Friday, July 03, 2009
Eastern Oregon Badlands- Ancient Juniper Trail
After the claustrophobia and darkness of the Western Washington forests, the open desert of Eastern Oregon was a welcome change.
Despite the gas slaves, the pumpers of gas made mandatory by law (and trust me, do not try to pump your own gas in this state or some geezer will threaten throwing you out of the state), Oregon is a promising state with lush redwood forests in the West, outdoor sports mecca Bend in the Central part, and a Western rodeo spirit in the East. The well-reputed eateries in Portland are luring us back.
Colorado
Colorado has the mountains. But the stretch between Cheyenne,Wyoming and Pueblo, CO is a huge strip mall.
The Tee pee. Tucumcari, New Mexico
We had to ask around to find my bolo tie. A toothless man at the trading post in town told me to “go to Tee pee. Yeah. They have them there.” And after a few u-turns through the small town, we found the Tee pee and a bolo tie that suited my fancy.
The Big Texan
I’ve heard a lot of flack given to Texas and most of it is deserved. But Texas is definitely a place where there is more than meets the eye. For starters, let’s talk about the food. Some of the best Mexican food north or south of the border is in Texas. We had great luck at María’s Taquería on the Manchaca in Austin. Gruber gave us some crazy directions but it was worth the wait. I also fondly recall a stop at JD’s BBQ on the side of the road somewhere outside of San Antonio. JD himself dished out a pulled pork sandwich and some beans with a look of great Texan pride, especially when he saw our smiles after biting in. Most everybody mentions Austin as a place for non-Texans and non-Republicans to enjoy, and it’s true, Austin is one of the most creative, progressive, environmentally conscious cities in the Union. But San Antonio is also worth a look. Quirky, a bit, and elegant. Texan, but not over-sized. You have to see the Alamo, too. I don’t see what the big deal is. Santa Ana was a dick but I would have rooted for the Mexicans (I am a man to follow my stomach and I love my tacos). A wag of my finger to Port Arthur, the world’s ugliest city. A nightmarish, post-apocalyptic, post-Chernobyl wasteland with signs impossible to read, this refinery town was the home of Janis Joplin. It’s no wonder she got outta there.
Something must be said for the Texas Hill Country and the arid wind-swept plains of Texas’s desolate highways peppered with yucca plants and gigantic jackrabbits.
Texas, in many ways, is like the rest of the US. But on steroids. Everything’s bigger, of course. And everything’s just more nuts. It is a stronghold of all the best and worst qualities of the US. Texas maintains an absolute faith in itself that some might find ostentatious. It has strong-rooted values and boasts of great hospitality. Its name comes from an Indian word meaning friendship. The downfalls of Texas, or at least the parts that outsiders don’t like, are wrapped up with that infamous Texan pride. They, like so many Americans, are so obsessed with the notion of “freedom” that they feel “free” to do anything they like without thinking of others. Examples would be the litter problems of streets and highways or people who drive over-sized trucks.
The Big Texan represents a carnival depiction of the Lone Star State.
Texas- The Musical (at the ampitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon)
This was a musical production of the history of the Texas panhandle. The sound/light effects were awesome with a lightning strike hitting a tree behind the stage midway through the performance. Earlier in the morning, Lupe and Marcos chased a huge jackrabbit and when we came back to Kirsten’s parents’ house, there was a rattlesnake in the driveway. During the performance, a tarantula crawled across the stage for some extra entertainment.
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