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Just to darken the picture a little, while Albuquerque doesn't strike me so far as a place where you are going to get many hate crimes, the amount of (male to female, if I need to say it) sexual harassment that goes on along the Central corridor might be more than you're used to in the places where you've lived. Random gropings are periodically reported on and around UNM's campus. I've read about women being verbally harassed while walking along Central (and not just in areas where there's a lot of prostitution, like my overall neighborhood). When I used to ride the buses I once witnessed a pretty unfortunate incident when a down and out man (middle aged, maybe) sat down next to a college aged female and ended up calling her a "b****" because she was not sufficiently enthusiastic about his company (even while she was being quite polite about it). I still feel bad that none of us intervened (although with him sitting next to her, there was a limit as to what could have been done, and it seemed like a situation in which intervention could have made things worse).
I'm not saying this stuff happens all the time, but it's not that unusual from what I've seen and heard. But this is behavior that is more likely to found in some areas than others. Definitely along the Central corridor.
ok, thanks for letting me know. i've had many homeless men expose themselves to me in SF, and have plenty of verbal harassment (or catcalls, i guess) when walking around in the cities here. The men here consider themselves feminists (at least my friends) but the new bernie bro fb attack phenomenon has made me realize that there still is misogyny, it's just really well hidden. almost better to see it in the light (as long as it stays verbal). still good to know in terms of keeping my daughter safe as she gets older.
i've had many homeless men expose themselves to me in SF, and have plenty of verbal harassment (or catcalls, i guess) when walking around in the cities here.
I guess I should have assumed that given SF's large homeless population (based on experiences in Philadelphia).
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just to clarify, what is the "Central Corridor"?
When I say it I just mean along Central Avenue and nearby streets.
Go for altitude. Downtown Albuquerque is about 4700 feet, Tramway Blvd about 6000 feet, and the east mountains even higher. There is a palpable difference in climate between those points, but still pretty mild compared to the variations around the bay. While some people keep horses in the east mountains, the river is the low point in town and the river tends to be where the green space and horse properties are.
A hot day in Albuquerque is absolutely no worse than the hottest days in the bay area (at least peninsula/south bay). What we have in heat we make up for with low humidity. Cold on the other hand.. best acquaint yourself with that real quick if you want to keep on with this process.
No, but assuming your horse needs to go somewhere (or you want to buy a horse), you need a trailer. A truck or an SUV is probably what you'd need for that. Your Honda Fit is not going to do the job (though you'll have plenty of space to park it, odds are).
Also, what do you plan on feeding your horse? Hay bales, etc. tend to be one of the more common choices. They take up a lot of contiguous space. You've heard the expression "eats like a horse", right?
From fencing to water tanks to any number of other things, you need a big support vehicle to justify a horse.
Everyone has their reasons for having SUV's, but a lot of it comes down to that fraction of time where you need to load a month's worth of groceries, or a piece of wood that's 16 feet long, or half a kids' soccer team. It's a luxury more than a necessity for most of us. Did I mention gas is a lot cheaper here?
thank you for all the info! we were (i was) thinking about boarding a horse first, and i'm not sure if we could even find a horse property (let alone spend all the time taking care of one at home, i'm a full-time working single mom, i mean cmon), but i do see what you mean about SUVs. i actually rent cars all the time in my work travel and i just like driving compact cars more... and there's actually lots of room in the Fit because of the way the seats fold, but not enough for a 16 ft long piece of wood. it CAN carry a month's worth of groceries, and if my kid's in soccer, i guess the other SUV-owning moms/dads can drive them i'll contribute in lots of other community-minded organizational and food/craft-making ways, i'm sure!
is it hotter by the river, then? also, does that mean lots of mosquitos there?
i have lived in NJ and NY, so i am familiar with cold... ABQ cold seems do-able to me, a few nice snowstorms will be fun for us, and i don't mind 30s-40s in winter... but not -40F like in chicago or wisconsin... that i could NOT do.
i'm feeling like the NE area might be good for us, higher elevations, it's been pointed out as more liberall-y, but is it filled with rich people? i don't want my kid to live in the ghetto, but i also don't want her raised with snobby rich brats. looking for a happy medium, i suppose. but you guys have given me so much more to work with! thank you all, so much.
I'd just rent for a year until you find the right neighborhood for you.
this is actually exactly what i'm planning to do! that way i can really get a feel for the place. i just want to get my daughter into a house where we can STAY pretty soon, without moving her multiple times... but i think renting for 1 year before buying is totally reasonable, and she can take it she's a tough little cookie.
I guess I should have assumed that given SF's large homeless population (based on experiences in Philadelphia).
When I say it I just mean along Central Avenue and nearby streets.
yes, even more here since they freeze to death in Philly
and got it, yes. downtown. i'm no fragile bird, i've lived alone in oakland where i was the only white person in the neighborhood, and heard my fair share of gunshots throughout the bay area when i lived in various cities. and i've traveled through europe and zimbabwe and mexico alone, so i think i'm good.
still, i've always stayed away from the frat-boy date-rape culture, and am praying to the gods that my daughter does the same! we have it here too though (UC Berkeley is a pretty college-y college with many people who are not from here).
From my point of view, yes it is. But maybe you can't have it all?
LOL. I MUST HAVE IT ALL!
it's funny, that's been my philosophy when looking at other places besides the bay area. are there liberals. is the climate bearable. is there diversity. is it close to an airport. are there cool art things and restaurants. and ABQ seemed to fit all my requirements except for this one aspect of diversity: i must admit i grew up surrounded by african american culture and that will be perhaps the thing i miss most (besides the views of the golden gate bridge and the ocean). but, i thought, i can't have it all! and with housing costs at 1/3 of bay area prices, where i could actually save enough for my kid's college and my own retirement, it's WELL worth it.
if the NE is middle/upper-class rich people, i can deal... i'm thinking of beverly hills type rich people who are flashy disgusting millionaires and billionaires, or snotty people from the hills who "won't" go "below" a certain area except to get to the freeway. but it sounds to me like ABQ does not have these extremes (?), and more importantly, is more laid back. it feels like i could maybe take a deep breath of relief on so many fronts.
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i'll contribute in lots of other community-minded organizational and food/craft-making ways, i'm sure!
she's a tough little cookie.
