Advice on Possibly movin to Seattle/Tacoma Area

[djrashonal]

So right now me and the mrs are living in Tucson, Az while she finishes med school, and after that we have to go somewhere for her residency. She's in the Army so we have to head to an Army Hospital and one of our choices is Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wa.

My questions to all of you are:

1. How bad is the traffic heading to/from the army base?
2. Would it be too far to live in Seattle and work on base?
3. What are the "good" or "affluent" sections of Tacoma and Seattle. We are in no way rich, but we usually gravitate towards the outskirts of those sections of town just because they seem a little quieter/safer (or at least the illusion of safety)

suggestions? things we should consider? we dont mind driving to places, but dont want to live in the middle of nowhere either, or a super high crime area/ghetto.

thanks for the help :-)

[canoncrazy]

If you value a year round ride in the mountains, stay in the desert. That's all I have to say.  miss my sunny CA home.

[djrashonal]

If you value a year round ride in the mountains, stay in the desert. That's all I have to say.  miss my sunny CA home.

Honestly, I would trade in my year round riding any day for grass and trees. I hate this place, and besides, az summers are hot as balls which doesn't make for the best riding conditions. Good luck gettin back to Cali.

[duc_fan]

Having been there, I can affirm that Phoenix and Tucson are sucky.  Riding isn't year-round, really.  It's just the opposite of riding here... there you ride in the fall/winter/early spring, when it's 70-80 degrees and sunny.  Summer sucks.  110 degrees is farking dangerous... you dehydrate so quickly it's crazy.

Prescott, on the other hand, I'd definitely settle there.  No Army hospital, tho.

So yeah... Seattle.  Can't tell you about the neighborhoods, just that it rains often and is cloudy more often than not.

[MendoDave]

It's about an hour drive in traffic from Seattle to the base. You might want to look someplace like Federal Way or Maple Valley.

[el_loco]

Tacoma wouldn't be a bad place to be, either.  But +1 on Federal Way/Maple Valley.

Bring your galoshas