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My husband and I are considering a move to Taos, NM from Ozark, MO. I have visited several times and loved my experience but am not familiar with the area. I have looked at rentals in Talpa, Questa, and Arroyo Honda as well as in Taos. I'm looking for advice about these areas.
my husband makes his income from his computer so we aren't looking for employment.
We have areas of New Mexico which still do not have electricity (I just read in the paper a few days ago). But we do have areas with bad internet. So you might fully verify that before moving to a small town.
We will be bringing our Basset Hound along too. Are snakes, cacti, etc. problems for dogs?
Not normally a big issue, depends on you and your dog... If you like to turn'em loose to run through the desert for long periods, they may encounter some issues. (We have had well trained dogs for over 30 years). A few cactus, thorn, goathead encounters. A few coyote encounters with no consequence (Most of our dogs have been over 30/40 pounds).
We will be bringing our Basset Hound along too. Are snakes, cacti, etc. problems for dogs?
Cacti may well be a "problem" at first, but I've introduced a dog to a cactus infested area in AZ (Jumping Chollas... much worse than anything in NM) and she quickly learned to avoid them... and if she screwed up she'd whimper and hold up her paw, and I'd pull it out.
Dogs are pretty smart about snakes too... and I don't think there are many at high elevation. I've seen zero in 6 years.
One thing you will like about the woods here is how open and free of brambles and usually mosquitoes it is.
And the winter sunniness is wonderful.
About Taos being spiritual, there are certainly some interesting people and groups up there. But there are a lot of other things too. The cultural clash between Hispanic and Native residents and a lot of wealthy yuppies from CA and elsewhere is not always a happy one.
I would expect to take some time adjusting to the increased altitude. That can reduce your energy and result in headaches for some.
I go to high altitude to get rid of headaches. No kidding, we go to Northern New Mexico every year and I feel quite healthier there than this low area. Now, my husband gets nose bleeds for about a few days than all is well with him too. We're bee hikers and the first few days I do huff and puff but after than no problem and we usually stay in an area that is 8500 feet. He did not experience even nose bleeds in Taos which I believe is 6500 feet.
Personally, if this ranch would sell I'd move to Northern New Mexico in a heart beat.
I am also thinking of moving to NM from MO because of my migraines. I want to rent until I find out how the weather affects my head. What is the median range for renting? I currently live in Columbia, population about 85,000 and hoping for a smaller and more rural area. Appreciate any advice I can get. THANKS!
Mzurie-I did my Respiratory clinicals at St.Mary's and Capital Region Medical Center. At St.Mary's I did a week in the main hosptial and an additional week at St.Mary's Sleep Clinic. And now I'm doing a "hybrid" Respiratory Therapy job, doing both hospital Respiratory Therapy and Sleep Medicine for Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo.
Jeff.City has a good Hasting's book store I remember, too!
Susanwho - there is a good amount of rentals here ranging in price from about $400 a month to $800 a month for a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom house. We rent a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom house here in Alamo for $650 a month. We have about 1100 square feet. We have our 32 y/o son visiting us. We have a Pomeranian, Chow Chow, orange tabby cat and grey tabby cat, too.
There are lots of rentals available in town and lots of houses for sale,too. A short 16-mile drive up the hill to resort town Cloudcroft and the temperature drops from 100° to 80°. That's one really cool thing about living in Alamogordo. But you'll be fine if you have good A/C available.
We have the southwest's oldest zoo, in operation since 1898, the Alameda Park Zoo. We have a new 10-screen movie theater, an IMAX Theater, Space Museum, the New Mexico School for the Blind, an extension of New Mexico State University, a mall, etc.
The population of Alamogordo is approximately 37,000. Las Cruces, a city of 99,000 people, lies about 70 miles west. El Paso, TX, is 90 miles south. Roswell, NM, is about 125 miles NE.
@Elkotronics - that is so funny! Was Coffee Zone open when you were in JC? (I know Susanwho has got to be familiar with same in Columbia) .... IMNSHO, I think Rocket Fuel is best coffee pretty much anywhere.
.... as you know, I also like Alamogordo, but in case Susanwho was looking for a place with some elevation, I was thinking along the lines of Ruidoso (~7000 feet), though at 8000 population (sure seems larger than this), might be *too* small, though it's got a lot of amenities due to the tourist traffic.
Las Vegas, NM, is another possibility at 6450 feet, and it has the advantage of being closer to interstate for all four directions, and is just generally in a good geographic location for seeing other parts of NM. ... also it's a long, but doable one-day trip to Columbia from Las Vegas.
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