Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
LOL... love it. Yeah, let's build the interstates through the mountains! That'll work!
Seriously, the eastern part of New Mexico is very flat, and looks a lot like Texas which as everyone knows is right next door. On the other hand, the interstate west of ABQ is hardly boring.
New Mexico gets most of its revenue from Gross Receipts Tax, as opposed to a Sales Tax. This means you pay the gross as a percentage, then you pay the net gains. It's a pyramiding scheme, something that the State doesn't seem to understand. This makes it very arduous for businesses to get started in such an environment. They started doing this in the '60s because they wanted to be able to tax all businesses on federal land.
Absolutely true, I have screamed this one to the rafters. I think many who live and reside in New Mexico don't understand this notion, or actually enjoy the concept of paying this tax. But it's onerous as this poster claims, it's a pyramid. It touches every aspect of any transaction that has layers, for instance, buying a home. The developer has to charge GRT to the builder, then the builder has to pass on product and labor costs with GRT on those, then the seller's realtor's brokerage has to pay it, the buyer's realtors brokerage has to pay it (these are for services by the way, not goods). This get passed on transactionally during every phase. If you are anti-business, this will not resonate with you. By the way, this tax has been around forever, so it doesn't necessarily matter who is in office. Both political parties lack the will to remove it.
If you think New Mexico is boring, you haven't seen Arizona.
Driving the interstate offers the easiest route through a state to facilitate transportation. If you have no curiosity about New Mexico, keep driving. If you take the time to get off the interstate, you might see something or learn something. There is a reason why artists. writers, photographers, and film makers flock to New Mexico.
I-40 through northeast Arizona is very barren, but there's a lot of interest right off of it too, like the Petrified Forest, Walnut Canyon, Meteor Crater, and La Posada in Winslow. Driving to Phoenix through Payson or Show Low (through Salt River Canyon) is worth the trip for the scenery alone.
Even through the Texas Panhandle, seemingly boring and flat as a pancake, there's Palo Duro Canyon (the "Grand Canyon of Texas") southeast of Amarillo, which is spectacular.
Problem is, too many people are in a hurry to get where they need to go, so just drive through as fast as possible, missing out on everything scenic and historic, and thinking all there is to a state is rest areas and whatever they can see along the interstate from the window of their car. And cities don't show their best face to the interstate, they turn their backs.
If you think New Mexico is boring, you haven't seen Arizona.
Driving the interstate offers the easiest route through a state to facilitate transportation. If you have no curiosity about New Mexico, keep driving. If you take the time to get off the interstate, you might see something or learn something. There is a reason why artists. writers, photographers, and film makers flock to New Mexico.
New Mexico will still be here on your way back.
I enjoy I-40 from ABQ west past the huge mesas leading up to Gallup, and through Flagstaff and Williams (very interesting truck-stop town. Good restaurants). I enjoy the climb in altitude up to Flagstaff, passing through the evergreen forest there, and then the slow descent toward the Mojave. If anyone thinks NM and northern AZ are boring, don't drive through the Mojave in CA! You need a high tolerance for "boring" there.
The Flagstaff area is the redeeming scenic factor of a drive through AZ on I-40.
A person needs to have a sense of geology and history on interstates because the scenery in most places is pretty dull. The path of least resistance is usually not very scenic.
I enjoy I-40 from ABQ west past the huge mesas leading up to Gallup, and through Flagstaff and Williams (very interesting truck-stop town. Good restaurants). I enjoy the climb in altitude up to Flagstaff, passing through the evergreen forest there, and then the slow descent toward the Mojave. If anyone thinks NM and northern AZ are boring, don't drive through the Mojave in CA! You need a high tolerance for "boring" there.
A great alternative is taking US 60 over the Very Large Array, and Pie Town, then into Springerville, Sho-Lo then Holbrook. Western New Mexico and Northern Arizona to me are real gems. Also love a great drive through the Mojave. I guess I appreciate the desert terrain in general after having lived most of my life in the northeast. This type of landscape and terrain will forever appeal to me over any other region of the country.
I wasn't too impressed with the St. John area in NE Arizona when I drove through there 8 years ago. It has likely grown and changed though, with so many people looking for a good real estate deal. Lots of nomads buying up land near Show Low, Concho, Snowflake, etc. The drive into New Mexico from St. John is varied. Driving through Zuni is extremely depressing but there is some really gorgeous scenery. Turn the radio on and get the local station keeping the native language(s) alive. Very interesting (and impressive).
The drive through the Mojave isn't the adventure it used to be. I think of The Grapes of Wrath and Granma Joad dying in an overloaded jalopy driving through there. Those were the days!
The drive through the Mojave isn't the adventure it used to be. I think of The Grapes of Wrath and Granma Joad dying in an overloaded jalopy driving through there. Those were the days!
We don't have as many snowbirds because our high elevation means we have cold winters with snow.
So true! New Mexico is actually quite cold....and the attraction that goes to CA, AZ, & TX would most likely be dreamers of escaping from colder climates.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
