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.
FordJim, tell me more! How do you, as a native from Michigan, feel about the people, views?
What is really uplifting here is that I keep reading that the people in NM are friendly and pleasant. That's what I want to hear. A true desert is a place we feel we don't belong, or have no friends. Anywhere we do feel we belong and have friends--is an oasis, regardless of how much greenery.
To answer rruff--
Would you enjoy living in or near an isolated town of 10k (or less)?Not sure that Silver city would work for one reason only--I need to be near people because people have stuff, and I am an antique dealer that would be put out of business in too small of an area.
Do you prefer being right in town or outside? Probably on the outskirts, but, then again, if the house is just right, inside the city limits. Still have to find out if hubby is serious about the desire for a horse.
What kind of services and entertainment would you like to have near? Not too far from anything necessary, but a drive to the opera is ok.
Shopping? Antique malls, thrift stores, resale shops? Malls I abhor with a passion.
Airports? Not important. A couple hours drive is fine.
Medical and hospitals? There's a toughy. As we're retiring we don't know the future of our health.
Lakes and rivers? It sure would be nice but we can't have it all.
Forests and mountains? The area has to have something going for it. The desert plains to the east I have ruled out entirely. Mountains are nice...but if not mountains, then a river, and if not a river, then trees, and if not trees, then the finest people and community.
Anything else important? The mentality of the community. An area where the people are friendly, somewhat trusting, positive vibes, are happy with a mix, don't despise transplants, don't preach their politics or their religion.
Currently thinking La Luz just north of Alamogordo, and maybe the foothills to the east. Silver City if you don't mind being isolated. Maybe Ruidoso.
Check out Sierra Vista and Payson in AZ.
I did check out Sierra Vista, and in a lot of ways it is ideal.
I have a question though--is the mentality of the people of AZ that different from NM, or does it appear that way incorrectly from city-data forums?
If you want more population near, definitely look at the East Mountian area. It's very green and not too far from Albuquerque. There will be some cold in the winter, but nothing like MI.
Also, thinking... Ruidoso is a tourist town (mostly fairly wealthy west Texas people) with a busy downtown area. Though the it isn't that big (~10k), if you want to open a store to sell antiques, it might work well. There is a big fine arts theater. You didn't mention it, but there are tons of golf courses too... and a pretty nice casino, horse race track, etc. Lots of people have horses, but you need to be outside of town on a few acres. Definitely got the forest and mountains here. The rivers are like small creeks and sometimes they run dry, but there are a couple of those also.
One big difference between NM and AZ is that AZ has grown a lot (Phoenix especially) and it is generally busier, congested, etc depending on where you are. Sierra Vista has a high tech Army base which is the dominating economic feature, but a lot of retired have moved in too. Bisbee is near and is like an artsy hippy town. I was seriously considering moving there at one time. The thing I disliked the most was the white-thorn mesquite everywhere... a nasty invasive shrub/tree... but then I was looking to live in the boonies. It wouldn't bother you in town.
AZ seems like it is dominated by right-wing Phoenix politics. NM is generally slow-growing, poorer, laid back. Politically ~50/50 with nobody seeming to care that much.
Every town has a different character, of course... so it depends. There are some Hispanic enclaves where you might feel out of place, but mostly people are accustomed to outsiders and welcome them so long as they aren't pushy and try to change everything.
One big thing about the NM forum is that we have a good moderator...
Yes and no. Depends. Sometimes. Depends a lot on you. Depends on your vision and your perception. Some people do no fit in AZ or NM...
I spent some time in the Sierra Vista area in the 70's and 80's. Had the job situation been better there for us, we might still be there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rruff
AZ seems like it is dominated by right-wing Phoenix politics. NM is generally slow-growing, poorer, laid back. Politically ~50/50 with nobody seeming to care that much.
Every town has a different character, of course... so it depends. There are some Hispanic enclaves where you might feel out of place, but mostly people are accustomed to outsiders and welcome them so long as they aren't pushy and try to change everything.
One big thing about the NM forum is that we have a good moderator...
Yes I can see that, and I don't need to ask questions that might create more work and hyper-vigilance for Poncho.
Good answer Poncho!
It's an honest question, respectfully.
I may give up green for the benefits of Las Cruces...or I might end up in Sierra Vista. Who knows...the trip will begin to give us an idea.
Seems like I am going to have a lot of miles to cover, so I'm trying to narrow it down for that reason. 2 weeks on the road, we'd like to enjoy it as a vacation also.
I don't have any intention to try to change anybody, and I'd prefer likewise that others not try to change me.
One of NM's appealing traits is that it seems off so many people's radar....
NoMan,
We kind of did the same thing last summer that you're planning now. Flew into ABQ and wondered around the E side of the state on down to the bottom then back up the W side. Really liked the open country south of Mountainare and the area north of Silver City around the little towns like Reserve. We met some of the nicest people in those little western towns. You will enjoy it!! I've been around most of the Southeast US and West and NM is my favorite place.
One thing to remember is that you will be here during the driest time of the year and nearly the windiest. Unless it was a particularly wet winter (and it wasn't) we don't get a lot of plant growth until July when the monsoons come. And don't let that name scare you, it just means we go from no rain to *some* rain... actually what would be a normal amount in the midwest. It usually occurs in afternoon showers that are quite pleasant, with clear skies on both sides of the rain.
Yep, NM is off the radar. Generally poor, not too many water resources, not going out of their way to attract industry. Very good scenic beauty but there are better places. Same for climate. Haven't hit that critical mass of trendiness like CA, FL, CO, and AZ... thank gawd. Probably never will.
Thanks possum, I think we'll be having a fine vacation, even if we don't settle on a location from one visit.
I've been all over the states and NM is one of the few I've never visited.
rruff, Yes, I understand I'll be going during that time of wind and dry conditions. It will help actually to see areas during that time because I'll understand just how dry some areas get.
Wind--It was extremely windy here yesterday, my hair was blowing in my face. Note to self: get some new hair ties for NM!
Not hitting that trendiness and bringing in too many people like those you mentioned I see as a big plus to NM, and I can avoid the cold of Montana. Shhh! Maybe we can take NM off the city-data list, like towns in Russia that don't exist.
NML, we grew up and lived in SE Michigan for all of our lives before moving here 15 years ago. We now live in Placitas, in the foothills north of ABQ. The weather here is entirely different than Michigan. On last night's weather report, the humidity was reported as 6%. In the summer, it is not unusual for the humidity to be 40% in the a.m. and drop to 10% by the evening. As a result, the effect of the heat is entirely different than the more humid clime that you are used to.
Days above 100 in the summer (in the ABQ area) are not all that common (5-10 a year I would guess). With the low humidity, though, the feeling is entirely different. We generally don't even turn the swamp coolers on until the temps hit the low 90s, which means a lot of days they stay off. Temp swings of 30-40 degrees in a day are common. It can be 90 during the day but drop into the low 60s at night. That's the elevation and dryness. Compare that to Phoenix temps, when it will be 110 during the day and drop into the mid-90s over night. On the winter, it may be in the teens over night but 40 during the day. We have friends and relatives who live in Phoenix, but I cannot tolerate their weather. we once went there when the Tigers played the Diamondbacks. The fans cheered when the outside temps dropped below 100 (9:30-10:00 p.m.).
A major difference to Michigan is the sun. Most winter days here are crystal clear with wispy clouds. I remember January and February days in Michigan when I wondered if we would ever see the sun again. If you live in a place where you have horizon views here, there are days when you can see the entire cloudless skies. So, plan on Chap Stick and Lubriderm far awhile.
The weather here is entirely different than Michigan.
A major difference to Michigan is the sun. Most winter days here are crystal clear with wispy clouds.
I remember January and February days in Michigan when I wondered if we would ever see the sun again. If you live in a place where you have horizon views here, there are days when you can see the entire cloudless skies.
Pictures which I took pretty much at random from my collection, for months of Jan and February. No trick photography...
Walking the dog in Corrales, New Mexico, 10:20 am, Feb 13, 2013. A good place for solar collectors:
Walking the dogs, Rio Grande as seen from the City of Albuquerque, Alameda Open Space. 2:45 pm, Feb 11, 2009:
Large Panoramic 5,000 x 1200 image. Albuquerque, New Mexico from Paseo Del Norte a few miles west of the city center on a
Mesa. 2:55 pm, Feb 23, 2009. Yes, I have the dogs with me...
Yes, we do get some snow on occasion... Feb 1, 2011, Rio Rancho, NM:
Friends house in ABQ on January 10, 2010, patio ready for a baby shower:
January 2, 2010 riding ATV's on the West Mesa, ABQ/Rio Rancho:
Photo Op – Dress Rehearsal on January 25, 2014 of the upcoming Year of the Horse celebration at the Chinese Culture
Center, 427 Adams, SE in Albuquerque. It was a warm day...
We spent 6 years before retirement (retired at age 55) visiting towns in the states of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. We had already decided we wanted to move "out West". Silver City,NM was the final choice because of the weather and people. Half of the town is of Hispanic people (I am Anglo). The Hispanics are fine people and we enjoy all contact with them as well as everyone else. I think the feeling of "live and let live" applies to all here. In general the folks are all friendly to each other.
We live in a subdivision of 5 acre lots and yet are only 3 miles to the local Walmart and 5 to the heart of Silver City. From our porch we can see the mountains to the north and east. The weather at this altitude (6000 ft) is more moderate than the towns to the south of us.
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.
