Thank you, guys. We're doing very well, considering that we both came down here at least partly for health benefits.
Mostly, though, we were displeased with the status of Gun Owners under the NY State, and many NY cities', singular attention.
When Cuomo told Gun Owners that they are not wanted in NY State and should move, I took his rare good advice and boogied SE. I can tell you from experience, it's working.
We started West from Key West, through Pensacola, New Orleans, many places in Texas (Celia and I both have family in the Lone Star) blew straight through New Mexico (they tax Social Security) and ended up down very near the border in SE AZ/Cochise County.
We looked around a bunch until we found what we really liked seeing in the windshield. I walk out to the end of my driveway, look left and up, and see Cochise's Stronghold about 2mi West of here.
The story is that he was buried secretly and is still up there. It's a great neighborhood, I like the neighbors, including Cochise. Our village is part of a Ghost Town called Pearce, about 45 minutes from Tombstone.
Everything here is just absolutely different from NY. Costs less, but everything is a lot further away. I commute three times a week to Tucson for Cardio-Pulmonary Rehab at Banner UMC, 80 miles each way. Most other things are like that, but living here in the High Desert (4350ft ASL) makes it all worth it. Ballistics are a bit different at this altitude.
50 miles South is Douglas (right on the Border) and the local formal range, a retired Army Reserve base that's maintained by our club as the Douglas Municipal Shooting Park (bet you'll never see one of those in NY!). Rifles, concrete benches with targets and steel out to 300m, and CBP/ICE share the lane alongside us, separated by a berm (lots of auto fire going on over there). We do Garand and 2-Gun Combat shoots monthly, along with a smattering of other events.
My own Garand is set up for match shooting (bedded, match Globe Front Sight and inserts, butt extension), and I currently have 600rd loaded in clips, with components for another 250rd in clips, all set to go.
The whole family lives down here together (Celia, myself, our Daughter, and 2 Grandkids); and we adults all shoot and carry, no CCW permit required in AZ.
I'm the VFW Post's Adjutant and Armorer, and I maintain 8 Garands in like-new condition for ceremonial firing (getting them ready now for Memorial Day).
Best fortune to you folks and all the gang.
Greg