibu (bought from the Anchorage dealer's daily rental fleet at 18k in '09, now closing on 140k with my local bank loan paid off in a year and a half), I carry collision and comprehensive $250 deductible. My last insurance payment for six moths on vehicles and my condo apartment was $603.13. ( A third of State Farm's plowing?)
My youngest daughter felt USAA was too hard to get through to someone after she was rear ended by a kid with a Dodge Avenger on the highway, who pushed both vehicles across the median, where the new Hyundai Santa Cruz was hit head on by a full-size pickup. All the crumple zones worked, so she had the 'concussion protocol' or whiplash injury to deal with, and replaced it last summer with a used low mileage 2022 Subaru Ascent. It has more space than the '09 Tacoma ACLB SR5-DLT with cap, and it's all climate controlled space! (That's why minivans are popular in Alaska, to keep your cargo warm and dry.) Claims history is reported to three database agency, and every lender has a subscription to at least two of those. I learned that in one of the first-time homebuyer workshops in a presentation by a mortgage agent.
My goal is to always be pleasant and respectful on the phone, as we're all just trying to get through the day. I try to end my calls, by leaving the representative with laughter, or a warm disposition.
BTW, I was born at the MHAFB hospital while Dad was TDY to Ben Guerir AB, Morocco with his KC-97 crew. Mom and her friend that waited with her for their first born sons to arrive, both told me that they could watch the sagebrush tumbling by through the cracks between the boards of the WWII building. ("So that's why you were born in a barn, and your brother was born two years later at the hospital in town.") Dr. Koelsch delivered my brother, and when I arrived as a GS-5 Fishery Technician in Orofino in 1979, my predecessor was the son of Dr. Koelsch!

 

Im still active and have used them for several claims. Their rates have increased a little lately but they will cover and take care of you. Been with them for over 22 years now. Super easy online banking and other options.

 

nice plate

 

I thought there would be more snow this time of year.

 

I got about 2 feet sitting in yard that's it. Been a weird year

 

'bout an inch yesterday here, and another 4" today with the northerly wind, all dry powder. My friend at Spirit Lake had quite a bit more before his wife dropped him off at Elmer's for breakfast yesterday morning on her way to work. That shortened my leg of the drive for his flight out of Spokane International/Geiger Field at noon. The 'energy mountain' of Spokane and other cities causes moisture to precipitate out so that city is always warmer than Cd'A few miles east while Rathdrum Prairie is colder yet. Schweitzer Basin has had seven feet since early December, good skiing. We figure winter will come later as it has in the last several years. Mid-winter follows early winter, and precedes late winter. Idaho's fourth season is Road Construction! Yes, my friend went to Phoenix for ten days, watching a golf tournament (or two), and spring training baseball. Maybe one of these winters, I'll get out of Dodge and go watch some spring baseball games... For now I'm thinkin' about late March and NHOU frame treatment in Kalispell. Bluegill and crappie fishing after that.

 

Waste Management Phoenix Open! It's quite the event every year. Not too far down the road from me.

 

@MGMDesertTaco If you see B.A. (Bob Allen, not Mister T) say "Hi." One of his childhood friends from the Silver Valley has a home in Phoenix, and invited him down as the company he works for has tickets to the tournament. Bob said this is a 4-day tournament they'll be watching and he knows there will likely be some Coeur d'Alene folks watching and playing in another tournament while he's down there. ESPN Seattle Sports people will be down there, too. Aaron Goldsmith, the Seattle Mariners announcer will definitely be down there, and I first read about him in John Feinstein's book, Where Nobody Knows Your Name, about life in the minor leagues. Announcers and groundskeepers are also called up from the minors to work in 'the big show." - Charlie B.

 

I need to make up my mind on tires for the taco.. the sema wheels need to be on my truck and not taking up space in the garage anymore.

 

I'm happy with my Baja Bosses I just put on my Sequoia. They do pretty well in the snow for as aggressive they are.