Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team July 29th, 2010
4 BR 4 BA Approx 3700 Sq Ft 3 Car Garage Built 2007
This is probably the nicest home currently for sale in Rio Rancho! Everything in this home says luxury and quality. You’ll love the gleaming cherry wood floor in the unique octagonal living room; the way the chocolate chip granite contrasts with the dark knotty wood; The high end Jenn Aire appliances; the soaring family room with the granite fireplace surround; and the walls of windows with the best Sandia Mtn view in town. The huge Master Bedroom Suite is downstairs. You’ll love it!
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team July 27th, 2010
Located about half way between Jemez Springs and Battleship Rock, Soda Dam is an unusual geologic structure located alongside Route 4 in the Jemez Mountains. The dam was formed over thousands of years by depositing of minerals – primarily calcium carbonate, in minute layers to eventually build this magnificent structure. The dam partially blocks the Jemez River, sometimes creating a pool upstream. The materials were deposited on the dam by groundwater which seeped into the natural fault located nearby, was heated by volcanic rock deep in the earth, and which carried the dissolved minerals and gases back to the surface.
A number of active springs within the dam structure continue to carve small caves and streak the surface with color from various trace minerals.
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team July 26th, 2010
So, you’re up for a little drive in the mountains… If you head west out of the northern end of Rio Rancho on Hwy 550, within a few minutes you’ll hit New Mexico Route 4 and San Ysidro. Route 4 is the 64 mile long main road through the Jemez Mountains connecting the Albuquerque / Rio Rancho area with the Jemez Pueblo, Los Alamos and the Bandelier National Monument.
A few miles north of San Isidro you will find the Canon de San Diego region, with its stunning red rock formations and dirt, rich with iron. The Jemez Pueblo is located here, although tribal laws do not permit photography of the pueblo or its people.
A few miles north of the pueblo, if you’re really paying attention, you will see a turnoff to the left (west) for Highway 485 – a 1 ½ – 2 lane back way into the Jemez Mountains. Although Route 4 is a quicker and wider road than 485, I find myself taking the road less traveled almost every time. The road crosses the Jemez River and goes up a narrow, steep rock canyon, following the Rio Guadalupe. A few miles in you will encounter the Gilman Tunnels. These 2 tunnels were originally built in the 1920’s to accommodate a logging railroad. Just past the tunnels, the pavement ends. In fact, there is a gate across the road at that point which is often closed well into May because of snow and poor road conditions until the spring and summer heat dries things out. The road is rough, but the vistas of the mountain meadows are worth the bumpy ride.
Once you complete the loop and rejoin Route 4, you will be within a short distance of 3 more of the region’s star attractions – Fenton Lake, Battleship Rock and Soda Dam.
Battleship Rock is easily seen from the road and is worth a stop. The large exposed rock face emulates the bow of a large ship – hence the name. The striking, 200 foot tall natural formation of welded volcanic ash is studded with glass-like obsidian rock. A river runs through the day-use picnic area at the base, and hiking trails abound.
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team July 21st, 2010
Jazz music is alive and well in the Albuquerque / Rio Rancho Metro area. With dozens of venues and hundreds of performances each year, local jazz fans have lots of opportunities to satisfy their cravings…
Last week, Singer Cathryn (Cathy) McGill and Jazz Pianist John Rangel performed outside at the Prairie Star Restaurant, just over the Rio Rancho border in the Santa Ana Pueblo. Between the great food, the changing twilight vista of the Sandia Mountains, the rolling green of the Twin Warriors Golf Course, and the up-close-and-personal musical performance of two of the area’s top musical talents – it was a night to remember.
Cathy McGill and John Rangel were recently awarded the New Mexico Music Award in the Adult R & B category.
For more information about Cathy McGill, visit her website. John Rangel’s website can be accessed here.
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team July 16th, 2010
3 BR 2 BA 1700 Sq Ft
This was already the nicest home in the neighborhood when the Sellers bought it a few years ago…. Since then they have added Gorgeous Crown Molding, Wood Laminate Flooring in the main living area, New French Doors, New Light Fixtures and Ceiling Fans. Out back they built a Beautiful Wood Pergula over the patio. Do you have more than a couple cars? They also poured a 3rd Car Pad on the driveway. With quick access to Hwy 550, you can be in Albuquerque or Santa Fe in minutes. Come take a look!
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team July 13th, 2010
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church is a small but growing congregation in Rio Rancho, NM. The church debuted as Rio Rancho Lutheran Mission in 1994, and adopted its current name when it joined the the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod in 1996. After holding services in a school cafeteria and a store front for several years, they built the first phase of their current facility on a hilltop near Pasilla Rd. and Highway 528. Reverend Kenneth DeSoto has been Pastor of the church since 2008.
In the Fall of 2002, the church opened a Christian Preschool, keeping the enrollment low, and quality high. Children 2 1/2 years through 5 years old are eligible for admission.
The address is 2400 Monterrey Road NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144. The phone number is 505-867-9554. Visit their website for a schedule of services and events: http://www.shepherdofthehillsrr.org
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team July 7th, 2010
The Music in the Park series put on by the Rio Rancho Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department runs late Spring through the Summer at the Rotary Club Barbecue Pavilion at Haynes Park.
The activity is free, and people are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets and snacks. Sorry, they don’t allow anything harder than lemonade to drink. Most nights an ice cream truck shows up to offer cold treats. The video above features the Mudd Brothers Band.
Performances start at 7pm and end around 8:30. The rest of the 2010 season offerings are below:
July 11: Placitas Mountain Band (Bluegrass and Old Time Music)
July 18: Michael and Donna Coy (Folk)
July 25: Bosque Blues (Acoustic Blues Duo)
August 1: Rudy Boy Experiment (Hot Rockin’ Blues)
August 8: Dennis Higgins & The 2010 Band Folk (Folk, Blues & Contemporary Jazz)
August 15: Saints and Sinners (Classic Rock and Blues)
August 22: Twisted Mojo (Classic Blues, Rock and Soul)
August 29: Rio Rancho Symphonic Band (Symphonic Music)
*Musical acts subject to change
Haynes Park is located at 2006 Grande Blvd., which is across the street from Intel on N.M. 528/Pat D’Arco Highway.
For additional information, please call the city of Rio Rancho’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department at (505) 891-5015.
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team July 7th, 2010
When we visited Straight Chiropractic in Rio Rancho, we found it to be a really first-class operation. Their philosophy is that chiropractic care is not just about occasional adjustments, say when you are hurting, but is a part of a larger process of overall health care, including good nutrition, exercise, limiting the use of drugs and medications, etc. Dr. Brad Fackrell owns Straight Chiropractic, although other doctors practice alongside him as well. He offers weekly classes in the evening on a variety of subjects for patients and visitors who are interested in improving their health.
When patients commit to a program, they can come in for adjustments at times convenient to them, from very early to some evening hours. Dr Brad’s use of technology in his practice helps patients get in and back out quickly, while keeping the quality of care high. His office staff is friendly and knowledgeable, most often greeting patients by name on sight. We had the opportunity to sit in on a staff meeting at day’s end when filming there, and the positive attitude, the supportiveness and conviction of all the employees and doctors was astounding. In January of 2010, the practice moved into larger quarters within the same shopping center off Southern Blvd. You can reach Straight Chiropractic at 505 507-9355. They are located at 3301 Southern Blvd. Suite 105 (next to the Albertson’s Grocery Store)
(Note) On the first day we were filming at Straight Chiropractic the staff was holding a special event where everyone was wearing matching T-shirts. Although the office atmosphere is casual, Dr. Brad is usually dressed more conservatively than shown in parts of the video. The fact that he went on camera wearing the special T-shirt speaks to the fact that his focus is on patient health and wellness, which we believe is to his credit…
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team June 27th, 2010
We’ve been keeping an eye on the construction site for the new Green2V Solar factory, which was announced about 8 weeks ago. A construction office trailer, storage container, and a generator have been sitting on the large, cleared site for many weeks. Construction was projected to begin “June 1, 2010 or soon after” on the 125,000 sq ft 1st phase of the project, which could eventually hire 1500 local employees. Rio Rancho administrators have been waiting for the company to produce funding before the city completes the $6.9 Million land purchase for the factory.
This week there was some activity at the site – the generator was on, running the A/C for the building. Later, telephone equipment was being installed in the trailer, so it appears that the construction management company (Reid and Associates, it appears) is moving ahead with preparations to start work soon. We’ll keep you informed as further developments occur.
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team June 26th, 2010
Well, another of Mark and Sheila’s Neighborhood Yard Sales in Rio Rancho came to a successful conclusion today… The weather cooperated, with warm, but not hot temperatures, slightly elevated humidity, a light breeze, and it didn’t start to rain until an hour after the sale ended. Phew!
90 households (Yes – 90!) held sales in their own driveways in the Broadmoor, Ridges and Cascades areas – all within a few blocks of each other. If you haven’t experienced this before, to have this many yard sales in one place at the same time is truly a unique shopping experience. The fact is, if you started at 8:00 am and attempted to visit every sale site before they ended at 1:00 pm, (and spent just 30 seconds getting from site to site) you would only be able to spend 3 minutes going though the goodies at each location. Since we know that a number of people actually do make it all the way through the whole thing, it’s interesting to study their technique – evaluating the goods via drive-by, negotiating prices while their husband is already putting purchases in the car and Grandpa keeps it idling at the curb and maps the shortest route to the next sale site. It’s really intense!
Since by the morning of the sale most of our work of organizing things has already been completed, our job on sale day is to feed the Sellers and the Shoppers breakfast and snacks, to give out bottles of cold water to keep everybody hydrated, to arbitrate the occasional minor issue, and to keep the Shoppers shopping!
At the end of today’s sale we filled about 3/4 of our moving truck with donations of leftover sale goods. The books and tapes went to Friends of the Libray of Rio Rancho, and the household items went to support Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
The video shows just a few scenes from today’s activities. For a more complete view of what Mark and Sheila’s Neighborhood Yard Sale Series is about, plus dates and locations of our future sales, follow this link to our main Yard Sale web page.
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team June 20th, 2010
On June 12, 2010 around 1000 participants converged on Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque for the 1st Annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Walk, dubbed the “Walk For Your Man”. Although 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes, a lot of men avoid going to the doctor for a simple test for the disease. The event name refers to the fact that often wives and partners are the ones that get educated and push their men to go have a PSA test or other screening.
The Prostate Cancer Support Association of New Mexico is a local non-profit that provides education, support, and encouragement to men and their families throughout the state in making informed decisions for the detection and management of prostate cancer. With state funding for their activities drying up, the organizers are hoping that this annual event will provide funding for their continued operations.
Chief Meteorologist Joe Diaz on KOAT TV was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009 — a disease that killed his father years ago. Joe, KOAT, and a number of other corporate sponsors pledged and delivered funds, supplies and marketing for this worthwhile event. Joe has shared publicly how he dealt with the news, went through surgery, and how it all changed his – and his family’s – lives. Joe emceed the day and the station gave lots of air time to cover the event.
Joe’s wife Diane Diaz, who is a Senior Buyer Representative with the Mark & Sheila Real Estate Team at Coldwell Banker Legacy, raised hundreds of dollars in donations from Coldwell Banker Associates, staff and affiliates, including Legacy Mortgage. However, perhaps more importantly, the combined effort of all involved raised the awareness of the disease (and the need to get screened) of tens of thousands in the Albuquerque Metro area.
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team May 23rd, 2010
The Idalia Road Marketplace is an outdoor shopping hub of great food, arts and crafts, music, entertainment, and local and organic fresh produce. The next time you’re looking for someplace different to go on a Saturday or Sunday morning, give IRM a try. Don’t eat breakfast before you go… you can get a great breakfast burrito, a fruit smoothie, great coffee, and some luscious French pastries there! I visited today, and bought some fresh yellow squash, some HUGE Haas avocados and some fresh corn on the cob – all for about 30-40% less than the price I’d pay at a commercial grocery store (they were bigger and fresher too)! This is the first outdoor marketplace in the Rio Rancho area, and the owners (Marc and Phyllis Calderwood) have gone all out to provide a great retail space for the vendors, and a pleasant and different experience for shoppers. Give it a try!
Written by Mark T Fiedler - The Mark and Sheila Team May 4th, 2010
We came across this video today and just had to share… In May of 2007, Sony opened its Imageworks Animation Studio in Albuquerque to take advantage of state offered tax incentives and to participate in the burgeoning local film production industry. (Probably as a recruiting tool), this video was created to tell the story of the first 40 employees, who for the most part were moving to an unknown community. The sentiments shared by the relocated animators, production staff and technicians mirror those of most people I meet who have moved here from out of state – they are pleasantly surprised and newly enthusiastic about their new home once they experience it.
The film is 25 minutes long, but if you are considering relocating to the Albuquerque area, what’s 25 minutes of research vs the good information to be received?
(To play the clip full screen, click on the icon just to the right of the volume control.)
