Chicago to Albuquerque (Moriarty, Estancia, Willard: how much, home, neighborhood)

[cbus2abq]

How where the people? Did you go out to any bars/clubs ? restaurants? Do you think you would get bored there?
Lots of nice 20-30somethings out walking their dogs?

You have an aweful nice luxury of being self employed and working from home, you can pick and choose where you decide to set up shop... I on the other hand have to wait with anticipation on the offer from my company's HR dept...

The metro photo thread has a lot of pics of landscapes and scenery, but you don't see many people in the photos, is it just a ghost town?

I'm trying to move to ABQ from Columbus, Ohio, a city of about 1-2 million depending how much of the suburbs you count... so it would be a step down to a smaller town, but not really that much... not like going from Chicago to ABQ.

And yeah, as for sports teams... I mean, just get a Direct TV sports package man... I'll be without my Ohio State Buckeyes, but I can just order the Big Ten Network or whatever sports package I need and record all my games.

[dpgtfc]

Originally Posted by ChicagoChad

Is there a good website that list available Albuquerque homes to rent?

Never even thought of this option because in the Chicagoland area finding a home to rent is way to expensive. However, it sounds more realistic in Albuquerque.

Thanks for the help so far,

Chad

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but I am fond of HotPads - Map Search for Real Estate, Apartments & Houses for Rent, Foreclosures and Homes for Sale

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by ChicagoChad

My big thing is I wonder how quickly the beautiful scenery would just become old. Kind of like someone visiting Chicago for the first time and thinking how beautiful the large buildings are, but then after 6 months becoming bored with them.

I just really wonder if the scenery and weather would be enough to keep me happy for a long time. I would miss my White Sox and Bears also. lol

Well anyway if you have anything else you would like to ask me feel free!

Thanks for the comments! I live out here but I like to see peoples comments on the area. And you did pictures! I have lived in Rio Rancho for the last 10 years. My first visit to this area was the Summer of 1968. I have been in various parts of the Southwest over the years. I grew up in Florida.

Some people like it here and some people hate it.... I have a phrase I use frequently with local friends and family: "It's Like Trying To Explain New Mexico To Someone Who Has Not Been..."

I am not a big sports fan, however there is a lot of local sports interest here which I did not see in many other places. Local games, Go Lobos! The University of New Mexico Official Athletic Site

I think I have had more fun at sports events here in NM over the past 10 years, than my previous 50 years.

New Mexico Scorpions!

Stanley the Scorpion:



Yes, we have hockey!






Rich

[rybert]

That Scorpion harassed my wife and me during our trip to Ace Hardware. We did get a free chip-clip out of it though.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by infragrrl

I've spent time in Mexico as well and find that this concept is quite alive and well so probably that's where it originates from and found its way to NM.

It wasn't long ago that this was part of Mexico.

Infragrrl, a well written post. I enjoyed it, I have no real heartburn with your comments. I enjoy meeting people and hearing their perspectives. It is always a learning experience. You have made a lot of valid points...



Rich

[mortimer]

ChicagoChad mused:

> .... I wonder how quickly the beautiful scenery would just become old.
> Kind of like ... thinking how beautiful the large buildings are, but then ....

Maybe you would. Maybe you wouldn't.

I haven't. They look different every day and I love looking every day.

What have you got to lose by just moving and living here for a year?
There isn't really anything wrong with doing that. People seem to think
that it's incredibly important to MAKE SURE that some place is PERFECT.

Hint: No place is perfect.

I tried NM. I liked it. I stayed.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by cbus2abq

is it just a ghost town?

Its a city of 500,000 (metro of 850,000)...it might not be a *massive* city, however, I don't think a city of that size could in any way conceivably qualify as a "ghost town"!

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by mortimer

ChicagoChad mused:

> .... I wonder how quickly the beautiful scenery would just become old.
> Kind of like ... thinking how beautiful the large buildings are, but then ....

Maybe you would. Maybe you wouldn't.

I haven't. They look different every day and I love looking every day.

I couldn't agree more with mortimer's post, especially this ^^^ above.

I lived in ABQ from 03 to 07 and have loved ABQ from 02 until the present; was just down in February in fact. (Live just currently north of you in Milwaukee).

I never once have tired of the beautiful landscape of Albuquerque - not once. Not once my 3 or 6 month "buzz" wore off - never. In fact, it excites me more even to this day, and now that I am ruefully back in the MKE area, in some ways, it excites me even more.

It is true though, maybe you will tire of it or even eventually dislike it. That is an individual thing and just depends from person to person. No harm in trying it out though.

I will say this - to me, the difference between the big skyscrapers you reference and the beauty of the Sandias, the West Mesa, the Bosque, etc., in Albuquerque is that one is man-made and one is - depending upon your religious perspective - either God-made or nature-made.

To me, you can build a big, beautiful, tall building anywhere. You can do it in the flatest of the flat, the hilliest of the hilly, the hottest of the hot or the coldest of the cold. To me, buildings are just that - buildings. Some are great, some not so much, but go from one city to another worldwide and you'll find 'em.

Nature's beauty cannot be transformed or replicated. It just *is*. If you miss skyscrapers, you can always hit Denver, Phoenix, Vegas, etc., to find em. If you miss the Sandias, you can hit only one place on this earth to see 'em.

[pittsteelerfan]

Originally Posted by ChicagoChad

So what were my opinions:

Plus Side:

1. I actually did find it a very relaxing place just based on the scenery alone. The midwest is very flat and boring and just being in the mountains makes it very appealing.

2. I felt completely safe in the northern area of ALB and Rio Rancho. Did not visit the southern parts though.

3. Rio Rancho reminded me of many of the suburbs of Chicago. Like Orland Park, IL for example which is fine to me.

4. It is not to big, but also not to small. Nothing compared to Chicago, but that is not a bad thing. The traffic in Chicago is much, much, much worse. I drove around ALB during rush hour and I had no problems or at least not like you have in the Chicago area.

5. Perfect weather was around 55-60 when I was there. In the dead of winter.

6. Seems to be a lot of outdoor activities to do.

Negatives:

1. I could definitely see someone moving from a larger city such as Chicago or New York feeling very isolated. I mean you can literally drive from one end of ALB to the other in like 30 minutes then that is it. Nothing but desert after that. lol It would be like taking the South suburbs of Chicago and then dropping it in the middle of the desert.

2. If you like looking at tall buildings downtown like in Chicago or New York you will be very disappointed.

3. No major sports teams. Which would be odd for most people moving from large cities.

I am still contemplating my final decision on whether to move or not. My big thing is I wonder how quickly the beautiful scenery would just become old. Kind of like someone visiting Chicago for the first time and thinking how beautiful the large buildings are, but then after 6 months becoming bored with them.

I just really wonder if the scenery and weather would be enough to keep me happy for a long time. I would miss my White Sox and Bears also. lol

Well anyway if you have anything else you would like to ask me feel free!

DO NOT DO IT! I'm serious, DON'T!

I wasn't going to say anything, but I see you are already picking up on the cons (which I know EVERYWHERE has).

1: You will "feel isolated" there. That's the problem with the West, once you leave a city or town, it's like you fell off the earth or something.

2: No skyline, EXACTLY! Nobody really stares at a skyline if they're from a city or lived there for awhile. But you still know it's there, and you DO look at it whether you realize it or not.

3: No pro sports teams. Me personally, I could never live somewhere that doesn't have "Pro Sports teams". You ain't on the map if you don't, and ALL the cities that don't have them, have a different feel to them. To me, they feel like 'towns' instead of an actual 'city'. And it doesn't even matter if you never attend the games or root for that team either.

4: That scenery there will get "old" before you 'break in' your new furniture. The West is very scenic, and 'breath taking' in many spots. But it's WAY too dry, and it's WAY too barren! And scenery after awhile, can't make up for the lack of 'urban' living or things to do. I got 'chills' after looking at the pics you posted. I sometimes forget just how 'barren' looking the West is.

You picked on these things after a 'short' visit and are already starting to second guess your decision to move there. It's a good thing to, listen to your instint. I don't care how many NY'ers or former Chicagoan's like it there. I can tell, you ain't one of them.

And don't let it's population there fool you either. Cities back East or in the Midwest, with smaller populations, have a much BIGGER 'feel' to them. Take Milwaukee for example, I don't care if ALB surpases Milwaukee's 'city' population, Milwaukee will ALWAYS 'feel' like a MUCH bigger city and with more things to do.

I hesitated about even responded to this thread. But after reading your 'post visit' opinon, I had to. Listen to you're heart, the things you 'picked up' on, will be the things that will make you living in ALB a bad experience.

P.S. I've lived in Chicago, and I've been to ALB before.

[yukon]

1. I could definitely see someone moving from a larger city such as Chicago or New York feeling very isolated. I mean you can literally drive from one end of ALB to the other in like 30 minutes then that is it. Nothing but desert after that. lol

Too funny. The ability to drive across town in a half hour or less is one of the appealing things about ABQ, to me anyway. But then, I'm used to driving in Tampa/St Pete, Miami/Ft Lauderdale, DFW, Houston, Atlanta & Phoenix. I LOVE being able to get around to my client offices in 15 minutes or less...awesome perk! I had some clients in those other cities that it would take an hour to get to, one-way.

OTOH, I admit, it is weird living in a city with no sports team, after having been around pro team cities for over 20 years.

I also don't get the comments people make about "if you aren't Hispanic you won't fit in" etc. I'm about as far from Hispanic as you can get and have never felt that way in any of the areas I've lived in, and they've ALL had large Hispanic populations. I honestly don't think "fitting in" has anything to do with color, and everything to do with attitude. You have the right attitude, you won't have a problem "fitting in". IMHO.