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Mark can you comment as to what is going on there??? MY suspicion would be drugs trafficed to Alb.???
It's on the interstate, so yeah, there are drugs there. But it isn't like Capone-era Chicago or anything.
I just think it's an icky town. It's a retirement community, so there just isn't much there. A grocery store, a few restaurants, and some small shops and stuff. Last I heard, even the movie theatre had closed (though it has bene 3 years since I was last there). Lots and lots of trailer parks. And the area is not only hot, hot, hot desert, to me it just looks downright burned. The hills outside of town are bare dirt and rock. The heat there for at least 8 months out of the year is just brutal. And flies like you wouldn't believe.
It is definitely a cheap place to live, but that's the nicest thing I can say about it.
And the area is not only hot, hot, hot desert, to me it just looks downright burned. The hills outside of town are bare dirt and rock. The heat there for at least 8 months out of the year is just brutal. And flies like you wouldn't believe..
We used to jet ski there all the time - the heat made it all the more fun to fall off the jetski into that blissful 85 degree water LOL!
I have no real beef with T or C as a vacation spot - don't know as I would live there all year round tho.
We used to jet ski there all the time - the heat made it all the more fun to fall off the jetski into that blissful 85 degree water LOL!
I have no real beef with T or C as a vacation spot - don't know as I would live there all year round tho.
Lots of people go to Elephant Butte in the summer. Why? I have no idea. Yes, it is a great big lake. But it is surrounded by the most barren, burnt wasteland you've ever seen. No trees to speak of. No shade. If you go, coat yourself in 200 sunblock and hide under a sheet.
I had concern about the sandy winds in Alamogordo since my husband has severe lung damage from agent orange. how often do they blow. Is Alamogoro pretty. I even wonder how dangerous the air pollution is in Silver City?
Wonder if there are better areas in Texas too.
That would definately be a concern then. Alamogordo has a lot of sandy soil and the winds do get whipping in the winter months - mainly in Dec and Jan.
Those are days that pretty much everyone stays inside if they can.
I never had sand intrude into the hotel when we stayed down there, and we were less than 3 miles from White Sands.
Alamogordo is kind of like Phoenix in topography, it is located in the Tularosa basin and is surrounded by 10,000+ foot mountains on two sides. If you are looking for green trees and lush pastures you will have to go to Cloudcroft and Ruidoso, which do get winter and those towns may be tough on DH because they are 9,000 feet up in elevation. He would have to talk to a doctor about the elevation issue. He may feel right at home in Alamogordo as it is a military town, and it attracts a lot of military retirees.
I have bad allergies which cause me asthma and I am sufferng in PA right now. In NM I rarely had any allergy problems, even when the dust was kicking. I believe that they recommend that people stay inside on days where the wind is going to be persistant. By no means is Alamogordo as windy as West Texas or Eastern NM though. Not even close.
I would recommend going down there to visit and see if you find the area attractive. Everyone has their own idea of what is "pretty" and for me, Alamogordo fits the bill nicely.
I don't have any pictures of the town, just pictures of White Sands NM.
According to what I can find, Alamogordo has a population of about 10,000. Is that still true? Would there be any general employment there such as motel clerk, casher in a convenience store, etc? DH will be semi-retiring soon and we're looking for the perfect spot.
Would Las Cruces be a better choice? I like the idea of a population of about 75,000, but with the metro it appears to be about 175,000 which is a bit more populated then we're searching for. Do you have any pics of either city?
For employment, look at the USAF base at Holloman. There should be grocery clerk jobs there or jobs at their hotel. They will offer the BEST benefits for the area.
Aside from that, there are lots of stores in Alamogordo and hotels as well. I would go for the government jobs first though. Check out usajobs.com to see what may be out there. If that does not show any, go to afpc.randolph.af.mil and look for civilian jobs in NM.
Here is a link to the CC of Alamogordo. They have a picture book:
Population of 35K sounds about right. They were an All American city 2005 finalist BTW.
Las Cuces has 82K people. It is a pretty big city and is sprawled out. There are more qualified medical facilities in Cruces, it is a bit hotter in Cruces and the town is not as attractive as Alamogordo (IMO). But it has easier access to Alb. and it has been ranked as one of the best places in the US to retire.
Here are some pics of Cruces. They are pretty nice! The mountains you see are the western mountains of the Tularosa Valley. They are quite tall - looks are decieving when you are in NM . It is about an hour from Cruces to Alamogordo on Rte 70, assuming the highway is not closed for exercises at White Sands Missile Range.
Lots of people go to Elephant Butte in the summer. Why? I have no idea. Yes, it is a great big lake. But it is surrounded by the most barren, burnt wasteland you've ever seen. No trees to speak of. No shade. If you go, coat yourself in 200 sunblock and hide under a sheet.
LMAO! Mark, have you ever gone north on the highway and done the loop back around to Alamogordo??? Past the lava fields? Now THAT is brunt we got sunburn driving in our CAR that day LOL!
The lake is a blast. If you have not been there, give it a shot one day - maybe in October when it is less brutal. Water Adventure has their own jetski rentals and they are off the marina on the North side of the lake - more affordable with their rentals. Great fishing there too if that is your thing.
LMAO! Mark, have you ever gone north on the highway and done the loop back around to Alamogordo??? Past the lava fields? Now THAT is brunt
I have. Great place to visit. I wouldn't live there, but it's definitely fun to see. It would make a great setting for a sci-fi movie. If you need a landscape that looks as if it has been blasted by nuclear warfare, you got it there. You wouldn't even need any special effects.
Quote:
Originally Posted by winnie
The lake is a blast. If you have not been there, give it a shot one day - maybe in October when it is less brutal. Water Adventure has their own jetski rentals and they are off the marina on the North side of the lake - more affordable with their rentals. Great fishing there too if that is your thing.
I love lakes, but if I'm going to go, I want some trees. There are much better lakes (even in NM) than Elephant Butte.
I love lakes, but if I'm going to go, I want some trees. There are much better lakes (even in NM) than Elephant Butte.
I had been to the lake at the Inn of the Mountain Gods - very nice! Can't beat the scenery - but no jetskiing!
Conchas Lake was ok -too windy and rocky for me tho, Red Rock state park outside of Roswell was a flop. And whatever lake was outside of Portales - I left that for the prarrie dogs, rattlesnakes and the locals LOL!
Where else is there for good lakes up there? I'd like to know for my next trip. Trees are optional for me.
And whatever lake was outside of Portales - I left that for the prarrie dogs, rattlesnakes and the locals LOL!
The closest thing Portales has to a lake is Oasis State Park, and really it is more of a pond. You can't take boats of any sort on it. Way too small. You can easily toss a rock all the way across it in most places.
Quote:
Originally Posted by winnie
Where else is there for good lakes up there? I'd like to know for my next trip. Trees are optional for me.
You might like Ute lake then. Not entirely treeless (not like Elephant Butte), but still rather barren. I got the worst sunburn I've ever had in my life there. Lots of fishing, jetskiing, waterskiing, etc. there.
I've heard good things about Storrie Lake, but its proximity to Las Vegas would make me nervous.
Eagle Nest is probably my favorite lake in the state.
On post #11, are you talking about TorC? If so, I won’t even bother looking at it. Also, you mentioned that alamogordo looks like it has been blasted away. It doesn’t sound nice either. Like I said earlier, I think all of the great places in nm are where it snows. Any places with just a little snow?
Jammie,
It is good that you have the same questions. My husband and I are retired too. If we had all the money in the world I would move back to San Luis Obispo, CA, well, maybe I would move to Costa Rica. Ha.
Keep me informed on what you learn. You may find the right place for us, or I for you both.
Winnie,
How often do the winds whip around in dec and jan in alamogordo? My husband loves the outdoors and like I said, has bad lungs.
Does anyone know how hazardous the air is in Silver City? I mean are there serious health problems as a result of living there?
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. It is about an hour from Cruces to Alamogordo on Rte 70, assuming the highway is not closed for exercises at White Sands Missile Range.
