Has there ever been that one town that just doesn't seem...

[Monica M]

I have come across a couple. Cowpens, SC was just too freaky somehow, got my little hairs up if you know what I mean. Then Santa Rosa, NM was just strange, didn't feel creepy, just strange. In all your travels, has anyone else come across a town that was just "off" somehow?

[Adrian W]

Downtown Los Angeles, San Francisco and El Monte, CA. Barstow, CA and parts of Pomona, CA. All just too freaky and/or strange & a little eerie somehow.

The worse were Matamoros Tamaulipas Mexico, Juarez Chihuahua Mexico, and the most creepy feeling was at Agua Prieta Sonora Mexico. The one without a freaky or creepy feeling was Reynosa Tamaulipas Mexico, well not too creepy anyway. We'd walked across to Agua Prieta but the creepy feeling was so strong, we turned around before we even got to any shops and quickly returned. More than a little eerie for sure.

And of course the most "just off" town would have to be Las Cruces, NM.

Edit addition: Just kidding, Las Cruces is off I-25 as well as off I-10. I'd not hesitate to go to the ones I listed at the top as well.

[Monica M]

Glad it's not just me who gets the "creeps" or senses something strange in some towns. I was hoping I wasn't the only one...thanks Adrian, I didn't plan on going to Mexico anyway and now I am definitely not! I will be going through Las Cruces, NM on my trip back to CA once this work camping job ends. Hmmmm, guess I won't stop over...lol

[Chester Taje]

I once passed through a small town in the North East USA. I forget name of town. My wife and I had stopped for lunch. As soon as I got out of car a strange feeling came over me. I felt like everyone in town was looking at us from their house windows. The first person we saw looked like he stepped out of movie "Deliverance". I got back in car and left.

[Ken C]

it's not just you, i have experienced this and friends have told me similar stories.

[Tom U]

In all your travels, has anyone else come across a town that was just "off" somehow?

Most of California below the Tehachapis. (Just Kidding). There are a few small towns below Colusa between 99 and I-5 on Hwy 46 that that reminded me of Appalachia. Last Fall we stopped for directions and were met with suspicion and veiled hostiliy. Most of the people we saw were teens who should have been in school... Just felt weird.

Las Cruces has one of the nicest bicycle shops I encountered an a coast to coast ride.

[Gina D.]

New Mexico is getting picked on! I'll do it too!

This town has NO vibe.. just flat.. nothing good, nothing bad.. just nothing:

Albuquerque

In contrast, I loved Santa Fe and surrounding areas!

[Morgan]

I have come across a couple. Cowpens, SC was just too freaky somehow, got my little hairs up if you know what I mean. Then Santa Rosa, NM was just strange, didn't feel creepy, just strange. In all your travels, has anyone else come across a town that was just "off" somehow?

I agree in spades about Santa Rosa, NM; it's the wierdest town I've ever passed through. My brother and I drove through there in the sixties and just outside of town, my water pump started leaking.

It was night so we stayed in the car until a gas station opened. The owner said $100 to replace the water pump (this in the sixties). We said "no thanks" and walked about a mile to a parts store. The guy had a rebuilt water pump for $100, turned out he was the brother of the service station owner. We bought the pump and installed it.

Twice after that, my brother had to buy a tire for his motor home in Santa Rosa; huge bucks. He swore they put nails in the road leading to town.

If you escaped with just a feeling of strangeness, you were lucky.

[Adrian W]

Glad it's not just me who gets the "creeps" or senses something strange in some towns. I was hoping I wasn't the only one...thanks Adrian, I didn't plan on going to Mexico anyway and now I am definitely not! I will be going through Las Cruces, NM on my trip back to CA once this work camping job ends. Hmmmm, guess I won't stop over...lol

I'm sorry Monica, but I was kidding about Las Cruces. Cruces has been my hometown for some 38 years and I can not think of a better town to live in.

You would have to hunt for a spooky/creepy area, I am sure we have a few as any place in the county will.

If you need to stop here, no problemo. What I had in mind when I composed my reply was that Las Cruces is off I-25 as well as off I-10.
http://www.lascrucescvb.org/html/las_cruce...co_facts__.html

Here are some nice places to get Southern New Mexico Mexican Style Food in Las Cruces. Somewhat simular to Northern Cuisine, at least I often see the dishes with tomatoes. Enchiladas are often flat, not rolled, not always. I ask for whole beans, so much better if they have them than re-fried. Salsa can be really great, not so good...depending on the kick & the taste.

El Sombrero Patio Cafe http://www.activediner.com/El-Sombre...profile/359827
(575) 524-9911
363 S Espina St, Las Cruces, NM
very good maybe #1 for us
Good Salsa, great whole beans
not open on Sunday
Espina is just past a bowling alley both on the right. A long block past.

Nopalito Restaurant http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/R.../3650/nopalito
575-524-0003
310 S. Mesquite St.
Las Cruces, NM 88001
second to El Sombrero
Mesquite crosses Amador and Lohman
From the West: Turn Left off Lohman, From the East: Right off Amador, Mesquite is 4 or 5 Blocks past Espina &
El Sombrero.
Not open on Wednesdays.
Great Salsa, but no whole beans. Re-fires are good.

Nellie's Cafe http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Reviews/4041/nellies
(575) 524-9982
1226 W Hadley Ave, Las Cruces, NM
many in town really like this one
it can be very hot as well
only breakfast & lunch

Si Senor Restaurant http://www.sisenorrestaurants.com/
(575) 527-0817
1551 E Amador Ave, Las Cruces, NM
A chain but good food, mild to hot chile
It will be before you get to Solano a large intersection.
West: Left off Lohman just pass Solano
with the plates, you get sopias included
They now have a Si Senor Express at the corner of Lohman & Solano across from the Carl's Jr. as well.

Roberto's Mexican Food http://local.yahoo.com/info-20221201...ood-las-cruces
http://www.yelp.com/biz/robertos-mex...ood-las-cruces
(575) 523-1851
908 E Amador Ave, Las Cruces, NM
Can be very hot
Not open on Sunday
This is across the street and down a bit from El Sombrero Patio Cafe.
Roberto is the man who makes the largest enchalata in the world [at] The Whole Enchilada Fiesta http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_Enchilada_Fiesta
http://www.southernnewmexico.com/Art...aFestival.html

All of these (Except Nellie's) are on or just off E Amador Ave and if you are getting off I-25 at (exit 3) Lohman Ave, Lohman Ave turns into E. Amador Ave as one travels west as it becomes a one way street. And traveling from the west, Amador will turn into Lohman once it becomes a one way street.

Oh, yes. One thing Texas came up with which is really good are Fajitas. None better than at Taco Cabana in El Paso (I believe they have them in San Antonio, TX as well), we normally get them when we are down in El Paso. They have fajitas in most of the Las Cruces places as well, but we really like Taco Cabana Fajitas.

If you are looking for things New Mexico, just to the west of Las Cruces is Historic Old Mesilla. If you will be looking for Indian jewelry or other crafts, Mesilla may have better buys than up north, mostly the same stuff.
http://www.oldmesilla.org/html/jewelry.html

Mesilla has a couple of restaurants, the Double Eagle ( http://www.double-eagle-mesilla.com/ ) and La Posta ( http://www.laposta-de-mesilla.com/ ), both with more atmosphere than the ones I listed above. Not sure if the food is any better.
http://www.lascrucescvb.org/html/mes...ew_mexico.html
http://www.mesilla.com/

For really spooky, no just joking, but some do claim Ghost of Mesilla: http://www.oldmesilla.org/html/the_hauntings.html

More listings of eating places:
http://www.oldmesilla.org/html/resta..._cantinas.html

Gina D, Oh, Poor Albuquerque has NO vibe.. just flat.. nothing good, nothing bad.. just nothing.

Hardly all flat, hardly nothing good, I know you can find some really bad there, but that's another story. I've seen "Cops" when they visited there. For some good one can find in Albuquerque check this out:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseacti...60.cfm#22889660

As for the town of Santa Rosa is famous for its natural sinkhole lakes, where divers from around the country come to learn scuba skills. I have driven through town a few times, never anything out of the ordinary for a small town.
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/santarosa.htm

As for getting ripped off, the first time we drove from Texas to California after we were married, my wife & I got ripped off at a gas station in Lordsburgh, NM. Stopped for gas, I let them check my oil. The starter would not work then, had to by a new one. A scam. This was in '98, before I-10 was completed around the town. I had the bad feeling, but tooo dump to know what to do. Which would have been to push start the Mustang, drive to a food dealership and see what was really wrong. Makes me mad even now. At myself. A dumb 22 year old. 41 yrs ago or soon will be. But it was not the town, it was the people's actions. They were as nice as can be out wardly. Those creepy people in some little town might be as nice as can be inside, just not outwardly.

[Monica M]

Hey Adrian, thanks for the clarification, I did notice that was your hometown and was joshin' with you! I have been through Las Cruces and had no ill feelings from it. If I stopped, I don't remember, but it would have been a quickie stop for gas.

I did see the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, it was very pretty, but a little cold for a dip, unfortunately! Made me want to learn how to dive just so I could see the bottom, I highly suggest a stop in to see it, it's easy enough to find. The town just was strange to me, the businesses that were in the buildings that they were in was off, like the funeral home and churches, you'd have to see it. I don't know how to explain it really.

Cowpens, SC was one of those towns were you felt like one of those movies where everyone had a secret in the town and you were most definitely not welcome. People stared, etc. Strange!

I didn't really see too much of Albuquerque, but I stayed in Santa Fe for a few weeks with my sister, it was okay, but I don't want to live there. We did have some good food though.