Driving cross country…again…but it never gets old. This time it’s just me and Annie, my miniature schnauzer. We took a Southern route to avoid any potential snow in the Midwest and the Rockies but also to visit overdue places like Birmingham and Montgomery and take a very, very windy path and deep dive through Texas.
KNOXVILLE
I’m no fan of travel influencers, the people who visit a place for a long weekend then post a ten minute video of the location’s highlights as though they are a life long resident. First, they are simply regurgitating what an influencer before them said – same attractions, same restaurants, same take. Second, and the worst impact, is that the influencers crowd out the real people you want to get advice from when visiting a local…the actual lifelong residents. When you are looking for a great meal in Knoxville, there’s one authoritative source – Phil Fulmer, a former player, coach, and athletic director at the University of Tennessee. For a guy who can probably eat for free at any restaurant in Knoxville and who was a former offensive lineman, if any one knows the best spots to eat in Knoxville, it’s Fulmer. And as luck would have it, if you type “where does Phil Fulmer eat in Knoxville”, a reporter came through and wrote the article I was looking for: https://gardenandgun.com/articles/coach-fulmer-guide-knoxville-tennessee/
I order the biscuits and gravy at Pete’s. Don’t take my word that this is a good place to start the day, take Phil Fulmer’s word. A quick drive past Neyland Stadium and it was back on I-81 to Chattanoooooga.
I’m no fan of travel influencers, the people who visit a place for a long weekend then post a ten minute video of the location’s highlights as though they are a life long resident. First, they are simply regurgitating what an influencer before them said – same attractions, same restaurants, same take. Second, and the worst impact, is that the influencers crowd out the real people you want to get advice from when visiting a local…the actual lifelong residents. When you are looking for a great meal in Knoxville, there’s one authoritative source – Phil Fulmer, a former player, coach, and athletic director at the University of Tennessee. For a guy who can probably eat for free at any restaurant in Knoxville and who was a former offensive lineman, if any one knows the best spots to eat in Knoxville, it’s Fulmer. And as luck would have it, if you type “where does Phil Fulmer eat in Knoxville”, a reporter came through and wrote the article I was looking for: https://gardenandgun.com/articles/coach-fulmer-guide-knoxville-tennessee/
I order the biscuits and gravy at Pete’s. Don’t take my word that this is a good place to start the day, take Phil Fulmer’s word. A quick drive past Neyland Stadium and it was back on I-81 to Chattanoooooga.
CHATTANOOGA
Chattanooga was a coffee stop. I asked the barista about a riverside park and bridge and he confirmed it was worth checking out. Annie and I walked across the bridge and back, circled around the recent development along the Tennessee River, then back in the car to Birmingham. Thirty minutes is a short time to make an impression but it was a favorable first impression. Chattanooga had a slightly more grownup feel than say Knoxville. It reminded me a bit of Roanoke in that it’s a mid-size Appalachian city with a bit more going on economically and culturally than what I would have expected.
Chattanooga was a coffee stop. I asked the barista about a riverside park and bridge and he confirmed it was worth checking out. Annie and I walked across the bridge and back, circled around the recent development along the Tennessee River, then back in the car to Birmingham. Thirty minutes is a short time to make an impression but it was a favorable first impression. Chattanooga had a slightly more grownup feel than say Knoxville. It reminded me a bit of Roanoke in that it’s a mid-size Appalachian city with a bit more going on economically and culturally than what I would have expected.
BIRMINGHAM
You need to get your orientation settle when visiting Birmingham – the city runs on a southwest to northeast diagonal line with a business district south of I-20. Red Mountain divides the city in many ways. In a past life Birmingham was a steal town converting Appalachian coal into I-Beams, bars, and plates. Birmingham suffered from the same smog and pollution as other steel towns and those that could escaped to the south side of Red Mountain. Despite being a five minute drive away Homewood and Mountain Brook feel like a world away. When planning a trip to Birmingham be sure to go slightly beyond Birmingham.
Look at these lists:
First, apologies to Birmingham and I mean no disrespect, there’s not 25 things to do in Birmingham. I’d have a tough time coming up with 25 things for a tourist to do in New York City or Hong Kong, let alone Birmingham. Second, and this is travel writing malfeasance, only one site lists Birmingham’s top attraction, Rickwood Field, the oldest still standing baseball stadium in America. I only learned about Rickwood Field when calling my dad the night before I visited. You can’t visit Birmingham and not see Rickwood Field. If you are driving down from the North, Rickwood Field is an ideal first stop as it’s the first attraction you’ll reach and out of the way from the rest of the city.
Just temper your expectations with Rickwood Field. It’s a great site but it is also past it’s prime. Call ahead to ensure the park will be open. You’ll likely be able to have a personally guided tour with someone who knows all the history of the park and the players that passed through. Willie Mays made his professional debut here. Reggie Jackson played his Single A ball here. Barnstormers like Babe Ruth came through every winter. You have full run of the stadium to walk through the lockers, through the bleachers, and around the diamond to take in every angle where these greats played.
You need to get your orientation settle when visiting Birmingham – the city runs on a southwest to northeast diagonal line with a business district south of I-20. Red Mountain divides the city in many ways. In a past life Birmingham was a steal town converting Appalachian coal into I-Beams, bars, and plates. Birmingham suffered from the same smog and pollution as other steel towns and those that could escaped to the south side of Red Mountain. Despite being a five minute drive away Homewood and Mountain Brook feel like a world away. When planning a trip to Birmingham be sure to go slightly beyond Birmingham.
Look at these lists:
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g30375-Activities-Birmingham_Alabama.html
- https://vacationidea.com/destinations/best-things-to-do-in-birmingham-al.html
- https://familydestinationsguide.com/best-things-to-do-in-birmingham/
- https://southerntrippers.com/things-to-do-in-birmingham/
- https://www.thecrazytourist.com/top-25-things-to-do-in-birmingham-al/
First, apologies to Birmingham and I mean no disrespect, there’s not 25 things to do in Birmingham. I’d have a tough time coming up with 25 things for a tourist to do in New York City or Hong Kong, let alone Birmingham. Second, and this is travel writing malfeasance, only one site lists Birmingham’s top attraction, Rickwood Field, the oldest still standing baseball stadium in America. I only learned about Rickwood Field when calling my dad the night before I visited. You can’t visit Birmingham and not see Rickwood Field. If you are driving down from the North, Rickwood Field is an ideal first stop as it’s the first attraction you’ll reach and out of the way from the rest of the city.
Just temper your expectations with Rickwood Field. It’s a great site but it is also past it’s prime. Call ahead to ensure the park will be open. You’ll likely be able to have a personally guided tour with someone who knows all the history of the park and the players that passed through. Willie Mays made his professional debut here. Reggie Jackson played his Single A ball here. Barnstormers like Babe Ruth came through every winter. You have full run of the stadium to walk through the lockers, through the bleachers, and around the diamond to take in every angle where these greats played.
From Rickwood Field I zigged and zagged through Birmingham passing University of Alabama – Birmingham (UAB) which is relatively well integrated into the city’s central economic area, eventually stopping at Dreamland BBQ, which while a Tuscaloosa institution, was still a good place to itch the southern BBQ craving. With someone coughing at every table, I knew I wasn’t in the Northeast anymore.
Onward to Vulcan Park, which every site above lists as a Top 5 destination. The park provides great views of the Birmingham skyline below but the Vulcan Statue is a bit underwhelming because…well…to look at it involves staring into the sun. The plaques around the statue square are what filled me in on how residents moved to suburbs on the other side of the ridge to avoid the smog.
Homewood has a great, local shopping scene centered around 18th Street. On the drive over to Mountain Brook, it’s worth stopping for a quick walk through Jemison Park, although that could just be the dog owner in me saying that. Grabbing a coffee at Church Street Coffee and Books will put you in the center of Mountain Brook’s quaint shopping area. Tough to take decent photos in this area when you have a dog leash in your other hand.
Onward to Vulcan Park, which every site above lists as a Top 5 destination. The park provides great views of the Birmingham skyline below but the Vulcan Statue is a bit underwhelming because…well…to look at it involves staring into the sun. The plaques around the statue square are what filled me in on how residents moved to suburbs on the other side of the ridge to avoid the smog.
Homewood has a great, local shopping scene centered around 18th Street. On the drive over to Mountain Brook, it’s worth stopping for a quick walk through Jemison Park, although that could just be the dog owner in me saying that. Grabbing a coffee at Church Street Coffee and Books will put you in the center of Mountain Brook’s quaint shopping area. Tough to take decent photos in this area when you have a dog leash in your other hand.
I then circled back to Birmingham and hoped to take a tour of the 16th Street Baptist Church. I thought I timed it perfectly to attend the last tour of the day but I showed up and the place was locked. I should have booked the tour in advance. On Sunday, September 15, 1963 a Ku Klux Klan bombing killed four teenagers. Beyond the heinousness and brazenness of the crime is the fact that the FBI knew who planted the bombs in 1965 and waited until 1977 and then only charged one of the four known conspirators of the bombing. In 2002, the remaining living two conspirators were finally convicted of the bombing and sentence to life in prison. The FBI’s rationale for not pursuing charges was the belief, probably correct, that a jury of the bombers’ peers would not convict them. America.
There’s a Civil Rights Institute and park with memorials across the street.
There’s a Civil Rights Institute and park with memorials across the street.
Birmingham has been going through a bit of a renaissance. Nowhere is that more evident than a stroll through Railroad Park where new apartment complexes rise across the street and Regions Field, home to the Birmingham Barons, is located. A bunch of restaurants and bars fill out the rest of the space. Dog or not, I think this park is worth taking a walk through.
A beer and dinner at Back Forty Beer, which allows dogs at their outdoor space, and a view of the Sloss Furnaces, which does not compare to the Bethlehem Steelworks, before heading to a hotel near Railroad Park. Long, long day.
A beer and dinner at Back Forty Beer, which allows dogs at their outdoor space, and a view of the Sloss Furnaces, which does not compare to the Bethlehem Steelworks, before heading to a hotel near Railroad Park. Long, long day.
I picked a place in Homewood for breakfast but called a last minute audible and went to The Original Pancake House located at the historical Five Points intersection. Good pancakes. Good historical spot. Good way to end Birmingham and drive south to Montgomery.
MONTGOMERY
A quick comparison between Montgomery and Birmingham. This is an apples to oranges comparison as these two cities are quite distinct and the only reason to even try a comparison is that these are Alabama’s two largest cities. Birmingham is more cosmopolitan – taller buildings, more restaurants, more economics, more everything in general. Montgomery is no slouch though. The capital has grand ambitions that never seemed to be realized. Wide boulevards. Stately government buildings. More cultural sites. But on a Saturday morning, it’s a quiet place.
Quiet and reflective is the proper mood when visiting The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Between the 1870s and 1960s over 4,000 African Americans were lynched in America. The Memorial lists all the victims, county by county, in rectangle handing columns. The names on the memorial were easily found because often the lynching would be “advertised” in newspapers in advance. A walk through the memorial is reminiscent of walking through a holocaust camp and while the crimes weren’t committed here, reading about the lynchings as you walk through helps to place some of the history in context. I asked a curator what’s the one thing the Memorial wants visitors to take away and he said “an awareness and knowledge that this happened, to keep learning about this history of American’s past that is not fully told”. He recommended a few books “100 Years of Lynching” and “Medical Apartheid”. The takeaway from this Memorial is that while some people will trivialize the 4,000 number, say it’s barely one per week, but division is not the correct math. The real number is that for a century 10 million African Americans were terrorized and with no intervention and to this day, Americans can't talk about this because the people who perpetrated the terror find it offensive. I learned about Cortez and Pizarro multiple times throughout school. I never learned about 4,000 lynchings.
A quick comparison between Montgomery and Birmingham. This is an apples to oranges comparison as these two cities are quite distinct and the only reason to even try a comparison is that these are Alabama’s two largest cities. Birmingham is more cosmopolitan – taller buildings, more restaurants, more economics, more everything in general. Montgomery is no slouch though. The capital has grand ambitions that never seemed to be realized. Wide boulevards. Stately government buildings. More cultural sites. But on a Saturday morning, it’s a quiet place.
Quiet and reflective is the proper mood when visiting The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Between the 1870s and 1960s over 4,000 African Americans were lynched in America. The Memorial lists all the victims, county by county, in rectangle handing columns. The names on the memorial were easily found because often the lynching would be “advertised” in newspapers in advance. A walk through the memorial is reminiscent of walking through a holocaust camp and while the crimes weren’t committed here, reading about the lynchings as you walk through helps to place some of the history in context. I asked a curator what’s the one thing the Memorial wants visitors to take away and he said “an awareness and knowledge that this happened, to keep learning about this history of American’s past that is not fully told”. He recommended a few books “100 Years of Lynching” and “Medical Apartheid”. The takeaway from this Memorial is that while some people will trivialize the 4,000 number, say it’s barely one per week, but division is not the correct math. The real number is that for a century 10 million African Americans were terrorized and with no intervention and to this day, Americans can't talk about this because the people who perpetrated the terror find it offensive. I learned about Cortez and Pizarro multiple times throughout school. I never learned about 4,000 lynchings.
Back in town are several museums dedicating to telling the story of Civil Rights in America. You could make an entire day of seeing these museum, each focusing on a different angle from Freedom Rides to Rosa Parks. I opted for the Rosa Parks Museum which is at the site where Ms. Parks was kicked off the bus and arrested. The Museum recreates that night. Where Dexter Avenue enters Court Square Fountain is a statue of Rosa Parks.
A block and a half up Dexter Avenue is Chris’ Famous Hotdogs where all of Montgomery’s famous residents from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to George Wallace to Hank Williams chowed down on one of Chris’ hot dogs covered in mustard, onions, kraut, and Chris’ famous chili sauce. The great thing about this spot isn’t just the food but rather the third generation Chris behind the bar that’s serving you. The place hasn’t changed in 75 years and is a great local experience. Another spot where I wish I had a whole day and could have spent thirty minutes siting at the counter hearing stories from Chris’ grandson.
Another three blocks up is Dexter Avenue Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the congregation from 1954 to 1960, a period that covered the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Tours are available but I just wanted a peak inside, unfortunately, despite the hours saying otherwise, the church was closed.
Dexter Avenue sits in the shadow of the Alabama Capitol building which is another block up. The Capitol complex includes two buildings to the west that round out what is an impressive showing – when I mentioned Montgomery had allusions of grandeur, it’s most evident looking from this capital complex looking back down on Dexter Avenue. Across Washington Avenue is the first White House of the Confederacy.
I circled back down to Commerce Street and tried to access a waterfront park - no luck. There's a Hank Williams museum. The admission is $16. I'm more of a $5 admission fee Hank Williams fan. I settled for a photo instead. Nearby is The Legacy Musuem, probably the best museum in the city, which chronicles the African American experience in America from slavery to present day incarceration.
SELMA
The Edmund Pettus Bridge is an iconic landmark in American history. On March 7, 1965, after the Civil Rights bill passed in 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, and others organized a march from Selma to Montgomery to bring awareness to African American voter disenfranchisement in the South. The marchers had barely crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge into the next county when state troopers and local posses attacked and beat them. While not as iconic as the Liberty Bell or able to fit inside a museum, the bridge still serves as a living monument to freedom.
The Edmund Pettus Bridge is an iconic landmark in American history. On March 7, 1965, after the Civil Rights bill passed in 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis, and others organized a march from Selma to Montgomery to bring awareness to African American voter disenfranchisement in the South. The marchers had barely crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge into the next county when state troopers and local posses attacked and beat them. While not as iconic as the Liberty Bell or able to fit inside a museum, the bridge still serves as a living monument to freedom.
As for Selma…well it’s a town that’s 82% Black with a declining population in Alabama. With these small towns the state route usually goes straight through and there’s a grid residential zones to the side – it is 100% worth it to drive through those grids. To be fair to Alabama and acknowledge that this is a national problem, the area doesn't look much different than North Philadelphia - it's just single family homes instead of row homes.
DEMOPOLIS
I’ve never bought the whole “Make America Great Again” argument for the simple reason that the people who “killed” America have no real desire to Make America Great Again. Every day these individuals have an opportunity to Make America Great Again and they decide, no, I don’t feel like it. Reagan's policies demolished these towns but I'm sure doubling on will turn things around. Demopolis is the poster child for this hypocrisy. Demopolis has all the makings for a great small town – historic buildings surrounding a town square. Even in the rain, the town looks cool. But the residents of Demopolis decided they’d rather shop at Dollar General than the local general store. They’d rather eat a fast meal at McDonald’s or Taco Bell. Thus all the commercial activity that should be in the town center is instead clustered along Route 80 just south of town. That’s the story of every small town (outside of Texas) in the south. People abandoned their towns to save $1. Corporate America could step up and ditch Route 80 too.
I’ve never bought the whole “Make America Great Again” argument for the simple reason that the people who “killed” America have no real desire to Make America Great Again. Every day these individuals have an opportunity to Make America Great Again and they decide, no, I don’t feel like it. Reagan's policies demolished these towns but I'm sure doubling on will turn things around. Demopolis is the poster child for this hypocrisy. Demopolis has all the makings for a great small town – historic buildings surrounding a town square. Even in the rain, the town looks cool. But the residents of Demopolis decided they’d rather shop at Dollar General than the local general store. They’d rather eat a fast meal at McDonald’s or Taco Bell. Thus all the commercial activity that should be in the town center is instead clustered along Route 80 just south of town. That’s the story of every small town (outside of Texas) in the south. People abandoned their towns to save $1. Corporate America could step up and ditch Route 80 too.
JACKSON
As someone who has visited and explore Trenton, I know better than to call Jackson the worst state capital city in the U.S. Trenton takes that spot and there’s really no number 2 or 3 or even a 4 or 5, Trenton is the worst state capital by far. Wherever the next spot on the list is Jackson is pushing for consideration. Unlike Montgomery, which was communicating “we are Alabama and we are proud”, Jackson appeared to be making no similar attempt to showcase Mississippi to the world. It was a quick visit so maybe I’m wrong. And where I did stop, The Manship (a James Beard chef winning run restaurant) and Urban Foxes (a cool coffeeshop in a house), I was impressed. It was the roads and the driving to, from, and in between these places that left something to be desired. No grand boulevards like Montgomery, just potholed, cratered, and unnaturally hilly/curvy streets. But at least it’s not Trenton.
NATCHEZ
At one point in its history, Natchez had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the US. Sherman spared it during his march to Atlanta. Located on/above the Mississippi River, Natchez played an important role in trade up and down the river. When steamships gave way to trains, Natchez economic role faded. The town is a bit of a head scratcher for me. The town could be an ideal weekend getaway or part of exploring beyond New Orleans on a trip to the Bayou. The prior wealth means the town has a collection of amazing mansions and a day could easily be spent going in and out of these homes – I spent a night at Choctaw Hall and it was a glorious stay traveling back in time to Natchez’s glory days. Natchez Brewing and Natchez Coffee are two great spots to grab a drink. Taking the dog out for her morning walk was a wonderful stroll past the historic homes. So what’s missing? A place like this needs a few upscale restaurants. Natchez also feels worn down. The city has aged well but well…it’s also aged. It feels like you are stepping back in time not simply because of the old homes but because everything feels old. It feels as though no one has “invested” in Natchez since the 1960s. Money left and never returned. But Choctaw Hall was awesome, great night stay, definitely upgraded.
As someone who has visited and explore Trenton, I know better than to call Jackson the worst state capital city in the U.S. Trenton takes that spot and there’s really no number 2 or 3 or even a 4 or 5, Trenton is the worst state capital by far. Wherever the next spot on the list is Jackson is pushing for consideration. Unlike Montgomery, which was communicating “we are Alabama and we are proud”, Jackson appeared to be making no similar attempt to showcase Mississippi to the world. It was a quick visit so maybe I’m wrong. And where I did stop, The Manship (a James Beard chef winning run restaurant) and Urban Foxes (a cool coffeeshop in a house), I was impressed. It was the roads and the driving to, from, and in between these places that left something to be desired. No grand boulevards like Montgomery, just potholed, cratered, and unnaturally hilly/curvy streets. But at least it’s not Trenton.
NATCHEZ
At one point in its history, Natchez had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the US. Sherman spared it during his march to Atlanta. Located on/above the Mississippi River, Natchez played an important role in trade up and down the river. When steamships gave way to trains, Natchez economic role faded. The town is a bit of a head scratcher for me. The town could be an ideal weekend getaway or part of exploring beyond New Orleans on a trip to the Bayou. The prior wealth means the town has a collection of amazing mansions and a day could easily be spent going in and out of these homes – I spent a night at Choctaw Hall and it was a glorious stay traveling back in time to Natchez’s glory days. Natchez Brewing and Natchez Coffee are two great spots to grab a drink. Taking the dog out for her morning walk was a wonderful stroll past the historic homes. So what’s missing? A place like this needs a few upscale restaurants. Natchez also feels worn down. The city has aged well but well…it’s also aged. It feels like you are stepping back in time not simply because of the old homes but because everything feels old. It feels as though no one has “invested” in Natchez since the 1960s. Money left and never returned. But Choctaw Hall was awesome, great night stay, definitely upgraded.
ALEXANDRIA, LA
Quick coffee break. Cool little town.
Quick coffee break. Cool little town.
TEXAS
I feel like half the country wants to hate Texas.
Texas is not Florida. Texas is not California. Texas is not Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana. Texas is not Oklahoma or Arkansas.
Texas is Texas. Texas walks the talk. Drive through small towns in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, etc. and you think “my word these people have to be nuts to keep voting conservative” and “we don’t have universal healthcare because why, exactly? These people are crazy”. Drive through Texas, and I mean really drive through Texas, spend 900+ miles on an 1,100+ mile drive through Texas on state and US routes instead of the interstate, and you’ll see an immediate difference. Texas is nice. Texas works.
An East (starting in Burkeville) to West (ending in El Paso) drive through Texas reveals a lot about Texas. First the state is huuuuuge. East Texas and West Texas feel like two completely different continents. The state goes from hilly and green with lakes and ponds to brown and flat with cotton and oil. East Texas had a house every one hundred feet, West Texas every mile. It went from small farms, to personal ranches, to cotton fields as far as the eye could see, to pump jacks dotting the landscape.
Jasper, Woodville, Livingston, Huntsville – these are nice, quintessential American small towns. If I was moving to Texas, I’d skip Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio and settle into the nice pace of one of these small East Texas towns. Unlike California, where its citizens are packed into two megalopolises, Texas has the space. You’d be a fool to not take advantage of that space advantage. Out West, San Angelo, Midland, and Odessa were and feel like they were built with industry in mind. No offense but I couldn’t handle West Texas, in fact take that as a compliment. But East Texas? I’m thinking about it more than I should.
Mr. Hamburger, the world's largest squirrel statue, and a pecan pie vending machine:
I feel like half the country wants to hate Texas.
Texas is not Florida. Texas is not California. Texas is not Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana. Texas is not Oklahoma or Arkansas.
Texas is Texas. Texas walks the talk. Drive through small towns in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, etc. and you think “my word these people have to be nuts to keep voting conservative” and “we don’t have universal healthcare because why, exactly? These people are crazy”. Drive through Texas, and I mean really drive through Texas, spend 900+ miles on an 1,100+ mile drive through Texas on state and US routes instead of the interstate, and you’ll see an immediate difference. Texas is nice. Texas works.
An East (starting in Burkeville) to West (ending in El Paso) drive through Texas reveals a lot about Texas. First the state is huuuuuge. East Texas and West Texas feel like two completely different continents. The state goes from hilly and green with lakes and ponds to brown and flat with cotton and oil. East Texas had a house every one hundred feet, West Texas every mile. It went from small farms, to personal ranches, to cotton fields as far as the eye could see, to pump jacks dotting the landscape.
Jasper, Woodville, Livingston, Huntsville – these are nice, quintessential American small towns. If I was moving to Texas, I’d skip Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio and settle into the nice pace of one of these small East Texas towns. Unlike California, where its citizens are packed into two megalopolises, Texas has the space. You’d be a fool to not take advantage of that space advantage. Out West, San Angelo, Midland, and Odessa were and feel like they were built with industry in mind. No offense but I couldn’t handle West Texas, in fact take that as a compliment. But East Texas? I’m thinking about it more than I should.
Mr. Hamburger, the world's largest squirrel statue, and a pecan pie vending machine:
AUSTIN
I feel like if you took the pretentiousness, the fashion that is spending an hour to look like a homeless person, the lack of parking, the constant construction, the worst of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, you’d get Austin. I didn’t spend much time here and I’m likely extrapolating a small sample size from visits to Whole Foods HQ/Flagship store, a microbrewery, a coffee shop, Lady Bird lake, and Barton Springs but eh, I’m not fan of Austin. Take Lady Bird lake which has a nice waterfront boardwalk…which is really only accessible if you live in one of the luxury apartment complexes along the lake. Barton Springs is cool. That’s all I have to say about Austin. I'd rather live in Dallas or San Antonio.
I feel like if you took the pretentiousness, the fashion that is spending an hour to look like a homeless person, the lack of parking, the constant construction, the worst of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, you’d get Austin. I didn’t spend much time here and I’m likely extrapolating a small sample size from visits to Whole Foods HQ/Flagship store, a microbrewery, a coffee shop, Lady Bird lake, and Barton Springs but eh, I’m not fan of Austin. Take Lady Bird lake which has a nice waterfront boardwalk…which is really only accessible if you live in one of the luxury apartment complexes along the lake. Barton Springs is cool. That’s all I have to say about Austin. I'd rather live in Dallas or San Antonio.
FREDERICKSBURG
Eh. Looks touristy. Feels touristy. I have a long drive ahead of me. Time to go.
Eh. Looks touristy. Feels touristy. I have a long drive ahead of me. Time to go.
MASON
Again Texas shows it works. When I checked into my hotel in Odessa I told the front desk receptionist how much I enjoyed seeing Texas’ small towns and how much nicer they were than Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. She said it’s because they are there. I agree. Texas small towns are not abandoned and still going strong. They didn’t feel overbuilt during a post WWII baby boom heyday then have the next generation return to the cities and suburbs. People have found an alternative way of life in these small towns and keep them running along. Mason was another great example of Texas working.
A lot of pundits who know nothing about Pennsylvania summarize the state as being Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama in between. People making that comparison have either not been to Central PA or Alabama because those two are complete different. Pennsylvania's small towns are like Texas' small towns - in tact, glorious windows to America's small town past.
The first photo is a statue of Old Yeller. Fred Gipson, the author, is from Mason.
Again Texas shows it works. When I checked into my hotel in Odessa I told the front desk receptionist how much I enjoyed seeing Texas’ small towns and how much nicer they were than Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. She said it’s because they are there. I agree. Texas small towns are not abandoned and still going strong. They didn’t feel overbuilt during a post WWII baby boom heyday then have the next generation return to the cities and suburbs. People have found an alternative way of life in these small towns and keep them running along. Mason was another great example of Texas working.
A lot of pundits who know nothing about Pennsylvania summarize the state as being Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama in between. People making that comparison have either not been to Central PA or Alabama because those two are complete different. Pennsylvania's small towns are like Texas' small towns - in tact, glorious windows to America's small town past.
The first photo is a statue of Old Yeller. Fred Gipson, the author, is from Mason.
MIDLAND
The Petroleum Musuem in Midland, Texas is worth a stop to see how this area became a company town for the oil industry. Billions of years ago this part of Texas was an ocean, the Permian Basin, the sea life and plants became oil. The long-term issue with using oil as fuel is that it won’t be cheap forever. Whether you believe in man made global warming or not it is in all of our interests to develop alternative energy. Those are my takeaways from the Museum.
The Petroleum Musuem in Midland, Texas is worth a stop to see how this area became a company town for the oil industry. Billions of years ago this part of Texas was an ocean, the Permian Basin, the sea life and plants became oil. The long-term issue with using oil as fuel is that it won’t be cheap forever. Whether you believe in man made global warming or not it is in all of our interests to develop alternative energy. Those are my takeaways from the Museum.
ODESSA
My highschool was a football powerhouse that won more state championships (two) than games lost (one) during my tenure. I cheered from the stands but always had pride in attending Central Bucks West highschool. When Friday Night Lights (the book, then the movie, then the TV show) was released, I’ve always wondered from a far how Odessa compared to the bucolic Doylestown. Townwise, there’s not much of a comparison. Odessa’s communities look relatively the same, single story ranchers, that blend in with the brown landscape. Three lane roads with turning lanes into national chain anchored shopping centers. I can’t imagine living here and not being connected in some way to the oil industry. There’s a stone henge replica, that’s a half ass of a replica. Then there’s Ratliff Stadium, home of the Permian Panthers, of Friday Night Lights fame. I’ll need to come back for a football game sometime.
My highschool was a football powerhouse that won more state championships (two) than games lost (one) during my tenure. I cheered from the stands but always had pride in attending Central Bucks West highschool. When Friday Night Lights (the book, then the movie, then the TV show) was released, I’ve always wondered from a far how Odessa compared to the bucolic Doylestown. Townwise, there’s not much of a comparison. Odessa’s communities look relatively the same, single story ranchers, that blend in with the brown landscape. Three lane roads with turning lanes into national chain anchored shopping centers. I can’t imagine living here and not being connected in some way to the oil industry. There’s a stone henge replica, that’s a half ass of a replica. Then there’s Ratliff Stadium, home of the Permian Panthers, of Friday Night Lights fame. I’ll need to come back for a football game sometime.
MARFA
Marfa popped up on my radar when the Prada Marfa art installation started make the rounds on Instagram. This minimalist art installation along Route 90 was a flavor of the month internet post back in 2019 or 2020 despite being installed way back in 2005. I was driving from Odessa to Tucson so Marfa was a solid hour out of my way, but I’d never be this close again, so decided to check out the small artsy town. There’s not much more to say other than Marfa is a small, artsy town. Whether it’s a building or an art exhibit, the town is picturesque. Grab a breakfast burrito at Marfa Burrito (when you walk in and see a photo of the chef with Bourdain you know you are in the right place), a coffee at The Sentinel and it’s off west in Route 90, first to The Giant, and then to Prada Marfa. A sign leaving town says “No services next 76 miles” so you know you are in for a drive with nothing but it’s a quick and entertaining nothing.
Marfa popped up on my radar when the Prada Marfa art installation started make the rounds on Instagram. This minimalist art installation along Route 90 was a flavor of the month internet post back in 2019 or 2020 despite being installed way back in 2005. I was driving from Odessa to Tucson so Marfa was a solid hour out of my way, but I’d never be this close again, so decided to check out the small artsy town. There’s not much more to say other than Marfa is a small, artsy town. Whether it’s a building or an art exhibit, the town is picturesque. Grab a breakfast burrito at Marfa Burrito (when you walk in and see a photo of the chef with Bourdain you know you are in the right place), a coffee at The Sentinel and it’s off west in Route 90, first to The Giant, and then to Prada Marfa. A sign leaving town says “No services next 76 miles” so you know you are in for a drive with nothing but it’s a quick and entertaining nothing.
What can I say, Marfa is a photogenic place.
TUCSON
I took a break and spent two nighs in Tucson. I could live here. U of A provides enough athelic events. Those are Sinalese hot dogs.
I took a break and spent two nighs in Tucson. I could live here. U of A provides enough athelic events. Those are Sinalese hot dogs.