So, the fun break between the last lay-off and the new career have been fun. I did some work on the AZ Trail and some other great mountain bike areas, I taught driving skills in Flagstaff and I took a lot of fun cheap trips!
I've been in Albuquerque for about a week now and I've enjoyed the cooler weather and exploring as much of the town as I can. So, out here I am flying solo while D holds down the fort in AZ and works on fighting her Lupus and seeing lots of doctors. So, here are some pics of this little town that I've already started to really like.
Never overload your vehicle! (do as I say, not as I do!)
In the end it worked and even drove "decently." If decently includes paying 100% attention to a truck that wants to drive off the road at anything over 70MPH.
The famous Hotel El Rancho in Gallup. Such a random place for a neat old hotel.
So far the food here in ABQ is fantastic. All of New Mexico really. There are more unique restaurants around than chains! That is a big change from Phoenix where it's taken me years to find the great places to eat.
Heck, even the roach coaches look tasty here! Haha.
There are bike paths all over this town. Here is the path over the Rio Grande river.
New Mexico is old. Much of it is older than "old" Mexico. The old town in Santa Fe and Albuquerque is Spaniard old. I love the old areas in both towns.
Here is Old Town Albuquerque.
Along the Rio Grande is a beautiful old area filled with mansions. These irrigation canals run through the whole area.
Check out the old saddle at the top of this gateway.
Ridgecrest street in Albuquerque is home to some of the most beautiful homes in town. It's green and every time I ride my bike along it I see people walking, biking and generally enjoying the day.
Just behind the main street of Central (Route 66) are a couple one way streets that are quiet and have a nice big bike lane. These are the kind of streets I could get into road riding along without too much fear of being hit!
Along the Rio Grande is a paved cycling path as well as a nice dirt path. I am getting a cyclocross bike so I can enjoy either one!!
Sure it's not the nicest view in ABQ, but I still dug it. Sort of neat.
The cement bike path along the river.
This area is around Nob Hill. Nob Hill is the coolest area in ABQ in my opinion so far. Lots of food, breweries, bike shops (motorcycles and bikes) and lots of outdoor people. What's not to love!
There are some nice old houses in down town ABQ.
So many remnants of the great highway, Route 66.
There are a couple of insane houses right next to each other in Nob Hill. I have no idea what the builder/designer/Architect was thinking, but I still like it!
Here are some shots of Route 66 and the surrounding area. I love riding my bike over there to grab a beer or just take pics.
An old vinyl record shop. Nice to see them still around.
Nice bike shop.
Great old truck.
Well, with that I'm enjoying this funky little town. To put it into perspective, the entire state of New Mexico which is about as big as Arizona, only has a population equal to well under half the population of my current home of Phoenix.
Albuquerque is the biggest city in this state and it's even less populated than Tucson, by a lot. This makes for a state with tons of open public land to explore and I can't wait to do it.
This state has more PHD's per capita than any other. Mostly that's because of the Sandia Labs in Los Alamos since sadly, New Mexico also has one of the worst education systems in the US.
The city of Albuquerque is higher than Denver! Surprising considering that most people, including me, thought of it as a slightly higher desert than Tucson.
All of this does little to tell you anything about this state or town. Because of that, I'm just going to take it as I see and feel it.
By the way, I've never had such good food or beer. There is a bar with many local brews on every corner. Speaking of that, I have somewhere I need to be!
In the end it worked and even drove "decently." If decently includes paying 100% attention to a truck that wants to drive off the road at anything over 70MPH.
The famous Hotel El Rancho in Gallup. Such a random place for a neat old hotel.
So far the food here in ABQ is fantastic. All of New Mexico really. There are more unique restaurants around than chains! That is a big change from Phoenix where it's taken me years to find the great places to eat.
Heck, even the roach coaches look tasty here! Haha.
There are bike paths all over this town. Here is the path over the Rio Grande river.
New Mexico is old. Much of it is older than "old" Mexico. The old town in Santa Fe and Albuquerque is Spaniard old. I love the old areas in both towns.
Here is Old Town Albuquerque.
Along the Rio Grande is a beautiful old area filled with mansions. These irrigation canals run through the whole area.
Check out the old saddle at the top of this gateway.
Ridgecrest street in Albuquerque is home to some of the most beautiful homes in town. It's green and every time I ride my bike along it I see people walking, biking and generally enjoying the day.
Just behind the main street of Central (Route 66) are a couple one way streets that are quiet and have a nice big bike lane. These are the kind of streets I could get into road riding along without too much fear of being hit!
Along the Rio Grande is a paved cycling path as well as a nice dirt path. I am getting a cyclocross bike so I can enjoy either one!!
Sure it's not the nicest view in ABQ, but I still dug it. Sort of neat.
The cement bike path along the river.
This area is around Nob Hill. Nob Hill is the coolest area in ABQ in my opinion so far. Lots of food, breweries, bike shops (motorcycles and bikes) and lots of outdoor people. What's not to love!
There are some nice old houses in down town ABQ.
So many remnants of the great highway, Route 66.
There are a couple of insane houses right next to each other in Nob Hill. I have no idea what the builder/designer/Architect was thinking, but I still like it!
Here are some shots of Route 66 and the surrounding area. I love riding my bike over there to grab a beer or just take pics.
An old vinyl record shop. Nice to see them still around.
Nice bike shop.
Great old truck.
Well, with that I'm enjoying this funky little town. To put it into perspective, the entire state of New Mexico which is about as big as Arizona, only has a population equal to well under half the population of my current home of Phoenix.
Albuquerque is the biggest city in this state and it's even less populated than Tucson, by a lot. This makes for a state with tons of open public land to explore and I can't wait to do it.
This state has more PHD's per capita than any other. Mostly that's because of the Sandia Labs in Los Alamos since sadly, New Mexico also has one of the worst education systems in the US.
The city of Albuquerque is higher than Denver! Surprising considering that most people, including me, thought of it as a slightly higher desert than Tucson.
All of this does little to tell you anything about this state or town. Because of that, I'm just going to take it as I see and feel it.
By the way, I've never had such good food or beer. There is a bar with many local brews on every corner. Speaking of that, I have somewhere I need to be!
I miss you and our new town!!! So much exploring to do in such a small town!!!! The rest of our life awaits you and me and the New Mexico mountains will be calling<3 I will hold the fort down in Phoenix!!!
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