TexasBob.com Blog

Salt Grass Trail Ride

2008-02-25T21:14:00.002-06:00

I’ve live in Texas my whole life and in the Houston area for 16 years. Nobody does rodeo like Houston. Three weeks of Rodeo, about 20 evening performance averaging 50,000 in attendance each night. The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is Texas size. In January of 1952, E.H. Marks formed the very first trail ride as a way to increase awareness of the Show. Though only four men made the first journey from Brenham, Texas, the attention they raised attracted more publicity than ever expected, as more than 80 men signed up the next year. The trail rides are a signature tradition of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo today.

I’ve been associated with Wagon #1, the founder’s wagon, of the Salt Grass trail ride for about 4 years. The trail ride is organized by wagon. It has approximately 25 wagons with 40 riders associated with each wagon.In the beginning the riders slept on the ground or in tents. Today it RV’s, Stock trailers, water trucks, & generators. Today there are 13 different trail rides coming from all across Texas. This coming Friday (February 29th) all 13 trail rides converge in Memorial park near downtown Houston for Saturdays Rodeo Parade. It really plays havoc with the traffic on the freeways.

It's trail ride time in Houston!

Football Season is Over

2008-01-01T10:09:00.000-06:00

I follow High School Football especially the Katy Tigers from Katy, Texas. This year they had a 16-0 season. That is a long season for a high school team. The perfect season ended December 22nd at the AlamoDome in San Antonio, Texas when Katy beat a tough Pflugerville Team 28 to 7 in the 5A Div II Texas State Championship Game.

Game Story

With all the games, maintaining the Texas Football Stadium Database , a couple of major holidays, and my real job, I have had very little time to blog. Look for more blogging in the coming months.

TexasBob

Texas High School Football Stadiums

2007-09-30T16:47:00.000-06:00

Several years ago I was trying to find out what Texas High School football stadium had the largest seating capacity.

In a state where High School football is king, what school district had doled out tax money to build the most bleachers to seat the most high school football fans in the state of Texas? Was it the famed Ratliff Stadium in Odessa? Made famous not only by the success of the Odessa Permian football team but by the best selling book “Friday Night Lights” Ratliff holds only a mere 19, 302 fans. No it was Alamo Stadium in San Antonio with a capacity of 23,000. The stadium, built in 1940, was Civilian Conservation Corp project, a depression era program to employ young men during the depression.

This search for the largest High School Football stadium took me down many roads and in the end I had collected a lot of stadium information. TexasBob.com, my alter ego webpage, had been on line for several years and I decide to publish the information that I had collected. Over the years this has grown into a massive undertaking.

I now have a listing for every football stadium used for regular season games for every varsity high school team, every college team and both professional teams in the state of Texas. This amounts to 1140 stadiums, each listing has a map link to the stadium and other important information. Of the 1140 stadiums I have pictures of 550 stadiums. I have picture of all the majors stadiums but I take special pride in having a picture of most of the six man football stadiums. A good example of this is the one pictured above in Loop, Texas.

This has also created an amazing number of Texas football stadium facts and figures. For example: currently 46 High School Football Stadiums in Texas have full video scoreboards with replay capability.

Here are some selected stadium links:

Texas High School Stadium Facts

High School Stadiums with Video capability

Ratliff Stadium – Odessa, Texas

Longhorn Field – Loop, Texas

Texas Football Stadium Database

The Netherlands

2007-06-26T22:31:00.000-06:00

I would never complain about a country that starts its name with “The”. There is boldness to it. No, it’s not Texas but it is where I find myself this week. The Netherlands is a friendly place visit, everyone here speaks English, although it’s not my English. Between their accents, my accent and me being generally hard of hearing communications can be a challenge. I have learned a few linguistic tricks. When you ask for water in a restaurant your server will say, “With or without gas.” A logical question when you think about it. What they mean is carbonated or non-carbonated water.

Most of my life my preferred beverage has been Dr Pepper. In later years, in order to keep my cute figure I have switched to Diet Dr Pepper. Dr Pepper in Europe? Forget about it. A good second choice is that global beverage from Atlanta, Coca Cola, better yet, a diet Coke. You can find them almost anywhere go in The Netherlands, but you have to know what to ask for. The correct request is, “Coke Light” please and they will bring you one. Did I mention that you still have to have a bottle opener?

RR Starr Restaurant - Concan, Texas

2007-05-26T19:31:00.001-06:00

I found another diamond in the rough. The RR Starr Restaurant in Concan, Texas. Click here to read my review.

TexasBob

"The Alamo" - Revisited

2007-05-25T18:53:00.001-06:00

The first time I visited the Alamo was in January of 1969. I was attending the Mid Winter convention of the S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. with my parents. (That is another story for another Blog on another day.) Except for this small convention the city was pretty empty by today’s standards.

That morning I stood in front of the Alamo and took a picture with a Polaroid Land Camera. It was a clean shot, with nobody standing out front. I approached the front of the Alamo chapel and opened the door and went inside. The sign just inside said, “Gentlemen, Please remove your hats.” As the door slammed shut behind me it echoed off the chapel walls. This was quiet solemn place. There couldn’t have been more than 6 people inside including the staff.

I’ve visited the Alamo many times since that January day in 1969. Now when you visit the Alamo the crowds are large. The Alamo is the number one tourist attraction in Texas, followed closely by the number two tourist attraction, the San Antonio river walk.

I was at the Alamo a few days ago with family from Massachusetts. Of course they wanted the obligatory picture made standing in front of the Alamo. It was so crowded that when you have your picture made in front of the Alamo, it’s with about 150 of your tourist friends with you.

I did discover a trick that I want to share with you. If you want a good clean shot of the front of the Alamo All you have to do is get there at first light in the morning. About 7:00 am I walked to the Alamo to take this picture and all that was there was one security guard who knew how to stay out of the picture and another photographer. It's a great time to take a picture.

Texas Bob

Ouch! $3.00 a gallon

2007-05-05T05:54:00.000-06:00

Having worked in the oil patch all my life, both in Texas and abroad, the high price of gasoline still takes me back a bit.

All of us, and you know who you are, who have work around the smell of crude very long have seen the good times and the bad, mostly the bad. Now times are good. Everybody who wants a job has a job, but when you're old enough to remember when gas was $.29.9 or less, 3 dollar gas is a bunch of money.

I remember when I was growing up in Odessa, the pivot point of the Permian basin, if you really wanted to see high gas prices you had to drive down to Crane or out to Kermit. Gas in those communities was an incredible $ 0.45 a gallon.

Here is the sad news, my half ton Siverado Pickup gets about the same miles per gallon as my Chevy Impala did in 1968.

TexasBob (on the road)

Garner State Park - HAIL STORM

2007-04-18T20:46:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I was at Garner State Park enjoying myself. Late one evening just before I slipped in a DVD of "Lost", the second season, a park ranger knocked on my Travel Trailer door and said, "In about 20 minutes we are going to have storm that will include locally damaging winds up to 70 mph and a possibility of large hail."

So, what do you do? I punch play on the DVD player and watched the first episode. When the storm hit we started the seconded episode of "Lost". Ping, bam, ping, ping, bam. Soon we had a hole in the sky light over our bed. We put a plastic tub on the bed to catch the rain water and started episode three of "Lost". I slept on the couch and my wife slept on the dinette. (which makes into a bed.)

The next morning I went to the camp store, which has one of everything, and bought a roll of duct tape. Since I didn't have a ladder I did the repair from the inside.

What did I learn from this? Don't leave home without the duct tape.

Texas Bob

Happy Birthday - Texas Bob

2007-02-10T21:37:00.000-06:00

I was born during the Truman administration 55 years ago today. In the picture, taken in 1955 I’m sitting on horse in front of my brother David at the age of three. The picture was taken by an intenerate photographer who made his living going through the neighborhood taking pictures of kids on his pony. This would never happen on Ozzie and Harriet but it was common in Odessa, Texas. About two years later we got a TV from Sears and Roebuck. The local station came on the air about 2:30 in the afternoon and went off the air promptly at 10:30 PM.

The US flag only had 48 stars and Texas was the biggest state of them all. Most men work in the Oil patch seven days a week and moms stayed home with the kids.

Along time ago.

Phenomenon at the Ditch

2007-01-18T11:15:00.000-06:00

While the ice on the road was thick and I was holed up in Midland and Odessa I did not get to get out and see to many things. We just enjoyed the company of friends and family. However if you are observant unusual things are always around. Here are a few:

While driving through a neighborhood in Midland I saw a elderly crossing guard at a elementary school doing her duty. She had a stop sign in her hand and was wearing a day glow orange vest over her mink coat. It was cold out side.

I was at Jack Jordan’s Barbecue on West County road in Odessa buying some of their great barbecue brisket when I spotted a gallon jar full of bills on the counter with a hand written sign inside stating, “Please Help Us Pay for College.” Apparently it was working.

As I was leaving Jack Jordan’s I saw a monster truck all deck out with light bars and huge tires and wheels. On the back window was a message, “If you cant stop please smile as you go under.” But the real kicker of this truck that would take a 6 foot ladder to get to the running boards was the handicap license plate.

But finally the real phenomenon was seeing the water wheel on “The Ditch” in Menard, Texas frozen to a stop. I wonder if this ever happens to Niagara Falls.

Texas Bob (On the Road)

Snow Day

2007-01-17T09:27:00.000-06:00

It's icy in Midland.

They are slipping and sliding on the streets of Laredo.

The Alamo in San Antonio is cover with snow.

When we will get to go home,

Only clouds really know.

Texas Bob (On the Road)

Wintry Mix - Odessa

2007-01-16T09:39:00.000-06:00

Wintry Mix, that's what weather.com calls it. What it really is is cold. In West Texas it's often called as cold a well diggers clutamas maximus. The good news is that even during the great flood Odessa only got a half an inch, so the ice and snow so far has been held to a minimum.
Not everything is frozen. Last night I parked my pickup under a tree and the birds left their little gifts all over it. Have you ever tried to find a car wash when the outside temperature is 22 degrees F and the wind chill is 5?

Texas Bob (On the road)

Life is Good in McCamey, Texas

2007-01-15T12:08:00.000-06:00

Having a good life is a very relative thing. I lived in McCamey, Texas for about 14 years 15 years ago. McCamey, population 1600, is what is left of an oil field boomtown. In its boom days, thousands of folks called it home. I use to say, “McCamey has a population of 100,000 … 2.000 at a time.” Many have called McCamey home only to leave later. It is by far the friendliest town I have ever lived in. There are no strangers in that town. I believe that you could move to McCamey and six months later run for mayor and have a fair chance at winning.

Recently the McCamey Badgers played in the 1A High School Football State Championship game. The game was played at Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood, Texas. The stadium holds 7500 football fans, 3750 0n each side. The McCamey side was full. Most of the town was there. There were a lot people there that use to live in McCamey and then there were the McCamey Exe’s. The man sitting behind me graduated from McCamey High School in 1954 and had not been to McCamey in 40 years, but he was at the game.

McCamey is not the prettiest town and other than the mesas that surround it McCamey could be called an ugly town. The expansion and contraction of the oil patch has taken its toll. However even an ugly baby is loved by his mother.

Texas Bob (On the Road)

Road Trip

2007-01-13T15:12:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow I’m going on a road trip. It’s not a vacation but a trip to visit family members who need a visit from us. As often happens this time of year a blast of artic air is racing across the state leaving a sheet of ice on all the roadways in the northern and western parts of Texas, just the places that I had planned to go. Now we’ll have to go westbound Interstate 10 and up through Big Lake, Texas to avoid the ice. Maybe later in a few days we can go east on Interstate 20 and visit the others in Abilene and Ranger before heading back to Katy. If possible I need to stop in San Angelo either coming or going.

Because of the weather we will be leaving our travel trailer home. I think I can handle four wheels on the ice but not eight. We will be back in a few days. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Fish and company both smell in three days."

Roughing it

2007-01-10T22:02:00.000-06:00

Nobody ever accused me of “roughing it” while on the road. I can count the nights I spent awake in a tent on one hand, awake because I never managed to sleep in a tent. I have stayed in some neat places too. Like the Hotel Limpia in Fort Davis, CCC Cabins on the edge of Palo Duro Canyon and numerous bed an breakfast across the state of Texas.

Last year we made a big decision. I bought a Palomino travel trailer. Now where ever I go I have my own pillow and my own “blankie”. With a full kitchen, full bath and air conditioning the closest we have come to roughing it is the time I forgot to pack my satellite dish. I’ll never do that again.

Texas Bob

Travelin' Texas

2007-01-09T21:15:00.000-06:00

That's what I like to do. Whether it is to see the sights or drive 300 miles to see the 1A Football state championship game, traveling Texas is my favorite past time.

There is nothing like waking up in Palo Duro Canyon and sleeping in Houston that night. It's a real Texas drive.

Years ago there was a wagon train moving West. They came upon a big sign that said "This way to the Promise Land". Those that could read followed it. Those who couldn't came to Texas. ... and Texans have been traveling Texas ever since.

I hope to take you along with me "traveling Texas".

Texas Bob