Texas Trip

[REWahoo]

Thanks Dog. Wahoo, I want to know what you deleted!

Well, I didn't want to interrupt you and ()... :

What I had posted was that cell phone coverage is very good in the eastern half of the state, but is spotty in the remote areas of west Texas and Big Bend National Park. This Cingular map will give you an idea of what you can expect:

http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/ce.../pop_mapfinder.jsp?zip=78254&mapt=regionalMap

(For what it's worth, there are also cell phone towers on oil rigs out in the Gulf. On our cruise last year I made calls from over 100 miles offshore.)

And I'm not sure what the magazine articles said about traveling the border of Texas, but wanted to be sure you knew to plan for some serious driving:

Texas' Boundary Lines

The boundary of Texas by segments, including only larger river bends and only the great arc of the coastline, is as follows:

Rio Grande 889.0 miles
Coastline 367.0 miles
Sabine River, Lake and Pass 180.0 miles
* Sabine River to Red River 106.5 miles
Red River 480.0 miles
* East Panhandle line 133.6 miles
* North Panhandle line 167.0 miles
* West Panhandle line 310.2 miles
* Along 32nd parallel 209.0 miles
Total 2,842.3 miles

http://www.texasalmanac.com/environment/

As for the weather in March, expect Spring and flowers (assuming we finally get some rain) in the south and Winter with ice and snow in the Panhandle.

Also, you might want to keep an eye on the news. Those nutjobs who hung out along the Mexican border have all gone home for now, but if they set up next time on the Oklahoma border, you might be in for some trouble. ("Hey Bubba, look at iss un. Em folks got Minnesota license plates!")

If you are serious about visiting this part of the world, PM me and I'll recommend a few places you might find interesting.

 

[greg]

Wahoo: So, 2800 miles plus 3000+ more @ 10 MPG=$1500 for gas for a trip to Texas? Plus expenses? I don't think so. Martha just lost $30,000 in her 'dummy account' today.

So, do they have any amenities in Texas? Actually, we're thinking about dragging the scooters down there to ride around in Big Bend. Have you been there? Is there a motorcycle helmet law in Texas? REW, thanks in advance.

--easy Martha's DH

PS Hi whitestick.

 

[REWahoo]

Since we've managed to completely hijack this thread (sorry whitestick ), I split the topic.

Yes, Texas has a motorcycle helmet law....but there is a huge loophole. (You-know-who was governor when it passed, so that probably explains a lot.)

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/msb/helmet.htm

And yes, I've been to Big Bend although it's been a few years (10?). It's a long way from anywhere and very rugged country. A good place to visit if you're seeking a little solitude. At one time you could see forever from the park HQ area in the Chisos Mountains. Now there is so much air pollution (we blame it all on Mexico) that the view is often hazy unless the winds are blowing out of the north, which they typically are not. If you do make the trip, consider treating Martha to at least one night at the Gage Hotel in Marathon. It's a real off-the-beaten-path (understatement!) jewel. http://www.gagehotel.com/

Another place to visit in that area which is interesting (to me ) is Fort Davis, an old US Cavalry post from the indian wars. It was in business from the 1850's to the 1890's. You are probably too young to remember all the old western movies, but the geography in an around Fort Davis will look very familiar to anyone who saw many of those old "shoot-em-up" films. http://www.nps.gov/foda/

Before I sound too much like the TX Chamber of Commerce I'll stop there and not go into detail about seeing Judge Roy Bean's place ("The Law West of the Pecos"), or scuba diving at San Solomon Springs.

It's a nice place to visit, but you really don't want to live here.

 

[F M All]

If you are going to Fort Davis go to the MacDonald Observatory. It is not a branch of the golden arches  . They give excellent evening talks on stars etc. and you get to use some of their telescopes. Check out their website for dates/times.

 

[greg]

We will go to Fort Davis, I suspect. And definitely the MacDonald Observatory. No Gage Hotel--at least not overnite. We have the motorhome and the dogs to worry about.

My trip plans:

1) Look for matching cowboy hats for the weiner dogs.

2) Find out if Texas has an OIL & GAS MUSEUM so I can learn why you folks behave and think the way you do. Plus, do you folks have a Hall of Shame Fame where I can learn more about your politicians?

3) Eat some of your food, aka chili w/no beans, etc. Contemplate moving to semi-retiring in Texas to open a Tex-Swede restaurant where we serve real food refried lutefisk.

4) Keep an eye out for rattlesnake droppings.

5) Learn to say "Okee-dokee, pardner" to Martha.

We'll probably have to get passports to get into Mexico. Last I heard, you have to do the same for a visit to Canada too. I'm actually looking forward to it. Thanks all. Also, looking into a raft trip on the Rio Grand. Getting ready for Greg & Martha's Excellent Adventure (sometime after tax season).

 

[BigMoneyJim]

We'll probably have to get passports to get into Mexico. Last I heard, you have to do the same for a visit to Canada too.

Nope. Birth certificate or expired passport or some other things will work for Mexico and Canada. And I think you have to own the car you drive into Mexico; you'll need confirming paperwork. You may have special concerns for the dogs, too. Be sure to check on that before heading to the border. I've been into Canada in recent years and Mexico about 7 years ago. In Canada you need a special proof of insurance card; I didn't drive into Mexico, though, so I don't know of such requirements there.

 

[Howard]

Jim, not sure what proof of Insurance card you are talking about, unless it is to rent a car.

The US Government wants to issue to US Citizens travelling abroad a new special IDCard(whoo, eaves dropping Patriot Act, where is Michael Moore?), but it is always a good idea to travel with a Passport, that way you cannot be refused.

Visiting Canada, leave your guns at home , Son, as well as food stuff.

 

[REWahoo]

2) Find out if Texas has an OIL & GAS MUSEUM so I can learn why you folks behave and think the way you do. Plus, do you folks have a Hall of Shame Fame where I can learn more about your politicians?

Think the closest Oil & Gas Museum to Big Bend is in your president's home town, Midland, TX. The museum right off I-20, just look for the oil derrick.

There are two big "halls of shame". One is in Austin, where Lyndon Johnson's shrine presidential library is located at the University of Texas. The other is in Bryan, where George Bush the Elder's library sits at Texas A&M University. But numerous shrines to lesser politicians dot the roadside as you will see during your short drive through the state.

3) Eat some of your food, aka chili w/no beans, etc. Contemplate moving to semi-retiring in Texas to open a Tex-Swede restaurant where we serve real food refried lutefisk.

There is Tex-Mex food, and then there is REAL Tex-Mex food. (Hint: Ask the cook "Velveeta queso?". If you get a "si", it isn't the real thing. Also, avoid places that use terms like "chimichanga" and "spam" on their menus.)

 

[Martha]

I just googled the passport requirements and the US has moved the date to January 1, 2008 as the date passports will be required for traveling between US and Cananda and US and Mexico. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

When the exchange rate was "better" we shopped a lot in Canada as Thunder Bay is fairly close. Never have had a problem bringing food back and forth in our motorhome. Or dogs.

 

[Eagle43]

Visiting Canada, leave your guns at home , Son, as well as food stuff.

Same in Mexico.  A year in jail, minimum, if you get caught with a weapon, so I've been told.  I heard of one guy who had a bullet lying in his truck's cab.  Got jailed and had to pay off the jailer to get out.  It's a game, of course, but why play?

 

[unclemick]

When you get down there - see if the Winter Texan is still published. Our last RV trip near the border was 1989.

Iowa won the license plate count in the campgrounds - I was still an en-ga-neer then and counted that sort of thing.

Kansas, Texas, and Illinios were runners up.

heh heh

 

[F M All]

The Texas Hall of Shame is in Dallas - an old book depository  . Good museum, though.

 

[whitestick]

3)  Eat some of your food, aka chili w/no beans, etc.  Contemplate moving to semi-retiring in Texas to open a Tex-Swede restaurant where we serve real food refried lutefisk. 


5)  Learn to say "Okee-dokee, pardner" to Martha.

First, I don't mind being hijacked, I just didn't know how to move my original reply post over to here, so I'll just pick up on this part and leave the original where it was.

Re: chili - Texans take great pride in preparing chili according to recipes that adhere to the original use of various "chilis" or peppers as others refer to them. If you see a "chili cook off" around the Terilingua area, you might want to sample all the varieties, but be prepared for a full gamut of flavors and spices - truly delecious but some yankees people not from Texas, need to have some water nearby.
Re: 5 - I believe that phrase might be more apt for Oklahoma, in Texas it's more like "Aw shucks ma-am" and you MUST learn the proper way to address others. It's pronounced "yeeaw'll" but spelled y-o-u. Plural is "all yeeaw'll". Proper pronunciation will keep locals from misunderstanding what you are trying to say.
b

 

[REWahoo]

First, I don't mind being hijacked, I just didn't know how to move my original reply post over to here, so I'll just pick up on this part and leave the original where it was.

whitestick, my intent was to split, rather than hijack the thread. Your original post on the "Hi, I Am..." board in a thread entitled "Been Lurking, Now Be Posting" had morphed into a discussion of Martha and Greg taking a trip to Texas. I thought that subject should be split off into a separate topic under the Other Topics board. Looks like I didn't do that very effectively and may have inadvertently stepped on your toes in the process. My apology.

 

[haha]

First, I don't mind being hijacked, I just didn't know how to move my original reply post over to here, so I'll just pick up on this part and leave the original where it was.

Re: chili - Texans take great pride in preparing chili according to recipes that adhere to the original use of various "chilis" or peppers as others refer to them.  If you see a "chili cook off" around the Terilingua area, you might want to sample all the varieties, but be prepared for a full gamut of flavors and spices - truly delecious but some yankees people not from Texas, need to have some water nearby.

I just made the best Sonora style chili of my life for the NFC playofs tomorrow. I learned this recipe while dove hunting near Navajoa, Son.

I simmered anchos, one dried habanero,  6 or 8 sautéed jalapénos and serranos, sautéed onion, garlic and celery, oregano and cumin. When it was all really soft- 6 hours or so- I blended it, and then passed it through a sieve. This very smooth sauce was added to browned beef chuck and shinbone- with lots of nice fat marrow, and simmered until the beef was tender.

Let me tell you, it takes a lot to better this.

Ha

 

[LOL!]

Last spring we spent a week in Big Bend NP, Big Bend Ranch State Park, McDonald Observatory, Marfa and that general area.    The flowers in the desert were absolutely spectacular ... everywhere you stepped you were within 1 foot of a bloom.   Lots of interesting critters.

 

[unclemick]

HaHa

This one I am going to save - AND send a copy to my BIL - he's a real Chili fan and other Southwestern recipes. My Sister doesn't like hot(native Washingtonian) but she has been getting better over the years.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Jarhead*]

I just made the best Sonora style chili of my life for the NFC playofs tomorrow. I learned this recipe while dove hunting near Navajoa, Son.

I simmered anchos, one dried habanero,  6 or 8 sautéed jalapénos and serranos, sautéed onion, garlic and celery, oregano and cumin. When it was all really soft- 6 hours or so- I blended it, and then passed it through a sieve. This very smooth sauce was added to browned beef chuck and shinbone- with lots of nice fat marrow, and simmered until the beef was tender.

Let me tell you, it takes a lot to better this.

Ha

Ha: No doubt about it, you are a renaissance man.

That recipe sounds great, and to go along with the playoffs, what a day!

Save some for me, I can make it in about 12 hours if I drive straight through.

Jarhead, (Who is very impressed with Ha's kitchen abilities)

 

[whitestick]

Thus proving the "great pride" comment. Sounds delicious. Personally, I would have added a couple of Thai or Chinese peppers - those little green ones that pack a lot of "flavor" to that recipe, but it does sound good as it stands.

REWahoo - not a problem Didn't mean to imply that there was. Just pointing out my own ignorance of manipulating the tools. I agree with your assessment to split, I think I used the wrong word in "hijack". On to the next post.

 

[HFWR]

Ha,

That's "yall"...

 

[unclemick]

Where the heck is Tyler, Texas?

Another Salt Bayou refugee found me via e-mail. His wife is pushing for greater Houston - closer to So. LA relatives - he's a Texas native.

YAT - to the slurred where are you at. or Awlright cap or yeah you right - hows/yer/momma/and/dem - ain't the real deal OR they are Texan's who lived too long in a certain part of LA.

BTY - they are staying - not coming back.

 

[REWahoo]

Where the heck is Tyler, Texas?

It's "behind the pine curtain" in East Texas. Roughly half way between Dallas and Shreveport. Claims to be the Rose Capital and is home of an annual Azalea festival. Lots of South in those parts...

 

[Danny]

Learn to say "Okee-dokee, pardner" to Martha.

Fixin' ta go ta Tejas tomorrow starting in Fort Worth and then to see some of the wife's people in Whitehouse (Tyler)..have been promised a horsey ride - wish I had the guts to gallup like Tonto - then we press onward (in rented car) to Austin and SanAntone...Appreciate any suggestions on places, roadhouses, joints, diners and dives along the way.....
Wife was boning up last night with Kinky Friedman's The Great Psychedelic Armadillo Picnic - mentioned that Ma Ferguson former gov was quoted as saying - "If english was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for Texas!"....must have been when they were determining the official state language...just came across a texas ism - Like a one-legged man at a butt-kicking contest....

 

[rmh]

While in Whitehouse go to Tyler to Mercado's. It is on loop 323 on the south side of town. Great Tex-Mex (try the qual).

 

[REWahoo]

... (try the qual).

I consider myself reasonably up to speed on Tex-Mex, but I'm not familiar with this particular item. Is this a typo (quail) or something entirely different?