Texas in the spring?

Don

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(I have the question mark after Spring because the weather turned so cool while we were there)

Elaine and I drove down to Texas (3141 miles round trip) to check out a few houses and see what parts of the state we like best. Here's a short travel log:

Day 1, Friday: We messed around and didn't leave the house until way later than we should have, therefore we hit Atlanta at 5 pm. Took 1.5 hours to get from I-85S to I-20W around I-285. Six lanes of stop and go traffic is not fun. Things were good after that until about 30 miles outside of Meridian, MS where we were spending the night. Wreck in the west bound lane had traffic shut down for 30 minutes. Lincoln Towncar was throughly mangled and the front end of a Freightliner was missing. I don't think I've ever been as glad to see a motel in my life.

Day 2, Saturday: Rolling west on I-20 until we jump off onto Texas 31 at Kilgore. Made it to Tyler and stopped for supper at Stanley's Pit Bar-B-Q.
Stanley's Pit Bar-B-Q.jpg

I got the lean brisket plate with slaw, potato salad and BBQ beans (these were good!). Brisket was tender and you could taste the smoke in it.
Stanleys Brisket plate.jpg

Elaine got the 4 meat sampler tray. From left to right: brisket with bark, pulled pork, sausage (good stuff) and fatty brisket.
Stanleys 4 meat sampler plate.jpg

We headed west from Tyler, and as we passed through Athens, the tornado sirens went off. I kept heading driving, heading for the lightest area on the horizon, and we got ahead of the tornados that hit Canton, TX that night. Second time we've been in the general vicinity of tornados on trips going west. We were just ahead of the big one that hit Joplin, MO several years ago. Finally got to Comanche and checked into the motel.

Day 3, Sunday: We slept in and went to brunch at a new restaurant in Comanche: Harvest. Number 1 rated restaurant in town and I can see why. Fine dining in a small Texas town:
Harvest Restaurant.jpg

Brunch menu:
Sunday Brunch buffet.jpg

My first plate going clockwise: carnitas, fried catfish, smoked paprika steak fries and herbed summer squash.
Dons Harvest brunch plate.jpg

Elaine's plate: mac & cheese, carnitas, salmon, herbed summer squash, smoked paprika steak fries and fried catfish.
Elaines Harvest brunch plate.jpg

We spent the rest of the day lying around the room and napping.

Day 4, Monday: We rode over to Clyde, TX to check out a property. I love the 75 mph speed limits on rural, two lane Texas highways!!
speed limit.jpg

And we found this sign:
ICBM Highway.jpg
 
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I'm headed to Richmond, TX next month, a little southwest of Houston.
 
Elaine and I drove down to Texas (3141 miles round trip) to check out a few houses and see what parts of the state we like best.

Not to harsh the mellow on this great food post, but be danged sure you check property tax rates. I did when we were thinking about Texas a few years ago. We were looking outside of Dallas Fort Worth area to get close to some friends. Property taxes were much higher than what I pay in the Containment area.
 
From Clyde we drove to Abilene and went to the tourist center. Elaine made a new friend:
Abilene tourest ctr Elaine's friend.jpg

They have buffalo wind vanes at the center:
Abilene tourest ctr 1.jpg

Also the world's largest buffalo skull that you can crawl through:
Abilene tourest ctr 2.jpg

Map of Texas with all the cattle and stagecoach trails on it:
Abilene tourest ctr trail map.jpg

Abilene tourest ctr trail map 2.jpg

Abilene tourest ctr trail map 3.jpg

We ate supper at the Cotton Patch Cafe, a chain restaurant. I was underwhelmed...

Day 5, Tuesday: We ate breakfast at Mattdaddy's. They have just recently started serving breakfast and the food was really good.
Mattdaddy's.jpg

Bacon, cheese, mushroom and tomato omelet (from the day before). The fresh salsa was great!!
Mattdaddy omlete.jpg

Elaine got eggs sunny side up with bacon and grits. The server said the plate looked like Elvis with the toast being the sideburns.
Mattdaddy sunny side up.jpg

I got the Chicken fried steak and eggs. Not the best I've ever had but dang near it.
Mattdaddy chicken fried steak.jpg
 
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Day 5 cont'd: we drove down to San Saba to look around. San Saba, TX claims to be the Pecan Capital of the World and with all the pecan orchards I can believe it. I bought a new hat at Harry's Boots while we were there.

Then we made a bit of a circle passing through Hamilton, TX on our way up to Hico and Stephenville. We stopped to eat lunch at Wenzel Lonestar Meats in Hamilton:
Wenzel Lonestar Meats 1.jpg

Wenzel Lonestar Meats 2.jpg

The sausage case
Wenzel Lonestar Meats 3.jpg

Ribeyes in the case
Wenzel Lonestar Meats 4.jpg

Wenzel Lonestar Meats 5.jpg

Wenzel Lonestar Meats 6.jpg

We both got Reuben sandwiches for lunch. Good stuff!
Wenzel Lonestar Meats 7.jpg

Wenzel Lonestar Meats 8.jpg

They have a lot of Lone Star beer memorabilia in the store.
Wenzel Lonestar Meats 9.jpg

I got some Jagerwurst, a dried German link sausage, to bring home. Elaine got some cookies and things for the grandkids.
 
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Day 5 cont'd:

This is Mesquite in the wild folks. And it grows like a weed. If we buy a place down there, y'all are welcome to come and grub up as much as you want!
Mescuite in the wild.jpg

We stopped at Wiseman House Chocolates in Hico and got some fudge. Then checked out a house on the outskirts of Stephenville. I was not impressed with the quality of the framing lumber around the garage doors and some of the trim. Made me wonder what the quality of the materials inside the house was like. Pass.

Day 6, Wednesday: Ate breakfast at Mattdaddy's (every morning while we were in Comanche) and then just messed around town, resting up for the trip home. We had a reservation for dinner at Harvest so we got ready for that.

I got the calamari as the first course of the meal:
Harvest calamari.jpg

Elaine got a salad:
Harvest dinner salad.jpg

We both got ribeye steaks for the entrée. I think this was the best ribeye that I've ever had.
Harvest ribeye 1.jpg

Elaine ordered her steak 'blue rare' (which is basically seared on both sides and plated) after our server suggested it. I think a good vet could have revived it! I got mine medium rare.
Harvest ribeye 2.jpg

Day 7, Thursday:

We checked out of the motel and started home by way of Bridgeport and Bells, TX because there were houses we wanted to check out. We weren't really impressed with either of them. I think we're going to concentrate on the Comanche to Abilene area as that just feels more like Texas to both of us. We ran across Northern Texas on US 82 until we picked up I-30 in Texarkana. We spent the night in Benton, AR just outside of Little Rock. Meals were nothing special on Day 7.

Day 8, Friday:

Checked out of the motel and headed for Forrest City (named after Nathan Bedford Forrest), AR for lunch at Delta Q (motto: purveyors of fine southern swine). We found this place on one of the Colorado trips and it's now a "must stop at".

They bring you a bucket of pork rinds when you sit down.
Delta Q pork rinds.jpg

Elaine got the 3 meat sampler tray. Going clockwise: sweet potato fries (probably the best I've ever had), pulled pork bbq, fried okra, dry rubbed ribs, roll and brisket.
Delta Q 3 meat sampler tray.jpg

I got the bbq and slaw eggrolls. Somebody in Lexington needs to steal this idea!
Delta Q BBQ and slaw eggrolls 1.jpg

Delta Q BBQ eggrolls 2.jpg

Elaine got a big bag of pork rinds to bring home:
Delta Q bag o pork rinds.jpg

We spent the night just west of Knoxville, TN.
 
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Day 9, Saturday:

Hit the "free" breakfast at the motel. This one was better than most as they had scrambled eggs and sausage in addition to the usual cereals and pastries. Made it through Knoxville ok with light traffic on a Saturday morning.

I try to avoid I-40 through the Pigeon River gorge so we turned north on I-81. We stopped in Kingston, TN to eat lunch at Pal's Sudden Service, a local burger chain that we like. We both got a Big Pal with bacon (Elaine got cheese on hers), an order of Frenchie Fries and a chocolate shake.

The picture doesn't look like much but the burger has a great taste! And the fries are really good too.
Pal's Sudden Service Big Burger.jpg

Elaine bought an apron for @Chdamn at Wenzel's for him to wear at the family bbq:
Apron.jpg

The logo seems appropriate...
Logo.jpg
 
Are you considering a move to TX?

Yes. I want to retire there.

but be danged sure you check property tax rates

We do. If you do anything related to agriculture (run cattle, raise hay, etc.) you can get an Agri exemption on the property which brings the property taxes down considerably. From my research I can own twice the land in Texas as I do in Climax and play less in property taxes.
 
So where do you like?

I think we're going to concentrate on the Comanche to Abilene area as that just feels more like Texas to both of us. Maybe as far south as San Saba or Hamilton. It just depends on where we can find enough house for her and enough land for me.
 
Not to harsh the mellow on this great food post, but be danged sure you check property tax rates. I did when we were thinking about Texas a few years ago. We were looking outside of Dallas Fort Worth area to get close to some friends. Property taxes were much higher than what I pay in the Containment area.

they're pretty high up here too (going to be close to $3k on the house im buying), but it evens out as there is no income tax, no vehicle inspections, etc. so six of one, half dozen of the other
 
I rented a Chevy Impala for the trip. I'll post a short, but pithy, review of it later.
 
Not to harsh the mellow on this great food post, but be danged sure you check property tax rates. I did when we were thinking about Texas a few years ago. We were looking outside of Dallas Fort Worth area to get close to some friends. Property taxes were much higher than what I pay in the Containment area.
I was talking about transferring to the dallas fortwoth area with my wife. How far away did you look? Hour away?
 
The food looks real good. Im marking the coordinates to delta q in my phone.
 
I don't know much about Abeline, but if you want a bit smaller the towns of Cross Plaines and Rising Star are pretty rural, although one does have a stoplight and a DQ. If you like deer, May is nice, for whatever reason the deer bed down in town by the hundreds. I think lake Brownwood is just South of May, ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice.

On the rural highways not only is the limit 75, but if you come up behind someone, at any speed, they'll happily pull onto the shoulder so you can pass. It's a beautiful thing.
 
@Don I absolutely hate that you're leaving us. The food pics look awesomely delicious. I'm just thankful that you've allotted part of your retirement towards funding our plane trips down there so we can have our lunch gatherings.:D
 
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Day 8, Friday:

Checked out of the motel and headed for Forrest City (named after Nathan Bedford Forrest), AR for lunch at Delta Q (motto: purveyors of fine southern swine). We found this place on one of the Colorado trips and it's now a "must stop at".

They bring you a bucket of pork rinds when you sit down.
View attachment 8787

Elaine got the 3 meat sampler tray. Going clockwise: sweet potato fries (probably the best I've ever had), pulled pork bbq, fried okra, dry rubbed ribs, roll and brisket.
View attachment 8788

I got the bbq and slaw eggrolls. Somebody in Lexington needs to steal this idea!
View attachment 8789

View attachment 8790

That looks awesome. Elaine knows how to order! Many around here could take a lesson from her!

For the rolls, Next time you're in Raleigh hit up Backyard BBQ by the Fairgrounds. they have "Redneck Eggrolls". Very similar, very delicious...
 
That looks awesome. Elaine knows how to order! Many around here could take a lesson from her!

For the rolls, Next time you're in Raleigh hit up Backyard BBQ by the Fairgrounds. they have "Redneck Eggrolls". Very similar, very delicious...
Backyard Bistro. And they are awesome. Gotta love some collards in anything.
 
I was talking about transferring to the dallas fortwoth area with my wife. How far away did you look? Hour away?
It's been six or seven years since I looked. I checked the tax value on my wife's friends house and was just surprised to see the tax rate much higher than our rate in town here near Raleigh. Keep in mind that last time I checked TX had no state income tax. I think we pay 9% here in NC.
 
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Don, if you get down around San Antonio or New Braunsfel, check out Rudy's. Excellent brisket, sausage, turkey breast and pulled pork. The creamed corn was the best I ever had.
 
Don, if you get down around San Antonio or New Braunsfel, check out Rudy's. Excellent brisket, sausage, turkey breast and pulled pork. The creamed corn was the best I ever had.

Will do. At some point I'm going to Gruene Hall which is in New Braunfels.
 
Don, if you get down around San Antonio or New Braunsfel, check out Rudy's. Excellent brisket, sausage, turkey breast and pulled pork. The creamed corn was the best I ever had.
Love their creamed corn! They're all over TX though, not just in the San Antonio area.
 
Will do. At some point I'm going to Gruene Hall which is in New Braunfels.

Gruene Hall is a really cool place to see. Make sure you eat at the Gristmill right behind it. Excellent German food and the outside seating has a nice view of the Guadalupe River.
 
It's been six or seven years since I looked. I checked the tax value on my wife's friends house and was just surprised to see the tax rate much higher than our rate in town here near Raleigh. Keep in mind that last time I checked TX had no state income tax. I think we pay 9% here in NC.

Correct, still no income tax here.
 
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