USMB Coffee Shop IV

[WelfareQueen]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

 

[Ringel05]

A warm Coffee Shop welcome to Nutz who is joining us for the first time this morning. Do you still live somewhere in New Mexico? Sorry you don't like my fair city. Albuquerque has been our home for a long time now and it does have much to condemn it but has even more to commend it. We llike it because it has most of the amenities you expect of a big city but still has enough of a small town feel for us--hubby and I are both small town kids--that we feel very much at home here.

But everybody doesn't love everybody or everywhere or else we would all be living on top of each other.

Anyhow welcome to the Coffee Shop and here's your first timer's complimentary beverage:

Thank you for the coffee...No, don't live in NM any longer, it was way back in the 90's when I was in the area....Albuquerque is a great place to visit for me...not to live. I prefer the smaller towns...hell I bet Las Cruces would be too big for me now. I had a great job back then....I traveled all over NM. I could tell you some stories about being in the middle of nowhere! Silver City was my favorite - I could retire there. (Ever see that movie Rat Race...that is the finish line). Anyway...didn't mean to insult your city...

No offense taken. You wouldn't be the first to not be enamored with Albuquerque and won't be the last. Ringel seriously looked at Albuquerque as a possible new location and I'm pretty sure he would prefer many other places to here.

Alamogordo isn't too bad. When I was there...it was growing. Can't tell you what it looks like now. Personally, I would move to Cruces and make the drive everyday. But you are right, Cruces is heavily hispanic...a lot of illegals in Cruces as the Border Patrol Stations lie outside the city heading towards Alamogordo and Alburquerque...but it is also a college town, so very diverse. Alamogordo isn't as hispanic as a lot of people think. Like I said, border patrol stations protect it from Las Cruces and El Paso. A lot of retired military, Native Americans (Ruidoso is a few miles away (Indian Reservation).
(Sorry, you have me reminiscing on my days in NM)

We're currently living in Trinidad, CO (Podunk) and our number one choice would be to move back to Colorado Springs but the job market there is flat so we're currently looking all over the southwest. I'm on disability (well still fighting the government over that) but the wife wants a job and with what she currently does means that in most cases it's contractual until the job is completed then it's time to find a new job. One thing El Paso is offering is a full time permanent position that includes other responsibilities but they're only offering a salary under $60K however the benefits are great, the people are really nice and the salary cap is just under $90K. Did I mention it's a permanent position and El Paso metro has around 800,000 people which means it has all the amenities we like.
One of the other issues concerning El Paso is even though it's large it's pretty much in the middle of no where.

I know El Paso well..my home office was in El Paso and I was there at least once a week. If you like suburbs....try Anthony..half way between El Paso and Cruces. El Paso...wasn't that great of a city....right on the border....you have to live in the western part to avoid all of the dirt and grime. But you are right...in the middle of nowhere...but you said you like mountains....move near UTEP, there is a little hill out there.

There are some nice areas in El Paso...I would still move outside of the border patrol station and commute to work.

We're looking at the west side or the newer sections east of the city, yeah El Paso is growing. Don't necessarily want to live on the mountain, rather be able to sit out back and admire it.
Besides the wife would prefer a short commute over a long one, we both did the long ones living in the DC Metro area..........

 

[Foxfyre]

We drove through Alamogordo on the way down to El Paso and I looked it and Gallup up online. Yeah Alamogordo is closer to larger cities like El Paso and Las Cruces but it's smaller than Gallup, in fact half the size. Still waiting on the final word from El Paso and the Las Vegas people said they would let the wife know by Friday. Yes we would prefer a larger city over the other two.

I lived in Alamagordo for a spell...not really that bad of a town...military town. Las Cruces is only about 45 minutes away...an easy drive through White Sands. I moved to Las Cruces after about 6 months for a job...I LOVED CRUCES....Alamogordo isn't too bad either if you like smaller towns....close to Ruidoso, which is beautiful. I wouldn't move to Albuquerque...shit hole.

A warm Coffee Shop welcome to Nutz who is joining us for the first time this morning. Do you still live somewhere in New Mexico? Sorry you don't like my fair city. Albuquerque has been our home for a long time now and it does have much to condemn it but has even more to commend it. We llike it because it has most of the amenities you expect of a big city but still has enough of a small town feel for us--hubby and I are both small town kids--that we feel very much at home here.

But everybody doesn't love everybody or everywhere or else we would all be living on top of each other.

Anyhow welcome to the Coffee Shop and here's your first timer's complimentary beverage:

Thank you for the coffee...No, don't live in NM any longer, it was way back in the 90's when I was in the area....Albuquerque is a great place to visit for me...not to live. I prefer the smaller towns...hell I bet Las Cruces would be too big for me now. I had a great job back then....I traveled all over NM. I could tell you some stories about being in the middle of nowhere! Silver City was my favorite - I could retire there. (Ever see that movie Rat Race...that is the finish line). Anyway...didn't mean to insult your city...

No offense taken. You wouldn't be the first to not be enamored with Albuquerque and won't be the last. Ringel seriously looked at Albuquerque as a possible new location and I'm pretty sure he would prefer many other places to here.

Alamogordo isn't too bad. When I was there...it was growing. Can't tell you what it looks like now. Personally, I would move to Cruces and make the drive everyday. But you are right, Cruces is heavily hispanic...a lot of illegals in Cruces as the Border Patrol Stations lie outside the city heading towards Alamogordo and Alburquerque...but it is also a college town, so very diverse. Alamogordo isn't as hispanic as a lot of people think. Like I said, border patrol stations protect it from Las Cruces and El Paso. A lot of retired military, Native Americans (Ruidoso is a few miles away (Indian Reservation).
(Sorry, you have me reminiscing on my days in NM)

Reminiscing is okay. We all do it.

You won't find many more eclectic places than the Coffee Shop has been over the years. The Coffee Shop opened in 2010--we had to start new threads from time to time when the USMB server was having trouble accommodating us--that is why we are Coffee Shop IV--but when you add up the four threads, we are approaching 130,000 posts and have more than 5 million looks.

And the topics discussed in here range from interpersonal relationships to shrunken heads to recipes to Civil War re-enactments to weather to fashion to high tech stuff plus a lot of cars, trucks, tools, motorcycles, work related stuff, travel, hunting, pets, the paranormal etc.--there probably aren't a lot of subjects we haven't touched on at some time or another. Nothing is really off limits. We have seen our members through a lot of tough times--trouble at work, serious illnesses and head colds, worries about or loss of loved ones, beloved pets, or other difficulties and we have rejoiced in the good things.

We just don't discuss politics or controversial social/religious topics as there doesn't seem to be any way to do that without ruffling feathers and introducting an unpleasant toxic element. The Coffee Shop is intended as a refuge from all that. Some get their feathers ruffled anyway, but as I said, nobody loves everybody. But those who can set aside personal differences and just love/enjoy each other seem to be able to get through anything.

So welcome aboard. We hope you feel at home enough here to join our wierd and very diverse family here.

 

[ChrisL]

Thank you for the coffee...No, don't live in NM any longer, it was way back in the 90's when I was in the area....Albuquerque is a great place to visit for me...not to live. I prefer the smaller towns...hell I bet Las Cruces would be too big for me now. I had a great job back then....I traveled all over NM. I could tell you some stories about being in the middle of nowhere! Silver City was my favorite - I could retire there. (Ever see that movie Rat Race...that is the finish line). Anyway...didn't mean to insult your city...

No offense taken. You wouldn't be the first to not be enamored with Albuquerque and won't be the last. Ringel seriously looked at Albuquerque as a possible new location and I'm pretty sure he would prefer many other places to here.

Alamogordo isn't too bad. When I was there...it was growing. Can't tell you what it looks like now. Personally, I would move to Cruces and make the drive everyday. But you are right, Cruces is heavily hispanic...a lot of illegals in Cruces as the Border Patrol Stations lie outside the city heading towards Alamogordo and Alburquerque...but it is also a college town, so very diverse. Alamogordo isn't as hispanic as a lot of people think. Like I said, border patrol stations protect it from Las Cruces and El Paso. A lot of retired military, Native Americans (Ruidoso is a few miles away (Indian Reservation).
(Sorry, you have me reminiscing on my days in NM)

We're currently living in Trinidad, CO (Podunk) and our number one choice would be to move back to Colorado Springs but the job market there is flat so we're currently looking all over the southwest. I'm on disability (well still fighting the government over that) but the wife wants a job and with what she currently does means that in most cases it's contractual until the job is completed then it's time to find a new job. One thing El Paso is offering is a full time permanent position that includes other responsibilities but they're only offering a salary under $60K however the benefits are great, the people are really nice and the salary cap is just under $90K. Did I mention it's a permanent position and El Paso metro has around 800,000 people which means it has all the amenities we like.
One of the other issues concerning El Paso is even though it's large it's pretty much in the middle of no where.

I know El Paso well..my home office was in El Paso and I was there at least once a week. If you like suburbs....try Anthony..half way between El Paso and Cruces. El Paso...wasn't that great of a city....right on the border....you have to live in the western part to avoid all of the dirt and grime. But you are right...in the middle of nowhere...but you said you like mountains....move near UTEP, there is a little hill out there.

There are some nice areas in El Paso...I would still move outside of the border patrol station and commute to work.

We're looking at the west side or the newer sections east of the city, yeah El Paso is growing. Don't necessarily want to live on the mountain, rather be able to sit out back and admire it.
Besides the wife would prefer a short commute over a long one, we both did the long ones living in the DC Metro area..........

Ugh, commuting sucks. That is the one thing I am not looking forward to if I did take this job. I would be doing a LOT of driving around.

 

[ChrisL]

I lived in Alamagordo for a spell...not really that bad of a town...military town. Las Cruces is only about 45 minutes away...an easy drive through White Sands. I moved to Las Cruces after about 6 months for a job...I LOVED CRUCES....Alamogordo isn't too bad either if you like smaller towns....close to Ruidoso, which is beautiful. I wouldn't move to Albuquerque...shit hole.

A warm Coffee Shop welcome to Nutz who is joining us for the first time this morning. Do you still live somewhere in New Mexico? Sorry you don't like my fair city. Albuquerque has been our home for a long time now and it does have much to condemn it but has even more to commend it. We llike it because it has most of the amenities you expect of a big city but still has enough of a small town feel for us--hubby and I are both small town kids--that we feel very much at home here.

But everybody doesn't love everybody or everywhere or else we would all be living on top of each other.

Anyhow welcome to the Coffee Shop and here's your first timer's complimentary beverage:

Thank you for the coffee...No, don't live in NM any longer, it was way back in the 90's when I was in the area....Albuquerque is a great place to visit for me...not to live. I prefer the smaller towns...hell I bet Las Cruces would be too big for me now. I had a great job back then....I traveled all over NM. I could tell you some stories about being in the middle of nowhere! Silver City was my favorite - I could retire there. (Ever see that movie Rat Race...that is the finish line). Anyway...didn't mean to insult your city...

No offense taken. You wouldn't be the first to not be enamored with Albuquerque and won't be the last. Ringel seriously looked at Albuquerque as a possible new location and I'm pretty sure he would prefer many other places to here.

Alamogordo isn't too bad. When I was there...it was growing. Can't tell you what it looks like now. Personally, I would move to Cruces and make the drive everyday. But you are right, Cruces is heavily hispanic...a lot of illegals in Cruces as the Border Patrol Stations lie outside the city heading towards Alamogordo and Alburquerque...but it is also a college town, so very diverse. Alamogordo isn't as hispanic as a lot of people think. Like I said, border patrol stations protect it from Las Cruces and El Paso. A lot of retired military, Native Americans (Ruidoso is a few miles away (Indian Reservation).
(Sorry, you have me reminiscing on my days in NM)

Reminiscing is okay. We all do it.

You won't find many more eclectic places than the Coffee Shop has been over the years. The Coffee Shop opened in 2010--we had to start new threads from time to time when the USMB server was having trouble accommodating us--that is why we are Coffee Shop IV--but when you add up the four threads, we are approaching 130,000 posts and have more than 5 million looks.

And the topics discussed in here range from interpersonal relationships to shrunken heads to recipes to Civil War re-enactments to weather to fashion to high tech stuff plus a lot of cars, trucks, tools, motorcycles, work related stuff, travel, hunting, pets, the paranormal etc.--there probably aren't a lot of subjects we haven't touched on at some time or another. Nothing is really off limits. We have seen our members through a lot of tough times--trouble at work, serious illnesses and head colds, worries about or loss of loved ones, beloved pets, or other difficulties and we have rejoiced in the good things.

We just don't discuss politics or controversial social/religious topics as there doesn't seem to be any way to do that without ruffling feathers and introducting an unpleasant toxic element. The Coffee Shop is intended as a refuge from all that. Some get their feathers ruffled anyway, but as I said, nobody loves everybody. But those who can set aside personal differences and just love/enjoy each other seem to be able to get through anything.

So welcome aboard. We hope you feel at home enough here to join our wierd and very diverse family here.

Yes, this is a great place to post without having to worry about the nastiness, for the most part anyways.

 

[Nutz]

I lived in Alamagordo for a spell...not really that bad of a town...military town. Las Cruces is only about 45 minutes away...an easy drive through White Sands. I moved to Las Cruces after about 6 months for a job...I LOVED CRUCES....Alamogordo isn't too bad either if you like smaller towns....close to Ruidoso, which is beautiful. I wouldn't move to Albuquerque...shit hole.

A warm Coffee Shop welcome to Nutz who is joining us for the first time this morning. Do you still live somewhere in New Mexico? Sorry you don't like my fair city. Albuquerque has been our home for a long time now and it does have much to condemn it but has even more to commend it. We llike it because it has most of the amenities you expect of a big city but still has enough of a small town feel for us--hubby and I are both small town kids--that we feel very much at home here.

But everybody doesn't love everybody or everywhere or else we would all be living on top of each other.

Anyhow welcome to the Coffee Shop and here's your first timer's complimentary beverage:

Thank you for the coffee...No, don't live in NM any longer, it was way back in the 90's when I was in the area....Albuquerque is a great place to visit for me...not to live. I prefer the smaller towns...hell I bet Las Cruces would be too big for me now. I had a great job back then....I traveled all over NM. I could tell you some stories about being in the middle of nowhere! Silver City was my favorite - I could retire there. (Ever see that movie Rat Race...that is the finish line). Anyway...didn't mean to insult your city...

No offense taken. You wouldn't be the first to not be enamored with Albuquerque and won't be the last. Ringel seriously looked at Albuquerque as a possible new location and I'm pretty sure he would prefer many other places to here.

Alamogordo isn't too bad. When I was there...it was growing. Can't tell you what it looks like now. Personally, I would move to Cruces and make the drive everyday. But you are right, Cruces is heavily hispanic...a lot of illegals in Cruces as the Border Patrol Stations lie outside the city heading towards Alamogordo and Alburquerque...but it is also a college town, so very diverse. Alamogordo isn't as hispanic as a lot of people think. Like I said, border patrol stations protect it from Las Cruces and El Paso. A lot of retired military, Native Americans (Ruidoso is a few miles away (Indian Reservation).
(Sorry, you have me reminiscing on my days in NM)

Hey Nutz.....welcome to the coffee shop.

Thanks...sometimes I need a break from the vitriol....I figure it is easier coming here than trying to get banned.

 

[Nutz]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I used to have to go to border towns like Deming and Columbus....Deming wasn't too bad...a lot of retired folks, but Columbus was my cash cow....the Mexicans would destroy and steal everything...the city had me on speed dial.

 

[Ernie S.]

I just posted a thread in Automotive that anyone who fancies himself a good driver should watch.
A guy has this custom built 1965 Mustang with 845 horse power and 4 wheel drive. He gets LAPD to shut down parts of the city and has a blast.

 

[WelfareQueen]

A warm Coffee Shop welcome to Nutz who is joining us for the first time this morning. Do you still live somewhere in New Mexico? Sorry you don't like my fair city. Albuquerque has been our home for a long time now and it does have much to condemn it but has even more to commend it. We llike it because it has most of the amenities you expect of a big city but still has enough of a small town feel for us--hubby and I are both small town kids--that we feel very much at home here.

But everybody doesn't love everybody or everywhere or else we would all be living on top of each other.

Anyhow welcome to the Coffee Shop and here's your first timer's complimentary beverage:

Thank you for the coffee...No, don't live in NM any longer, it was way back in the 90's when I was in the area....Albuquerque is a great place to visit for me...not to live. I prefer the smaller towns...hell I bet Las Cruces would be too big for me now. I had a great job back then....I traveled all over NM. I could tell you some stories about being in the middle of nowhere! Silver City was my favorite - I could retire there. (Ever see that movie Rat Race...that is the finish line). Anyway...didn't mean to insult your city...

No offense taken. You wouldn't be the first to not be enamored with Albuquerque and won't be the last. Ringel seriously looked at Albuquerque as a possible new location and I'm pretty sure he would prefer many other places to here.

Alamogordo isn't too bad. When I was there...it was growing. Can't tell you what it looks like now. Personally, I would move to Cruces and make the drive everyday. But you are right, Cruces is heavily hispanic...a lot of illegals in Cruces as the Border Patrol Stations lie outside the city heading towards Alamogordo and Alburquerque...but it is also a college town, so very diverse. Alamogordo isn't as hispanic as a lot of people think. Like I said, border patrol stations protect it from Las Cruces and El Paso. A lot of retired military, Native Americans (Ruidoso is a few miles away (Indian Reservation).
(Sorry, you have me reminiscing on my days in NM)

Hey Nutz.....welcome to the coffee shop.

Thanks...sometimes I need a break from the vitriol....I figure it is easier coming here than trying to get banned.

Personally, I like your style. I come here for the same reason. It's a nice place to chill. No politics or bickering....just a place to talk about general stuff.

 

[Foxfyre]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. It was roughly comparable to Denver in 2006 and has been steadily coming down year by year but remains above the national average. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

 

[WelfareQueen]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I liked Albuquerque and could definitely live there. Really, anywhere in the northern half of the State is beautiful imho. I would highly recommend folks visiting Gila Cliff Dwellings, Santa Fe, or some of the old Spanish missions north of Albuquerque as you drive up to Los Alamos.

The four Corners area is really cool as well.

 

[Big Black Dog]

OFFICIAL MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ***** ABOUT THE WEATHER CLUB.

Got two or three inches of new snow last night and an inch of ice on top of it all. The President is not happy. Not happy at all. Enough said.

 

[Nutz]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

 

[ChrisL]

A warm Coffee Shop welcome to Nutz who is joining us for the first time this morning. Do you still live somewhere in New Mexico? Sorry you don't like my fair city. Albuquerque has been our home for a long time now and it does have much to condemn it but has even more to commend it. We llike it because it has most of the amenities you expect of a big city but still has enough of a small town feel for us--hubby and I are both small town kids--that we feel very much at home here.

But everybody doesn't love everybody or everywhere or else we would all be living on top of each other.

Anyhow welcome to the Coffee Shop and here's your first timer's complimentary beverage:

Thank you for the coffee...No, don't live in NM any longer, it was way back in the 90's when I was in the area....Albuquerque is a great place to visit for me...not to live. I prefer the smaller towns...hell I bet Las Cruces would be too big for me now. I had a great job back then....I traveled all over NM. I could tell you some stories about being in the middle of nowhere! Silver City was my favorite - I could retire there. (Ever see that movie Rat Race...that is the finish line). Anyway...didn't mean to insult your city...

No offense taken. You wouldn't be the first to not be enamored with Albuquerque and won't be the last. Ringel seriously looked at Albuquerque as a possible new location and I'm pretty sure he would prefer many other places to here.

Alamogordo isn't too bad. When I was there...it was growing. Can't tell you what it looks like now. Personally, I would move to Cruces and make the drive everyday. But you are right, Cruces is heavily hispanic...a lot of illegals in Cruces as the Border Patrol Stations lie outside the city heading towards Alamogordo and Alburquerque...but it is also a college town, so very diverse. Alamogordo isn't as hispanic as a lot of people think. Like I said, border patrol stations protect it from Las Cruces and El Paso. A lot of retired military, Native Americans (Ruidoso is a few miles away (Indian Reservation).
(Sorry, you have me reminiscing on my days in NM)

Hey Nutz.....welcome to the coffee shop.

Thanks...sometimes I need a break from the vitriol....I figure it is easier coming here than trying to get banned.

You'll like posting here. Everyone is very nice and civil here.

 

[ChrisL]

OFFICIAL MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ***** ABOUT THE WEATHER CLUB.

Got two or three inches of new snow last night and an inch of ice on top of it all. The President is not happy. Not happy at all. Enough said.

Cheer up! At least you aren't this squirrel.

 

[Foxfyre]

I just posted a thread in Automotive that anyone who fancies himself a good driver should watch.
A guy has this custom built 1965 Mustang with 845 horse power and 4 wheel drive. He gets LAPD to shut down parts of the city and has a blast.

Watched it and really cool. Thanks. Hombre is watching it now. We bought our son a 1965 Mustang for his 16th birthday and it was a beautiful car at that time, but it didn't have that kind of horsepower.

 

[Foxfyre]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

There are a number of remote areas in New Mexico that are sort of off the grid so far as mainstream society is concerned and its pretty obvious that there are a number of reasons for that. I'm pretty sure we've been to them all.

 

[Foxfyre]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I liked Albuquerque and could definitely live there. Really, anywhere in the northern half of the State is beautiful imho. I would highly recommend folks visiting Gila Cliff Dwellings, Santa Fe, or some of the old Spanish missions north of Albuquerque as you drive up to Los Alamos.

The four Corners area is really cool as well.

We lived in Farmington right in the four corners for a year--Hombre was transferred there--we went there from Santa Fe--and it was good only because my brother-in-law was coaching football and my sis was teaching choral music at Bloomfield 15 miles away. I had a good job and our daughter was born there. We bought the first home that we owned there, But we never really developed a sense of community there. It just never felt like home and I can't say we were really happy there. After a year, when our daughter was six weeks old, we were transferred to Perryton TX, population 7500 if you count all the chickens and prairie dogs. Middle of nowhere and absolutely nothing to do there if you didn't make your own fun. But we absolutely loved it. And have dear friends there to this day.

 

[Nutz]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

There are a number of remote areas in New Mexico that are sort of off the grid so far as mainstream society is concerned and its pretty obvious that there are a number of reasons for that. I'm pretty sure we've been to them all.

I was so young and dumb at the time. I don't know if I would even take that job today. I drove in the middle of nowhere in a car on it's last leg...just waiting to break down. God must have been on my side, because my "K" car could barely make it up the mountains. I remember I ran out of gas trying to rush through White Sands...they were having a missile test and I was the last car through. If I were to stop for gas, I would have had to wait an hour and be late for work...so I gave it a try...I ran out of gas just as I hit the peak of the mountain...I was able to coast down the mountain with no gas until I hit the gas station on the edge of Cruces. Man...it would have been embarrassing if I ran out in the middle of the test...I can only imagine a bunch of MP's surrounding my car!

For those of you who don't know...White Sands is a military base where they test missiles...they shut down the only road to Las Cruces for an hour during this test...

 

[Foxfyre]

I loved visiting New Mexico. Albuquerque was okay....the river walk along the Rio Grande is cool....but there is a lot of crime.

The only place I disliked was Lordsburg. The southwest part of the State is like the moon. Everywhere else is beautiful though. I would think a nice place to live.

I agree that southwestern New Mexico is a barren, desolate place. There used to be some great land deals available in an area called Aquila Flats between Las Cruces and Lordsburg, but when you drive through there it really is like a moonscape--so desolate it is depressing. You wonder how anything at all survives there. Roughly ten years ago there were no takers for that land. Don't know if anybody ever did buy there.

And Albuquerque does have a higher overall crime rate than most New Mexiico cities and there are a number of reasons for that which would probably involve more controversial topics than we would want to get into in the Coffee Shop. There are parts of town you do watch your back and you just don't venture into after dark. But in the area I live in, and in the areas that most people I know here live in, it is as safe as most places in the country. I feel completely personally secure walking, shopping, driving around or whatever.

I remember between Deming and Silver City, I had to go to this RV Park that was in the middle of nowhere. After getting off the highway, I would have to drive miles down a backroad then miles down a dirt road. The owner sat me down on my first visit...explained to me that a lot of people are off the radar for a reason and not to ask a lot of questions. Not sure how true that was, but I could imagine how many people were buried in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Turns out though, the people in that "community" were pretty cool.

There are a number of remote areas in New Mexico that are sort of off the grid so far as mainstream society is concerned and its pretty obvious that there are a number of reasons for that. I'm pretty sure we've been to them all.

I was so young and dumb at the time. I don't know if I would even take that job today. I drove in the middle of nowhere in a car on it's last leg...just waiting to break down. God must have been on my side, because my "K" car could barely make it up the mountains. I remember I ran out of gas trying to rush through White Sands...they were having a missile test and I was the last car through. If I were to stop for gas, I would have had to wait an hour and be late for work...so I gave it a try...I ran out of gas just as I hit the peak of the mountain...I was able to coast down the mountain with no gas until I hit the gas station on the edge of Cruces. Man...it would have been embarrassing if I ran out in the middle of the test...I can only imagine a bunch of MP's surrounding my car!

For those of you who don't know...White Sands is a military base where they test missiles...they shut down the only road to Las Cruces for an hour during this test...

Great story though. And yes the White Sands missile proving grounds is out there and this is not to be confused with White Sands National Monument that you also pass by on that same highway. It is an amazing place. Our daughter and son-in-law wanted to make a road trip down there when they were last vistiing--it didn't work out but that's a different story--and I commented that they lived in Santa Cruz where they had miles and miles of beach. White Sands didn't have an ocean. Our SIL said yes, but he had never seen a magnificient beach without an ocean and that was worth seeing.

And it is too--225 square miles of brilliant white gypsum. If you didn't know better you would think it was freshly fallen snow: