After about eight hours of driving South from Fort Collins, we arrived today in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We have been talking about checking out the area for over a year now, but haven't had an opportunity to get down here together before now.

After a year of disappointment looking for a home in Fort Collins, we're interested in seeing what Albuquerque has to offer that might be more appealing. After we arrived and checked into the hotel, we went down along old Route 66 to find something to eat, and the amount of police activity made us realize this is a grittier place than Fort Collins, with big city night life and problems.


The classic New Mexico Frontier restaurant, across from the university on old Route 66.

It was a long tedious drive, made more stressful for me because I left behind a deal on a Volkswagon Eurovan Camper that popped up in Fort Collins last week. I have been so tempted to acquire it for future travel plans, but it has been hard to justify owning an additional vehicle when we don't even know what city we will be living in, or what we will be doing there. Mexico in July is seeming a bit remote at this point, as the challenges of shutting down the household seems very daunting. I really feel like a home base in the North would feel better, but am not sure about anything these days. I thought owning a camper van might lead to more willingness to travel in Mexico, but Pat doesn't share my enthusiasm for this purchase, and it is hard to get up the nerve to go ahead on my own. Still may do it though, if no one else grabs it. It is priced right, and appears to have a lot of positive attributes.


The VW Eurovan Camper - object of my (latest) obsession.

Tomorrow we'll go exploring a bunch of neighborhoods around town.

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