From Albuquerque! "Find Love on the Luminaria Tour! It Happens More Than You Think!" (City of Albuquerque >Transit > News)

This story originally appeared on the City of Albuquerque > Transit > News website at this address: http://www.cabq.gov/transit/news/find-love-on-the-luminaria-tour-it-happens-more-than-you-think/. This link now requires a logon name and password. A copy of the original story appears below.


Sometimes (with apologies to Sigmund Freud), a Luminaria Tour is just a Luminaria Tour. But very often, the charm of the lights and the warm Holiday feelings can turn the Tour into quite a romantic setting. That’s why ABQ RIDE is touting this year’s event as “Love on the Luminaria Tour, 2012.”

Just ask the thousands of couples who have bought tickets to the Luminaria Tour every year since the 1960s. Better yet, just ask one of ABQ RIDE’s own employees how the Luminaria Tour actually rekindled a romance that led to marriage.

On Christmas Eve 2005, Research Specialist Jonathan Blaich took the Luminaria Tour with his family. He was then working at another job in Albuquerque; a graduate of UNM and contemplating an advanced degree at Arizona State. While in line, he ran into Meg Radigan, who’d been his Junior Prom date at La Cueva High School eight years before. They had known each other from church, but had lost touch when Meg moved to Michigan to attend tiny Hillsdale College. 

While on the tour the two got reacquainted; exchanged phone numbers and email addresses. Jonathan even asked Meg out for New Year’s Eve, but a schedule conflict kept that from happening. Even after Meg left for Costa Rica for a stint at teaching English for the British Institute, Jonathan persistently emailed her. When she came back to Albuquerque, the two began dating. In 2009, they completed what the Luminaria Tour had started; they got married. 

Jonathan admits had it not been for the Luminaria Tour, his life would probably be very different. “I’ve often thought about the role the Luminaria Tour played in my life,“ said Jonathan. “I can say it certainly brings people together in the best sort of way.”

To best enjoy the Tour, riders are encouraged to arrive 20 minutes prior to their scheduled departure time. They can park for free at the Convention Center’s eastside parking structure at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Broadway. Free parking will also be available for disabled and special needs individuals at the parking lot on the northwest corner of 3rd Street and Marquette. The tour works its holiday and some say romantic magic for about an hour as it goes through Old Town, the Country Club and Los Altos neighborhoods.

“We’re proud that we can bring some of the magic of Albuquerque’s Christmas season to our riders every year,” said Bruce Rizzieri, Director of ABQ RIDE. “If that magic should translate into romance for some of our couples, all the better.”