Randy Owens:  

Life I moved to California to finish College and talked into moving to New Mexico by an old Bentley classmate, Russ Clapham who I bumped into in Albuquerque on vacation. Back then New Mexico was wide open and I loved the high desert and Mesa's, the whole state had a population less than Belle Isle. Weather is still great year around, bright blue sky and sun, and it only snows hard in the mountains. If you have seen the movie Red Dawn, you have seen New Mexico, mostly around the Jemez Mountains. I explored the state non stop the first 10 years I was here, lots of deserted Ghost Towns, I mean real Ghost Towns, especially at night with the Santana winds blowing. Some old Confederate battle sites, Western Forts, and Indian Pueblos were all fun to spend time in. I worked as an Advertising Artist then went into sales and finance. Later I moved to the small suburb of Paradise Hills overlooking Albuquerque and some friends in the sheriff's department talked me into joining. I spent a lot of great years there; loved the work and didn't mind the hours which translated to underpaid and overworked. Working Patrol Division, I ran radar East from the Arizona border to Albuquerque along I-40 and when I happened t...Expand for more