Moving to Albuquerque? Read this! (Santa Fe, Bernalillo: mortgage, relocation, mcmansion)

[6/3]

Originally Posted by Tim Rankin

Like Mortimer said, most of the parks within the city are smaller, 1-block type parks - not really good for hiking. So it's not like Central Park/NYC or Rock Creek Pk/DC.

What about the Bosque trail that runs thru the city along the Rio Grande. How long is that.....

Also for mountain hiking the best secluded parts are on NM 337 South of Tijeras that runs behind the Monzano Mountains and goes all the way to Mountainair as there's trails all along the route and Campgrounds and what not...There's thick trees for miles and miles along the route for 25 miles or so.

[mortimer]

6 FOOT 3 advised:

> ... NM 337 South of Tijeras that runs behind the Manzano Mountains
> and goes all the way to Mountainair ... trails all along the route and
> campgrounds ....

Wow, 6'3" before you go telling people to get lost in there, recommend
this book: Hiking Trails of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains
............. by Kay Matthews

It's a great way to get started. Pick one and do it then read about
the one's (trails) next to it after you get back.

I'd post the link from amazon, but it goes on for miles.

[6/3]

Originally Posted by mortimer

Wow, 6'3" before you go telling people to get lost in there, recommend
this book: Hiking Trails of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains
............. by Kay Matthews

lol.....thanks as i might have to purchase that book myself.....

[janjuberry]

I'm going to go ahead with my thoughts on New Mexico....
My husband and I visited here in Nov 06 and just fell in love with it. We decided to move here in March 07 from Clearwater, FL. I do not miss the humidity or beaches or grey hairs.
This area offered us so much in the sense of me being an Anthropology major and my daughter being handicapped. We have also never felt so warmly welcomed anywhere. The elementary school is wonderful. I have my issues with my oldest daughter's middle school though.
The weather is spectacular. I couldn't of asked for better. The scenery...gorgeous. There is also a lot to do outside here. Many parks for hiking and camping.
I have been told by a few coworkers that this is a 3rd world country. I truly do not see it. I find it to be more laid back. Residents here are not in a rush constantly. They just enjoy the day. I find it to be relaxing, especially coming from FL. The population in my county is almost the population of this whole state.
We do not reside in Albuquerque but Rio Rancho. MY husband does work in Alb though. There is crime, drugs, etc. I feel most downtowns have those issues though. Tampa, FL puts Alb to shame.
As far as the schools being poor....I thought that initially also by reading online. When we arrived, my children had a hard time just trying to catch up. They were quite a bit behind. Fl schools are terrible (in my surrounding counties anyways)
The different cultures here are wonderful, I think. My children are growing up learning other's cultures....not just white - and no I do not mean that in a negative way. I'm simply saying that experiencing life surrounding yourself by people "just like you" is not always good. It gives a sense of closed mindedness.
My advice to anyone moving to a new area is not to just read statistics or crime ratings, etc. Listen to the people and go visit it yourself. People have different likes and dislikes. Take care.

[6/3]

Originally Posted by janjuberry

I'm going to go ahead with my thoughts on New Mexico....
My husband and I visited here in Nov 06 and just fell in love with it. We decided to move here in March 07 from Clearwater, FL. I do not miss the humidity or beaches or grey hairs.
This area offered us so much in the sense of me being an Anthropology major and my daughter being handicapped. We have also never felt so warmly welcomed anywhere. The elementary school is wonderful. I have my issues with my oldest daughter's middle school though.
The weather is spectacular. I couldn't of asked for better. The scenery...gorgeous. There is also a lot to do outside here. Many parks for hiking and camping.
I have been told by a few coworkers that this is a 3rd world country. I truly do not see it. I find it to be more laid back. Residents here are not in a rush constantly. They just enjoy the day. I find it to be relaxing, especially coming from FL. The population in my county is almost the population of this whole state.
We do not reside in Albuquerque but Rio Rancho. MY husband does work in Alb though. There is crime, drugs, etc. I feel most downtowns have those issues though. Tampa, FL puts Alb to shame.
As far as the schools being poor....I thought that initially also by reading online. When we arrived, my children had a hard time just trying to catch up. They were quite a bit behind. Fl schools are terrible (in my surrounding counties anyways)
The different cultures here are wonderful, I think. My children are growing up learning other's cultures....not just white - and no I do not mean that in a negative way. I'm simply saying that experiencing life surrounding yourself by people "just like you" is not always good. It gives a sense of closed mindedness.
My advice to anyone moving to a new area is not to just read statistics or crime ratings, etc. Listen to the people and go visit it yourself. People have different likes and dislikes. Take care.

Welcome to our state Janjuberry and hope all goes well for you here. Hope you decide to be a regular on here like the other great regulars that post on here. I know about Florida as i have lived along the coast in Northeast Florida (Navy Days). Again Welcome !!

[abqsunport]

There are some great trails along the Rio Grande like an earlier poster said. Also, like other's have said, the mountains really are kind of in the City Limits. The La Luz Trail is actually on North Tramway. Here is what you can do, you can park at the Tram and take a one mile trail to the La Luz. Then you go up the La Luz (8 miles) to the tram, and then take the tram back down. It is a great thing to do in the fall (warm enough where it hasn't snowed yet, but still cool enough where you won't have heat stroke). I absolutely adore doing the La Luz with my friends. To me, walking around in certain foot hill neighborhoods kind of fill like hiking.

Here is a good link : ABQjournal Treks & Trails you will see that several are in the limits

[abqsunport]

Janjuberry, great posts!!!! Welcome to Albuquerque.

Yeah, I have heard people compare Albuquerque to a third world country. but do third world countries have one of the largest per-capita of college grads, a minimum wage of $7.50 (by 2010), mass movie productions rivaling So. California, as well as the Worlds Most Photographed Event (Balloon Fiesta), The 23rd Best Venue of the 20th Century (the Pit), and two National Laboratories in the General Area, as well as Airforce Bases and Missile Ranges all throughout the state. I would say that this "third world city and state" contributes more to this "first world" Country, than a lot of other cities and states do. Rant Over.

[4paws]

Perhaps one should look at the demographics more closely of the state. It is home to the largest Indian reservation and many smaller pueblos where poverty and poor education are rampant because "the dole" so many claim the residents who live on the reservation get is not enough to provide a decent life. Not a dole, a debt, and a poorly honored one at that.

That's a long history lesson and that's where the injustice of poverty weighs heavy. Those are the people most often without the conveniences we usually expect - electricity, running water, a warm, safe place to sleep, and of course, a good education.

That said, I think it is a beautiful, magical state. I love the land, the culture and the ancient feel of the whole area. Cities are cities, and I've enjoyed my visits to ABQ. For those who live in the "whiter" states, being a minority will be a shock. That's not bad or good, it just is. There will be learning and maybe a little discomfort, but that isn't negative if one's heart is right.

I've found Minnesota folks to be pretty nice though naive. Does that translate to prejudice?

[ABQConvict]

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

What about the Bosque trail that runs thru the city along the Rio Grande. How long is that.....

I knew someone would mention the Bosque the second I hit the 'submit' button.

The Bosque is an interesting area and one can sure find peace there and if you are a bird-watcher it is great.

However, it is a very fragile and already very damaged strip of land. there is a significant amount of ecosystem resoration going on in there: removing Tamarisk (Salt-Cedar) and Russian Olive and lots of the underbrush is being removed and mulched to protect the native trees such Rio Grande Cottonwood and various Willow spp. Also, it is frequently off limits due to fire danger.

The bike path that goes through it is really nice, though.

ABQConvict

[Tarase07]

I have to agree with some of the responses on the down side. lived here over 20 yrs. the drugs, gangs, DWI, violence is one of the worst in the country. It is not an insult to "Albuquerquians" it is just a reality.