Considering moving to Santa Fe: Advice? (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: camps, live, restaurant)

[Devin Bent]

It almost seems wrong to post on topic here, but I was thinking more about the when to pull the trigger question.

I suspect (and SFS can correct me if I'm wrong) that for dollar value per square foot you go into southern city and county rather than northern where various factors (including barriers to further growth) have driven up prices.

But something similar may happen in the south, driving up prices, and we may see this happen fairly soon. The barrier to further growth will be water -- not that people with water will lose it -- but that it is already harder to get permission to drill a well or to get new subdivisions improved.

In addition, it looks more and more like a new film studio is coming into the south with several hundred decent paying jobs -- maybe some high paid ones. And of course, new jobs create others in support. And you throw in a continuing population growth of Santa Fe.

Demand goes up -- supply is constricted both north and south. What happens??

(I know -- more people move to Rio Rancho -- but other than that.)

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by Dancingearth

Towanda - when do you move here permanently? Isn't it soon? I think all us CD'ers need to meet on Canyon Road and do the art walk one of these Friday nights.

We are leaving here on May 16 ... and should arrive in Santa Fe sometime on Saturday, May 17. Then I will finally be home!!!

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by Towanda

I was going to post that information on the National Parks Senior Pass, but I see you have already done it.

We were at Bandelier in February, and we inquired about getting the passes, but I still had two months to go to my 62nd birthday. I'm there now, so when we get to NM we will get our passes! It's an awesome deal.

No question about it, the NP Senior Pass is one of the good things about getting older. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be younger, but you can't be younger, so as long as you're getting older anyway might as well have a few good deals! It's not even $10 a year. It's $10 one time! Wow! (It's interesting to see you and I are nearly same age, and DE a few behind us and not catching up.

Originally Posted by Dancingearth

Lovehouse--Another reason for Santa Fe is the art walks on Friday night. If you like looking (sorry—too lazy to post it under artist towns where you said “….it's fun to look at art even if you aren't buying it.”) Not only are the walks up Canyon Road fun for looking at art but also a great people watching and listening place.

It's Lovehound, LH or Greg. The art walks would be just my thing. Not only fun, not only meet people, but get healthy exercise too.

Originally Posted by Dancingearth

Yes, I want my own personal kiva. Now you are sounding like a water sign. Birthday in a few months…Cancer? My son dug up some arrowheads in PA – we lived along a trail to the jasper mines. We found out there was a trail going through the woods by our house when we took the arrowheads to a museum to ask what they were. He always liked digging outside and finding things.

Birth sign, think dangerous tail and right at home in the desert, but I'm not an astrology believer. BTW I know many in NM do not approve of picking up Indian artifacts. That's why I pointed out that I picked up my arrowheads in California, and did that in the '50s and '60s before archaeological considerations became commonly known. And I can't go put them back, can I?

I've got some fascinating stuff in my collection, tons of average arrowheads, a nice selection of perfect bird points, beads, awls, scrapers, spear heads and even what I think is a blade for a flint knife. It's amazing to look at all this stuff.

Originally Posted by Dancingearth

I want to make my house that I designed in a clay model. I really like territorial style with the red metal roof and front porch going across the entire front of the house. When people ask me where I'm from I typically answer “I was born in Michigan and now I’m from here.”

I am seriously jealous of you 62 yr olds—senior pass for free admission to the National Parks. Which reminds me of another thing I like about Santa Fe. Because it is a tourist town, there are a lot of free things to do and volunteer activities to get things free—great for retirees.

Yeah, I was thinking of volunteering. When/if I move to S.F. I won't know a single person there, unless I include you folks I've met on C-D. (My nearest relatives are in Las Vegas NV and in Tempe AZ.) I'm single, so I'm going to have a serious social isolation problem, and very early on I'm going to have to get into social activities where I can meet new friends. I probably will try volunteering too, maybe not commit myself but at least try things out to see if I like them. I expect there's a Sierra Club chapter in SF, and I'll go on their hikes too.

Originally Posted by Dancingearth

[Lovehound: “By the way, I carry a folding cot on my camping trips, pitch my tent, then put the cot inside and sleeping bag on top. It's far more comfortable and I never worry about having the critters join me in bed.” ]

I’ve heard that mice and snakes can climb When I needed a new bed I commissioned a carpenter friend to make me a medieval Norwegian bed that would come apart thinking I could use it at home and take it to rendezvous to get me off the ground but it’s too heavy. I have a thick foam pad for camping that my son use to complain about taking because it’s bulky (and my eight wool blankets and sleeping bag I told him it’s important that I can sleep or I won’t want to go and I never heard another word. I would like to find a cot but so far haven’t found one that I find comfortable—I like being able to turn over and move around – that U shape is annoying. I’ve heard they’ve improved so I’ll have to look before going in June.

I use a larger steel frame version of cot that is folding but larger and sturdier than the usual aluminum frame camping cots. I drive a 4Runner SUV and have a car top cargo carrier that allows extra room for bulky items. I also use a comforter underneath the sleeping bag to make it more comfortable. Finally, note that a good cot is made with canvas that is suspended all the way around with springs. The type with nylon and no springs is not as comfortable.

Originally Posted by Dancingearth

Towanda - when do you move here permanently? Isn't it soon? I think all us CD'ers need to meet on Canyon Road and do the art walk one of these Friday nights.

Lunchtime--going to walk to the studio and see if any new pieces have come out of the kiln.

If I move to S.F. I'll surely be interested in meeting some CD'ers perhaps on that Canyon Road art walk. As I said, it will be difficult for me with no friends, no relatives, and no work colleagues within several hundred miles. And by then I should know several Santa Fe CD'ers pretty well as online friends.

Has anybody heard anything about clubs where you periodically have dinner at one member's house (in rotation) where the host cooks dinner and shares the recipes with the other members? Each member eventually does the host thing and cooks dinner for everybody. I know I want to meet other cooking enthusiasts in town because I want to learn to cook New Mexico style!

[Towanda]

Dancingearth~~I love the Friday night Canyon Rd. walk idea for CDers.

Devin ~ You in?

Santafescribe?

Who else here is in Santa Fe?

ABQers could drive up for it!

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

It almost seems wrong to post on topic here, but I was thinking more about the when to pull the trigger question.

I suspect (and SFS can correct me if I'm wrong) that for dollar value per square foot you go into southern city and county rather than northern where various factors (including barriers to further growth) have driven up prices.

But something similar may happen in the south, driving up prices, and we may see this happen fairly soon. The barrier to further growth will be water -- not that people with water will lose it -- but that it is already harder to get permission to drill a well or to get new subdivisions improved.

In addition, it looks more and more like a new film studio is coming into the south with several hundred decent paying jobs -- maybe some high paid ones. And of course, new jobs create others in support. And you throw in a continuing population growth of Santa Fe.

Demand goes up -- supply is constricted both north and south. What happens??

(I know -- more people move to Rio Rancho -- but other than that.)

Stating the obvious, demand up and supply constricted, prices go up. Prices are going to go up anyway, if for no other reason than prices will continue up all over the nation, and also the dollar is inflating and losing its value.

[Dancingearth]

Originally Posted by Towanda

Dancingearth~~I love the Friday night Canyon Rd. walk idea for CDers.

Devin ~ You in?

Santafescribe?

Who else here is in Santa Fe?

ABQers could drive up for it!

Sounds like a good welcome home party to me!

[Dancingearth]

I can't figure out the multiple quote thing so I put my own. "It's Lovehound, LH or Greg. " Sorry--caught my typing error too late to change it. My mind goes faster than my fingers.

"BTW I know many in NM do not approve of picking up Indian artifacts. That's why I pointed out that I picked up my arrowheads in California, and did that in the '50s and '60s before archaeological considerations became commonly known. And I can't go put them back, can I?"

I believe it is illegal here - also why I said I put the shards back. I have things that were given to me from who knows where or I didn't know you shouldn't pick up that stuff although it was on my private land in PA - don't know the rules for that.

There is a Sierra Club here--I haven't gone because I'm concerned about the length of the hikes--need to get in better shape before going with a group--most of them are pretty long hikes with lots of elevation gain. I use to go when I lived here before and made some good friends through it. Also taking classes is a good way--the clay studio has been wonderful for having contact with others while doing something fun. I started over with friends--the only ones I still have from when I lived here before live 50 miles away. It's made it difficult because I left very good friends in WA. Just takes time, getting out, and patience.

Thanks for the tips on what to look for in a cot.

There are cooking classes in town, maybe check with them about the cooking clubs.

[Towanda]

I remember years ago when we were young and we lived in ABQ, we dug up a few prickly pear cactus out near Madrid in an open land area. Later my husband's cousin in Santa Fe told him it was illegal to dig up plants from public or private land. We felt bad about it.

Is that still a law I wonder?

[ziaAirmac]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

...Airmac, I think your daughters will become campers if you take them camping often and do it every year until they become adults and move out. (Hope it's not too late for that.)...ended up I spent almost three weeks on that trip! Since then I've fallen in love with all the four corners states,

Well, the good news is they're still in diapers, so I still have a chance to do it right. You're right though. When I thought about it, my mom used to love to fish on the Pecos river and would take us all the time to fish and camp. It didn't take long before fresh caught pan-fried trout around the camp had me a camper for life. Love the story about your solo camping trip. My wife did the same thing after she finished her degree. Did a loop of the US from PA solo. Fell in love with NM (lucky for me) enough to come back for her internship and never left.

By the way, I carry a folding cot on my camping trips, pitch my tent, then put the cot inside and sleeping bag on top. It's far more comfortable and I never worry about having the critters join me in bed.

Where's the fun in that?

[Xavious Orgus]

Age is just a number! You are only as old as you think!!

Lovehound, there is nothing wrong with being single and I sure would not worry about meeting people! You seem like an easy going, positive and interesting person and won't have any trouble finding new friends!!

I too will be starting fresh when I move to SF and I can't wait for the new adventure!! Sure there will be people I miss (don't know if I will be missed), but they can always come visit me.


The fountain of youth is a healthy diet, lot's of water and exercise! Oh and I have found a few other things over the years, that seem to work quite well.