"California" Muni Weekend 2012 Teaser: Oct 5-8 in Albuquerque!

[uniShark]

OK, I'm planning to be "in".

I've made reservations at the Albuquerque Central KOA. I'll arrive with the family on the 4th and stay through the 10th. It's not cheap, but as far as I can tell, nothing is anywhere near cheap during the Balloon Fiesta. It appears to be clean and at a pretty convenient location between downtown and the trails. If others are planning on "camping" (not that sleeping at a KOA really counts as camping), it might be fun to be at the same spot, and would make ride sharing to the trails a lot easier, too. So, as an incentive, I hereby offer a free cold beer to anyone else who stays at the KOA.

[ABQnmuni]

Lodging should be more available in the south east heights, Tramway and I-40 area as it is about as far as you can get away from the Balloon Fiesta Park. That being said, it is not the best part of town as anything south of central between San Pedro and Wyoming is kinda rough. That being said there are hotels near the Abq south KOA. This is close to the riding but not particularly close to the places we will be eating.

http://www.americanmotorinn-albuquerque.com‎

http://www.edgewoodsuitesalbuquerque.com‎

http://www.rodewayinn.com‎

http://www.travelodge.com‎

For the few in the popular area Nob Hill Eyal was talking about

University Lodge

Here are some hotels that are closer to where we are eating but not that close. This is a big hotel area, they will be nicer then the ones above but you will need a car to get to riding and eating. These are located near I-25 and I-40 so they are easy to get to where you need to go but again they are probably not the best options if you do not have a car.

Residence Inn Albuquerque

parkinn.com‎

Rodeway Inn Midtown

La Quinta Inn & Suites Albuquerque Midtown

http://www.mcmelegantealbuquerque.com‎

Fairfield Inn Albuquerque University Area

http://www.candlewoodsuites.com

Good luck

[Nurse Ben]

Questions about camping:

It is sort of confusing, Cedro Peak was recommended but it only has two group sites which are taken, the other campgrounds don't have a reservation system, so maybe a "local" could help out with camping info?

I don't need a shower or anything fancy, just a plac to park my car legally and sleep. I really don't want to stay in the city or at the KOA (sorry unishark), so how do things work out there in the National Forest? Is there a place I could just go and park, assuming I was self contained?

Can you post a trail map (I didn't see one on the website) to help me orient to the trailheads and such, that way I can get feel for how far away I can stay and still have a reasonable drive.

Anyone offering a couch surfing option for one

Thanks!

[uniShark]

My original plan, with just me and one son, was to park somewhere on the side of the road in the national forest and sleep in the truck. I've done that plenty of places and never had a problem.
Wife wants to do city stuff while I'm riding, and the KOA has hot showers and takes reservations.

[ABQnmuni]

Cedro peak campground is a group campground and we will not be reserving it. There are not a whole lot of campgrounds around Albuquerque, we have a lot of picnic areas, but camping...not so much. Searching around the national forest website I see no campgrounds that exist. You could drive up 337, south of I-40 and east of Albuquerque, turn left on Juan Tomas road and you could find primitive camping on those dirt roads. This will be all on you, as we cannot guarantee availability. The same can be done off 337 and a left of FR 462. The powerlines trial will go from these two roads, you will also be close to the Otero Canyon, which is on the other side of 337.

The other trial is north of I-40 an roughly paralleling NM 536 which is off North 14. There is one campground here : http://www.turquoisetrailcampground.com/

There is another option of Hostel : http://www.hostelz.com/hostel/26631-...ountain-Hostel in Ceder Crest, as is the campground.

I can also recommend Air bnb which is you pay someone to stay at their house: http://www.airbnb.com/albuquerque

There is also Couch Surfing: http://www.couchsurfing.org/

Albuquerque is really open to the former options.

[Nurse Ben]

Thanks for the camping feedback!

The National Forest camping situation is pretty slim pickins.

I checked into the hostel and it has mixed reviews and nothing within the past two years, sounds kinda sketch based one reviewer...

I put in a call to Turquise Trail, they weren't in the office yet, but the mgr said she'd call me later and let me know there availability for that weekend. It sounds like a nice place, anyone know it?

Hey Unishark, if Turquise Trail is nice, would the wifey consider staying there in place of KOA?

Also, what about Manzano State Park? It's closed now for "fire danger", but I wonder if that'll be over by October?? Anyone know this campground?

Keep em' coming, I don't see my self couch surfing, it was just a thought

[ABQnmuni]

Originally Posted by Nurse Ben

I checked into the hostel and it has mixed reviews and nothing within the past two years, sounds kinda sketch based one reviewer...

I put in a call to Turquise Trail, they weren't in the office yet, but the mgr said she'd call me later and let me know there availability for that weekend. It sounds like a nice place, anyone know it?

Also, what about Manzano State Park? It's closed now for "fire danger", but I wonder if that'll be over by October?? Anyone know this campground?

I don't think anyone here is Abq would know how any of these campgrounds or hostels are, as we live here and would not need such places.

Manzano State Park is really far away from where we will be. Google quotes about an hour to 1.5 hours for you to get to Abq, I think a hotel will be cheaper in gas. Fire danger is always a problem for us in NM, we live in a desert and things like to burn down. We doubt that our fire danger will be too bad this year because it is La Nina summer which gives us lots of rain...for New Mexico. Also they the fall we get afternoon monsoons so everything should be good to go.

[Nurse Ben]

Okay, I get the call back from Turquoise Trail Campground, this is a full service campground with a variety of RV and camping sites from full hook up to tents only, even some cabin, rates are very fair. I made reservations for Friday night (5th) through Sunday (7th), all they wanted was a single night deposit.

They have at least five RV sites still available, some cabins, and lots of tent space; tent sites are set away from RVers, so quieter, yeah!

Tell them you are with the unicycling group

On the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway
Full Hook-up RV Sites including: water/power/sewer with 50/30/20 amp service
Tent camping in a wooded area isolated from the RV sites.
All sites have charcoal grills and picnic tables
Easy commute to Santa Fe or Albuquerque (18 minutes to downtown)
Shade trees and grass, Clean bathrooms/showers, Pet friendly, Free WiFi
Playground, Laundry facilities, Gift shop, Dump station

RV Sites Large 50 amp pull-throughs $29.00
Large 30 amp pull-throughs $27.00
Some camping discount cards may apply for RV sites.
Tent Sites $17.50
Cabins Small $36.00
Large $58.00

Contact: 505.281.2005 or debswe@earthlink.net

Why stay in the city where it's hot and noisy when you can stay in the mountain and breathe the cool fresh air

Unishark, come on buddy, we can carpool to the trail and your wife can take the car.

[uniShark]

Originally Posted by Nurse Ben

Okay, I get the call back from Turquoise Trail Campground, this is a full service campground with a variety of RV and camping sites from full hook up to tents only, even some cabin, rates are very fair. I made reservations for Friday night (5th) through Sunday (7th), all they wanted was a single night deposit.

They have at least five RV sites still available, some cabins, and lots of tent space; tent sites are set away from RVers, so quieter, yeah!

Tell them you are with the unicycling group

On the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway
Full Hook-up RV Sites including: water/power/sewer with 50/30/20 amp service
Tent camping in a wooded area isolated from the RV sites.
All sites have charcoal grills and picnic tables
Easy commute to Santa Fe or Albuquerque (18 minutes to downtown)
Shade trees and grass, Clean bathrooms/showers, Pet friendly, Free WiFi
Playground, Laundry facilities, Gift shop, Dump station

RV Sites Large 50 amp pull-throughs $29.00
Large 30 amp pull-throughs $27.00
Some camping discount cards may apply for RV sites.
Tent Sites $17.50
Cabins Small $36.00
Large $58.00

Contact: 505.281.2005 or debswe@earthlink.net

Why stay in the city where it's hot and noisy when you can stay in the mountain and breathe the cool fresh air

Unishark, come on buddy, we can carpool to the trail and your wife can take the car.

I'm sold, let me check with the boss. (You do realize the free beer is on you now, right? )

[Nurse Ben]

I'm sold, let me check with the boss. (You do realize the free beer is on you now, right? )

It's on my wife, she's going to fly out to SLC or Albquerque for a long weekend, she's the drinker, so she buys

My wife won't do much other than a little bit of hiking, our daughter may come down from SLC, but what will probably happen is my wife will sleep in, then get up and have some coffee, by then it'll be noon, then she'll want to go into town and look around, shortly after we'll be done riding, and then we can all meet for dinner

[uniShark]

Originally Posted by Nurse Ben

It's on my wife, she's going to fly out to SLC or Albquerque for a long weekend, she's the drinker, so she buys

My wife won't do much other than a little bit of hiking, our daughter may come down from SLC, but what will probably happen is my wife will sleep in, then get up and have some coffee, by then it'll be noon, then she'll want to go into town and look around, shortly after we'll be done riding, and then we can all meet for dinner

I just made reservations 4th-10th. The prices you noted are a little low, like everyone else in NM, they raise their prices during Balloon Fiesta (maybe try for the weekend before or after next time, eh guys?). But still cheaper than KOA enough that I don't mind losing the deposit (and nicer location).

Also, if your wife is into zoos and museums, that's where mine will be headed with my kids.

[Nurse Ben]

Ah, of course, they raised the prices, didn't think to ask, just copied and pasted from their website. Karen says that if she's there; dependent on the school situation, she'll be into whatever doesn't involved sweating

[eyal]

Friends, our official muni weekend webpage is now live! Select the link below for information on Munifest Destiny (aka "California" Muni Weekend 2012) in Albuquerque New Mexico:

http://www.nmuni.com/munifest-destiny-2012

The site is not complete or exhaustive, so be sure to check periodically for updates.

Thanks!
Eyal & The New Mexico Mountain Unicycle Brigade

[johnfoss]

The web page looks good! If you can, take all those text links on there and turn them into clickable links.

Unfortunately I have to change our attendance status. Jacquie is out, and I'm down to a maybe. She's having back surgery, hopefully in September, and will need lots of care for a while after. Depending on the surgery date I'll know if I can leave or not (she has lots of friends and employees who are professional CNA's).

Not that we want to wait that long, but if her surgery date turns out to be after the event, we might both go...

[zadig]

We're planning to be there. I've been on top of the Sandias and wished I had my unicycle... my wish will soon come true. Thanks to all who are putting this together!