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Childhood in England, always a citizen here by birth. First set foot here in my early teens. Holy crap! Miles of woodlands, even in NY State. Huge country, a paradise.

College in Upstate NY, NY is a beautiful state. Left college to see “the West”, woulda gone to Oregon but it was February soI picked out Las Cruces NM instead. Never made it, the engine seized in the early morning hours 100 yards east of Apache Summit. Pushed that little ‘69 Opel Kadette station wagon around and rolled it nine miles downhill to a convenience store parking lot in Ruidoso Downs.

Had a set of tools, stared as soon as I could see, crankshaft wouldn’t turn even with a breaker bar, took off the head the cylinders had play. Damn, seized main bearings. Long haired Apache guy from up on the mountain comes over to take a look, we get to talking, says I can stay at his place if I need to.

I had long hair, NY plates, limited funds. First light go into store apologizing. “Heck don’t worry about it” the guys says, “go see Russ up on Main Street. Russ up on Main Street tows me to his garage, lets me use his lift, lets me use his tools, lets me sleep in my car at night. I clean up with a garden hose out back or walk an hour to a campground each evening to shower.

Russ takes the crankshaft to Alamogordo (where he lived) to get it machined. The main bearings were a problem, all the way from Germany, took three weeks.

I worked most days doing day labor out of the employment office (I forget what it was called) so at the end of the month I HAD money. The only funds Russ would accept was what he paid to get the crankshaft worked on.

One day during that month after a heavy snow I was walking a couple of miles to the upper town to get my mail General Delivery.

A guy sees me walking up the street offers me a ride. We get to talking he takes me home to meet his wife and kids and offers me a meal, they are practicing, believing Christians.

Same week my car was finished I drive to Las Cruces, I needed a mailing address to join the Peace Corps. Sublet a room from a college student, ended up working day labor there six months.

Generally worked alongside Mexican nationals on various laboring jobs, lotta Highway work. Tough, older barrel-chested guys in western wear and straw hats. They would often share their lunch when I didn’t bring any, homemade tortillas.

Throughout this period, I was absolutely blown away by New Mexico. The Land of Enchantment. Beautiful state, friendly people.

Three years in Africa, a year working at my alma mater Forestry School in Upstate New York, grad school in Texas.

Didn’t make it back to New Mexico for five years. Russ was nowhere to be found, looked up that nice couple and their kids, been going back to visit them often over the last 39 years.

… and now I live in Texas 🙂

Grew up in various places in the east. Due to outdoor magazines and National Geographic I was obsessed with the rocky mountain west at the age of 8. Realized early the east was too crowded and too polluted, and just had to get out. Moving to Montana was not really a choice, it was a necessity.I simply could not live back east. Promised myself as a teenager I would be able to look out my window and see the rockies everyday. Finished my last college final in NC one day at noon, and was on the road to Montana at 1pm.Been here ever since.
You give up a lot for a move like that, family, friends, loves and high paying jobs lost...but I would shovel horse schitt for $2 per hour to live here.Never belonged anywhere else.

Great and enlightening post Ingwe. Thanks.

Grew up in various places in the east. Due to outdoor magazines and National Geographic I was obsessed with the rocky mountain west at the age of 8. Realized early the east was too crowded and too polluted, and just had to get out. Moving to Montana was not really a choice, it was a necessity.I simply could not live back east. Promised myself as a teenager I would be able to look out my window and see the rockies everyday. Finished my last college final in NC one day at noon, and was on the road to Montana at 1pm.Been here ever since.
You give up a lot for a move like that, family, friends, loves and high paying jobs lost...but I would shovel horse schitt for $2 per hour to live here.Never belonged anywhere else.

Childhood in England, always a citizen here by birth. First set foot here in my early teens. Holy crap! Miles of woodlands, even in NY State. Huge country, a paradise.

College in Upstate NY, NY is a beautiful state. Left college to see “the West”, woulda gone to Oregon but it was February soI picked out Las Cruces NM instead. Never made it, the engine seized in the early morning hours 100 yards east of Apache Summit. Pushed that little ‘69 Opel Kadette station wagon around and rolled it nine miles downhill to a convenience store parking lot in Ruidoso Downs.

Had a set of tools, stared as soon as I could see, crankshaft wouldn’t turn even with a breaker bar, took off the head the cylinders had play. Damn, seized main bearings. Long haired Apache guy from up on the mountain comes over to take a look, we get to talking, says I can stay at his place if I need to.

I had long hair, NY plates, limited funds. First light go into store apologizing. “Heck don’t worry about it” the guys says, “go see Russ up on Main Street. Russ up on Main Street tows me to his garage, lets me use his lift, lets me use his tools, lets me sleep in my car at night. I clean up with a garden hose out back or walk an hour to a campground each evening to shower.

Russ takes the crankshaft to Alamogordo (where he lived) to get it machined. The main bearings were a problem, all the way from Germany, took three weeks.

I worked most days doing day labor out of the employment office (I forget what it was called) so at the end of the month I HAD money. The only funds Russ would accept was what he paid to get the crankshaft worked on.

One day during that month after a heavy snow I was walking a couple of miles to the upper town to get my mail General Delivery.

A guy sees me walking up the street offers me a ride. We get to talking he takes me home to meet his wife and kids and offers me a meal, they are practicing, believing Christians.

Same week my car was finished I drive to Las Cruces, I needed a mailing address to join the Peace Corps. Sublet a room from a college student, ended up working day labor there six months.

Generally worked alongside Mexican nationals on various laboring jobs, lotta Highway work. Tough, older barrel-chested guys in western wear and straw hats. They would often share their lunch when I didn’t bring any, homemade tortillas.

Throughout this period, I was absolutely blown away by New Mexico. The Land of Enchantment. Beautiful state, friendly people.

Three years in Africa, a year working at my alma mater Forestry School in Upstate New York, grad school in Texas.

Didn’t make it back to New Mexico for five years. Russ was nowhere to be found, looked up that nice couple and their kids, been going back to visit them often over the last 39 years.

… and now I live in Texas 🙂

Thanks!

We are pretty well tied down now.