Gettin' Our Kicks on Route 66

First stop, situated on the Rio Grande . . . El Paso.  El Paso, the largest US city on the Mexican border, sits directly across the street from Juarez, Mexico.  As you drive down the interstate, on one side of the street is your typical American visual:  Wal-Mart, nice stores, and hotels.  Directly across the street is Mexico.  The difference is striking.  Though we didn't cross the Mexican border into Juarez, the section of the city that borders the US is so rough.  It looks like a poverty stricken shanty town.  It's so very sad that the people born on the left side of the street will inherit a lifestyle dramatically different from those born on the right side of the street.  Several times we were tempted to take a day trip into Mexico, but we were especially warned against doing so in Juarez.  Apparently, the Juarez Cartel is a force to avoid.

El Paso offers many "authentic Texas" places to shop.  Whether you're after home decor, jewelry, farm gear, or bull horns -- El Paso delivers.  Bootmaking, though a dying art, is thriving in El Paso.  Everyone knows the best Western boots are made in El Paso.  This is the home of Rocketbuster Boots -- they focus on custom orders, by appointment only -- mostly for celebs.



Next Stop, Amarillo.  What a cool little town.  Amarillo sits right on the infamous Route 66.  Amarillo is home to the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum, and Cadillac Ranch.

Cadillac Ranch -- Amarillo, TX

The story behind the Cadillac Ranch depends on who you ask.  Some say it's a spin on the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt because the cars are buried at precisely the same angle as the pyramid.  We even heard is was a copy of some sculpture in China, and was built to pay homage to the many evolutions of the Cadillac car line.  But, the most popular story surrounding its significance is that it's an artistic impression of the death of the "Mother Road" (Route 66).  Amarillo became a bustling city due to its placement along one of America's first highways.  The Cadillac Ranch stands to represent the "Golden Age" of the American automobile, and the changing trends in the miles and miles of US Highways.

Most people visit with a can of spray paint, as the owner of the ranch doesn't seem to mind the graffiti.

The sprayed paint is at least four inches thick on these relics.

We studied about how Route 66 was a main thoroughfare for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930's.  Amarillo's economy, like many towns along the Route 66 path, became prosperous during the growing popularity of this stretch of American highway. 

If we were doing this trip in the 1930's along Route 66, this might be what our rig would have looked like.

After Amarillo, we drove through the gorgeous "Hill Country" of Texas.  This landscape is truly inviting.  We could've stayed  . . . well, indefinitely.  After being in a desert environment for so long, we welcomed the lush green grass and trees!  We cruised on down to San Antonio.

The San Antonio River Walk.

We stayed in San Antonio several days -- this is a great city!  We toured the River Walk area, the Alamo, and "Little Mexico."

We toured the Alamo, and learned all about the defeat and death of Davy Crockett and others.  We learned the significance of the Alamo in Texas' history.  This defining battle revved up the Texan Revolutionaries to launch a revenge assault on the Mexican army, whom they defeated, thus ending the revolution and granting Texas independence.

We took a boat ride tour of the River Walk.  We ate dinner at the oldest Mexican Restaurant on the River Walk, Casa Rio.  Yum Yum. 

Mr. Fix-It and I decided that when this whole trip is over, we'd like to come back to San Antonio for a get-a-way weekend.  Just the two of us.  No RV, no kids.  One of these days.

We caught the Veteran's Day parade in downtown San Antonio.  It was your typical parade.  High school marching bands, Lion's Club, roller derby girls, cub scouts, etc.  I appreciate veterans.  I try to speak to my children as often as possible about the freedoms we enjoy in our nation.  I try to teach them that our freedom comes at a cost, and that with any freedom comes responsibility.  This parade reminded me of the importance of speaking to veterans too -- not just my children about them.  The side streets of this parade were lined with people, many of whom were veterans.  You could spot them easily because they were wearing hats or shirts displaying their pride for their service to our country.  A few feet from where we were standing was an elderly veteran.  He looked too tired to stand.  He looked in poor health, like he was hurting.  He sat on a stone wall that lined the sidewalk, and kept rubbing the brim of his Vietnam Vet hat with one hand.  The other arm supported his tired body with his elbow on his knee.  I kept watching him watching the parade, and I wondered what this day meant to him.  I wondered what he'd seen during his service to our country, and what he'd sacrificed.  Just as I was studying him, I noticed an camouflaged jeep full of uniformed marines in the parade.  They were all waving from the jeep and mouthing the words "thank you" to the veterans on the sidewalk.  What happened next captivated me.  I watched a young marine jump out of the moving jeep.  He had seen the same man I'd been studying.  He slowly jogged over to him, and stopped not more than six inches in front of this elderly Vietnam vet.  The sitting vet painfully raised his head, and the two locked eyes.  Never losing eye contact, the young marine closed his stance to position himself at "attention" before the vet.  Still maintaining intense eye contact with his elder, the marine raised his arm to salute the veteran.  My eyes began to water with emotion as I noticed the elderly veteran's eyes doing the same.  With great effort the veteran stood, never leaving the eyes of the young marine.  They stood there, faces just a few inches apart, staring -- the elderly veteran couldn't help but tremor.  Slowly, laboriously, the elderly man raised his arm to return the salute.  The young marine sharply dropped his arm, did an about face, and jogged back into the parade to catch up with the jeep.  Not a word was spoken between them, yet so much was communicated to anyone who saw it.  What a privilege it was to witness this meaningful gesture.  It reminded me to always thank a vet.  There are privileges we enjoy in our country each day that are ours because of a sacrifice made on the part of a stranger.  I can sit down each morning and open up my Bible and read it.  It is a freedom I can enjoy because people have defended my right to do so.

One evening we went down to El Mercado -- which is a little bit of Mexico right in the middle of San Antonio.  I've only been to Mexico once, but if I didn't know I was in Texas, I'd swear El Mercado was really Mexico.  It's a festive market area offering anything from clothing, to food, art, or furniture.  We visited the famous Mexican bakery Mi Tierra.  Mmmmmm Mmmmmmm.  We watched some street performers, and even let the kids ride a mechanical bull.  The man operating the bull wore a shirt that read, "1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila, FLOOR." 

We left San Antonio on a Sunday, and decided to attend the gigantic Oak Hills Church before leaving town.  Have I mentioned how badly church people stare at you when you arrive in an RV?  They are the worst!  I guess it doesn't help matters that we were jumping every curb trying to fit into the parking lot.  I know we plowed through some low hanging limbs, because I noticed them caught in the mechanical apparatus on our roof.  Admittedly, our big rig is a tad "attention-seeking" for a church parking lot.  But still, you shouldn't stare at people.

Huge church, great message.  After church, we mowed over all the orange traffic cones around the median of the church parking lot, and continued bumping along to Austin.

Austin is a pretty neat town.  We saw the state capitol building, tons of great shopping, the Whole Foods flagship store, and tons of live music venues.  I'm sure during the Austin City Limits festival this place comes alive with music -- there are venues everywhere.  On the roof of the Whole Foods store, there is a playground.  We grabbed some coffee, and hot chocolates for the kids, and went to the roof to let the kids play for a bit.

On the roof of the Whole Foods flagship store -- Austin, TX.

Austin adopted the city slogan "Keep Austin Weird" about 13 years ago.  It's purpose is to inspire its citizens to fight against the commercialization within its limits.  Big chain stores and strip malls are frowned upon, and independent businesses are strongly supported by this movement.  However, we experienced a different kind of weird in Austin . . .

I took this picture of LAR for one reason only:  to show the placement of my (gorgeous) husband behind the man on the phone.  Mr. Fix-It and I were sitting on this little bench together behind this man, when he stood up and announced he needed to take his daughter to the restroom and asked us if we could watch his child in the stroller.  Then he left.

Minutes went by.  Then more minutes passed.  I have no idea where the restrooms were, but this man was gone.  Here we were, sitting in the middle of Austin, with some complete stranger's child.  He was gone so long that Mr. Fix-It and I began to wonder if we were on some prank TV show.  We casually began looking for hidden cameras.  This had to be a joke.  For all this guy knew, we could've been crazy people.  Well, we are kind of crazy, but not dangerous crazy.  But, this was no joke.  Apparently, Austin really is weird.

Onward . . . to Fort Worth.  We had to visit the Fort Worth Livestock Exchange, and ride more bulls.  That's no bull.

The Fort Worth Livestock Exchange building has been around since 1902.  It was often referred to as the "Wall Street of the West."  Today, this building still stands in the Stockyard area, and auctions are still held live, televised, and online.  People from all over the world are still purchasing cattle through this auction house.  You can see all the old railroad tracks that lead up the the Exchange building, where they used to ship the cattle in to be sold.  For the benefit of tourists, they still parade their famous Texas Longhorn cattle through the streets twice a day.

Petting the miniature ponies in the stockyard pens.

This nice lady let us sit in and watch them setting up for the auction being held that day.

Prospective auction bidders walk these elevated chutes to examine the livestock in the paddocks below.

Fort Worth Livestock Exchange.

We visited the showplace for really tough dudes.

At one point, I needed to take a phone call, and when I caught up with my crew . . . this is where I found them.  Yeah, that's a bison rump in the mirror.

Mr. Fix-It had all the kids sitting in saddles in a saloon.  No worries, the bartender served up hot chocolate with crayons and coloring sheets.  It was so cute.

CBR bellied up to the bar.

Before they bring in all the Longhorns through the streets of Fort Worth, they bring out a few for a photo opp.  All the kids got to ride this lazy fellow.

CER grabbed her bull by the horn.  Literally.

We'd originally slated a few more weeks in Texas and Oklahoma on our itinerary, but we had an opportunity we couldn't pass up.  My dad, in Kentucky, was scheduled to have both knees replaced and we really wanted to be there to help my mom and dad during and after the surgery.  We cut our time in Texas a little short, and ended up skipping Oklahoma altogether.  In the end, I'd much rather spend our time being useful.  We've been blessed with a lot of flexibility in our schedule and lifestyle, so it was great to be able to respond easily to help our family.  Yet, another reason I'm thankful for this trip.  So, after the parading of Longhorn cattle through the streets of Fort Worth, we'd planned to scoot back to Kentucky.  All was going according to plan until . . . we saw the mechanical bull.  When in Fort Worth, and you have the opportunity to ride a mechanical bull, you simply must.  So, after Mr. Fix-It and I were thrown from the mechanical bull, we left.  (I was sore for two days -- staying on the bull was incredibly difficult!)

My personal driver and CBR enjoying some quality father/son time.  This is why every home NEEDS a mother -- intervention.