Bonus Saturday Blog

I can say unequivocally this blog contains the most images that I have put in one blog posting. That being said I will jump right in. The day finds me in Houston TX at the Double Tree hotel and it is 4:30 AM when the alarm goes off. I had a five o'clock show but without an airplane I figured it would be a show at the hotel and I would be able to sleep in after I checked in. Welllll... That was not to be the case. I was about to catch up on the crew that left me in New Your at the beginning of the tour. Thursday was spent getting from Fort Myers to Houston via Miami. That was not fun at all. Miami has to be one of the worst airports to go through. Everyone says Atlanta is but Miami simply does not make any sense. When the bus driver tells the passengers not to believe the signs because they are not accurate, there's going to be problems.

START OF THE DAY

I did manage to get to the gate in time for my long flight form Houston (IAH) to Corpus Christi Texas. Obvious I had time to spare as the airplane was not even there yet.

The flight was uneventful until we got to CPR when I went to get the rental car. The AVIS lady did not know if I would be able to drop off a car in Falfurrias. In fact she had not a clue where it was.

ON THE ROAD

I have Google Maps on my work Blackberry so I was all set for my road trip. A quick shot out of town and pick up 77 South and head on down and take a right on 285 and ride that into Falfurrias.

Running down 77 there was a section that went straight and the rest of the road split to the east. Feeling adventuresome I took the road less traveled which ended up going into Kingville TX where there is a Naval Air Station. There are also some very run down areas of town. The photo at right is a prime example.

NOWHEREVILLE TEXAS

In Michigan it is generally accepted to run 5-7 mph over the speed limit (of course I always keep it right on the limit... Ok!) but down in Texas it is a little different. They have one driving speed of 75-80 and it doesn't seem to matter if the speed limit is 55 or 65, they just fly!

Somehow I do not equate south Texas with palm trees but sure enough there they were, smack dab in the median of the highway.

I was not quite sure when I had to turn  except that it was on 285. I was just wondering how well that would be marked out in the middle of Nowhere Texas.

It would not be long before I found out.

TURN NOW

Of course, hang a right at the Shrimp truck and take that into Falfurrias. No problem. Actually there was a sign for the road, it was just being obscured by Mr. Shrimp.

It was still a little early for shrimp for me so I kept on going... And going.

Back on the speed thing. Two lane road... 70 mph for a speed limit seamed a bit odd. I liked it but it was just a little odd. That puts a head-on closure speed of 140 mph. Ok, Everybody dies, game over!

FALFURRIAS

I have been working at my present employer for almost eleven years and have never been to Falfurrias. I had alway heard stories on what a place it is. I gotta tell ya! It can be another eleven years before I get back here. But I thought I would document the occasion for posterity.

So you say... Where in the world is Falfurrias anyhow. I am way ahead of you! Below is a map of lower Texas and as you can see it is not too far from the Rio Grande and points south.

DOWNTOWN

Actually the main street in Falfurrias is not too bad but when I saw the Chamber of Commerse I had to pause in thought, then take a shot.

I really like the colors with the matching black bars on the door. The say everything is bigger in Texas so black bars must suffice at the screen door.

THE AIRPORT

The airport has a rather long access road to get to the fixed base operators building. In this case I think using the ter "shed" works to discribe the facility.

When I pulled up there were some people out on the porch and one guy doing his John Denver impersonation with his guitar.

OLD IS OLD

There were actually a couple of hangars on the airport that I would say were fifteen to twenty years old. I must say the folks were very friendly and helpful.

These old building have so much history and character in them that I had to photograph them. They are pretty much right out of the camera. This one to the right needed to correct the perspective as I was taking the beacon.

Here is the continuation of that set of hangars. I probably could have pulled more light out of the shadows in the hangar. As I was shooting the G9, I generally do not do that too often it gets a little noisy at times.

But way cool just the same.

Hey! That kind of covers what I did yesterday. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and hopefully they will get me home today (very wishful thinking) so I can dig into that fine fine camera waiting for my.

Cya... Doug