No real plan in mind

[linux3]

We are leaving Henrietta NY in a few days heading for Bryan TX.
Friends we net on a cruise 12 years ago are leaving Missoula MT May 3 for Arizona and NM.
We try to get together with our friends once a year.
So, where do we meet up?

[notanlines]

I sure wish I could do better, but it looks like Amarillo, Texas is coming to the top of the list. Not exactly the tourist capital of the southwest, but other than that you'll end up in Albuquerque.
How about meeting up in the area of the Palo Duro Canyon State Park?

[travelin texans]

The Oasis Rv Resort just west of Amarillo is nice with good spaces.
Ft Amarillo Rv Park is also very nice, not as big as Oasis, but has shade trees which could be beneficial if it turns off hot.
Palo Duro Canyon is also nice, been lots of years since we camped there, but check the weather, you DO NOT want to get caught in there if one of their spring time thunderstorms pop up, you'll need a boat then.
The Route 66 Casino just west of Albuquerque is very large with VERY long pull thrus & probably more to do while there than Amarillo, especially if you like playing slot machines, 2-3 other casinos near by also.

[sourdough]

Yep, Jim's nailed it pretty close. Don't know where they are going in NM but I just picked Las Cruces as sort of central.

Everyone has their druthers but I would pick Armadillo WAY above Albuquerque. And, while there's not much to do in Albuquerque but dodge gunfire Amarillo has a lot to offer. Some things that come to mind; LOTS of flat rolling prairie; no one wants to miss the Cadillac Ranch of course; then there's Palo Duro Canyon, the 2nd largest canyon in the U.S. behind the Grand Canyon and last but not least, my personal favorite.....the Big Texan Steakhouse!!! Try to go on clog night!! Grab a schooner of beer and have your picture taken in the ginormous rocking chair. Or, take a whirl and see if you can eat that 72oz. steak and get it for free!! I'm talkin the fun never ends!

Just a word of caution if you want to try that steak; we were completing a buyout so one of the principals came down and we stopped over in Amarillo. Of course we had to go to the Big Texan. This guy was tall and thin from MA. Decided he was going to "whip" that steak (all 72oz), then, ordered the thing (4 1/2lbs) WELL DONE! A group of us grabbed our beers (then several more) standing by the pit watching the pitmaster try to cook what appeared to be the back 1/4 of a cow....did I say well done?? TWO HOURS later it was time. There he was, on the stage, spotlights shining on him, the announcer (also being broadcast elsewhere - I believe a local station) introducing him and giving him all the rules. The crowd (it was packed) gathered around the stage hooting and hollering cheering him on - you've got an hour to eat this thing.

And it began. Trying to saw into that partially petrified slab of jerky with a steak knife it appeared the blade would just bend or break. I yelled and asked if he needed a chain saw but he was engrossed in the task at hand. He worked and worked; a sheen of sweat broke out across his face as he struggled to put food into that wire thin body. The announcer was giving updates over the microphone; folks were hollering encouragements. Then finally, it was over....an hour later. The crowd had had a ton of fun; the fellow appeared ill; we were all having a blast and there, on the table, was about 4 1/4lbs of that steak left (he did make sure to eat the shrimp cocktail)!! Nope, he didn't get a "free one" and we felt bad for him because he had such high hopes - so we bought the steak for him. Ummm, sorry....I was reliving the moment - it was a HOOT!

Anyway, I would choose Amarillo over Albuquerque any day. Maybe that would be a good place to meet up and......hope you have fun!

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Yep, Jim's nailed it pretty close. Don't know where they are going in NM but I just picked Las Cruces as sort of central.

Everyone has their druthers but I would pick Armadillo WAY above Albuquerque. And, while there's not much to do in Albuquerque but dodge gunfire Amarillo has a lot to offer. Some things that come to mind; LOTS of flat rolling prairie; no one wants to miss the Cadillac Ranch of course; then there's Palo Duro Canyon, the 2nd largest canyon in the U.S. behind the Grand Canyon and last but not least, my personal favorite.....the Big Texan Steakhouse!!! Try to go on clog night!! Grab a schooner of beer and have your picture taken in the ginormous rocking chair. Or, take a whirl and see if you can eat that 72oz. steak and get it for free!! I'm talkin the fun never ends!

Just a word of caution if you want to try that steak; we were completing a buyout so one of the principals came down and we stopped over in Amarillo. Of course we had to go to the Big Texan. This guy was tall and thin from MA. Decided he was going to "whip" that steak (all 72oz), then, ordered the thing (4 1/2lbs) WELL DONE! A group of us grabbed our beers (then several more) standing by the pit watching the pitmaster try to cook what appeared to be the back 1/4 of a cow....did I say well done?? TWO HOURS later it was time. There he was, on the stage, spotlights shining on him, the announcer (also being broadcast elsewhere - I believe a local station) introducing him and giving him all the rules. The crowd (it was packed) gathered around the stage hooting and hollering cheering him on - you've got an hour to eat this thing.

And it began. Trying to saw into that partially petrified slab of jerky with a steak knife it appeared the blade would just bend or break. I yelled and asked if he needed a chain saw but he was engrossed in the task at hand. He worked and worked; a sheen of sweat broke out across his face as he struggled to put food into that wire thin body. The announcer was giving updates over the microphone; folks were hollering encouragements. Then finally, it was over....an hour later. The crowd had had a ton of fun; the fellow appeared ill; we were all having a blast and there, on the table, was about 4 1/4lbs of that steak left (he did make sure to eat the shrimp cocktail)!! Nope, he didn't get a "free one" and we felt bad for him because he had such high hopes - so we bought the steak for him. Ummm, sorry....I was reliving the moment - it was a HOOT!

Anyway, I would choose Amarillo over Albuquerque any day. Maybe that would be a good place to meet up and......hope you have fun!

Danny,
You mentioned the Cadillac Ranch. As a kid growing up just north of there that was very eccentric of the old guy to do that & quite a sight to see. At that time you could tell what year, the color of Cadillac, with tires, glass, doors, trunk lids all still intact. They relocated them to the present location lots of years ago to build the Westgate Mall on the western edge of town at the time, then it became what it is now.. Now to me it looks like a bunch of junk stuck out of the ground with hundreds of empty paint cans thrown everywhere, those that aren't too lazy to carry them back have to then mark their mark on the dumpster also, from the folks painting graffiti all over that buried junk. Once a year or so someone from the city or county goes out & paints them all one color so the traveling artist have a clean slate. But I'm apparently in the minority as there's always several vehicles parked there, rain, snow, sleet or shine walking out there to paint their mark.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Danny,
You mentioned the Cadillac Ranch. As a kid growing up just north of there that was very eccentric of the old guy to do that & quite a sight to see. At that time you could tell what year, the color of Cadillac, with tires, glass, doors, trunk lids all still intact. They relocated them to the present location lots of years ago to build the Westgate Mall on the western edge of town at the time, then it became what it is now.. Now to me it looks like a bunch of junk stuck out of the ground with hundreds of empty paint cans thrown everywhere, those that aren't too lazy to carry them back have to then mark their mark on the dumpster also, from the folks painting graffiti all over that buried junk. Once a year or so someone from the city or county goes out & paints them all one color so the traveling artist have a clean slate. But I'm apparently in the minority as there's always several vehicles parked there, rain, snow, sleet or shine walking out there to paint their mark.

Yeah, I just threw that in there. It used to be pretty cool 50-60 years ago but like most other things it has deteriorated.

[linux3]

I'm thinking Topeka KN.
Out of the way for both of us but a nice area.
On our way back

[notanlines]

Yep, Topeka! · 1. Evel Knievel Museum · 2. Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site ·

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Yep, Topeka! · 1. Evel Knievel Museum · 2. Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site ·

Didn't Evel Knievel "appropriate" Elvis Presley's white caped and sequined outfit? You know, the one with the red and blue stars lining the "superman cape" and that "huge glittery belt buckle" ??? I wonder if it's displayed in his museum ???

I see some "major trip planning" in my future.....

[gearhead]

Just south of Topeka is Eisenhower State Park on Lake Melvern. We stayed there 1 night. Pretty good as I recall.
I think there is a COE campground nearby as well.