Blog: The Hot Route

Originally published December 29, 2008 at 2:39 p.m., updated December 29, 2008 at 2:39 p.m.

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Phoenix/Scottsdale/Tempe/Glendale greater metropolitan area is certainly impressive. The cities stretch endlessly. Where one stops, the next begins.

It’s an Arizona oasis surrounded by mountains and desert. A land of sun featuring fine restaurants, hotel resorts, shops and golf courses – lots of golf courses.

Initial impressions can be deceiving but at first glance the Insight Bowl’s venue is very impressive to a Midwest boy like me. The mountains here diminish Mount Oread to a measly ant hill. Another positive is that the area does a good job taking advantage of its water sources by establishing a nightlife district around the Salt River.

Photo by Ryan McGeeney

The crew from the Kansan and KUJH sets up a shot atop "A Mountain" in Tempe, Ariz., which overlooks Sun Devil Stadium.

With great natural resources at its fingertips and weather usually in its favor, the area is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts. The Kansan-KUJH force even did a little hiking of its own here in the PSTG metro area. Yesterday, we conquered the 1,500 foot tall Tempe Butte hill otherwise known as “A Mountain.” The view was spectacular and worth the hike. I would suggest it to any visitor. From the top you could see most of the PSTG metro area with mountains looming all around, 360 degrees in the background. Both the hike and the view will leave you breathless when you reach the top.

Arizona State University’s presence in Tempe keeps the atmosphere fun and young. New stylish restaurants and shops mix with vintage locations in old town Scottsdale and the establishments on Tempe’s Mill Avenue are brimming with all the life Massachusetts Street offers.

Not to mention, Mill Avenue features one of the top New Year’s Eve parties in the country. An anticipated 100,000 people will pack the ASU stomping ground on Dec. 31 to ring in 2009 along with the headlining “Styx.” The city even expanded a sleek new light rail system to finish 2008 in style.

After talking to some shuttle and cab drivers it became blatantly clear that many of the residents in the area are not local but have actually come from the east coast or the Midwest and found their own little paradise in the desert. After two days in the sun, I can definitely see the appeal. I hope the Jayhawks don’t decide to abandon Lawrence.

All-in-all, the PSTG greater metro area isn’t a bad place for the bottom bowl qualifiers from the Big 12 and Big 10 conference to end up – not bad at all.

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