Road trip to Albuquerque next week

[LoboGunLeather]

Driving from southern Colorado to Albuquerque, New Mexico next Thursday 8-22-19. Will be there through Saturday 8-24-19. Just a few days of R&R following wrist & shoulder surgery this month and the upcoming eye surgeries next month.

No real itinerary or plans. Haven't spent much time in Albq in a long time. Probably check out the museums and local history stuff. Certainly plan on enjoying some good New Mexico cooking!

Any forum members who would like to get together for lunch or a few cervezas, just let me know how to get in touch. First round is always on me.

Suggestions for good eating spots are always welcome, too.

 

[mikey52]

About 10 or 12 miles west of town is the Route 66 casino, on I-40. I have not been there in 3 years, but I imagine their buffet is still outstanding. Wife and I have eaten there a dozen times over the past 6 years and always great food. It is in a class, way above the buffet food that most casinos, around the country serve. Check their website to see what nights they have for a theme. They change the selections a little each day. Mikey

 

[swsig]

The Sandia Peak Tramway is always fun, but not if you're acrophobic! There's a decent Mexican restaurant at the base, and the newly rebuilt restaurant at the top is supposed to have its grand re-opening today. The views, of course, are spectacular.

 

[Sistema1927]

Tired of those Colorado chiles? Decided to get some of the real stuff?

(Sorry, I couldn't help myself. )

Enjoy your trip, and hope the healing goes well. Unfortunately I am completely tied up, or I would get together with you. This retirement is hard work.

 

[walkinghorse]

Hope road bumps, potholes, expansion cracks, etc. don't irritate your surgeries!
Sounds like a great trip, R&R is always important, even R&R from retirement, as I am doing this week!
Be safe and watch out for the other guy!!!!!

 

[armadillo]

Visit Ron Peterson's gun shop on Central Ave. and make time to have some of the chili verde at Loyola's cafe across the street.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Several good suggestions so far. Thanks to all.

Chile rellenos con chile verde, arroz y frijoles for supper tonight in Pueblo, Colorado (pico de gallo and a pint of Negra Modelo on the side). That should provide a good baseline for comparison of the New Mexico offerings (and I do plan to sample a little bit of everything).

 

[Maddog 521]

Have you ever seen Albuquerque after dark driving in from the west? Great sight to see indeed.

 

[Erich]

PM sent with my phone number. Please remember not to leave anything of value unlocked in your vehicle, anywhere in this city.

For everyone else following along at home, there are three places where I'd recommend the red chile in Albuquerque: Mary & Tito's Cafe (James Beard American Classic award winner), Duran's Central Pharmacy/Duran's Station and Padilla's (cash only, but worth the hassle). (Green is easier to make. One wants red chile made from pods, not from powder - these places I listed do it consistently well.)
(Please, anyone, always feel free to contact me if you ever need Albuquerque restaurant recs. Gina and I eat out a lot and I do a lot of Yelp/TripAdvisor reviews - I'd be happy to give you the buzz as well as my opinion on any particular interest.)
Peterson's is often worth a look - can have some really interesting used firearms there.

Lots of hiking and good bike riding around here (I'm happy to give recs), if you're into that. Electric scooters and rental bikes all over Downtown/Old Town are good for a jaunt on the paved Bosque Trail along the river. Rinconada Canyon (especially - lots of rock art) and the Volcanoes in the Petroglyph National Monument are worth a stroll in the cool of the morning. The Albuquerque City Shooting Range is world class. I haven't been to the new Ten3 restaurant at the Crest (as swsig mentions, it opened on Friday) but the old place had great views and pricey, mediocre food - the Tram is fun, as is the drive up the back of the Sandias. (For a real hoot, the drive over the "unimproved mountain road" from Placitas to the crest road can be fun if you have a rugged vehicle.)

 

[Sistema1927]

(For a real hoot, the drive over the "unimproved mountain road" from Placitas to the crest road can be fun if you have a rugged vehicle.)

Erich has given some really good recommendations.

As to the back way to the crest via Placitas, I decided one April to take that route on a planned visit to Tinkertown. Did I say April? We encountered significant snow and ice, and I was in a 2 wheel drive pickup with no chains. We didn't make it to Tinkertown that day, in fact, we almost didn't make it home. Did I say that was in April?

 

[magmag]

We went to this cheap place and fed the entire family with just one plate. Not exaggerating!

Big Chow Chinese Take Out - 12 Photos & 20 Reviews - Chinese - 2132 Central SE, Midtown/University, Albuquerque, NM - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Menu - Yelp

 

[Erich]

Erich has given some really good recommendations.

As to the back way to the crest via Placitas, I decided one April to take that route on a planned visit to Tinkertown. Did I say April? We encountered significant snow and ice, and I was in a 2 wheel drive pickup with no chains. We didn't make it to Tinkertown that day, in fact, we almost didn't make it home. Did I say that was in April?

Good Lord!

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Erich has given some really good recommendations.

As to the back way to the crest via Placitas, I decided one April to take that route on a planned visit to Tinkertown. Did I say April? We encountered significant snow and ice, and I was in a 2 wheel drive pickup with no chains. We didn't make it to Tinkertown that day, in fact, we almost didn't make it home. Did I say that was in April?

I don't know (yet) about Placitas or Tinkertown, but I live in Pueblo, Colorado just about 300 miles or so north of Albuquerque, so not radically different in climate. One of my favorite camping spots about 80 miles from home is at 10,500 feet elevation, and I have encountered snow there as early as Labor Day and as late as July 4th. The Rocky Mountains are the Rocky Mountains, and weather fronts move in quickly and decisively regardless of the calendar.

Here in southern Colorado we refer to the big moisture-laden storm fronts we experience in the spring months as "Albuquerque lows". Snowstorms in
April and May can be wicked indeed! Lots of heavy wet snow, especially at the higher elevations. Over the years I have seen quite a few buildings collapse under snow-loads in those spring storms.

My new truck has 4-wheel drive, 390 horsepower, and an owner who avoids nasty roads and weather conditions all the time.

 

[kthom]

LoboGunLeather,

As one old cop to another, and from one who has spent a great deal of time in Albuquerque over the years, keep your doors locked when driving anywhere there. My own preference is to be off the streets before sundown, regardless of where you are there, and keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel at all times. I may sound paranoid here, but there is reason and experience that causes me to feel this way. My wife grew up there, and we spent a lot of additional time there taking care of her dad and mom until they passed away. Her dad passed last September and we spent another 6 months liquidating his estate there.

Albuquerque is a beautiful place (mostly). Like any big city, it has it's ugly spots as well, but the scenery on all sides is beautiful, and there are lots of things to do there as well as many good eating places there. I've been going to Petersons since the '60's. Not many gun shops around like that one any more. It's worth a stop if you have the time. West of that location is the large Presbyterian hospital where we have spent considerable time in the past few years during the daytime and the night time. Trust me, travel east and west on old Highway 66 (Central Avenue) is a different experience when the sun goes down! Panhandlers are legion both day and night almost everywhere there. Keep your windows up and your doors locked. They are not supposed to leave the sidewalk to approach your car, and I believe they passed a law that it is illegal for you to hold out money to them as well.

I have no doubt that you know how to take care of yourself. I just felt compelled to mention these things in case you've not been there before. I hope your experience there is entirely pleasant. It probably will be. Just be aware! Lot's of mischief and theft occurs in motel parking lots, for example. Don't leave anything showing inside your vehicle if parked there. A friend of mine had the catalytic converters stolen out from underneath his Dodge truck a couple years ago. Quite a surprise from the noise when he went out headed for breakfast and started up that truck! These are not cautions which are unappropriate for any large metropolitan area these days, but due caution is always appropriate anywhere we may go these days, I think!

 

[LoboGunLeather]

LoboGunLeather,

As one old cop to another, and from one who has spent a great deal of time in Albuquerque over the years, keep your doors locked when driving anywhere there. My own preference is to be off the streets before sundown, regardless of where you are there, and keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel at all times. I may sound paranoid here, but there is reason and experience that causes me to feel this way. My wife grew up there, and we spent a lot of additional time there taking care of her dad and mom until they passed away. Her dad passed last September and we spent another 6 months liquidating his estate there.

Albuquerque is a beautiful place (mostly). Like any big city, it has it's ugly spots as well, but the scenery on all sides is beautiful, and there are lots of things to do there as well as many good eating places there. I've been going to Petersons since the '60's. Not many gun shops around like that one any more. It's worth a stop if you have the time. West of that location is the large Presbyterian hospital where we have spent considerable time in the past few years during the daytime and the night time. Trust me, travel east and west on old Highway 66 (Central Avenue) is a different experience when the sun goes down! Panhandlers are legion both day and night almost everywhere there. Keep your windows up and your doors locked. They are not supposed to leave the sidewalk to approach your car, and I believe they passed a law that it is illegal for you to hold out money to them as well.

I have no doubt that you know how to take care of yourself. I just felt compelled to mention these things in case you've not been there before. I hope your experience there is entirely pleasant. It probably will be. Just be aware! Lot's of mischief and theft occurs in motel parking lots, for example. Don't leave anything showing inside your vehicle if parked there. A friend of mine had the catalytic converters stolen out from underneath his Dodge truck a couple years ago. Quite a surprise from the noise when he went out headed for breakfast and started up that truck! These are not cautions which are unappropriate for any large metropolitan area these days, but due caution is always appropriate anywhere we may go these days, I think!

Thanks, Ken. Good advice for any city environment these days.

At home or away from home I am seldom out after sunset. Like a lot of guys my age I usually wake up at 4:00AM to 5:00AM, and if I am up later than 9:00PM or so it is because I am reading a very good book and can't put it down. I can easily afford the better restaurants and feel no need to see the nightclubs or dive bars.

Other than sheer size and population Albuquerque is pretty similar to my home of Pueblo, Colorado. Similar economies, similar demographics, similar crime problems and gang nonsense. We always have to pay attention to where we are and what is happening around us. Doesn't mean that ugly things can't happen, just that most can be avoided with a little prudent thought.

I appreciate your thoughtful post.

 

[cndrdk]

PM sent with my phone number. Please remember not to leave anything of value unlocked in your vehicle, anywhere in this city.

My wife and I (both raised in New Mexico) still have relatives in Abuq and visit quite often. We both found this amusing, but true. Worse if you have Texas license plates on your vehicle, ha.

 

[kthom]

Thanks, Ken. Good advice for any city environment these days.

At home or away from home I am seldom out after sunset. Like a lot of guys my age I usually wake up at 4:00AM to 5:00AM, and if I am up later than 9:00PM or so it is because I am reading a very good book and can't put it down. I can easily afford the better restaurants and feel no need to see the nightclubs or dive bars.

Other than sheer size and population Albuquerque is pretty similar to my home of Pueblo, Colorado. Similar economies, similar demographics, similar crime problems and gang nonsense. We always have to pay attention to where we are and what is happening around us. Doesn't mean that ugly things can't happen, just that most can be avoided with a little prudent thought.

Sounds like you've got things pretty well covered. I figured you did. But it was an opportunity to inform others who might find themselves in Albuquerque as well. I always appreciate this kind of information about places I might visit. Being pretty much a country boy, I'm always a bit uncomfortable when I find myself in a big city, especially if I've never been there. I've also discovered that if I am not forewarned, my GPS can direct me through a part of an unknown big city where this country boy has no business going!! Forewarned is forearmed, right?

I appreciate your kind words. Hope you have a grand time in Albuquerque! Except for a few vacations courtesy of my Uncle Sam, I lived the first nearly 70 years of my life in far eastern New Mexico. Moved across the State Line into West Texas in self defense. All my kids and grandkids have lived in Texas since the late 80's, and our doctors and major shopping brought us to Texas for many years before we finally moved here to cut down on the travel time to visit our Doctors, etc. As they say, we were not born in Texas, but we got here as soon as we could!! Safe travels to you!

 

[Shark Bait]

Would love to meet up with you, Erich, and others. Will PM you my # for text. Let me know what works. Safe travels.

Dave

 

[Bucher33]

If you're interested in military history, the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History has some very interesting exhibits. They have just about everything that could carry a nuke in the cold war on display. Good way to kill a couple of hours!

 

[.455_Hunter]

Our Corporate HQ and several Divisions are in Albuquerque. To me, Colfax Ave in Denver and Central Ave in Albuquerque are cut from the same cloth.