High Dessert Potentials or Not

Our drive through east central AZ was an unexpected bonus, even the nonscenic routes were incredibly scenic, plus we have a new area to add to our potential 2nd residency - Show Low, lakeside & Pinetop AZ. We chose that route because i once looked at VA job opening. High dessert, pines, junipers, LOTs of lakes for kayaking and a very friendly bike shop and visitor center. Mountain and road biking options were numerous. We were headed toward Silver City NM, it was touted as a grt small city, artsy, mountain and rode biking potential and hot sunny weather. What more could a retiree ask for. Well on first blush, it was not!!! We arrived at dinner time, the scenery was scrubby, with some dessert bushes and tree, kind looked runned down and too much traffic. We navigated to an RV park close to the down town area and rented a cabin for 2 nights. Nothing to get excited about, but clean and met our needs. The next morning we drove toward out of town for an oil change and the underimpression did not improve, BUT after lunch we walked the 5 blocks to downtown and visited the bike shop, then the yarn shop and then moseed around the downtown visiting and talking to shop and gallery owners, as well as a few locals who recognized us as visitiors. The general theme, Silver City has a real sense of community, living in the downtown or close University seems to be the desirable location, active or people with stimulated minds are drawn here and it is very artsy with numerous galleries. Aestetically it still underwhelmes me, but there is something catchy here. Today off to Gilia, which is up the road to visit woman who makes her own botanicals and then we drive to Weed,AZ to visit a friend.