New Mexico APUG Members

Fixcinater · Jan 3, 2017

As my profile likely still states, I was living in San Diego, CA and have recently taken up residence in eastern New Mexico, very close to ENMU. Culture shock, to say the least.

Anyone else out here on the Great Plains?

r-brian · Jan 3, 2017

It could be worse, you could be in Hobbs.

Sirius Glass · Jan 3, 2017

So you are a flat lander now.

Patrick Robert James · Jan 3, 2017

Whenever I think of that part of the country I think of the song Levelland by James McMurtry. I have been wanting to go to that little place for years, ever since I heard the song. I think it would be a fascinating part of the country to visit, although every time I drive across the Texas panhandle my gas pedal can't go down far enough. On the bright side, New Mexico is one of the best places in the country in my opinion. Enjoy it.

Fixcinater · Jan 5, 2017

r-brian said:
It could be worse, you could be in Hobbs.

The way I see it, middle of nowhere is middle of nowhere. I haven't been up to Clovis yet, so that may redeem this particular section of the state a bit.

Sirius Glass said:
So you are a flat lander now.

With potential snowfall tomorrow morning.

Patrick Robert James said:
Whenever I think of that part of the country I think of the song Levelland by James McMurtry. I have been wanting to go to that little place for years, ever since I heard the song. I think it would be a fascinating part of the country to visit, although every time I drive across the Texas panhandle my gas pedal can't go down far enough. On the bright side, New Mexico is one of the best places in the country in my opinion. Enjoy it.

I've never heard that song before, but that fits our experience thus far and thanks for sharing. Looking forward to getting over to the western side of the state as soon as we're finished unpacking and situating things here. One benefit, we went from a small apartment to an actual house so now have room to setup an enlarger if I decide to do so. Brought a 23C with me from SD so might as well set it up and knock out some prints.

Sirius Glass · Jan 5, 2017

So we are not going to get together for wildlife photography in southern California?

Fixcinater · Jan 5, 2017

I'll be back, if even just to visit and make some photographs I didn't get to make when living there.

r-brian · Jan 5, 2017

Portales may be the middle of nowhere but Hobbs is the edge of nowhere. Now, Jal is beyond nowhere.

Fixcinater · Jan 8, 2017

r-brian said:
Portales may be the middle of nowhere but Hobbs is the edge of nowhere. Now, Jal is beyond nowhere.

Is there a meet up in the ABQ or Santa Fe or ?

JimCee · Jan 9, 2017

I grew up in Lovington, NM, so I can relate to your current place of residence. It isn't a place I'd wish to live again, although some do seem to like the place. I'd suggest taking up golf at the local country club, follow the football teams (football is king in these places), and perhaps trying out some quail hunting in the Fall.

Finally, perhaps you'd find some interest in exploring an area that I, unfortunately, never even knew about when I was living in Lovington. That's the Caprock Canyonlands, described as a land of inverted mountains. One of the primary locations is Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas. This was an area sufficiently beautiful to inspire Georgia O'Keefe in some of her paintings.

Here's a source book: "Caprock Canyonlands: Journeys into the Heart of the Southern Plains", Dan Flores, University of Texas Press, copyright 1990, ISBN # 0-292-72501-1.

Good luck!

Jim

Fixcinater · Jan 12, 2017

Thank you, Jim! I'll keep Caprock in my To Visit list when the weather warms up a bit and I can go camping on the motorcycle again.

I may try my hand shooting some sports for ENMU this spring as a distraction. If that doesn't work out or gets old, I'll drag my Speed Graphic around and take photos of tumbleweeds.

Fixcinater · Jun 17, 2017

Had someone comment how old a Rolleiflex I was dragging around today looked. Haven't seen any film (true to my expectations).

I did find out that Hell or High Water was filmed in the town I'm living in now, and a neighboring slightly larger city. Trivia!

Arklatexian · Jun 17, 2017

JimCee said:
I grew up in Lovington, NM, so I can relate to your current place of residence. It isn't a place I'd wish to live again, although some do seem to like the place. I'd suggest taking up golf at the local country club, follow the football teams (football is king in these places), and perhaps trying out some quail hunting in the Fall.

Finally, perhaps you'd find some interest in exploring an area that I, unfortunately, never even knew about when I was living in Lovington. That's the Caprock Canyonlands, described as a land of inverted mountains. One of the primary locations is Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas. This was an area sufficiently beautiful to inspire Georgia O'Keefe in some of her paintings.

Here's a source book: "Caprock Canyonlands: Journeys into the Heart of the Southern Plains", Dan Flores, University of Texas Press, copyright 1990, ISBN # 0-292-72501-1.

Good luck!

Jim

Georgia O'Keefe taught art at a school not far from Palo Duro Canyon at one time. That may be why she liked the west enough to leave New York and move to New Mexico. Also anything written by Dan Flores is worth reading and he did a lot of research in the Llano Estacado which is the Caprock country. Do please remember that we can't all live near the Grand Tetons. Last time I was up there, twas summer and there was a traffic jam in front of me and one behind me, No pictures that day. Haven't been back.......Regards!

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