Living On the Edge of Texas

By Roy Ortega

It is a long way both in distance and time between my hometown of San Antonio and my home in El Paso. Six hundred miles and 42-years to be exact. I was born and raised in San Antonio but moved to El Paso in 1976 at the tender age of 23 after stopping in Austin to work on an education. The distance in time spans a life-time of living and working in one of the most interesting places in America - the far western edge of Texas.

El Paso, Texas 

Looking back, leaving San Antonio was not the hardest thing I have ever done. I loved my hometown, but after studying journalism at the University of Texas, I struggled to find a job slightly more substantial than a rock-and-roll radio disc jockey.

So I headed west. 

El Paso is nothing like the rest of Texas. I have argued that it doesn't even belong in Texas. El Paso is located so far to the west, it exists in a different time zone. The distance between El Paso and the state capitol of Austin is nearly 600-miles. Two other state capitols are closer - Santa Fe and Phoenix.

Over the years, there have been calls for New Mexico to annex El Paso. That's something I would totally support, but will never happen.

Culturally, El Pasoans have more in common with New Mexicans than they do with Poteetians (people from Poteet, Texas).

New Mexican food at La Posta,

Even the food is different in Far West Texas. El Paso cuisine is heavily influenced by a blend of Mexican and Native American flavors while the rest of Texas is steeped in the Tex-Mex tradition. Both are good and delicious, but not exactly the same. If you ever find a decent carne quisada in El Paso, let me know. I've never found one.

The geography here is distinctly different than the rest of Texas. There is a rugged mountain range called the Franklin

Franklin Mountains

Mountains that rises to 7,192 feet above sea level and runs right through the middle of the city. The city itself rests at an elevation of 4,000 feet above sea level which makes it a little colder in the winter, but hotter and drier in the summer. Humidity and dew points are generally in the single digits throughout most of the year. With an average annual rainfall of less than 8-inches, humidity-haters like me live in total bliss.

Winter in El Paso

The politics of this town are also nothing like the rest of Texas. Although sometimes tough and tumultuous, El Paso politics are perfectly in line with my own values: Progressive and solidly Democrat, with the exception of the mayor who happens to be a conservative Republican. But that's Ok. Don't forget, El Paso is the home of Beto O'Rourke, the senatorial candidate who has built his campaign on the inclusion of anyone who wants to help him solve problems regardless of party affiliation.

But by far, the most significant characteristic about El Paso is its location on the U.S. - Mexico border across from the thriving Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez. I emphasize significant because it is a true international, bilingual and bi-cultural community. The flow of people, commerce and culture between the two cities is no different than going across town to school, work or to visit grandma in any other American city. Crossing the border, however, is always a complete and totally unnecessary pain-in-the-ass inconvenience for the vast majority of border-crossers.

This border region is the location of two countries and three states existing right next to each other in perfect cultural, political and economic harmony. Frankly, it is a shining example to the entire world of how diverse communities can not only co-exist peacefully, but thrive and move forward together.

Immigrants make major contributions to the heart and soul of this region and are always welcomed. Criminals, foreign or domestic, are not. For the vast majority of border residents, Trump's proposed border wall is the worst idea since the one Humpty Dumpty fell off of.

For most people living here, the constant blabber from errant politicians describing the border as a lawless and dangerous place is a major source of annoyance. Those claims are based on complete distortions of reality. The fact is, El Paso has consistently topped the FBI's list of safest cities in the U.S. While it is also true that the City of Juarez has suffered through periods of drug cartel violence, citizens of both communities have worked together to quell the drug killings south of the border. To put things in better perspective, St. Louis, Chicago and several other large American cities often exceed the homicide rate of Juarez.

Old Mesilla, New Mexico

There is one more thing I'd like to say about living on the edge of Texas. The beautiful state of New Mexico is near and dear to many of us who live here. We live literally minutes from the state line and spend a lot of our free time visiting with friends and family in places like Las Cruces, Sunland Park, Mesilla, Chapparal, Alamogordo, Cloudcroft and Ruidoso. A good part of my budget went to pay for an excellent education at New Mexico State University for one of my sons.

Organ Mountains, New Mexico

Las Cruces, New Mexico

The spectacular landscapes, pine-covered mountains, winter snows and desert vistas are nature's gift to us. New Mexico is not only our year-round playground, it is also our spiritual escape.

As I sit here contemplating the rest of my retirement years, I look forward to spending more time exploring more of West Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and the entire Great American West.

See you down the road.

Comments, compliments and criticisms are always welcome. You may contact me at rortega54@elp.rr.com.