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Actually, Morris County has its own restaurant culture, and we love being waited on and no cleanup, etc. when we do go out, (I could get used to that) But, here its a budget buster (and a diet buster as well, but that's another story) We'd feel differently, I know, if we lived in "High Cost of Living" SF.
> Just a little math I did the other day .... from my house
> to the St. Michael's McDonalds in Santa Fe = 27 Miles.
> 27 miles = about $5.50 worth of gas in my car.
> Typical cost of eating at McDonlads = $7.00.
> Yeah that's right .... $12.50 - $13.00 for one person
> to get some McDonalds if you live in Eldorado.
No, that's *not* right.
The cost of driving is not just gas. Every time you start
your car, it costs you money. Youi just made the day
you get a new starter that much closer. (*)
Gasoline isn't even 50% of the cost of driving a car -
per mile - until it reaches something like $4-5/gallon.
Driving a car in the cold weather is hard on it. (**)
Figure 50 cents a mile to operate a vehicle. Slightly
less for a 30 mpg Civic and slightly more for a 10 mpg
guzzler. At $1.75/gallon, I calculate that you have a
vehicle that (you calculate) gets about 17 mpg.
The drive cost you about $25.
> Not to mention the terrible waste of time, ....
Since I put a price on my time unless I am walking,
I'd add another $20 to the cost of that drive.
(*) that's why when I *do* go out shopping, if applicable,
__ I'll park one place and walk a half-mile or so to another
__ place rather than start the car and drive a few blocks
__ only to park again.
(**) I also combine trips as much as possible to avoid
___ driving a 'cold' car.
hi ~ i found a place to rent in Eldorado that may work well for me (spoke with the landlord by phone) and am considering a trip to look closer. I have some health issues that make travel really difficult and I dont want to waste the landlords time. So, I was wondering if someone could help me a little ....
I get the idea that Eldorado is purely a bedroom community -- little to do there(at least with others), especially during the day when everyone is at work .. is this generally true? Also, I am a younger single guy and am guessing that Eldorado is made up mostly of married and retired couples .. true? Do those in Eldorado find it difficult to meet neighbors? I like the idea of the larger lots, but I am worried about being kinda lonely (you can probably tell). Finally, I have found that the NM Park and Ride has an am/pm commuter bus into Santa Fe (health issues prevent my driving right now), but the landlord with whom I spoke believes there is another bus that runs at other times during the day .. does anyone know about this other bus?
Oh, one more thing .. if anyone is familiar with the "rail trail" between Santa Fe and Eldorado, I would be grateful for a better understanding of the terrain (smoothness?) of the trail as well as the elevation change betwen the two locations. Is it passable during the winter months? Does it stay muddy long?
Thank you very much for any and all answers .. best wishes
You're right that Eldorado could be a lonely place for you. It's a beautiful place out here and the lot sizes are nice, but for a younger single guy it might not be a good fit. Without kids in the school, or a dog to take to the park, it can be difficult to meet your neighbors. A lot of people move out here to "get away from it all" and it's been my experience that that sentiment can extend to one's next door neighbor.
The bus service is free from here but relatively limited compared to living in town. The website with the Eldorado route and schedule can be found here:
North Central Regional District (http://ncrtd.sks.com/content.asp?CustComKey=370329&CategoryKey=370452&p n=Page&DomName=ncrtd.sks.com - broken link)
Given your health issues and the fact you can't drive, I would suggest you look for something in the neighborhoods closer to town. There are plenty of nice neighborhoods with a friendly neighborhood feel off of roads like Rodeo and Zia. Perhaps take a look around there. Not knowing what your health issues are, it may be safer to live closer to town and consequently closer to neighbors that may be more inclined to look out for one another.
I'll bet the next post after mine will be from Towanda. She's a long time proponent of Eldorado and more knowledgeable about Santa Fe than I am. Honestly, Eldorado isn't for me (40 years old, married, no kids) but it's perfect for Towanda. I hope she responds with her thoughts.
Actually plenty of folks will weigh in with their thoughts. A lot of people have strong feelings about life out here. It is gorgeous out here, amazing sunsets, beautiful night skies, and it's sooooo quiet.
I'm not Towanda, but must agree with above post. Rural living in NM would be rough without personal transportation. Counting on the bus service requires much planning than many of us are not accustomed to. El Dorado is a beautiful community, but a single guy without wheels might find it very lonely. I suggest you live in town and enjoy all the ammenities a single person would enjoy.
Hi VT2NM and domino ~ thanks a lot for your replies .. they are greatly appreciated and generally what I had guessed. I do really like the idea of quiet, beautiful and "get away from it all" that you mention and the landlord with whom I spoke has a great rental for me, but I think the location might not really work -- in town Santa Fe might be a better choice .. if only the bus to Eldorado ran a few more times throughout the day (lol). I am still hoping to make a trip to Santa Fe in the next couple of weeks, but thanks for narrowing it down a bit for me so I didn't waste the landlords time. Of course, any more input is greatly appreciated .. thanks again and best wishes.
dgoboy,
glad I (we) could help. Yes, the bus thing is a bummer. Keep looking, there are so many neighborhoods "in town." I'd be surprised if you couldn't find one that would best suit your needs.
Hi Dgoboy204,
I lived in Eldorado 8 years, left NM for five years and now back but living in Santa Fe. I miss the views but not the driving. I've lived in my current house in SF for only 7 months and I know more of my neighbors than I ever did living 8 years in Eldorado. I'm also single and find living in town much easier for making friends. It's funny because people in SF think Eldorado is so far out there yet think nothing of driving to ABQ for a day. A friend (and neighbor) goes to ABQ regularly but told me Eldorado was too far to go for a hike. She lived out there years ago and didn't like it because she felt cut off--she was an artist working from her home. Since I worked all day in SF I didn't feel quite like that--enjoyed the quiet once I got home but I tended not to do as much socially because of having to drive back into town. Can't imagine living there without being able to drive.
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specific Eldorado q's
She lived out there years ago and didn't like it because she felt cut off--she was an artist working from her home. Since I worked all day in SF I didn't feel quite like that--enjoyed the quiet once I got home but I tended not to do as much socially because of having to drive back into town. Can't imagine living there without being able to drive.
