After 13 Years
 

After 13 tears of living on this side of the Pond I am returning to the country of my origins, The good ole' U.S.A. I know it will be a tough move and as I discussed with Dale just last night I will have a bit of "culture shock." My choices are Dover, Delaware or Alamogordo, New Mexico. Not the best choices but could be worse. I was planning on retiring at or near my next assignments but now I just don't know. If you guys have any first hand knowledge of this fine locals I would really appreciate any thoughts. Thanks.

T

Re: After 13 Years
 

Dover sucks.
No really, it sucks.
It's a dump with a nascar track attached.

Re: After 13 Years
 

Wow, Don't sugar coat it just tell me how you feel,:r:r:r

That bad eh? Why does it suck soooo bad?


Thanks

T

Re: After 13 Years
 

+1 here. I've never been to NM, but I haven't heard terrible things about it.

Re: After 13 Years
 

I would take New Mexico, less of what is loosely called civilization, closer to areas where you can just get away, less restrictive fire arms laws and much cleaner air than that chemical wasteland known as Delaware.

Re: After 13 Years
 

I've never been to Dover, but the parts of NM that I have been to were REALLY beautiful. Best of luck with the decision and the move.

Re: After 13 Years
 

I would check out dover, granted the town sucks, but you are close to many other cities. Jersey, down here in baltimore, philly, new york. Not sure about NM, but Im sure there arent a lot of decent placed with a 2 hour drive radius.

Re: After 13 Years
 

Wow, where's the love for Delaware?? LOL

There's a couple of good potential smoking buddies in DE....

Re: After 13 Years
 

I am sure there are but this is a life changing decision for my whole family so Herf partners are not really the priority. Though if I end up there I will look forward to making some new friends. You see I pick where I want to go the other guy picks where he wants to go and whoever has first pick gets it. If it works out that we both get our first choice than bonus if we both pick the same place someone doesn't...Kinda like screw your neighbor.

So GTS want to share some De Love with me as to why I should pick it over NM.

Thank you,

T

Re: After 13 Years
 

Well, Dover takes a bad hit just because it is closest to New Jersey

Cheers

Cyanide

Re: After 13 Years
 

I have been to Dover once on a work trip when I had to go to Dover AFB. Can't say much positive of negative since I really did not spend much time there. If you like Nascar then that is a positive for you. Nice track there right on the main drag. The reason I would pick Dover though is what has already been said. The location is within good distance to so many great cities in the northeast. Good luck with your choice and the move with your family.

Re: After 13 Years
 

Hmm, tax free shopping? :)

Dunno, I like northern DE, New Castle County, but can't really speak to the cities more south.

Nicely located in the mid atlantic region for travel to PA, MD, DC, NY, VA, NJ. Nice distinct seasonal changes.

That's about the best I can do. :hm

Re: After 13 Years
 

Thank you all...Keep it coming. Your input is not the end all be all of my decision but trust me it is very, very appreciated and helpful. I will post my choice AND what the Big Blue Machine decides for me ;)

Thanks again, and keep it coming.

T

Re: After 13 Years
 

Welcome back!!!

But I think the consensus is don't move to Dover!!!:r

Re: After 13 Years
 

I drive through Alamogordo once or twice a year...

and although I haven't spent time there except for bathroom breaks and gasing up cars, it seems that it's best attributes are that it's only like an hour or 2 from Ruidoso, NM and about 90 minutes or less to El Paso, TX (closest big city with typical modern conveniences).

It wouldn't be my cup of tea I don't think, but if you like the outdoors, and skiiing, and off-roading and stuff, it wouldn't be a bad choice.

White Sands National Monument is only like 30 minutes away, and that's pretty cool. But I imagine if you live that close to it you'd go once and figure it's better to just to look at it from a distance for free

unlike Dover though, you won't be terribly close to much in the way of cities or anyone from these boards

Re: After 13 Years
 

Sorry, I passed out before responding to your post.

What's bad about Dover : Everything.

It's got a Air Force Base so noise and a lot of crummy bars/ strip clubs. The Nascar track brings tons of people and the town just doesn't have the room for it and while I'm trying to be polite for nascar fans, you see a lot of drunk idiots trashing it.

The mall is like a super wal mart but more boring. From what I've been told from people in the area, school system is junk if you have kids that matters.

It's small so if you don't like knowing most of the people around it might not be a good place for you.

Also when it snows, I'm told the roads are not often cleared.

Best part of Dover, you don't have to go back.

My friend just finished a ton of work on a "fun zone" in the Air Force Base, so him living there for a month+ he's got even more colorful words for it.

Re: After 13 Years
 

A good region for sure, I've lived here for ever, and couldn't adapt to less then 4 seasons.

I will be fair and give that to an upside to DE. Tons of cool things near by.

Tax free shopping sounds great but the home owners tax stinks in DE.

Re: After 13 Years
 

you dont have to live in Dover do you? just work there? Just a thought too. Ive been to dover, seems nice enough, when the AFB runs manuvers it can be a little loud, but not always and even then it only seems like parts of it. in nascar is in town, stay home. But its close to everything in the NE or well reletivly close.

As said before, snow clearing leaves something to be desired, but then its semi custom for the NE in certian areas to only pack it down and throw sand. its cheaper and once you learn how to drive on it, not a big deal.

Taxes, Tax free for some stuff, Homeowners tax blows. dont know about income tax from the state.

Dont know nothin about NM though!

Good luck!

Welcome back herf anybody?

Re: After 13 Years
 

I am getting more great info here than anywhere else. Thank you all.

What are the Property Tax rates because I am looking into the possibility of purchasing rather than renting? I need to start a plus minus list for both but it seems my family prefers Dover. Oh! and no I do not have to live in Dover. I will be working at that noisy little neighborhood of an AFB.

Snow driving...always entertain sport.

T

Re: After 13 Years
 

I would vote for NM, I've been to that area and it is beautiful! My wife's uncle lives in Las Cruces and works at White Sands... we drove through Alamogordo a few times. If I remember correctly, it's a pretty small town. The only down side is depending where you want to go, it's a haul to the next major town. In one day we drove from Las Cruces to Roswell and then to the Carlsbad Caverns, talk about a HUAL! :ss

Re: After 13 Years
 

Real estate taxes in DE are pretty low.

Re: After 13 Years
 

In NM you will also have to consider where you stand on illegal immigration as it is something that you will be confronted with in daily life in that region whether you want to or not
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Re: After 13 Years
 

If I had to go to Dover, I'd do anything I could do to get out of it.
If I had to go to New Mexico, I'd welcome it.
I'm just not a fan of dirty little noisy cities. I know nothing of Alamogorda, but unless it's covered with 20 feet of poop and on fire, it's gotta beat Dover. :D

Re: After 13 Years
 

In this day and age, it is getting hard to find a place that doesn't have illegal immigration issues. Just take a look at the State Patrol's most wanted web sites.

In Washington State you see it in the largest cities (ie. Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane) and the small farming towns.

I think that you need to ask yourself what is most important to you. Do you enjoy the fast paced life of large cities with lots of people or do you prefer a more layed back lifestyle?

Having lived near a drag strip and one of the largest fairgrounds in the USA, I can tell you that life can be hectic when 25 pounds of stuff gets shoved into a 10 pound town.

Is pollution a concern?

What kind of climate do you prefer? Do you like hot and humid or hot and dry in the summer?

Do you like being indoors most of the time or would you prefer a climate that lets you stay outside much of the year?

You should also consider the cost of fuel and electricity in each location. How much does it cost to keep a home at a comfortable temperature for an average year?

Here is some information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamogordo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover,_Delaware

I hope you get your first choice and that you enjoy where you go.

Take care.
Ken

Re: After 13 Years
 

Here is some more information that may be of some use to you.

http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime....Dover&state=DE
http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime....gordo&state=NM
http://www.cityrating.com/costOfLivi...e.asp?state=DE
http://www.cityrating.com/costOfLivi...e.asp?state=NM
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/His...ation=USDE0012
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/His...ation=USNM0002

Hope this helps.
Ken

Re: After 13 Years
 

I wanted to say thanks for all the informative comments and even the humorous ones as well. But after much research and talking with people that have been stationed at both bases I have selected Dover first and Holloman last. Now well see what The AF says. Thanks again my friends, this was not an easy decision.

T

Re: After 13 Years
 

Again, I want to say thank you all for you help in this decision and I just found out today. I will be heading to Dover so I look forward to meeting the Philly Crew, NYC Crew, and of course Frank and Anita. Thanks again all I am so very excited.

T

Re: After 13 Years
 

Well Tony,I'll see you in the middle of July in Dewey Beach :)

Re: After 13 Years
 

See ya' at McChord!

Re: After 13 Years
 

I have not been to NM in a very long time, but my brother used to live in Dover and although it is indeed not the greatest town to live in, it is very close to three great cities in the northeast with great outlying suburbs. If you are willing to or able to commute to work a bit, I think you certainly can find something suitable to your tastes - whatever they may be - within an hour of Dover.

Congrats on the decision and on moving home! Best of luck!