LOL! I moved there on the advice of my best friend. We were out cruising in the mountains one afternoon, when a TARANTULA crossed the road. I stopped, middle of the road. I turned to my friend... 
"Inez... you NEVER mentioned tarantulas. You KNOW how I am about spiders..."

"Oh, they are pretty rare" she says and gives me the "drive along" hand sign. 

I almost strangled my best friend that day... LOL! I am SERIOUSLY phobic about them. It is so odd I sort of suspect some past life trauma. There is nothing in my past to justify the level of fear they induce for me. We have black widows up here, but they try to avoid humans for the most part, and I try to avoid venturing into their habitat - so far, so good!