Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Now that I think about, pretty much every time I passed through NM in years gone by I initially got a creepy vibe. The only towns that didn't were Silver City (probably because I went there for a bike race and loved it) and Ruidoso. Gallup, Farmington, Grants, Magdalena, Lordsburg, Demming, Alamogordo, Las Cruces, Roswell, Carlsbad, Espanola, Los Alamos, Mora, Las Vegas... even Taos and Santa Fe... all creepy. It think it is because NM is a poor state, and you see signs of it pretty much everywhere (except in Los Alamos which is creepy for other reasons). And I've probably watched too many David Lynch movies!
Interesting story about Mora. When I first passed through after coming out of the mountains in the evening, I saw a big tree full of buzzards. I was already feeling sort of "off" for some reason, and that was so weird. I generally don't see them in trees ever... let alone a couple dozen of them hanging out together! Very creepy. I continued on to Las Vegas and got a cheap motel (definitely creepy place)... and at 2am was woken by a woman looking for her husband (more creepiness). I woke to a beautiful morning though and decided to ride my bike on the back roads up to Mora. I was amazed at the beauty of the countryside and my mood improved, and when I got to Mora I was greeted by the friendliest easy going people. I hung out in town awhile to soak up the vibe. Pretty huge change... my first impression of Mora vs my second! Actually I've come to like every town in NM after I've spent a little time there.
Santa Fe creepy?
Lordsburg definitely felt creepy, Deming much less so.
I like T or C, my friends with me didn't, they thought it was really creepy,
they couldn't wait to get moving down the road to LC.
Even LC has a few sketchy areas.
NM has a lot of strange towns though, like Gallup.
Going through Lordsburg feels kinda...creepy. Going through Deming feels kind of...weird (because of the police "interrogation tactics") and going through Socorro was a temporary throwback to the mid-60's because of the young children wandering around the streets at 6:30-7:00PM-ish. With no parent hot on their trail.
I wondered where we were for a second...was this Truth or Consequences? Or Socorro? Umm...oh, it is Socorro. We live in Alamogordo and I wouldn't call it a protected paradise by any stretch. I just don't have that nasty fear parade going on here. In Socorro I really feel some parents need ta get some Chicago fear going...just a bit. For their babies sake.
Lordsburg definitely felt creepy, Deming much less so.
I like T or C, my friends with me didn't, they thought it was really creepy,
they couldn't wait to get moving down the road to LC.
Even LC has a few sketchy areas.
NM has a lot of strange towns though, like Gallup.
Espanola felt creepiest to me. Someone pulled over twice next to us with windows down and made gestures, kept yelling through the window etc. We didn't know anything about the town beforehand, were just driving around the area. It struck me like a very run down place.
Santa Fe felt creepy too, not the downtown but once you start driving around there were areas that just felt weird. The state has that vibe in general, driving down I-25 with all the mobile homes that are run down, with multiple cars parked around them for parts or who knows what... Santa Fe just looked strange, million+ $$$ homes atop a hill surrounded by junk trailer below.
We liked Albuquerque, although driving in some areas was "roll up the windows and speed up" but overall a very nice city with a nice vibe. Silver City also - loved the town in general, maybe not as much the area with all the gas stations, fast food etc.
Next on our list is spending some time in the Quemado/Datil area. Plenty of cheaper land - wonder why...
The state has that vibe in general, driving down I-25 with all the mobile homes that are run down, with multiple cars parked around them for parts or who knows what... Santa Fe just looked strange, million+ $$$ homes atop a hill surrounded by junk trailer below.
.
Gotta go along with you here to a certain extent. I will say that no state I have ever been to can compete with the overall scenic beauty. Many may be able to boast of an area or several but for my money none can top NM west of the Sandias for variety. In some ways it's almost comical that so many geologic events are on display in one state. Head toward White Sands and just about when you pass the lava flows it's like the Creator says, "Think that's something? Watch this!" and bam, you hit white sands like it's the polar opposite next door neighbor!
Having said that I have to agree on the number of run down dumps. Granted every state in the nation has sections of cities and towns that are neglected. I guess what seems a bit strange in NM is that no place else I have traveled do you run into so many areas where you have one beautiful home and invariably there will be a run down shack right next door. Most have the obligatory dilapidated chain link fence as a front yard showpiece.
Aside from what I see more in NE ABQ and obviously along Tramway this does not appear to be restricted to certain sections. Take a drive around the Rio Grande nature center area and you will find tons of darling homes I'd buy in a heartbeat if I could afford them. The problem is in many of these locations you have one eyesore per every five beautiful homes.
My wild guess is that perhaps many of these have been paid for for years and handed down by death or whatever to the next generation. If not for the fact that the place was paid for the owners could probably not live in the home. The slow degradation follows little by little.
I can't really say I have been creeped out anywhere though as far as neighborhoods, towns. Creeped out hiking? Yes! The malpais by Grants. The spookiest hiking I ever did was across that lava. No other NM badlands I have spent time in seems to scream "I take no prisoners" more that that place.
It's been some time since the OP posted she would be moving in late July or at least by the end of summer. Wondering where she is in her move plan?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
