Amarillo, TX (10/17-19/2017)

It has become a tradition for me to stop in Amarillo whenever I'm crossing the country on Interstate 40.  It isn't so much the town that attracts me, although it is a nice town.  It's the Big Texan Steak Ranch that draws me in.  No matter which direction you're traveling, you start seeing billboards advertising "Free 72 Oz. Steak" what seems like a hundred miles away.  Of course it's only free if you eat the whole thing, including salad and potato, within an hour.  Otherwise it costs $72.  And anyone who orders it sits at a table on a stage so everyone can watch and cheer.

Although I've never seen anyone attempt the "free" steak dinner, the whole show at the Big Texan is a lot of fun.  People from all over come here for the "down home" atmosphere, good food and reasonable prices.  I never eat more than half my meal, giving me a second meal boxed to go.

The owner is obviously a showman and has added two motels, a big rig parking area to accommodate truckers, and an RV park just down the road.  The interior of the restaurant could be described as eclectic, but I like to call it "cowboy outrageous".  Last year I was driving my rental moving van and didn't have time to stop here, so I made up for it this year by staying three days and eating at the Big Texan twice!

Amarillo has plenty more to offer visitors.  Despite several stays here in years gone by, I found lots to do this time through.

Birding is usually pretty good here, so I visited the Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Reserve and a downtown park with a large lake.  Fall migration apparently hasn't started yet, but I managed to catch a few photos.

Boat-tail Grackle

Meadowlark

Red-tail Hawk

 

 

Male Wood Duck

Female Wood Duck

Male American Wigeon

Male Mallard

Male Mallard/Mixed Breed

Amarillo considers itself "The Helium Capital of The World since 75% of the helium produced in the U.S. comes from here.  Helium is a by-product of natural gas refining, and the gas from this region has a larger helium content than elsewhere.  I learned that helium is used for lots more than filling party balloons.  There is even a Helium Monument here that doubles as a sun dial and contains a time capsule.

The American Quarter Horse Association, dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the breed, is located here.  All over town are statues of quarter horses bought by businesses and individuals and decorated by local artists.  At a cost of $3500 each, more than 100 statues have been placed.

Some people claim that Palo Duro Canyon, about thirty miles away, is the second largest in the country, but I think Hell's Canyon is larger.  Anyway, Palo Duro is a beautiful place and I've enjoyed it on previous visits.  Not only is it a state park, but a musical production is presented nightly during summer months.  Called Texas, The Musical, it tells the story of early settlers in the Texas panhandle and how they eventually made peace with local Indians through the leadership of Comanche chief Quanah Parker.  The show is well worth seeing, but my visit this time was simply a brief drive through the canyon.

The Amarillo Botanical Gardens is impressive for a town this size.  The day I was there, the grounds were under transition to the Fall season, but there were many nice plants, waterfalls and butterflies.

As always, I enjoyed my time in Amarillo. and I recommend it to anyone traveling through the Texas panhandle.  It may not be a vacation destination, but it certainly makes for a nice stop.