Oklahoma time! And Dallas for the Eclipse . . .

[glassparman]

Taking another big load out to my Oklahoma house. Momma has decided we should be there as home of record now and come back here on short trips to finish getting the house ready to sell.

Also . . .

1. My son and I are going both days to the Wanenmacher show next weekend.
2. Heading down to our daughter's house a bit south of Dallas to watch the eclipse in all its glory! It will go directly over the top of her house in Kaufman.

 

[richhodg66]

You'll like Oklahoma a lot, I predict.

 

[smokeywolf]

While Oklahoma was not our first pick, we looked pretty extensively until we learned of the homeowner's ins. rates. You are going to be ecstatic to be living in OK as opposed to the "leftist coast".
I'm very happy for you!

 

[richhodg66]

It's a low cost, low tax state for sure. Oklahoma has a lot going for it. Have lived in Lawton a few times over the years, but that is most certainly not a nice part of the state or typical of Oklahoma. Most of the state is pretty darn nice.

 

[Ian]

The southeastern end is nice. One great thing about OK is if you don't live in a nice part, it's not that far to the ones that are.

 

[glassparman]

Thanks Ian, but I ain't moving again! I'm done! Not sure where all this stuff came from. Only 20 years at this house but I have WAAAAYYY too much stuff. Selling and giving away things left and right.

 

[Ian]

I've said it a bunch, if I ever move I'm keeping this place and only taking a few things with me to the new digs. Probably will never happen, I committed to sticking here over 20 years ago and have put down deep roots with lots of machinery, lots of "treasures", and it's home to the whole family. We have another house in Colorado but I have no plans to ever live there for more than a few weeks at at time.

 

[glassparman]

Finally made it to Amarillo. Eating at Torchies Tacos then on to Blanchard. Glad we got all the guns and 4500 pounds of ammo through New Mexico

 

[popper]

Cloudy skies in Dallas for the 8th.

 

[smokeywolf]

Finally made it to Amarillo. Eating at Torchies Tacos then on to Blanchard. Glad we got all the guns and 4500 pounds of ammo through New Mexico

I've always been nervous going through NM.

 

[462]

I've always been nervous going through NM.

Why?

 

[dannyd]

The last time I made a road trip like that April 1984, San Diego, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Florida. Stayed the night in Amarillo too.

 

[smokeywolf]

Why?

For a while, gossip (never saw irrefutable data) was that NM had a rather high incidence of "asset forfeitures" resulting from traffic stops, and a large-ish percentage of vehicles stopped had out-of-state plates.

 

[richhodg66]

I love New Mexico, but it is said to have a high crime rate.

 

[RicinYakima]

I know they were told to have no tolerance for speeders over the speed limit. No +5 is OK like CA.

 

[RicinYakima]

I love New Mexico, but it is said to have a high crime rate.

It does have a high property crime rate. Also the poorest people west of the Mississippi, the least educated and the most on government assistance. If I had to live somewhere else, it would be Silver City, NM. The friendliest folks I saw in NM.

 

[462]

Made a safe round-trip to Roswell to visit my reloading mentor. Toured the town of Lincoln (Of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War fame) was a treat.

Did eight weeks of basic training at Amarillo Air Force Base. It was hot the end of June and a guy in my squadron died of heat stroke during our last mile run.

 

[oscarflytyer]

Visited NM for a few days/work. Albuquerque. Loved it and the food. Hadn't heard the stories... Will say that there are some damned poor parts of Albuquerque.

Been in Alabama twice. Huntsville 93-95/Army (married here), then returned since '07. Lot of 'stories' about Alabama. Some have a grain of truth, and there are some VERY poor areas as well. But as for Huntsville, it is a gem, albeit getting too big due to all the contracting here.

 

[Ian]

NM is no worse than anywhere else, or better. I'd be a lot more concerned trying to pass an interior immigration checkpoint with that load than just traveling. Stay on the interstates, don't speed (when you discover that the truckers don't speed, there's your clue), and don't do stupid things, odds are you'll be fine. Breakdowns were my only major concern going through any part of it. I used to have forum acquaintances in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, met both and their families several times when passing through, yeah there are crime rings, drugs and addicts, human traffickers, carjackers, crooked cops, gangs, drunks, and punks but show me a place that doesn't have those things.

 

[RicinYakima]

Ian, I find that very interesting as I never travel on an interstate highway, if at all possible. Of course I am pulling a 5th wheel and driving at the speed limit. My biggest issue in NM is they have so much debris on the road, I've had four flat tires on the trailer over the years. Front tire picks up crap and the back tire of the tandem gets a flat.