Texas

Roadtrip: Georgia to Arizona, 5th Day

Today was a non-travel day. We are half way to our destination so we stopped for two nights, to rest a bit and to poke around the town of Shamrock, Texas.

The first stop was to fill up the truck with fuel. Diesel is going for $4.049 here in Texas, which is still less than what it was in Georgia. $112 to fill that tank today! After getting the fuel we went over to Buy For Less Express. It is an Ace Hardware/pharmacy/grocery store all under one roof. Fabgrandpa got the clamps he needed to repair the brake cable on the trailer. I also found some yummy gluten free foods!

gluten free foods in Shamrock — Oh, Yum!

I was really surprised to see them on the shelf there because this is such a small town. I got a French Meadow Bakery yellow cake, some Schar Italian Bread Sticks, Schar Vanilla Wafer Cookies, and Schar Lady Fingers. I can see a home made banana pudding in my future!

We went looking for a thrift store, and found a couple of them on Main Street. Fabgrandpa always buys DVD’s. We watch the movies a couple of times, then donate them to the next thrift store we go to.I love that the town of Shamrock has murals painted on some of the buildings:

Oh, and of course I had to kiss the Blarney Stone:

It’s hard to imagine when gasoline was only 10 cents a gallon!

mobil oil station — A Vintage Mobil Gas Station

We had quite a fun day in downtown Shamrock, but had to head on home and cook some dinner. I made some garlic roasted potatoes, pork chops, and brussells sprouts. After dinner we went ahead and hooked the trailer back up to the truck so that all we have to do in the morning is unhook the water and electric, put up the stabilizer jacks, and go! We’ll be headed to Tucumcari, New Mexico tomorrow.

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Roadtrip: Georgia to Arizona, Day 4

Karen · 5 Comments

Yesterday we woke up to really yucky weather in the Oklahoma City area. We were staying at the KOA located about where you see Midwest City on this map. We decided to wait until the rain stopped to start our travels since we were only going about 200 miles.

Kevin, one of the employees at the KOA gave us an alternate route to get around Oklahoma City. Last fall when we were on our way back to Georgia, going through Oklahoma City on I-40 was a torture for us and for our RV. The road was really bumpy and full of cracks and holes. I think Kevin said they are working on it now, so it is also under construction. The alternate route was a dream compared to that ride on I-40. To get a bigger picture of the route to print out, click here.

This is what I have been doing to keep myself busy on this trip. I love the feel of crocheted cotton washcloths, so I have been making them. I can make about one a day. I’ll be putting some for sale in my online store as soon as we get to Arizona.

oklahoma countryside — Wildflowers blooming

The last couple of times we came this way, it was still cold and wintry looking. This year, though, warmer spring weather has us looking at wildflowers blooming along the side of the road and in the fields.

We’re seeing lots of cows in the fields, too. This was in western Oklahoma about five miles before the Texas state line.

We crossed over the Texas state line, and only had 13 more miles to go. We are staying two nights in Shamrock, Texas. We love Shamrock, even though it is just a tiny town. We stop here every time we travel from Arizona to Georgia and back, mosyly because we love Big Vern’s Steakhouse. Last night was no exception. As soon as we got ready for dinner, we headed over there. I had a filet mignon, and boy was it ever delicious!

Today we’ll go into town and buy some groceries, and see if we can find a thrift store or an antique store to look around in. Tomorrow we’re headed to New Mexico.

There was a threat of severe weather posted by the weather service, but it never rained here last night. What a relief that was. I will leave you with this: Fabgrandpa showing off his biscuits!

fabgrandpas new jeans — Fabgrandpa showing off his biscuits!

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Tripping Again V

Karen · 3 Comments

sunrise in east Texas — That's a sunRISE, y'all!

Yesterday started really early. We were up before dawn, and it was cold out there! On the road by 7:00 a.m. and into Oklahoma before breakfast.

We went through Oklahoma City, and almost to Arkansas before we stopped for the day. The Arkansas River was especially beautiful to us, as we have been in Arizona for the last six months, where it is unusual to see water sources:

arkansas River in eastern Oklahoma — The Arkansas River

And although I love that my bank can see unusual activity on my ATM card and will shut it down until they hear from me, it makes it hard to fuel up when they do that. That phone call to be on hold for an automated system took me 15 minutes, then another 10 minute wait for them to re-activate my card. Sheesh. You’d think if they could see “unusual activity” that they would see it was charges for “campground” “fuel” “campground” “fuel” “campground” “fuel”…..

We spent the night at the KOA in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. We have stayed here before–it is nice and quiet, and has long level pullthrough sites. Not a bad place to end the day. Now for today’s RV Minute:

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Backing Up A Bit

Karen · 6 Comments

tallest water tower in Texas — The Shamrock Water Tower

I almost forgot to tell you all about Shamrock, Texas. We stayed at the West 40 RV Park in Shamrock last fall when we were on our way from Arizona to Alabama. We bought a tire for our trailer in town at C & H Supply. We enjoyed the good people of Shamrock so much that we decided to stop in again and spend a couple of days there. West 40 is not the cheapest RV park in town, but we like it, the sites are flat, and the people who run it are super nice. We paid $25 a night to stay there after a Good Sam discount. They have free wi-fi and full hook-ups. The park is 44 years old and has not been upgraded, but like I said, we liked it.I didn’t take any photos of it this time, but here is our site from last fall:

West 40 RV Park Shamrock Texas — West 40 RV Park

After we got set up, we went to town looking for something good to eat for dinner. We found Big Vern’s Steakhouse, on Route 66 right in town. We liked Big Vern’s so much that we went there two nights in a row.

FabGrandpa had the 16 oz ribeye and I had the 10 oz one, and they were the best steaks we had ever put in our mouths! It’s not cheap to eat there–we spent $50 plus tip both nights, but i can not tell you just how good those steaks were!

16 oz ribeye steak at Big Verns Steakhouse — FabGrandpa's 16 oz ribeye steak, cooked to perfection.

Oh, yeah, it came with two grilled shrimp, bread, and your choice of two sides. We got the carmelized mushrooms and onions and a baked potato. Both nights.

Fabgrandma — I got dressed up a little bit the second night.

I found the necklace that I bought to wear to Becky’s wedding and then lost, so I wore it the second night we went. Cute, huh?

Since we were in town for a couple of days, we went exploring to see what we could see. The tallest water tower in Texas is located in Shamrock, so we drove through downtown to see it. Don’t you just love exploring old towns?

FabGrandpa used to work at an Ace Hardware store, so we always have to go in and look at them when we travel. This one was also the grocery store and pharmacy. The people who worked here were soooo nice! I had to get a prescription filled, and instead of transfering it from Wal-Mart, the pharmacist sold me 5 tablets to get me to Flagstaff. I call that “Great Service!”

I also can’t tell you enough just how helpful and nice the folks at C & H Supply in Shamrock were, again. Last fall, we had a blowout on the trailer just outside of Amarillo, and bought one to replace it from them. When we were in West Memphis, we went to the Goodyear Tire Store there to replace the one that blew out on the first day of our trip. That guy charged us $165 for one tire. He mounted it on the rim, but didn’t put it on the trailer. At C & H Supply, we bought two tires, had them mounted and balanced, moved one tire to the spare AND they put the two news on the trailer for us, all for $278. We highly recommend them if you are traveling and need new tires.

C & H supply shamrock texas — The guy at C & H Supply put those tires on for us.

While FabGrandpa took care of the tire business, I walked next door and took pictures of the Tower Service Station. The building was built in 1936 as a Conoco Service Station and restaurant, but you may recognize it from the Disney movie, “Cars”.

U-Drop Inn & Tower Service Station — U-Drop Inn and Tower Service Station

Tower Service Station shamrock texas — Tower Service Station Shamrock, Texas

If you’d like to find out more about Shamrock, here is the link to the Shamrock Visitor’s Guide.

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Have You Ever Been To Amarillo

Karen · 2 Comments

We drove through Amarillo today. Last year on our way to Flagstaff, we stopped for two nights in Amarillo. That was enough for a lifetime. Amarillo is a cowtown. It stinks. It doesn’t really matter which direction the wind is blowing, it still smells like, well, cow poo. It seems to take days to get the smell out of your nose. Luckily for you, this video is not 4D–no odors included. Back up music is Frank Zappa’s “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama”. Enjoy…

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What The Heck Was That?

Karen · 3 Comments

When we arrived in Shamrock, Texas on Thursday, we had already decided to stay three nights. We were ahead of schedule for our destination of Flagstaff, and we needed to buy two new tires for the trailer. The tire store here in Shamrock treated us so well last fall that we decided to give them our business again. So, when we checked in at the West 40 RV Park, we signed up for three nights.

Thursday evening, the wind got up. I mean, it REALLY got up! It was blowing 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 65 mph. Our trailer was not only rocking, it was swaying back and forth. The windows by the dinette were being sucked open, then let go so it seemed like they were flapping wings, trying to take the trailer off into flight! It blew the tonneau cover open on the truck. I was afraid to cook for fear the pots would slide off of the stove! I was thinking that not even one of those heavy duty awning tie down straps would help in that kind of wind. These high winds went on like that until around 6:00 p.m. on Friday, when just as quickly as it started, it stopped.

While this was all going on, I thought about those windmills we passed in Oklahoma on the way here Thursday. I could just imagine them spinning like a child’s pinwheel in those high winds. I wondered if they ever broke off and took off across a field? A google search found this one, that happened in Denmark. While it didn’t actually spin off across a field, it did break and cause damage. Wow!

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Going To Alabama IV

Karen · 4 Comments

We started out the day climbing up those Sandia Mountians at Albuquerque. After less than half an hour, we were on flat land again. And it stayed flat most of the day.

Evidently, New Mexico does not have any laws against having billboards on the side of the highway. There seemed to be groves of them:

We saw several wind farms off in the distance. This modern windmill is in Tucumcari, New Mexico:

PA280066 — A modern windmill in Tucumcari

After we filled up the truck at Flying J in Tucumcari, FabGrandpa decided to drive over the scales. Ooops, maybe I DO have a tad too much fabric after all. Hmmm, I’ll toss groceries first if push comes to shove. We’re still under, but can’t buy anything else!

So, we officially left New Mexico and crossed over into Texas. New Mexico is one of the only states I have been in that has a sign telling you you are leaving:

It’s a good thing they told us, because west Texas was more of the same flat landscape, for miles and miles.Here is your RV minute for today, showing just how flat and lonely it is out here. This is I-40, going east, west of Amarillo, Texas:

There were more wind farms closer to Amarillo. I especially like this photo of an old fashioned windmill with the wind farm in the background:

We made it through Amarillo before the five o’clock rush, which is great!

Because a few miles outside of town, we heard a POP! The rear driver’s side tire on the trailer blew out! We had to stop on the side of I-40 and change the tire! It was pretty scary out there with all those trucks whizzing by! This was the same tire that blew out the first time we were going to Arizona in April of 2008 (well, not the same tire, but in the same position on the trailer) Wonder what is up with that?

We made into Shamrock, Texas to the West 40 RV park just at sunset:

I made us a “Road Trip Seafood Platter” for dinner: Tuna salad with avocado, smoked oysters, pear salad, and crackers. I had Glutino gluten free, he had Ritz. Yummy!

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A Little Tour Of The Mixes From The Heartland Plant

Karen · 3 Comments

: Look at all that gluten free goodness~!

The first thing you see when you walk in the door at the Mixes From The Heartland plant are shelves and shelves displaying all the products they make here. And the next thing you notice is the aroma! The smells of all those delicious mixes wafts from the packaging area in the back to the lobby and offices in the front. It was a wonderful experience to go there, and meet Teri, the owner, in person. I have been corresponding with her for about a year now, and it was high time we met face to face.

: Teri, the owner of Mixes From The Heartland

Teri invited me and FabGrandpa into her office, where we talked for an hour or so. She has been in the gluten free food business for 5 years, and is getting ready to move the plant into a larger building. She has lots of plans for new products, and is introducing a new buying club on her website. There are lots of benefits to becoming a member, including discounts and access to new recipes.

: Packages of mix waiting to be sealed.

We took a little walk around the back, where staff members were busy filling bags with product, which today was a Tex-Mex Rice mix. The seasonings smelled soooo good! I noticed that everything was so clean and neat in there, too.

DSCN3347 — Ingredients in bins waiting to become part of a mix.

Teri explained that one of the secrets of her success for flavor is that she uses freeze dried ingredients. She gave us a sample of the freeze dried corn–it was so sweet! It tasted like fresh corn, only dry and crunchy. No wonder that corn chowder she makes is so good! And she makes sure every ingredient she buys to make her mixes is from a gluten free source. Her products test at 5 parts per million, which is well below the US standard to be labeled gluten free.

DSCN3348 — Me and Teri of Mixes From The Heartland

Teri gave me an assortment of products to take home, including my favorite, the Country Dumpling Mix. I had not had my favorite southern chicken and dumplings in more than three years before I found this mix. I loved it so much that I made it three times in one week! Now I can’t wait to get to my summer home so I can start cooking some of these things up! I made some of the Sweet Potato Brownies tonight, though. Easy peasy!

: El Toritos Restaurant

Before we left to come home, though, Teri and her Aunt Marilyn took us out to lunch at El Toritos Mexican Restaurant in Amarillo. I had the Tamal Dinner. Boy, was it ever good! I haven’t had tamales that good since we worked down in south Texas in 2002.

DSCN3354 — Teri and Aunt Marilyn enjoying lunch at El Toritos

We finally had to say our goodbyes, but not without making plans to stop in again on our way east next fall. Can’t wait to see what new products she has by then!

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