Safe Travel route needed (Colorado Springs, Pueblo: buy, law, legal)

[LoryLoo]

Good evening All,
I am new to this website and need some help. I am a divorced parent traveling with a child with special needs. I am coming from El paso, TX going to Colorado Springs, CO. I had a horrible experience at interstare 10 and checkpoint last year when i brought my kiddo for visitation with her father. My child was made fun of and harrased. They made us take everything out of the backseat of our car and we stood outside for over an hour. The experience was more damaging to my 10 years old than to me. They kept giving her random directions and yelling at her if she wouldn't comply. Flying is not an option for us due to her disabilities and special needs. I am searching for the best route to avoid the checkpoints and was considering to take I40 to get to I-25, etc. Please please please help us to find the safest way to colorado.

[Mike from back east]

IMO the only viable route is I-25 all the way from El Paso. I don't see where I-40 even comes into play.

[Therblig]

What checkpoint? At the NM border? Loop north into NM on 213 then west (on 70, if not 404) to 10/25 once you're in the state.

And what officials?

And did you do anything about this? You should not have to be looking for an alternate route; it sounds like some should have been looking for alternate employment.

Or are you coming from CJ through El Paso, and had this experience at the US border?

[interloper1138]

I have no experience driving in Southern New Mexico or Texas, but I wonder if this route would be better?

- Take US 62 east from El Paso to Carlsbad, NM
- Take US 285 north from Carlsbad, NM all the way to I-25 just southeast of Santa Fe, NM
- Take I-25 N from near Santa Fe all the way to Colorado Springs

You should not encounter any such hassles once in Colorado on I-25.

I'm sorry this happened to you and your daughter. Good luck.

[DOUBLE H]

Do a web search on "Border Patrol Checkpoint-Las Cruces". It is a good sized building and is maybe 15-20 miles north of Las Cruces at IIRC mile post 25. It's been a few years since I've been through there but when I was stopped I never had any problems with the agents.

There are some articles on immigration busts reported by KVIA earlier this month on October 1st at that station. It involved a large group of immigrants and cash was seized as well out of a tractor trailer. The agents no doubt were in a salty mood from the experience you have described but their job is a job few people want who are in law enforcement, I have a couple friends in there, I know. The total distance from El Paso to the Springs is 570 miles, it's a long haul but doable in one day, weather permitting. 8 1/2 hours is a ballpark figure for the time of travel. Me? I would still do 1-25, once you get past the checkpoint it's an easy drive all the way to Albuquerque. The traffic gets busy from Alb. to Santa Fe but then thins out. And the traffic is light all the way to Pueblo.

If you still want to go a different route you can get on 70/82 and go up through Alamogordo and stay north as 54 merges and goes all the way to Vaughn. From there take state road 219 which hops over Interstate 40 at Pastura and joins up with U.S. 84 and goes to Las Vegas, joins up with I-25 and its another 240 miles to Colorado Springs. This route has light traffic but keep in mind it's a 2 lane road. And services are limited. I've been on that route a few times in my day, it's OK by me. You can pick up a New Mexico road map at any of the Port of Entry truck scales, in fact I know there is one 5 miles south on I-10, just before it becomes I-25. Perhaps easier to just buy a road atlas.


In any event, safe travels and good luck to you.

[otowi]

If the issue is to avoid Las Cruces, you can take 54 north to 219 North to where it meets I25 near Las Vegas. There are places where you could cut across to I25 sooner after Las Cruces - West on 60, 80, or I40.

[Scarlett O'Hara]

You said you want to go from El Paso to CoSprings. EP is in the United States, why would you have to cross any checkpoints? Go straight up I-25, as someone mentioned earlier.

Unless, also, as previously mentioned, you need to get INTO the United States first, at El Paso?

Anything other than I-25 straight up to Springs is wasting time and miles, really.

Clarification is needed.

[mkwensky]

Originally Posted by Scarlett O'Hara

You said you want to go from El Paso to CoSprings. EP is in the United States, why would you have to cross any checkpoints? Go straight up I-25, as someone mentioned earlier.

Unless, also, as previously mentioned, you need to get INTO the United States first, at El Paso?

Anything other than I-25 straight up to Springs is wasting time and miles, really.

Clarification is needed.

There are border checkpoints inside Texas hundreds of miles from the border.

[2nd trick op]

Originally Posted by LoryLoo

Good evening All,
I am new to this website and need some help. I am a divorced parent traveling with a child with special needs. I am coming from El paso, TX going to Colorado Springs, CO. I had a horrible experience at interstare 10 and checkpoint last year when i brought my kiddo for visitation with her father. My child was made fun of and harrased. They made us take everything out of the backseat of our car and we stood outside for over an hour. The experience was more damaging to my 10 years old than to me. They kept giving her random directions and yelling at her if she wouldn't comply. Flying is not an option for us due to her disabilities and special needs. I am searching for the best route to avoid the checkpoints and was considering to take I40 to get to I-25, etc. Please please please help us to find the safest way to colorado.

Originally Posted by mkwensky

There are border checkpoints inside Texas hundreds of miles from the border.

Asssuming that these "checkpoints" weren't at the US/Mexico border. and possibly not even at state boundaries, they were probably run not by Federal (Border Patrol) but by state, or worse yet, county and local auhtorities -- and these are the agencies which are likely to give a tin badge and position of authority to some Dumb Billy-Bob who likes to throw his weight around.

Since you don't have to go though New Mexico to get to Colorado from El Paso, I'd suggest reporting this incident to the Texas Highway Patrol. (or just checking in at a local office before you start out; they might have a few words to say (and people to contact) about the abuse of harmless travellers by local yokels.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by 2nd trick op

Asssumin that these "checkpoints" weren't at the US/Mexico border. and possibly not even at state boundaries, they were probably run not by Federal (Border Patrol).

Wrong.
The US Border Patrol has the legal right to operate up to 500 miles from the border.