Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2016 i Texas Highways Magazine

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Thanks for the Memories

As any true Texas travel-lover knows, state parks preserve some of our most scenic spots: Palo Duro’s geological spectacle, Dainger-field’s dazzling fall foliage, the primordial mystique of Caddo Lake. And for many of us, our parks also preserve travel traditions and family memories that span generations, from Garner’s jukebox dances to summer stays at Balmorhea. But travelers may not know that the Civilian Conservation Corps made many of these memorable sights and moments possible. As Julia Robinson relates in her story beginning on page 54, this New Deal program of the 1930s and early ’40s created more than 50 parks in Texas, 29 of which are still managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “The CCC boys” built roads, trails, dams, cabins, and other infrastructure, so send mental thanks…

2 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Ski Waco!

ON THE TWO-HOUR DRIVE FROM Austin to the Barefoot Ski Ranch in Waco, I’ve been chattering away about my teenage summer-camp waterskiing skills. I’m looking forward to seeing if I’ve still got the chops all these years later. “How different can waterskiing behind a boat be from wakeboarding underneath a cable that’s 30 feet in the air?” I ask my traveling companion. I’ll find out soon, we agree. Like traditional waterparks do, the 450-acre Barefoot Ski Ranch offers plenty of attractions to keep visitors busy: There’s a winding and crystal-clear lazy river for floating, a 100-foot water slide called “The Royal Flush,” a small sand beach for lounging, and a bar and grill with sandwiches, fried catfish platters, salads, and other fare suitable for bathing-suit dining. Yet it’s clear from…

4 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Equine Shrine

HORSE RACING WAS “THE NFLof colonial times,” we’re told at the start of our visit to the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, therein commencing the story of a horse breed that’s intertwined with Texas history and culture. The sleek twostory museum celebrates the quarter horse and chronicles its history with exhibits that straddle the worlds of equine enthusiasts and the rest of us. Ranchers, racers, breeders, and recreational riders value quarter horses for their versatility. In the colonial era, Americans used their horses for work during the week and play on the weekends, racing them in impromptu short-distance races— the competitive sport of the times. The sturdiest and fastest horses were the most desirable, leading to the development of the American Quarter Horse— a breed…

5 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

The Crust is a Must!

I GREW UP ON HOMEMADE CHICKEN POT pie and made it regularly for my three kids, so when I heard how folks rave about the dish at Trailblazer Grille restaurant in Burnet, I had to go taste one for myself. My pot pie came in a big white bowl with perfectly browned, flaky crust spilling over its sides. I picked up a spoon and broke through the crust, releasing a satisfying puff of steam and the aroma of chicken and subtle spices. After a few bites, I can say with confidence that the dish lives up to its reputation with plenty of succulent pieces of chicken; the requisite peas, carrots, and green beans; and gravy with just the right thickness and flavor. If I hadn’t been in public, I might…

5 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

ESSENTIALS

Schlitterbahn operates four waterparks in Texas. The outdoor parks open from midspring through most of September, and the South Padre and Galveston indoor sections stay open for the rest of the year on weekends. Ticket prices vary at the different parks, ranging from $51 (adults) and $39 (children/seniors) for New Braunfels day passes to $40 and $28, respectively, at Corpus Christi. Check the parks’ websites for specifics on tickets, discount promotions, and hours. NEW BRAUNFELS: Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort is at 400 N. Liberty Ave. Call 830/625-2351; www.schlitterbahn.com/new-braunfels. GALVESTON: Schlitterbahn Waterpark, Galveston Island, is at 2109 Lockheed St. Call 409/770-9283; www.schlitterbahn.com/galveston. SOUTH PADRE ISLAND: Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort is at 33261 State Park Rd. 100. Call 956/761-1160. www.schlitterbahn.com/south-padre-island. CORPUS CHRISTI: Schlitterbahn Riverpark & Resort is at 14353 Commodores Dr. Call…

1 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Duded Up

REAL TEXAS ST ORIES BORN AND BRED The museums explore the history, legends, and tradition of rodeo in Texas and beyond, setting the stage for the hundreds of rodeos taking place across the state every year. DUCKED OFF A BRONC AND KNOCKED unconscious, Florence Hughes Randolph lay on a stretcher at the 1929 San Antonio Rodeo. Suddenly coming to, she jumped back on the horse. “It’s all in the game,” said the four-foot-six athlete after completing her ride on the “hurricane deck,” rodeo lingo for the back of a bucking bronc. I learned about Florence and other tougher-than-leather cowgirls at Fort Worth’s National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, one stop on my recent tour of North Texas rodeo museums. The circuit also took me to the city’s National Multicultural…

7 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

MERGE

The new issue of Texas Highways is making me homesick for Galveston and Corpus Christi. I need that coastal life again! @TheMermaidAg, Twitter OUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA OF THE MONTH... @TexasHighways: Way to recognize the Tejano Conjunto Festival [May], a great South Texas event! Long live conjunto & Tejano music, a Texas-born genre! Steven Rodriguez, @TejanoJamz I loved reading the June issue. It made me want to pack up and head for Galveston. By the way, I always stop by Nautical Antiques when I’m there—love that store! Betty Cole, Jacksonville Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Fired up for the Fourth July 4th Tips from Texas Highways Facebook friends: We love going to Hell’s Gate at Possum Kingdom Lake. They give you a hayride to where the show is.…

3 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Pioneers of Posh

IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT AN ELEGANT, 19TH Century mansion was not what I was expecting to see as I drove down a breezy bay-front road in Rockport. But there it was, on the same street as low-slung souvenir shops, seafood restaurants, and coastal cottage homes: a four-story, Victorian structure with sand-colored walls, dark mocha trim, and a steep mansard roof. The grand edifice looked a bit out of place among the swaying palm trees and coastal live oaks along Fulton Beach Road. And yet, the regal abode of George Fulton, a 19th-Century cattleman, sits no more than a few dozen yards from Aransas Bay’s breaking surf, just as it has since 1877. Now open to visitors as the Fulton Mansion State Historic Site, the structure has always stood out.…

5 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Green Living

CHEF ROBERT LYFORD EXchanges text messages daily with farmers all over Texas. “I work with everything from a 200-acre organic farm in Austin to a guy who literally has a backyard garden,” says the executive chef of Patina Green Home & Market, a restaurant and boutique that occupies a narrow, circa 1900 brick building on McKinney’s historic downtown square. Named for the shimmery green surface layer that appears over time on bronze and copper items, Patina Green offers not only Robert’s seasonally inspired menu but also architectural finds, antiques, and home goods curated by his wife, Kaci. In fact, the business is a family affair; Kaci’s mom Luann helps run the retail side and often accompanies her daughter on back-road treasure hunts. Everything, including the reclaimed tables, rustic benches, and…

5 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Back to the Peninsula

The DISTANCE to CRYSTAL BEACH Houston 65 miles; 1.75 hours Fort Worth 355 miles; 5.25 hours El Paso 840 miles; 11.5 hours McAllen 405 miles; 7 hours Lubbock 615 miles; 9.5 hours AS OUR FERRYBOAT APPROACHes the landing, three dolphins suddenly surface just beyond the jetty. I declare it a positive omen, and my wife smiles. Meanwhile, cormorants and seagulls gawk from their perches atop nearby pilings. Passengers return to parked vehicles from sightseeing on deck, and the crew prepares for mooring. Behind us, where we boarded approximately three miles and 30 minutes ago, lies our home away from home, Galveston Island; ahead, a place we haven’t visited in over a decade, Bolivar Peninsula. Soon enough, the gate rises, and we drive onto terra firma. Grateful for the lift across the channel (the free TxDOT…

7 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

McKinney Squared

Hot-pink roses bloom brilliantly in cement planters on all four corners of the historic downtown square in McKinney, where I’m waiting with friends on a sunny sidewalk for a crosswalk light to change. We’ve made the 50-minute drive from Fort Worth for a day’s worth of fun exploring the shops, restaurants, and patio scene on the newly revitalized square. I’ve recently discovered the many charms and tasty offerings of this vibrant Collin County town, and each time I visit I find new reasons to return. We’ve arrived just before lunchtime, and I’m eager to take my friends to Patina Green Home & Market, a popular restaurant and home-goods store that opened in 2012. “The majority of the storefronts were empty when we opened,” co-owner Kaci Lyford tells me. “We got…

9 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

EVENTS

July’s travel spotlights: HILL COUNTRY >Kerrville July 4th Fun Looking for a quintessentially Texan July 4th celebration? Kerrville offers up a worthy contender with Robert Earl Keen’s Fourth on the River. Held annually at Louise Hays Park on the Guadalupe River, the free event opens at 2 p.m. with the music starting at 4 p.m. Four acts take the stage, including Bruce Robison at 6:30 p.m. and Keen—a Kerrville resident himself—at 8 p.m., followed by a fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. Along with music, the event offers food and drink vendors, as well as children’s attractions like face-painting and bounce houses. And if you get too hot, you can jump in the river. www.robertearlkeens4th.com. PRAIRIES AND LAKES >Dallas The Collector’s Eye Many of us tinker with collecting at some point…

9 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

An Athenian Adventure

8:30 A.M. With a growling stomach, I made a beeline to The Cherry Laurel Bakery and found the intoxicating aroma of the fresh-baked pastries that this small café has served for more than 25 years. I grabbed some Mexican egg casserole and a slice of the famous butter-rum cake (no ID required), and started my day in the sunshine on the outdoor patio. 9:30 A.M. For more time outside, I drove to Lake Athens and discovered the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, where the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department raises both awareness for fish conservation and largemouth bass to repopulate Texas lakes and rivers. The tanks were full of creatures from giant catfish to alligator gar, but the highlight was the underwater scuba show. I tried my luck with a few…

3 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Scenic ROUTE

30º 41’ 03.98” N 98º 21’ 03.49” W Hill Country From Burnet, take Texas 29 as it winds west for about 10 minutes, then turn south onto Park Road 4, which snakes along Inks Lake, past Inks Lake State Park, and to Longhorn Cavern State Park. Explore the park’s trails, see the Civilian Conservation Corpsbuilt structures that incorporate materials workers found inside the cave, and tour the cavern, which has served as a dance hall, underground church, and concert venue. For more information, visit www.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/longhorn-cavern.…

1 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Sleep Tight!

AFEW YEARS AGO, I TOOK A canoe trip on the Rio Grande through Big Bend National Park’s Santa Elena Canyon. Our group camped overnight at the mouth of the canyon, and in the morning, one of the guides called everyone over to see a tarantula as big as my hand. To me, this hairy spider epitomized the wildness of the Big Bend landscape. So later, when I wandered into the French Company Grocer in Marathon and saw a pillowcase bearing a life-size image of a tarantula, it resonated with me. I bought it, along with a second pillowcase printed with a horned toad, another iconic Texas creature. These pillowcases, which sell for $25, are part of Marathon resident Marci Roberts’ Desert Critter Wear collection, which also includes T-shirts, camisoles, and…

5 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

All Hail the Ale Trail

IT’S A TYPICAL SATURDAY IN FORT WORTH, a weekly day of celebration among craft beer fans. The popular small breweries in town are open for tastings and tours, complete with music, games, food, and frivolity. In recent years, craft breweries have been popping up in and around Fort Worth at a rapid rate, just as they have in many other towns and cities across the state. Keeping track of all the new places boggles my mind. How handy, then, that Fort Worth offers an easy-to-follow, self-guided Ale Trail? Armed with this helpful brewery passport, my beer-loving friends and I have made beer-touring a regular part of our weekend entertainment, and before setting out we always reference the Ale Trail map to navigate the stops and learn a little about each…

6 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

TUBES O’ FUN

WHEN I FIRST VISITED SCHLITTERBAHN in New Braunfels as a teenager in the mid-1980s, the waterpark was just a few years old. I vividly recall spending a blistering summer day racing between the various slides, nearly losing my bikini top on a tube chute, and intentionally bumping my inner tube into cute boys while navigating the rapids and eddies of an artificial river. I came away with a wicked sunburn and memories to last a lifetime. That was about 30 years ago, and in the intervening years I’ve grown up and now have a teenage daughter of my own. For me, Schlitterbahn had been a memorable rite of passage, and I wanted her to have the same experience. So I bought her an airtight one-piece swimsuit, slathered her with a…

7 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

HAIL TO THE BOYS OF THE CCC

When I was a child, Texas’ state parks were beloved vacation destinations. I became intimately familiar with the ubiquitous brown-and-yellow signs, the stoic stone buildings, rustic cabins, and cement picnic tables that dotted the state. They were all similar, yet unique to each site. The large limestone foundations of Central Texas gave way to adobe flair in the west, Spanish mission influence in the south, and piney log cabins in the east. I passed the plaques at the interpretive centers and didn’t give a second thought to the grainy black-and-white photos of men in rolled-up shirtsleeves posing on rock piles, or smiling from the roof of a dining hall, hammer in hand. I became interested in these photos again as an adult. As a photojournalist and student of history, I…

10 min

Texas Highways Magazine|July 2016

Get Away. Just Do It.

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF TRA VELING I’VE SPENT MUCH OF MY ADULT LIFE IN search of the best places in Texas to do little or nothing—weekend respites from city demands. I’ve found splendid, funky, ridiculous, and sublime reasons to go away, stay away, stretch a weekend beyond all reasonable bounds. Here are a few of my favorites. Glen Rose is ideal for doing little more than sitting pretty. I do just that by checking into the Inn on the River and immediately staking out an Adirondack on an oakshaded lawn as regal as Gatsby’s. This Central Texas retreat is my go-to when I need to settle back or roll up my pants’ legs and wade in the Paluxy. Nearby, just off the square, I’ve found the Texas answer to Hollywood…

2 min