Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2016 i Texas Highways Magazine

Those bumper stickers are spot on: Life is better at the beach—as soothing as toes scrunching in South Padre’s white sands, as sweet as Keylime pie in Port Aransas, and as easy as the Gulf breeze in Galveston. And a bonus for beach-goers: Texas has some 367 miles of coastline to explore. So slip on your flip-flops and find your shore with the help of this month’s coastal special issue. In the lineup: Helen Anders and Al Argueta recommend beach stays from funky to sumptuous; E. Dan Klepper cruises King Country along South Texas’ coastal plains; and Erich Schlegel takes to the sea by sailboat. Plus, in this month’s Next Weekend installment, June Naylor shares her restorative exploration of historic Galveston by bicycle, including the Tree Sculpture Tour and a…

ISAT CROSS-LEGGED IN THE SANDY DIRT at the foot of a blueberry bush at a pick-your-own farm called Blueberry Hill Farms in Edom. It was a hot mid-afternoon in June—prime picking time in Texas—but a breeze blew through the long, green rows of bushes. The berry clumps were plentiful down there, and they fell into my bucket by the dozens. Around me, I heard lively exhortations from my children and other families: things like “Don’t eat, Bobby—pick!” and “Whooaa, look at this one! It’s the fattest blueberry ever!” But I was undistracted. Plop, plop, plop—a state of focused attention, just me and the bush, one purple handful of berries at a time. If you really want to fill your bucket, blueberry-picking requires a shift in perspective. When you get down…

IN THE 1960S AT HIS SOHO BUILDING IN New York City, “minimalism” icon Donald Judd would take his phone off the hook and park his elevator on the second floor to avoid the agents, the media, and the young artists who saw him as a mentor. He wanted to work without distraction. Judd found his splendid isolation in Marfa, the West Texas artist community that was just another small town when he moved there in 1971. Artist Boyd Elder, who had recently returned to his nearby hometown of Valentine, recalls receiving a phone call out of the blue from the famous New York artist, inviting him to dinner. The newcomer and the native would become friends for more than 20 years, until Judd passed away from lymphoma in 1994. Marfa…

“YOU NEED A DOSE OF Farley Girls,” came the recommendation from a wise Galvestonian that Saturday morning. Just the night before, my friends and I had finished a late night of wine and conversation on the Tremont House rooftop lounge, topping off a merry evening of dinner and music on The Strand. But my local contact, a longtime Galveston resident who knows every nook and cranny of the island city, led me to precisely the kind of breakfast required for kicking off another day of touring. Heading to the East End Historical District, we arrived at a spot within easy walking distance of the University of Texas Medical Branch, the island’s medical school and hospital. Our destination was Farley Girls Cafe, which occupies a two-story, yellow Victorian building, its columned…

The Texas coastline is 367 miles long, following a gentle arc from Sabine Pass south to the Rio Grande. Apod of eight dolphins broke the surface of the water as we turned our sailboat back toward the Corpus Christi skyline. My friend and sailing mentor Guy Le Roux stood at the helm of his 20-foot sailboat in the steady southeastern breeze. The dolphins surfaced behind us, then appeared next to the bow. One after the other, they dove and leaped from the water alongside our boat. Guy slowed our speed to match the pod’s, and for the next few minutes we played an aquatic game of leapfrog. Encounters with dolphins are so common that every major tourist destination on the Texas coast has dolphin-watch tours, but there is something magical…

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF TRAVELING MY ADDICTION TO TEXAS beaches began literally overnight. I was in my early 20s and in graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin. My husband was in law school and his best buddy’s wife and I had also become great friends. Late one Friday night, we decided in the middle of a game of dominoes to go to the beach. Immediately. Not even wait until dawn. Such is the energy and impulsiveness of youth. We each grabbed a toothbrush, a change of clothes, and a bathing suit and headed for Corpus Christi. We took turns driving and sleeping. The reward was a sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico. I have strolled pink sugar beaches in Bermuda, stumbled over black volcanic beaches in the…

AS VISITORS APPROACH SPACE Center Houston, the space-themed museum located adjacent to NASA Johnson Space Center, a massive new exhibit looms into view—a replica of a full-size space shuttle mounted atop the original shuttle carrier aircraft. Together, the shuttle and airplane reach a height of nearly 80 feet and span 232 feet in length. This new attraction, called Independence Plaza, is the only one of its kind. While real shuttles can be seen elsewhere, none are attached to an actual shuttle carrier aircraft, and you’re only able to see them from the outside. At Independence Plaza, you can explore the interiors of both vehicles, gaining an up-close perspective offered nowhere else on earth. Video monitors throughout the shuttle carrier feature original NASA footage, TV reports of shuttle launches, and interviews…

GALVESTON’S SHIPS MECHANIC Row got its name back in the 19th Century when it was an artery of the island’s shipping industry, located just a few blocks from the wharf. The street—also referred to as Mechanic Avenue—bustled with seaport trade back then, and the busy atmosphere persists today with tourists trawling historic downtown Galveston’s shops, museums, and restaurants. Amid the hubbub is a not-so-hidden treasure trove, Nautical Antiques & Tropical Decor, located on the first floor of the landmark J. Reymershoffer’s Sons commission house building. The enterprising Czech immigrant John Reymershoffer built the structure in 1876 for a glass and porcelain import business. Although the building originally had three stories, Hurricane Carla destroyed the top floor in 1961 and only the bottom two floors were salvaged. Nautical Antiques’ bestselling items…

THE SCENT OF SWEET ACACIA CHARTS A LAZY course across the South Texas coastal plains, drifting like an unmoored skiff in the nearby bays. Commonly known as huisache, the shrubby tree emits a honeyed aroma that blends with salty air crossing Baffin Bay on its way to the Coastal Bend’s inland pastures, creating a notably local perfume. Along US Highway 77, the huisache’s essence permeates grass-rich plains, plowed fields, bayfront shores, and the vast rangeland of the King Ranch, encompassing a region rich with historical sites, birdwatching opportunities, and the coastal pleasures of angling and seafood. Considered part of the state’s Coastal Bend, the region might be considered more appropriately as King Country. The city of Kingsville, named in honor of Richard King, who founded the King Ranch in 1853,…

ASLEEK, GRAY BOTTLENOSE dolphin briefly breaks the surface of the water in a smooth, rolling motion. From my perch aboard the Mustang, a 65-foot trimaran, I catch just a glimpse, but before long, the dolphin emerges once again, this time with a second leaping next to it. Captain Tim Sonbert slows to an idle, and as the boat drifts, more dolphins appear. Parents and kids point and squeal with delight, and cameras click away while the dolphins play. Our Dolphin Watch Nature Tour departed from Woody’s Sports Center in Port Aransas beneath a sunny sky, accompanied by the sound of wind through the surrounding palms and Jimmy Buffett songs on the sound system. WOODY’S SPORTS CENTER is at 136 W. Cotter Ave. in Port Aransas. Call 361/749-6969; www.neptunescharters.com. Owner Billy…

TEXANS STORM THE BEACHES FOR A WEALTH OF REASONS. So, when we envision the perfect beach hotel, each of us conjures a different image. You might want a hotel right smack on a broad, sandy beach where you can toss a Frisbee to your dog. For your neighbor, perfection might lie in a comfy inn with access to fishing or bird-watching. Some prefer lodging overlooking the Gulf of Mexico; for others, the glasslike calm of the bay fits the bill. Bang for the buck ranks high for some of us; others will spare no expense for a pampered coastal cocoon offering luxurious amenities and service. Maybe you’re after a bustling high-rise hotel near plenty of attractions. Or perhaps when you visit the coast, you simply want to … coast. Regardless…

9:30 A.M. About halfway between Fort Stockton and Van Horn, I exited Interstate 10 and headed into Balmorhea (population around 490). I discovered a typical tiny burg of quaint buildings and authentic West Texas grit, but unexpectedly, I also found canals of clear water from San Solomon Springs flowing throughout town. 10:00 A.M. I strolled into Balmorhea Rock Shop to investigate one of this area’s main claims to fame—“Balmorhea Blue” agate, a volcanic rock with a distinctive blue hue. The shop collects chunks of native agate, shines them up, and painstakingly incorporates them into handmade jewelry. 10:30 A.M. I wanted to find my own agate souvenir, and luckily Sue Franklin, the shop’s owner, guides rock-hunting adventures. After driving for miles into the desert, our quest began. I quickly learned the…