Calling all avid NM sight-see-ers! (Alamogordo, Carlsbad: places to eat, rated, properties)

[caydriver]

A little OT catman, but was in Burleson a couple of weeks ago visiting a friend who buys and sells game ranches. Talk about heat and humidity! I can see why you like NM!

[catman]

It was relatively comfortable a couple of weeks ago. Last week was much worse, with 4 of 5 days going over 100 degrees with all the humidity intact. It may get hot in Alamogordo, but I doubt that it would bother me much since it is so much drier. And most important, it cools off at night. Two nights ago, it was 83 at 3 AM.

The dry climate isn't the only thing I like about NM, although it's one of the biggies!

[Fischer_girl]

Wow! What an incredible vacation! After we were somewhere an hour south of ABQ I informed my husband that we were not, in fact, going to the SF Rodeo. (Alison..did you go? How was it??) We did stop at the Bosque. As someone said there weren't a ton of critters but we did see Pelicans and that was enough for me. I miss them tons since we moved from Florida! We also saw a coyote and other things.
We also stopped by for some of the home made fudge. Certainly worth the stop!! Sledding in White Sands was pretty incredible. I must admit though... climbing up the dunes after sledding done is much more difficult than doing it in the snow!! And, as you all warned, it was smokin hot! A bank sign in Carlsbad read 112 degress although I think that was a bit off. We stayed the night in Alamogordo. Dispited the fact that I had the route all planned out...our GPS wanted us to go through El Paso to get to the Carlsbad Caverns. Not sure if that was a good idea or not..but we just went with it. The Caverns were pretty cool...but I was super disappointed to to find out that all the guided tours were booked. If you're going...make reservations! I thought our self guided tour got repetitious but we rented the little talking remote to help with the tour..that was pretty cool. So...we walked in the caverns for THREE hours... only to find out that their two largest elevators that take 16 people each were shut down! The line to the elevators was HUGE and we waited exaclt 1 hour ten minutes to get on the elevator to get out of the cave. I was pretty torked... I realize things happen, but it would have been nice to know that was the case before we decided to enter the cave. Alteast it was only $6/person! However, but the time we got out..we were both too tired and hungry to wait around for the bat flight. I had really wanted to do that..but we needed to head to Ruidoso before we fell asleep.
We had a tough time finding a room in Ruidoso. Actually.. I had no idea how big that place really was..and mainly checked out the hotels near the downs, therefore wound up paying more for a room there than we did for our spa suite in Alamogordo! Oh well, the outdoor heated pool was pretty great. We did Disco Taco the next day. Ohhh my gosh now THAT was what I have been looking for! Maybe we can get them to open on in Santa Fe? Yum! And there is nothing like a cold bottled coke!
The Downs were wonderful. We hit it big. I mean..REAL big. $2! Ha! But I did make $78 off a buck at the casino. We didn't leave until late and the weather was getting funky so that was our last stop. Well....aside from making a return to the homemade fudge place in San Antonio, that is! However.... Valley of Fires was pretty impressive even from the road..and I am now convinced..absolutely convinced that I want to live in Ruidoso. What an incredibly beautiful place! WOW!!! And thank GOD we don't have a racetrack (anymore) in SF..that could get addicting real quick!
Thank you guys a ton ton ton for helping me make this trip a success. I even told Disco Taco about how I found out about that place. How would we find all these great "holes in the wall" places without sharing like this? Thank you thank you!!! And..I already forgot the name, but I will certainly check into the other place someone just mentioned that is N of SF!
Hope you all have an incredible 4th of July and here are just a few photos from our trip!




My husband and I celebrating our anniversary at the ABQ tramway!


Sunset at the tramway in ABQ.


White Sands!!


Sledding at White Sands! (sleds were $20 rental)


Near Carlsbad, NM.


Between Rosewell and Ruidoso.


Ruidoso Downs! (I made $2 off that leader) ha

[catman]

Fischer_girl: Great photos! They make me ache to visit NM again. That tramway photo in particular is gorgeous. It should be on a NM calendar.

I don't think you needed to go through El Paso to get to Carlsbad Caverns from Carlsbad! As I recall, they are near Whites City. Yes, it is really hot around Carlsbad.

I've stopped at Valley of Fires before...it is impressive. That's the most lava/obsidian I've ever seen. Also, I well remember that butte between Roswell and Ruidoso that you photographed.

There is some mighty nice stuff around Santa Fe to see, too, although since you live there it's nothing new. Ruidoso is a nice place, but it's awfully touristy. The place is full of Texans (like me). It has a wonderful climate, though.

Glad you had such a good time (mostly).

[JDTH]

Originally Posted by Fischer_girl

We had a tough time finding a room in Ruidoso. Actually.. I had no idea how big that place really was..and mainly checked out the hotels near the downs, therefore wound up paying more for a room there than we did for our spa suite in Alamogordo! Oh well, the outdoor heated pool was pretty great. We did Disco Taco the next day. Ohhh my gosh now THAT was what I have been looking for! Maybe we can get them to open on in Santa Fe? Yum! And there is nothing like a cold bottled coke!

The Downs were wonderful. We hit it big. I mean..REAL big. $2! Ha! But I did make $78 off a buck at the casino. We didn't leave until late and the weather was getting funky so that was our last stop.

Thank you guys a ton ton ton for helping me make this trip a success. I even told Disco Taco about how I found out about that place. How would we find all these great "holes in the wall" places without sharing like this? Thank you thank you!!!

Fischer_girl

Glad to know you had a great time. If you were at the Downs on Sunday, I am pretty sure I was right there with you taking pictures at the rail. I took a lot of pictures at the rail as the horses were running by. http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-m...ml#post9564903

I'm glad you liked Disco Taco. Sometimes it is hard to recommend a hole in the wall, because everybody's tastes are different.

As far as Ruidoso goes, we just love it. We had never been there before August 2006 and within a day and a half my wife had a real estate agent. We purchased a small place in February 2007. If you ever need a place to stay check out Page 1. Almost as cheap as a hotel with full kitchen, spa, cable TV and high speed internet. Bring some friends as there are two bedrooms.

If you want to know more about Ruidoso send me a DM.

I hope hubby liked his surprise.

[Fischer_girl]

Originally Posted by JDTH

Fischer_girl

Glad to know you had a great time. If you were at the Downs on Sunday, I am pretty sure I was right there with you taking pictures at the rail. I took a lot of pictures at the rail as the horses were running by. http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-m...ml#post9564903

I'm glad you liked Disco Taco. Sometimes it is hard to recommend a hole in the wall, because everybody's tastes are different.

As far as Ruidoso goes, we just love it. We had never been there before August 2006 and within a day and a half my wife had a real estate agent. We purchased a small place in February 2007. If you ever need a place to stay check out Page 1. Almost as cheap as a hotel with full kitchen, spa, cable TV and high speed internet. Bring some friends as there are two bedrooms.

If you want to know more about Ruidoso send me a DM.

I hope hubby liked his surprise.

Whoa for weird. Who woulda thought some of us could be at the same place at the same time, taking pictures? I just can't get over that place.

For now we'll have to check out some of these places around SF. We never did get to do Bandalier yet... and later in the year once it starts to cool off I'd like to do Ojo or something along those lines.

For now...I'll spend my days dreaming of Ruidoso and Disco Taco!

[Cathy4017]

Glad you had a good trip, and thanks for sharing the pictures!!

I can't imagine sledding down the dunes in 95+ degree weather, LOL!!!

I'm headed to Ruidoso sometime after the 5th!

[Poncho_NM]

Fischer girl:

Good job! Thanks for sharing.


Rich

[Fischer_girl]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

Glad you had a good trip, and thanks for sharing the pictures!!

I can't imagine sledding down the dunes in 95+ degree weather, LOL!!!

I'm headed to Ruidoso sometime after the 5th!

If nothing else, the heat was simply exhausting. There was a sunset stroll scheduled at White Sands for later that evening..and all my husband and I could think of was milk shakes and getting to the hotel pool! lol. Besides, its one of those, do it just to say you did, kinda things!

On the 5th, I hope you hit up Disco taco. A pork taco and a bottle of coke for me, please!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Fischer_girl

If nothing else, the heat was simply exhausting. There was a sunset stroll scheduled at White Sands for later that evening..and all my husband and I could think of was milk shakes and getting to the hotel pool! lol. Besides, its one of those, do it just to say you did, kinda things!

On the 5th, I hope you hit up Disco taco. A pork taco and a bottle of coke for me, please!

I'll be going sometime after the 5th, to look at a couple of properties, if I get my questions answered! I'm debating Disco Taco or Casa Blanca....

I imagine it will probably be Tues or so......I doubt that the heat here was any worse than what you had in FL!!