Day 9 - Everything's Bigger In Texas
- Paul Mullan
- Apr 30, 2017
- 2 min read
We said goodbye to New Mexico and slipped over the state line into Texas... but not before a look through the collection of cars at Russell's Truck Stop near the border.
There was even a menu from the old days but our Russell couldn't remember that far back!
Nearby Glenrio ghost town is a perfect but sad example of a community dying thanks to the interstate... strange when you can hear the trucks roaring past so close.
The half way point on our journey was marked today at Adrian at the appropriately named cafe. Owner Dennis had his usual 'Ugly' pies on offer at the Mid Point Cafe and we immortalised our achievement inside, and across the road as well.
Closer to Amarillo is Cadillac Ranch, one of the most famous and unusual farming techniques in the world. What they planted decades ago hasn't grown much but the colour changes more regularly than the seasons.
This part of the US and Cowboy boots go hand in hand so an obligatory stop to shop in Texas was achieved despite navigational difficulties and sales duly completed...
..before we checked out the rattle snake, 72oz steak and other larger than life things at the Big Texan.
On the east side of the largest city in the Texan panhandle is Bug Ranch. Five VW's buried to their firewall like the caddy's on the other side of town - all in the name of making fun of the original buried cars - neither really having any serious reason for being other than "this is America"!
Likewise the Leaning Water Tank is little more than one garage owners attempt to attract attention to keep his business alive. Ironically the tower still stands proud... but the truck stop has long gone.
In McLean we discover that there's more to the Devils Rope than meets the eye, the world's largest display of barbed wire - go figure!
At nearly 200 miles from the western border is Shamrock and here we find Hazel.
Past 90 and still going strong, she'd come in on her day off to welcome her Kiwi visitors and sure made us feel like family. Coffee and cars at the old restored gas Station, saved thanks to the local bank that bought it and handed it back to the city.
Let's not forget the very substantial grant from the state tourism body to re built it and hey presto - a restored period cafe complete with period people to welcome the tourists plying the route just before the Oklahoma border.
We crossed into our third state for the day, ate in Sayre and hunkered down for the ninth night on the road at the AmericInn on the outskirts of town.
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