Texas Question for Bird

HR_Mutt · Oct 27, 2001

look towards the mountains and see strange lights.Nobody has been able to determine the source.
Read this and remembered a post about adding lights to rops. Working late Bird?/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
regards
Mutt

RBManufacturing · Oct 27, 2001

Thanks ErnieB,
Rick

Rick Hedgecock
R&B Manufacturing
http://www.tiltmeter.com
(816)587-9814

jinman · Oct 27, 2001

At the risk of being called a spokesman for the Texas Tourist Bureau, here is another link to a magazine about Texas called Texas Highways. There is lots of info in their website, including a recipe for chicken fried steak with cream gravy.

Texas Higways

JimI

BobT · Oct 27, 2001

Alan L., Bird, Glenmac, ErnieB, & all the others,

THANKS again for all the excellent tips and insights about Texas Hill Country. I am going to spend some time online and find some specific areas to visit on my next drive thru. You guys are a kind of mini-Texas Chamber of Commerce. Sounds like a great area! Thanks again.

BobT.
A Indiana Boy

Bird · Oct 27, 2001

Rick, there's lots of options to get from KC to Sealy; guess it depends on how much time you have. For time, I'd just take I-35 to Dallas, I-45 to Houston, and west on I-10, but if I wasn't in any hurry, I'd take US-71 from KC to Texarkana and US-59 to Houston. In either case, though, I'd turn west on 1960 north of Houston and go around that big town instead of through it. Of course, if I really had lots of time, I might go from KC down around Branson, and then down SH-7 through Arkansas to Hot Springs; mighty pretty scenic drive although it's been a long time since I took that route.

Bird

Bird · Oct 27, 2001

Yep, Ernie, the deer do tend to be mighty small. I've heard that attributed to hunters killing off the biggest and best trophies and leaving the runts to breed, and I've also heard it attributed to over populations of deer, and I've heard it attibuted to climate and food sources, and of course, I sure don't know which is right or whether it's a combination of those factors.

I'd heard that Rickenbacker had a ranch somewhere there, but don't know where or anything at all about it.

The one time I was at the Y-O and met Charles Schriener III (everyone called him "Charlie three"), he seemed like one heck of a nice guy. Of course, when we turned off the highway into the ranch, it 8 miles of rough gravel (more of a trail than a road) back to the main ranchhouse./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

Bird · Oct 27, 2001

Very nice description, GlennT. drive in the Medina, Bandera area I spent 3 weeks in Medina, nice city owned RV park in a bend of the river, in January '94. Deer came down out of the hills into the park every evening. The city owned the gas company and I did a leakage survey for the whole town in that 3 weeks.

Bird

RBManufacturing · Oct 27, 2001

Hi Bird,
As slow as things have been here, I will probably have lots
of time. The wife and daughter just got back from Branson.
I had to work. Maybe next time. Thanks, Rick

Rick Hedgecock
R&B Manufacturing
http://www.tiltmeter.com
(816)587-9814

Bird · Oct 27, 2001

Rick, it's been a few years since I was down US-59 south of I-20, but I always did enjoy that drive. Of course, you have quite a few little towns with traffic lights to pass through, but there's no shortage of services available, food, fuel, & lodging. And if you should happen to take I-45 between Dallas and Houston going either direction, let me know when and I'll sure buy your dinner in Corsicana (I live about 20 miles west of Corsicana). In fact, we'd be glad for you to stop off for the night with us. We've got a spare bedroom.

Bird

GlennT · Oct 27, 2001

Bird: Medina, Bandera, Mason, Harper, Llano, Junction, etc. They're all struggling. There's not much money to be made in ranching--especially after recent droughts, so these towns are concentrating on attracting retirees and tourists. Medina is trying to dress up it's main street and offer some special events. My wife and I attended their annual antique tractor show a couple of weeks ago and their annual apple fest attracts substantial numbers of people from Austin and San Antonio. As far as I can tell, the big money is being made by developers in the Hill Country. More and more ranches are being split up into acreages which sell for awe-inspiring prices. A constant problem is water, of course. The aquifer cannot support more wells--many of them being used to water flowers, bushes and large plots of grass. The vineyards and the peach and pecan orchards require substantial amounts of water and more and more farmers are installing large and expensive irrigation systems. I wonder how it will all turn out?

ERNIEB · Oct 27, 2001

Bird, on the deer, IMO it's a combination of all those things.
Now, down around Artesia Wells is the Light Ranch. When I was down there I met George Light IV, he introduced himself as Quatro Light. Kind of a character, he didn't like pick ups so he drove around the ranch in a Delta 88. But, it must run in the family, because every day I would see Tres Light going to the Post Office in the shiniest baby blue Cadallac I have ever seen/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Wearing his Stetson of course./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
If you have been to Medina, maybe you visited Castroville. The little Alsace of Texas. I spent a lot of time there in my teen years. My first wife was from a near by small town called Lacoste. And yes, all my ex's live in Texas/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Ernie

Alan L. · Oct 28, 2001

>>The aquifer cannot support more wells--many of them being used to water flowers, bushes and large plots of grass<<

And catfish farms....

Alan L., TX

Bird · Oct 28, 2001

Yep, Ernie, I've been to Castroville, but know nothing about the Light Ranch. Speaking of those cadillacs, though, when I was at the Y-O Ranch, my '72 Chrysler wagon drug high center several times on that 8 miles "driveway", so I would have thought the Schrieners only drove pickups, but Charlie III was driving a cadillac; made me wonder how long the bottom lasts on one./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

ERNIEB · Oct 28, 2001

I wonder how it will all turn out?
Texan landowners will lose thier right of free capture. Thats how it will turn out. Thanks to the greed of a few people, and the foolishness of some enviromental groups. Alan mentions the catfish farm. How many more of these can the taxpayers buy out for millions of dollars? The lack of water has always been a problem, and always will be. People need to learn to live with it. I wonder if the rest of the state realizes the situation?

Ernie

RBManufacturing · Oct 28, 2001

Hi Bird,
If we get to go to Texas, I will definately let you know. As
you probably know, the government moves very slow. When
they decide to proceed with this, if they do, I will be on the
road headed that way. Might be an argument about who
buys dinner. Maybe we can swap a few cop stories while
I'm there. Thanks, Rick

Rick Hedgecock
R&B Manufacturing
http://www.tiltmeter.com
(816)587-9814

Bird · Oct 28, 2001

As you probably know, the government moves very slow.

Ain't it the truth?/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I'll look forward to hearing from you, and wish you luck with the deal.

Bird

mikim · Oct 29, 2001

Rick-
I drive to KC almost every year from Houston - 13 hours - It doesn't matter if you go through Topeka and down 35 or down to Ft Smith then I40 and come down 69 through Okla to Dallas - same time --the latter is a prettier drive and it may depend on what part of KC you're leaving from which would be better.
However - I have to contradict Bird on 1960 - too many stop and go lights and way too much traffic. Spend the 3 dollars and take loop 8 (toll) around the west side to I10 --- be careful not to miss the Sealy exit - it's not a real big town - AND if you make it ..I think it's the first weekend of the month .. they have a big auction of tractors, machinery, trailers, and you name it at the sale barn in town. ( I drive through Sealy every weekend I go to the country - I come up 36 and jump on I-10 there headed west)
When you're done with business take 1094 out of Sealy to 109 then north to Brenham. This will do 2 things .. 1. you'll see some real pretty countryside and German community type places and 2. You'll be looking at wctractors when you come to the intersection of 109 and 290 in Brenham. (you could maybe do some business there too)
mike

TxBilly · Oct 29, 2001

Rick
My property is 6 miles west of Columbus and 5 miles south of I10. Columbus is an old historic town about 20 minutes west of Sealy. If you had the time, would be worth a ride for a few hours. It is in Colorado County (www.rtis.com/reg/colorado-cty/)
My property is rolling, sandy soil with a lot of live oaks, post oaks, & hickory trees. No pines at all. A lot of wildlife and as others have posted, the deer are on the small side.
If you drive south from Dallas, as Bird said, you want to miss "downtown traffic" but take the Sam Houston tollway around the city. Faster than FM1960.
The plant (west of town) is a Stewart & Stevenson plant that makes military vechiles. They have a VERY steep test hill behind the plant and I could see why they need your tilt-meter!!! I would not want to try it on my B2400!
Bill

TxBilly · Oct 29, 2001

Rick
If you meet Bird in Corsicana, make sure he shows you how to get to the fruit cake place!

Bird · Oct 29, 2001

I have to contradict Bird on 1960

Feel free to do so./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif It's been quite a few years since I was in Houston and I'll gladly defer to someone more familiar with it.

Bird