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So Just how cold are the winters? Is the city water available and drinkable? Is the hospital capable of taking care of the lesser problems of the elderly? Can I get a decent green chile cheeseburger without driving to Manny’s in San Antonio? Is there an astronomy club? Do folks grow their own vegatables?
I'll start by saying that Socorro is what made me decide to move to New Mexico in the first place and my DH
IMO, Socorro is usually about 5 or more degrees warmer than Albuquerque (that's what I've seen the last 6-7 years). I travel between Albuquerque and Socorro several times a month and always notice the difference. Sister and I went for sushi in Albuquerque a couple of weeks ago and wore jeans, tanks, and sandals and we were freezing. I think the weather is super mild here and most of the bad weather seems to miss Socorro for the most part. Also it has snowed only a handful of times the last few years. There are a couple of weeks in January where it will get down into the 20's-30's but I remember more winters of 50+ degrees here than anywhere else I've lived. I lived in Alaska before I lived here so I have been absolutely spoiled by all the nice weather and constantly talk about moving farther south for even warmer weather but my husband is just peachy at these temps.
I've lived in two locations within city limits and I thought the water was fine, (no odor, no bad taste) however, my sister who lives closer to Tech does not like the water and I thought it tasted strange a couple of times from water fountains at local stores. So I think it is different around town. I live just outside of town now and it is absolutely fine.
I came to Socorro by recruitment of my husband and my sister came here by recruitment of us (to attend to Tech). He did his degree in Electrical Engineering at Tech and then was offered a position at Magdalena Ridge Observatory (the new observatory being built). I had a two year degree as a Vet Technician and it doesn't pay peanuts out here so I started my own at at home business which has been successful but finding employees and others interested in what I do has been near impossible. I still have a desire to go back to school a second time, however NMT does not offer any Medical degrees so it would be commuting to Albuquerque which I dread.
Socorro is a nice place, awesome scenery, super nice people (locals and tech part-timers), has the rock climbing and offroading we like, however it is lacking in people our own age (late 20's-early 30's) and it is missing the art and music scene that I love. We DO have some art and SOME music (Sat. nights at Socorro Springs and the Stagedoor). I always say to my husband, how come Socorro couldn't be 30 minutes closer to Abq.
If there was a way for me to go back to school and finish a medical degree or a liberal arts degree and if there were more people here our age I would also consider staying but those are two big things this town doesn't have so I think eventually we will move elsewhere. We've had a lot of friends come and go (graduated from Tech, moved elsewhere). Most people who graduate from here do not find full time careers here, they find them elsewhere around the state or out of state for most of the computer and Biology related degrees. As for now, we are still in Socorro and we still like it here even though most of out friends have ditched us! I love living in a town where I can go down to the Flea Market on Friday and get fresh made tamales, hit up the farmer's market on Saturday for some home made Indian bread and some veggies grown by the locals, and a place where I can drive for miles and miles and just enjoy the beautiful NM scenery!
Green Chile Burgers around Socorro (top is my fav):
Manny's Buckhorn Tavern
The Owl
Blake's Lotaburger
Tina's (Lemitar)
Socorro Springs Brewery
The Stagedoor
(the little place on your way to Escondida lake)
Sofia's
++++ many more that I've never even tried because I always get another fav (chile rellenos)
I don't know how good the facilities are at the hospital (it is pretty decent sized), however I know there is a major lack of medical care in general and a lack of specialists. If you ever take a look at the NM Department of Labor website for Socorro you can see how much they need people in every health field. We are lucky that we are on the New Mexico Tech health insurance because we can almost see any doctor we want in town, however the wait is long IMO and some doctors won't be able to see you for up to a month. Dental care on the other hand is great, there four Dentists in town and one is a master cosmetic dentist. Eye care is also decent.
One of the other things to think about (for Retiries) is the home prices. Homes have dramatically come up in price in Socorro over the last few years. DH and I like to blame this on an ex-boss who sold his house in town for 350K to a couple from out East, but for some reason prices have continued to rise and people aren't budging. The realtors are banking on people moving from other areas to work at Tech to buy these houses because for the most part the job market here doesn't support the home prices here. Just a warning because DH and I looked all of last year for a house and anything under 200K needed mucho work and just didn't seem worth it. I think there are places around NM that are still a lot like Socorro but are much cheaper.
Last edited by InTheDesert; 04-16-2008 at 08:52 AM..
InTheDesert - Thank you very much for your posts. You say you are living outside of town. May I ask where or at least in what direction. Please PM if you don't want to say in public. I would be interested in a nearly broken down home because I would, as a retiree, have enough time to fix darn near anything. I just do not have the money for an expensive house and I do not want another mortgage.
I want to take some audit or part time courses at TECH because I need some refresher work in Geology and Hydrology.
InTheDesert.......how's Water Canyon if you've ever been there as it looks cool on the chamber site. I really like the mountains there as i believe they are the Magdalena mountains and the highest peak looks about 10,000 to 11,000 ft tall and always has some snow on it by late spring. I can always see it it when coming back from Alamogordo/Carrizozo as i cross the Oscura Mountains on U.S.380 as it's an awesome mountain range.
We are just North East of town, over the railroad tracks, next to the Rio Grande. I think the last street considered "in-town" on the east side is Chaparral and we are just a couple of streets east of there. We like to stay out this way because there is a backroad out here that goes straight to Escondida (3 miles North of Socorro) which takes us straight to the Quebradas (we are avid rock-crawlers) so this way we avoid having to put the jeeps on a trailer. Plus it is just dang pretty out here
If you and the wife are willing to tackle a fixer upper there are lots of those and lots of old adobes for good prices in Lemitar and Escondida (3-5 miles North). I've seen fixer upper stuff out there for under $100K. We ALMOST bought a nice 2 bdrm adobe on 7 acres for $150 in Lemitar so you can find stuff for cheap but it is usually small or needs lot of work. San Antonio tends to be about on par with Socorro for some reason. When my husband moved 8 years ago or so you could buy a nice little 3 bdrm house in Socorro for $60K, those days are long gone and most homes are starting at $150K in town.
6/3 ---
Water Canyon is the park you go through to get up to the Observatory and yep, they are the Magdalena Mountains or Cibola National Forest. If you come up in May there is a pretty spectacular wild flower show. You are right on for the elevation. There is always a bit of snow up there but nothing major the last couple of years. They maintain the road now daily so it accessible for just about any truck, just make sure if you drive up there to come on the weekends because the road is closed during the week days for the construction. If you are nuts, there is a group of guys that bike to the top and then ride down on the weekends The view from the top is spectacular and the stargazing amazing. It is just a really clear site. DH was saying they are hoping to refurbish the A-frame cabins at the top soon so people can camp up there
Here are some photos of the Socorro area for people thinking of moving here or people thinking of visiting the area (I'll post some photos of town later)... the outdoors.....
Driving home out of the Quebradas (this is the main Quebradas Backcountry Byway facing west)
http://infohost.nmt.edu/~rselina/Denise/socorro2.jpg (broken link)
Edge of a canyon in the Quebradas (I want to call it Slot but can't remember for sure), there is a wall of pictographs just around the corner that many Socorrans have no clue exists. You can see the Socorro valley and the mountains in the west.
http://infohost.nmt.edu/~rselina/Denise/socorro3.jpg (broken link)
The horse ranch I use to live on facing the mountains in the west. This is on the North end of town. Summer and winter.
http://infohost.nmt.edu/~rselina/Denise/socorro7.jpg (broken link)
Water Canyon - a great, inviting picture looking into from outside:
Water Canyon, Socorro County, New Mexico on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rittel/2218365543/ - broken link)
Keep driving and you'll get to the top of S Baldy and the observatory.
LANGMUIR LABORATORY FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH Langmuir Lab Frames Page
Welcome to Magdalena Ridge Observatory (broken link)
Astronomy Club
NMT Astro Club - Etscorn Observatory (broken link)
Location in Socorro Etscorn Campus Observatory
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(chile rellenos)
The view from the top is spectacular and the stargazing amazing. It is just a really clear site. DH was saying they are hoping to refurbish the A-frame cabins at the top soon so people can camp up there 
