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Traveling With Ethyl, 535 PARK ROAD 76, Rusk, TX (2026)

06/09/2025

Took a trip on the Texas State Railroad, Palestine, Texas to Rusk, Texas. It was a 1920s theme. Really fun to see all of the ladies and gents dressed up. The trip to Rusk is sbout 25 miles and took about 1 1/2 hours. Mostly wooded area and a few small farms, so not much to see on the way. The train was very comfortable.

Our car hostess was Joyce. Very sweet lady. She’s 81 years old. Doesn’t look it. She’s been working for the railroad for 14 years. She has lots of knowledge about the train history and the area. All of the staff were very professional and very helpful. Great Customer Service. The train is really charitable and gives back to the community.

Arrived in Rusk to a catered dinner which was served outside near the water. The area was decorated for the 1920s. Very cute. A few photo opportunities were available.

It was extremely hot, so would highly recommend some lawn fans to at least give a light breeze. The menu was ok. I had grilled pork chop which was cooked before hand with a spicy seasoning. Wish that had been listed on the menu. Butter should have been available for the potatoes and roll. While the meal was ok, it was at best, just a 5 out of 10.

The costumes were wonderful however I do have one recommendation for the ladies . You may want to take your flip flops so you can change shoes when the feeling arises. I and many others went the barefoot route halfway through the event.

I stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn Express. I would give this a 4 out of 5. The rooms are clean. The toilet seat in my room needed repair since it was coming off. The breakfast was a typical hotel free breakfast . Cheap, microwaved, likely previously frozen.

I booked my reservation through Expedia which apparently may be my mistake. Because of booking through a site different than the hotel’s site, the desk clerk would not allow me to check in 2 hours early. She said that since I had not booked through the hotel site there would be a $50 up charge for that. If I had booked through the hotel, I would have been allowed to check in early at no charge. The price for the room was a bit steep so I’m sure she could have accommodated an early check in. She had rooms available but refused to check me in a little early without paying the increase. So buyer, beware. This place is all about charging when and where they can.

The event was fun and worth tge adventure.

10/10/2024

Just took a short trip from Tulsa Oklahoma to Galena Kansas. The Food Market in Riverton Kansas has great sandwiches for a reasonable price and a gift shop. Had a chance to visit the museum in Galena Kansas. Fun little place to visit. It’s free and small gift shop. Gearhead Curios in Galena Kansas has a new Giant. Aaron is so fun to talk to. Lots a Route 66 gifts and a bathroom you can’t miss seeing. Fully operational but nothing you have seen before or will see again. Gift shops and Diners open along the way.

06/01/2024

2024 Route 66 Day 4

Kingman Arizona to Amboy,California. Stops in Cool Springs, Oatman, Arizona and Amboy, California.

06/01/2024

2024 Route 66 Day 3.

Gallup new New Mexico to Kingman Arizona. Stops in Jack Rabbit Trading, Winslow, Flagstaff, Williams, Seligman, Hackberry, Arizona.

06/01/2024

2024 route66 Day 2

Tucumcari New Mexico to Gallup New Mexico. Stops in Santa Rosa , clines Corners, Moriarty , Grants, Continental Divide and finally Gallup for the night.

06/01/2024

2024 Route 66. Post 2

Saturday evening I set out to make the trip from Houston Texas up to Oklahoma City Oklahoma to start my current Route 66 trip from here.

I drive through 20 minutes of severe thunderstorms before finally making the hotel for the night. A bit scary watching lightning strikes in front of you and then hearing the next morning the area you had just passed through the night before had a tornado that leveled several buildings and killed several people. Definitely thanking God for watching over me and pray for those people.

This trip Route 66 starts in El Reno Oklahoma. Stops in Weatherford, Oklahoma, Texola, Shamrock, McLean, Adrian, Mid Point, Amarillo, Texas and finally nights stay in Tucumcari, New Mexico.

06/01/2024

2024 Route 66 Trip. This trip has benn in the planning for a very long time. Taking some time to get off the Interstate and see some of the still existing parts of Route 66. This will be posted in parts as there are many photos.

Post 1 2024

The 8 mile drive from Cool Springs to Oatman, Arizona is beautiful and majestic itf you dare to look , however, looking at the scenery is not recommended. This drive is not for the faint of heart and definitely not for large vehicles.

191 curves/turns in 8 miles up and down the side of the mountain. When my GPS said it would take 45 minutes, I thought this can’t be right. Well it was right. Some turns you don’t dare go more than 10 mph. Some turns you can’t see if someone may be headed towards you. Some areas the road is very narrow and one small slip could cause you to go way down a steep cliff.

There is plenty to drink when you reach Oatman and you will deserve a celebratory drink. But save it for after you’ve completed the stretch of Route 66.

One lady at a store told me that back in the mining days the miners would get supplies from Kingman. The miners would hitch up the burros to their wagon and head to Kingman. It could take 4 days to get there with an empty wagon. The trip home with a loaded wagon could take 8-9 days. So be patient. Your trip will be shorter than theirs.

Remember to enjoy all the twists and turns of this wonderful and historic highway.

05/02/2022

San Antonio, Texas

Remember the Alamo? Davy Crocket? Sam Houston? San Antonio has so much Texas history to revel in.

We spent a few days in San Antonio. Not near enough time, there is so much to see. We did see the Alamo and took a tour, self guided. Artifacts and statues of those famous people attributed with the Texas Independence are here. Did you know that Texas has flown six different flags in it’s lifetime? How about, What ever happened to Davy Crocket? The base tickets are free. You can upgrade your tickets to see some exhibits.

The River Walk is beautiful. Lots of places to eat. A really nice walk. Some live music. If you are handicapped there are a few things to know. The Marriott Hotel on the River Walk and the Hilton Hotel on the River Walk have elevators that go all the way down to the River Walk. There is also an elevator that goes down to the River Walk and also opens to the Casa Ole’ restaurant. If you use the Marriott elevator you will need a room key for entrance from the River Walk back into the Hotel.

Dicks Last Resort has amazing food with eat in or patio dining. Great Service. Varied selection. Reasonable prices.
Casa Ole’ also has eat in and patio dining. Great Service. Typical selection of Mexican food. Reasonable prices and as previously mentioned, has an elevator for those not wanting to use stairs.
And who can pass Margaritaville. It’s just across from the Marriott entrance.

The River Walk also has “Shops at River Center” with entrances from both inside and outside the River Walk. There is also an elevator available for use.

Lots of reasonable public parking is available.

We stayed at Courtyard by Marriott/Seaworld. Excellent staff. The grounds are well maintained. Clean and up to all Marriott standards. Reasonable price, especially if you book ahead. Just a few minutes from downtown and Seaworld.

Sea world is a great place for the family. Roller coaster rides and fun Sea Life exhibitions. Food places too or bring your own.

Many other attractions to see in San Antonio. Spend a few days if you can. Lots to see.

About 1 hour scenic ride away is Luckenbach, TX. Remember Willie and Waylon and The Boys. Live music and events every week. Country store/gift shop/bar. There’s a Barn Dance hall. Clean restrooms.

Take a fifteen minute ride from Luckenbach to LBJ’s (Lyndon B. Johnson) Ranch. A live working ranch. A drive thru ranch with some Presidential effects to see. See inside Airforce One-Half.

Or take a short ride from Luckenbach to Fredericksburg, TX. Some German decent. Several museums, however note, most of the museums are closed on Tuesdays. Pacific War museum, Texas Rangers museum and more.

This is Texas Hill country with lots of wineries (and tours). End of March/early April is the Blue Bonnet Festival. You’ll see all the beautiful Texas wildflowers in bloom and peach blossoms. Lots of Boutique shopping and eateries. Some old time motels along with the newer chain hotels. Fairfield Inn by Marriott has a location here.

Put on your walking shoes, take an umbrella (just in case) and stroll to live music, the smell of great food and beautiful sceanery whether your at the Alamo, The River Walk, Luckenbach or Fredericksburg. There is something for all to see.

03/21/2022

Another stretch of Route 66.

03/21/2022

Route 66, Weatherford, Oklahoma.

Had the opportunity this past week to visit another stretch of Route 66. Weatherford, Oklahoma. This is also the home of General Thomas P. Stafford, Astronaut. The weather was great. A bit windy at times and now I understand what the “The Dust Bowl” of the 1930s might have been like.

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Weatherford. Nice hotel. The staff was very nice and easy to deal with. The Hot/Cold Breakfast Buffet is back and was being maintained by Kim. Very charming and personable lady. She really went out of her way to make our stay pleasant. During Covid restrictions, the hotels cut back to just a brown bag breakfast, so I’m happy that the hot/cold buffet is back. Hope it continues.

One morning we did visit Jerry’s Restaurant which is just across the street from the Fairfield Inn. This is an old style Diner restaurant reminiscent of the old Route 66 style. The service was excellent. Generous portions of food for a low/reasonable price. The servers were friendly and very efficient. Definitely the quickest service I’ve experienced. While we were eating, we had a surprise visit from Willie Nelson. OK, it was “Almost Willie”. I even got a couple of pictures.

Next stop was the Heartland of America Museum. This is a fairly new museum. Laid out with easy access. Lots to look at. There is a Military section along with many booths showcasing various periods of time in history. An old telephone booth, an old telephone switchboard. A Barber shop/Hair salon. Thank goodness for modern technology. The perms of yesterday must have been brutal to endure. Several old cars on display and the museum is currently restoring a military helicopter to add to their display. Outside is a Diner that Elvis Presley frequented and even signed their book. There’s an old one room schoolhouse. Step inside and you can imagine the chatter of the little folks talking and throwing paper airplanes while the teacher is writing the lesson on the chalkboard. The ladies who volunteered at the museum were so knowledgeable about the museum and displays.

There is a museum created to commemorate General Stafford. It is near the airport. Unfortunately we did not have time to tour inside, however I’m told that there are lots of aircraft and artifacts including a “moon rock” inside to see.

Just down the road, right off I-40 exit , there is Lucille’s Roadhouse. Two sections to be seated. One will take you back intime to the Diner age of Route 66. The other section has a bar and just as nice for eating. The service is great. The food is good and anyone looking for a clean restroom, you can find one here.

20 miles down the road to the east is Hinton, Oklahoma. A couple casinos there with lots of penny machines. Twenty miles to the west is Clinton, Oklahoma with more museums and casino.

Weatherford has the small town charm while hosting Southwestern Oklahoma State University and a few other large employers. The people were friendly and very accommodating. We had a really nice visit in Weatherford.

Traveling With Ethyl

06/09/2025

10/10/2024

06/01/2024

06/01/2024

06/01/2024

06/01/2024

06/01/2024

05/02/2022

03/21/2022

03/21/2022

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