Pictures of The Week 2008-15
Hello All,
With severe thunderstorms forecast to move into Johnson City during the afternoon hours, we packed up and headed out early morning. We jumped onto Highway 290 westbound until intercepting I-10 westbound. Thought we may have to punch through the bad weather but it never materialized. However, we did have to contend with a 30-mph headwind all day long! Have we mentioned before that the WIND NEVER STOPS BLOWING in Texas!!
Our next stop was Fort Stockton, TX. Since early pre-historic times, the area around Comanche Springs has served as the major crossroads of the arid Trans-Pecos region of Texas. The springs, which once flowed 80 million gallons of water daily, were widely known as a way station along several well traveled routes.
To protect travelers along these trails from Indian raiding parties, the U.S. Army established Camp Stockton at this strategic site in 1858. Due to the Civil War, the Army withdrew from Texas in 1861, and the post was abandoned. In 1867 Fort Stockton was re-established. The new fort was garrisoned by four companies of the Ninth Cavalry, one of the new regiments created for the newly freed black men.
Did we mention the WIND NEVER STOPS BLOWING in Texas!! It was an interesting night trying to sleep. The wind peaked out at 44 mph but the gusts would rock the fifth wheel and snap the slide awnings. We were amazed that we suffered no damage. By late morning the wind subsided to a comfortable 20 mph so we took a side trip to Crane, TX. Now if Fort Stockton is in the middle of nowhere, then Crane is 60 miles farther!
Why Crane you ask? Well, it seems that Dave’s dad worked in the oil fields there when Dave was a baby. He had heard his mom talk about Crane on numerous occasions, so he had to see it. She would tell stories of how after a rare summer rain the paved road would be covered with rattlesnakes warming up. She also said there was a whole lot of nothing at Crane. Well, mom was right!!
We kept right on rolling through Crane to Odessa and then on to Midland. We saw the childhood home of President George W. Bush. That didn’t take long either!!
With severe thunderstorms forecast to move into Johnson City during the afternoon hours, we packed up and headed out early morning. We jumped onto Highway 290 westbound until intercepting I-10 westbound. Thought we may have to punch through the bad weather but it never materialized. However, we did have to contend with a 30-mph headwind all day long! Have we mentioned before that the WIND NEVER STOPS BLOWING in Texas!!
Our next stop was Fort Stockton, TX. Since early pre-historic times, the area around Comanche Springs has served as the major crossroads of the arid Trans-Pecos region of Texas. The springs, which once flowed 80 million gallons of water daily, were widely known as a way station along several well traveled routes.
To protect travelers along these trails from Indian raiding parties, the U.S. Army established Camp Stockton at this strategic site in 1858. Due to the Civil War, the Army withdrew from Texas in 1861, and the post was abandoned. In 1867 Fort Stockton was re-established. The new fort was garrisoned by four companies of the Ninth Cavalry, one of the new regiments created for the newly freed black men.
Did we mention the WIND NEVER STOPS BLOWING in Texas!! It was an interesting night trying to sleep. The wind peaked out at 44 mph but the gusts would rock the fifth wheel and snap the slide awnings. We were amazed that we suffered no damage. By late morning the wind subsided to a comfortable 20 mph so we took a side trip to Crane, TX. Now if Fort Stockton is in the middle of nowhere, then Crane is 60 miles farther!
Why Crane you ask? Well, it seems that Dave’s dad worked in the oil fields there when Dave was a baby. He had heard his mom talk about Crane on numerous occasions, so he had to see it. She would tell stories of how after a rare summer rain the paved road would be covered with rattlesnakes warming up. She also said there was a whole lot of nothing at Crane. Well, mom was right!!
We kept right on rolling through Crane to Odessa and then on to Midland. We saw the childhood home of President George W. Bush. That didn’t take long either!!
Then we went to the Permian
Basin Petroleum Museum. Not only was the
museum educational it was extremely well done. In addition to excellent indoor
exhibits the museum features a 40-acre outdoor exhibit of the world’s largest
collection of antique drilling and pumping equipment.
Bet the ride on this old
tractor was a bit stiff! Every piece of
it is steel with no suspension!!
These are just a few of the
petroleum industry trucks and equipment on display in the museum. All of them had been restored to pristine
condition.
The museum also has a Transportation Wing which
houses the Chaparral Gallery. It tells
the story of the Chaparral Road Racing team. The science of aerodynamics was
never completely appreciated by auto designers until Jim Hall of Midland, TX
revolutionized the sport of racing in 1965 with his winged Chaparral racing
cars.
His aerodynamic innovations,
wings, ground effects and light-weight construction materials literally
transformed auto racing as well as passenger car safety and fuel
efficiency. Forty years later you still
see Hall’s innovations in both racing and passenger cars.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns