Texas Bucket List

Texas Bucket List

Simmons Bank

The Texas Bucket List – Swimming with Sharks at Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi

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Corpus Christi – We’ve done some pretty amazing things on the Texas Bucket List over the years but there’s an adventure in Corpus Christi that ranks right up near the top. You see the Texas State Aquarium is already a great place to visit on our list but now you can do something that had my Mom and my kids all concerned, swimming with sharks!

“Probably the most successful programs we’ve launched,” said Jesse Gilbert, the president and CEO of the Texas State Aquarium. Before I was forced to swim with the fishes, I had to know how all of this came to be. Since 2003 Jesse has been part of this place and that includes the introduction of their swim with the sharks experience.

Now the Texas State Aquarium didn’t build its reputation on this unique experience but rather the years of fun and educational programs that they’ve had since the aquarium opened in 1990.  Back then the entire exhibit was dedicated to the Gulf of Mexico but today there’s a boatload more thanks to the recent Caribbean Ocean addition. “We doubled the size of the aquarium in 2017 when it opened, and from there, we went to the wildlife rescue center. So that pattern has just continued to go,” explained Jesse.

Seeing these sizable exhibits is quite exhilarating but then you realize, someone has to take care of all these fish. “There’s about 70 individuals alone that make sure that the animals are safe, the water’s good to go, the bay is in good shape. We use natural seawater from Corpus Christi Bay, and so we have to make sure that the Bay’s doing well. So there’s a lot of data that’s collected and a lot of operations that go on around the clock,” explained Jesse.

“My whole life. I have wanted to work with Marine animals, specifically sharks,” stated Jordan Campbell, an instructor here at the aquarium. Jordan took me on a behind the scenes tour of the Texas State Aquarium and that’s when you really get a scope of how big this ocean operation is.

“It’s like a small city. We have to generate our own power. When we have hurricanes and freezes, we have to make our own water, we have our own hospital for the animals, we have our own commissaries and kitchens. And so it’s really kind of a neat way to take people behind the scenes and they can see all the different facets of what it takes to operate an organization with us,” said Jesse.

Jordan then took me to the Islands of Steel exhibit, their largest exhibit that mimics just what we would see in the Gulf of Mexico. “So we’ve got some larger shark species. We have two nurse sharks.Their names are Luna and Soul. We’ve got a few larger game fish in here as well, we’ve got some crevalle jacks, we have a sheepshead, a northern red snapper, we have some tarpon. We have one barracuda kind of right there in the middle. And then of course we have Tiki who’s our loggerhead sea turtle,” explained Jordan while showing us the exhibit.Here you get to feed the fish, and they sure do go crazy for it!

Now if I can prevent myself from becoming food, we’ll be okay, so Shannon Hunt got me prepared. Shannon took me to the Caribbean Sea exhibit where I will be snorkeling with the sharks! “Yeah. There’s sharks, eels, stingrays, all kinds of really cool marine life that we’re going to get a nice close look at,” said Shannon Hunt, a staff member of the aquarium.

Fortunately, I spotted the cage I will be in. “Yes, we will be in that shark cage in just a few minutes. And when we’re in there, we’re going to be able to see our animals up really, really closely. All of the animals, the sandbar sharks, our stingrays, even our eels, aren’t shy about swimming right past the cage for an awesome view,” explained Shannon.

“Our sharks all have a nice balanced diet. It does not include any of our snorkelers or any nice, tasty snacks that you might have brought along with you today,” joked Shannon.

“So by getting up close and personal, we can remove the stigma around sharks and give people a better appreciation for the ocean. As the aquarium here, we are trying to get people to care about these animals and the quality of our ocean. And by seeing all the incredible stuff nice up and close, then you care a little bit more,” explained Shannon.

Now what I am worried about is the water being ice cold. “However, this water is right around 72 degrees Fahrenheit and that’s the optimal temperature for all of the different species in this exhibit,” said Shannon. “We’re going to get you in the water with some sharks today,” stated Cassie Gunter, a three-year employee at The Texas State Aquarium.

Cassie got me ready for the dive.  Fortunately, I love snorkeling so passing the quick swimming test wasn’t a problem, the 72-degree water on the other hand was a bit chilly. The salinity of the water was surprisingly strong, keeping me more afloat than I am used to but keeping my legs up in the water was a good thing, especially when you see sharks swimming right in front of you. “The sharks here are pretty friendly, so we get in there every day with them, so they’re really used to human interaction, but we don’t touch them unless we absolutely have to, this is their home so we make sure to respect that,” explained Cassie.

Once you settle in, watching these huge animals glide gracefully in the water is exhilarating while knowing there’s a cage around you is comforting. “A lot of people are pretty surprised, I know that sharks get a bad rep in the media sometimes. Everyone’s seen Jaws and all the scary sharks, but the whole purpose of this snorkel here is so people can get up close with sharks and say, ‘Hey, that shark wasn’t so scary, maybe they’re pretty awesome and an important part of the ecosystem.’,” explained Shannon.

“There’s that wow factor of being with sharks. Sharks aren’t dangerous, we want to make sure that people understand that. And so we were trying to come up with a way that people could get in there. It was safe, but it also kind of kept this mystique about sharks,” said Jesse.

Swimming with the sharks comes highly recommended but if just visiting the aquarium is enough to float your boat, we’ll that’s well worth a stop as well. “The Texas State Aquarium has something special, the people here have something special. Everyone, as soon as you walk in the doors, they want to share what we know about the animals, about the environment, and it’s really something you have to see and experience firsthand,” expressed Jordan.

“That’s what’s so special about Texas is that Texans love the outdoors and they love their wildlife. And so it makes telling that story easier and impactful. We’re just not saying it, Texans really understand it and go out there and do it,” said Jesse.

The Texas Bucket List – The Orange Show in Houston

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Houston – The hustle and bustle of the city streets in Houston can always be a bit bananas but there’s no reason to gripe about sour grapes.  Just take a little detour on the side of Interstate 45 for a fruity lesson about the Orange and the one and only Orange Show.

“Thank God, Jeff bought this property right by the freeway. He really did us a favor,” said Pete Gershon. Gershon is the Curator of Programs for the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. “What we do at the Orange Show is to celebrate the artist in everyone,” stated Pete.

The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art celebrates the Space City’s unique art scene with places like the Beer Can House and its name sake, The Orange Show.  “The Orange Show means so much to us. It’s a symbol,” said Pete.

This odd and interesting homage to the orange was built by one man who had a fondness for one particular fruit.  “So the Orange Show was built between 1955 and 1979 by a retired postal worker named Jefferson Davis McKissick. He moved into this neighborhood when it was pretty new, and bought this as vacant property,” explained Pete while walking us through the installation. “This is a place where information is communicated. Jeff really wanted you to know about the nutritional value of the orange. So he’s made some signs here that explain where the nutrients come from. So it’s kind of like an art exhibit and lesson in health, according to Jeff,” explained Pete. “He felt like the orange was the perfect food. He wrote a whole book about this. It was called, “How You Can Live to be a 100 Years old and Still Be Spry.” And he wrote this in 1960 and it was like the 1960 version of a blog. It was stapled together, mimeograph pages, information that he had gleaned from his visits to the public library. And he thought if you really took care of your body and you ate the right things and you exercised right you could live to be a 100 years old. Jeff only lived to be 78. But his message survives,” said Pete.

While Jeff’s allegiance to oranges is the message, the architecture, art, and design of his palace to produce is what makes this place really stick out. “As his ideas evolved, the space began to ramble on and on and expand and grow,” said Pete. “Engaging with art does not necessarily mean an afternoon in a quiet museum, where you’re very seriously walking through and studying the artwork,” stated Pete.

While this art installation is a part of the community now, when Jeff built it the reception was a little sour. “There was some resentment and some confusion, I think, with the neighbors. But Jeff was not really a chook. This is somebody who graduated from college, went off to grad school. He worked in a bank. He had a good head on his shoulders,” explained Pete.

From upbeat signs, sizable steamboat models, to things that just don’t make a lot of sense, there’s all sorts of stuff to see here but for Jeff, a tiny ledge filled with a funky assortment of tiles is what squeezes the artist juices from his soul. “Yeah. It’s a weird little part that nobody ever notices, but it’s a hodgepodge tile that… Obviously Jeff never wanted to throw anything away. He wanted to decorate every surface. It’s just something I noticed and always wondered, why did he do it like that? Why did he use this strange assortment of hearts and fish and geometric tiles? It’s really one of the most abstract pieces of the Orange Show. It’s a minor detail, but it’s always caught my eye.” And what’s unique is, it’s hidden back here in the back in the corner against the stairs,” explained Pete while showing us the ledge.

So if you want to be a star in the Orange Show, just stop by The Orange Show, and see why peeling away the layers of the art exhibit is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List. “You can think differently. You can think differently about art and creativity. Everybody’s an artist deep down, and you can work with what’s close at hand and make something special and unique. And we can inspire people to do that with this place,” expressed Pete.

The Texas Bucket List – Fountainville Creamery and Soda Fountain in Midland

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Midland – Heading to the ice cream store is always an indelible memory. The taste of cold, creamy goodness coating your tastebuds with its sweet symphony is always a reason to smile. Seeing those unfiltered faces full of joy is the exact reason JP Hearne opened his Fountainville Creamery in Midland. “There was nobody making ice cream. So we decided that’s what we needed to do,” said owner JP Hearne.

JP is a former photojournalist for the local paper but one day, he got the inside scoop into making unique ice cream flavors. Actually, it was culinary school where JP majored in pastry and desserts and that got things lined up into creating this ice cream factory with funny flavors.  “West Texas, they deserve their own ice cream. We’re using West Texas flavors with the West Texas formula,” said JP.

Cornbread, Tumbleweed, Avocado Toast, and German Chocolate Cake are just a few of the flavors. There’s even one called queso! That shouldn’t be associated with ice cream at all.  “You’re going to get flavors you’re not going to get anywhere else,” joked JP. The one flavor that makes everyone scream, is the Black Gold.

Before we try to strike it rich in the ice cream parlor, JP showed us how he carefully creates his creamy craft ice cream in his tiny kitchen. Since opening in 2016, JP has made 18 tons of ice cream! It all starts with his ice cream base he makes from scratch using local ingredients and natural flavors. His colors come from fruits and vegetables.

As you can imagine, when it comes to an ice cream that’s as black as space, there’s a lot of questions.  Like, should I even do that? “Some of them are just, almost like a mind game. They’re just a trick of the mind. The black gold, the longer people look at it and say, ‘That really looks like licorice. I hate licorice.’ Everybody hates licorice of course. But it’s a mind game. It does not taste like licorice and has no licorice in it. And it’s just a unique thing that gives you a feel for West Texas because of the black gold that’s here,” explained JP.

The ingredients to the black gold seem simple enough. “This is our Graham cracker. And then we add local honey.And it’s a charcoal with coconut. “Yeah. It’s made from coconut shells.So it’s activated charcoal.Tap the secret ingredient in,” explained JP.

Once it’s all in, JP flips the switch. A short while later, out from the machine comes a bubbling crude….I mean cream. “It does make your tongue black, so,” joked JP.

Time to taste some flavors! The Chupacabra has cajeta, goat caramel, goat milk, with a little bit of strawberry, but has a lot of delicious flavor! As for the Avocado Toast, it is surprisingly good despite have bits of crackers in the ice cream. Why not try some Cornbread too? Perfect combination of sweet and savory. Turns out Queso flavor isn’t really queso, but mango cheesecake with tropical fruit, and it is amazing!

Finally, it’s time to tap into the Black Gold. Nothing like you’d expect. It’s just very light and little honey, a little bit of Graham in there. That’s very good. “I make more black gold than I do vanilla,” stated JP.

It’s been said that ice cream is cheaper than therapy and for JP making the ice cream has been very therapeutic, especially being able to do it with his wife Beverly. “Working together has been a blessing. I always know somebody’s got my back and I’ve got hers,” expressed JP.

The Texas Bucket List – Herd Wear Retail Store in Goodnight

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Goodnight – There’s something to be said about the Panhandle Plains of Texas. The area around Amarillo is full of fascinating places that are rich with stories of Texas. “The history of gas and oil, the history of cattle, the history of ranching, the history of cotton farming. It’s an unbelievable experience that most people pay no attention to,” said Cecil Miskin, owner of the Herd Wear Retail Store in Goodnight.

Miskin admits that even he didn’t know how incredible this part of the world is and he knows it. “We are just a small part of really the crossroads of American history,” stated Cecil.

What seems a bit odd is Cecil’s huge shop being in such a desolate location. “That’s a question I do ask myself a lot,” joked Cecil. Turns out, it’s perfect for his passion for buffalo. “It was a hell of an opportunity to be on land that Charles and Mary Anne Goodnight used to own and raise buffalo and all that stuff,” said Cecil.

Originally a lawyer from Detroit, Michigan, Cecil moved to Texas in 1979.What brought Cecil down to Texas? “My first wife,” answered Cecil. In 1987, he took up the hobby, as he calls it, of raising bison. What made him decide to raise bison?  “My second wife,” chuckled Cecil.“She put her finger under my nose and shook it and said, ‘You’d better choose wisely, mister. It’s either me or the buffalo.’ And I made the wrong decision at that time. But after I got with wife number three, then we got the buffalo,” explained Cecil.

For what’s it worth, Cecil couldn’t even say Buffalo Springfield before being enamored with these big animals. “We fell in love with the animal and by working with the byproducts particularly, it’s made a difference in the industry,” said Cecil.

Now when he says industry, he’s talking about the bison business.  From coats, hats, soaps, and skulls there’s all sorts of ways to capitalize on these iconic creatures. “It’s an American commodity that creates multiple different products, all of which are pretty damn good,” stated Cecil.

For Cecil, it’s socks. “These are some of the socks that we have produced and are still producing,” said Cecil. “You got bison, it’s a hobby. In the spring, when you get out, you start finding they shed fiber on the bushes. We had lots of briers. And so they’d rub against the trees and we’d pick up this stuff and go,” explained Cecil.

Fortunately making socks is a lot safer for the bison. “The whole idea, our whole purpose was to support ranchers who were dependent upon the animals for their livelihood. That was our purpose. We didn’t get into this to become sock designers or open a store or anything else,” said Cecil.

“We’ve helped spread the message of what the bison industry has become, what bison are to this country and to the world,” expressed Cecil. Cecil is quite passionate about the bison, and he sure does have a good reason to be. “That’s a tough one. Thinking about what was done to try to wipe out the natives by wiping out the bison, you don’t want that to happen again. Thinking about ranchers like Goodnight, C.J. Jones, Buffalo Jones, Walking Coyote, some of the folks that saved the bison from extinction, well, let’s keep it going. We don’t need to stop here,” explained Cecil.

So if you’re in the market for some best socks I’ve worn with my boots…Or you just want to explore the part of our state where bison still roam and Texas history is a wide and vast as the land, heading to Goodnight to be with the buffalo is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List. “The animal truly is an American icon, and we just want to help keep it going,” stated Cecil.

The Texas Bucket List – Belt Sander Races at The Gaff in Port Aransas

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Port Aransas – Traveling to Port A is the perfect stop on The Texas Bucket List. You’ve got sun, beautiful beaches, great food, fine folks, and furry friends. But if your competitive juices start to flow and you’re looking for a great showdown between competitors, just head to The Gaff. There you’ll find a unique tournament of champions, the Belt Sander Races.

“This is the greatest thing in the world,” said patron Terry Gillespie. “Where else have you ever seen belt sander races,” asked patron Joe Jensen. “We are the birthplace of Texas Belt Sander Racing,” said owner Kip Shannon. Kip started this backyard competition that takes place on a really long board back in 2005. “It’s a little competition, it’s a little bit fun and everybody gets together, it’s a community thing,” said Kip.

Popular with winter Texans but busy throughout the year, the semi-monthly matchup brings in the best belt sanders from across the country.  But racing isn’t the only thing going on here. “It’s a get together, we have a party,” stated Kip. “I saw crusty old men turn into 10-year-old kids at the drop of a hat and I’m like, ‘I’m onto something.’,” explained Kip.

Now I would say that usually drinking and power tools are a bad idea. “It is when you’re racing. We try to keep everything down to a low roar. Sometimes it will mess up and you’re out because of your drinking,” said Kip.

Donna Orozco is one of the many competitors that gets a grip and lets it rip. “When we first heard about this, we came down here and we’re like, ‘What the heck?’ And we’re like, ‘Oh my God, we got to do this.’,” said competitor Donna Orozco. “I tell people like, ‘We race belt sanders.’ And they’re like, ‘You do what?’,” joked Donna. Her Lady Liberty is a true testament to the American spirit, and sure makes Donna proud when racing down the track!

All these power tools have a personality all to their own.  From Ol’ Blue, the Cheesehead, to the Money Pit, you never know what you’ll find riding or potentially dying. “The decor on them is pretty interesting,” said spectator Haley Jamison. And it’s not just what’s on the outside that counts. These folks get serious when it comes to sanders. The winner of 2010 Las Vegas hit this track, he’s got the record at 2.5 seconds. And he’s an electrical engineer and he has a little something in there that no one knows what it is but whatever it is, it makes him a fast sander,” said Kip.

Some of the entrants are so fast that standing close to the track can be a bit precarious. “We have tested to see if it does jump the track how far it goes and this usually is a pretty good buffer zone for safety wise. And then it did go to the neighbor’s yard one time but that was rare,” said Kip.

With dozens on hand, cheering on their favorite challenger, the tension is palpable. “I always do like a little bit of deep breathing before I get up there to settle my heart rate down and just focus on that light,” explained Donna. Because this is a race of inches. “It’s the luck of the draw. You don’t know which lane you’re going to get, one lane’s kind of faster than the other so it’s a lucky thing,” explained Kip. “We’re all really good friends that we all cheer each other on. And it was amazing. It’s good to be here with all your friends, for sure,” expressed Donna.

In the end, Donna pushed it to the limit and took the title of champion on this day of the belt sander races. “This is our fifth season we’ve been racing and this is my first time to ever get number one,” stated Donna. “I make a lot of people happy on these certain little days, twice a month. It takes a lot of energy out of you but it’s impressive to see how much fun and joy these guys kind of… I bring purpose to people’s lives, I like it. I really like it,” expressed Kip.

“We love it,” said spectator Richard Childress.

“It’s one of those kooky little things that you’ve just got to see,” said Kip.

“Oh man, this is a genuine Texas experience, and where else can you go to a pirate bar? This is like the best place in the world to me. I love The Gaff. I do,” said Donna.

The Texas Bucket List – Geographic Center of Texas

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Brady – Towns in Texas are known for their way of life. Close knit communities where neighbors care for one another.  You see, Texans have a lot of heart and things aren’t any different in Brady. “Brady is a great little town that is very, very friendly,” said Brady mayor Tony Groves.

Groves has been mayor of Brady since 2013 and his biggest lesson after 8 years in public office. “If people like you, you can make lots of mistakes,” joked Tony.

Tony is a native son of this little town but is by no means a career politician. He served in the Air Force for 30 years flying F16’s. “I loved it. Yeah. I would have stayed 40 years or longer if they’d have let me, but 30 years is when I timed out,” said Tony.

Tony oversees this small community that happens to have a big heart and a whole lot of other amenities. “We own an airport. We own a lake, a golf course, swimming pool, all kinds of things,” said Tony.

If you’ve ever wanted to be deep in the heart of Texas, Brady is pretty much where you need to be. “We’re very proud of being the heart of Texas,” stated DeAnn Evridge, a Brady local. “I think it’s a great location. We’re not too far from Austin, not too far from Angelo, but around here we’ve got plenty of room and only three red lights,” said Billy Adams, a Brady local. “Being the heart of Texas is pleasant, it’s friendly and it’s relaxing,” said Tony.

Now Brady isn’t exactly smack dap in the middle of our state but it’s the town closest to the mark.  You see the actual location is a few miles up US-377. There you can climb a watch tower and see nothing but Texas in all its glory surrounding you!  While you gaze over our great state, you can’t help but feel like you’ve made it to the center of the universe and for me it did fill my soul. “Nothing exciting to see off there except a lot of mesquite and a reasonable amount of prickly pear,” joked Tony. I think Mayor Tony would rather be in Brady.

“It’s kind of bragging rights. There’s a song “Deep in The Heart of Texas” and a lot of people in Brady take that seriously,” said Grant Evridge, a Brady local.

Being the official heart of Texas is a title Brady takes pretty seriously but the only time Mayor Tony will be politically correct, it’s about talking about the size of the ticker of Texas. “It’s not very friendly to argue with folks about, ‘Who’s the real heart of Texas?’ The heart of Texas is big,” expressed Tony. Other folks, not so much. “There are other communities in the state that are not near the center that claim they’re the center, but they’re not, we are. We’re the geographical center of Texas and proud of it,” said Grant.

Fortunately, we can all be winners with a trip to the center of our state, to see the geographical center of Texas and sync our hearts as one right here in the Lone Star State. “We just welcome everyone with open arms, and I think that’s not everywhere you go. So, we want that to be a really memorable experience,” said DeAnn. “It’s a good place to stop and catch your breath as you move on, and in, whichever direction you go: north, south, east or west,” stated Tony.

The Texas Bucket List – Old Central Firehouse in San Angelo

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San Angelo – On the banks of the Concho River, you’ll find this nearly 100-year-old firehouse taking tons of calls. But those cries aren’t for help with fires but rather help with hunger.

Michele Babish and her helicopter pilot husband Jodi purchased the Old Central Firehouse back in 2017. Together they converted the old Trost building into one of the hottest hot spots in San Angelo, the Old Central Firehouse Pizzeria and Taproom. “When we saw it, it was a little bit neglected. It didn’t really look like a firehouse but we had seen some old pictures and just saw a vision,” said Michele Babish, the owner. “So cool that they preserved the history yet they made it into a really hip place,” said customer Jaymie Williams .

Known for their pizza pies and cold beer, the Old Central Firehouse is also known as a place to rest your head, because they have rooms you can stay in right above the restaurant. “It is a lot under one roof, but it works so great, it really does. It works very well,” stated Michele.

While you can live out your childhood fantasy of being a firefighter or Ghostbuster, you can pour your own pint on their unique self-serve suds wall. It’s never been easier to cool off your thirst for a tasty Texas beer but could their pizza keep up with the heat. We headed to the kitchen to showcase three unique pizza pies. “Today we’re going to do the Brisket Pizza. And we’ve got a Spicy Pickle pizza that we’re going to do and the Street Taco pizza,” said Andrew Owen as he brought us back into the kitchen.

Andrew Owen is the General Manager and did he say pickle pizza? I might have just gotten myself in a pickle. First off the Brisket Pizza.  Andrew prepares the dough that’s made in house. Sliced mozzarella, a parmesan, basil, parsley mix, and marinara starts things off. Fresh jalapenos and red onions complete a fine ensemble before it hits the fancy fire. A 720-degree oven with a spinning stone that cooks pizza in 90 seconds. Cilantro and a BBQ sauce drizzle complete our first pizza.

On to pizza number two, the street taco pizza has no sauce and is topped with sliced mozzarella, the mix, and marinated skirt steak.  Once baked it’s topped with minced red onion, chopped cabbage, cilantro, queso fresco, guacamole drizzle and limes.

On to pizza number 3, the Spicy Pickle Pizza gets mozzarella, the parmesan mix, alfredo sauce, extreme hot pickle bites and jalapenos. And then it’s topped with dill cream sauce. Let’s stuff our pie hole.

There is so much Texas flair in the brisket pizza. It just makes you want to lasso the west Texas wind. “I’ve had all of the pizzas here. I love the meat on it. It’s cool because a lot of people don’t put barbecue brisket on pizza, but this is Texas, so why not? Right,” said Jaymie.

From there we’re going to go south of the border to the street taco pizza. It literally smells like a taco. Once I take a bite, it does not feel like you’re eating a pizza at all. It has such a unique flavor. Almost like eating a taco with a really soft, warm shell.

Finally, the one you’ve all been waiting for the Spicy Pickle pizza. We’ll try to find one that has an equal ratio of pickles to jalapenos. This is pretty darn unique. San Angelo you have surprised me! This Spicy Pickle Pizza is sensational! “Pickles on pizza, two favorite things, got to get it,” said customer Heather Burelson.“We thought we’ll put it on and kind of see… Sounds weird. But then we tasted it and it’s amazing. And our regular customers… I mean, we sell it all the time, so we’ve kept it on and we’ve never taken it off the menu,” explained Michele.

Well, if you’re into pickles, this will tickle your pickle. “I love pickles. I think you have to love pickles to like the pizza. If you don’t like pickles, I wouldn’t get it, but I love it. It’s good. And with the dill sauce, and the pickles, and the cheese, it’s perfect,” explained Jaymie.

Well, Peter Piper may have picked a peck of pickled peppers, but if he came to St. Angelo, Peter Piper would pick a Spicy Pickle Pizza. “It’s really good. Throw a little bit of ranch on it and tear it up,” said Sean.

If you’re looking for a pizza place with some incredible Texas flavors and things you wouldn’t expect to find, or just looking for a Lone Star State beer, or even just a place to rest your head, come into the Old Central Firehouse in San Angelo Texas. It’s well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List! “I’m a big pizza fan. I don’t think there’s a better pizza place here in San Angelo,” stated Heather.

The Texas Bucket List – Haunted Hill House in Mineral Wells

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Mineral Wells – Mineral Wells is a marvelous small Texas town full of charm and history. The Baker Hotel is part of that story. Currently under a massive restoration, this soon to be high end hotel has been casting its shadow on Mineral Wells since 1929. In that shadow you’ll find a dwelling that has a dark history and is said to be full of spirits and other sorts of entities: The Haunted Hill House. “It’s their world. I’m just living in it,” stated owner Kathy Estes.

Kathy and her husband Sonny purchased the Haunted Hill House in 2017 knowing full well what they were getting into.  “I don’t know, midlife crisis, whatever. We had come into some money and we actually fell in love with the house and the mountain, we got the mountain too, so we’re like, ‘Wow, this is beautiful.’,” Kathy explained.

Beautiful if you’re into super creepy old homes that feel haunted as soon as you walk in the creaky door. “Everything in here is my design and my taste and some of it’s creepy and grotesque, but I like to combine beauty and elegance with grotesque,” said Kathy.

Built in the 1800’s, the house has a history of being a brothel for the Baker back in the day. But rumors of murders and rituals are also ripe here making it a hotspot for haunted investigators looking for a scary spot to search. “We have a lot of people that get addicted to this house and they have dreams about it and they want to come back and they want more and more and more. And that’s what it does to people,” said Kathy.

If you dare, you can even stay the night, or try to make it through the whole night! “About 50% are able to make it through the night, including professional paranormal teams. They do leave as well. I think that they’re used to hearing voices on equipment and on cameras and not in their own ear. And that’s called AVP, which is an Audio Voice Phenomenon. They’re used to listening to EVPs, which is an Electronic Voice Phenomenon. And then when we find as professionals or paranormal teams come here and they hear it with their own ears, no equipment running, and it’s very loud and distinct. It kind of freaks you out,” explained Kathy.

Now these ghosts aren’t always so welcoming, they do get tired and want some days off. “They tell people to get out, leave. And so we did start shutting off a lot of days because I mean, we were here every day, every night and it was draining them basically,” said Kathy.

All joking aside, people really do experience some crazy things here. From your normal unexplained sounds and sightings to even people inexplicably being pulled off beds. “Some spirits will do things that are harmful because they’re seeking attention. They need help. And you’re not paying attention to them and that’s the only way they can get our attention is by throwing things and scratching and biting. And then that’s what makes you say, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ And you stop in your tracks and you try to communicate. ‘What can I do to help you?’,”. Then there are some that are just angry that they’ve suffered a traumatic life. They’re trapped. They’re angry. They’re in misery. They don’t want to be there or they don’t want you in their home. They don’t like you. They don’t want you in their space. They want you to get out,” explained Kathy. Well, that’s comforting.

Apparently this house is so haunted, Kathy doesn’t spend a whole lot of time in it and she refuses to go upstairs. According to the Estes’, that’s where the most active entity can be found here. It goes by Toby and it’s something they say isn’t from this world. “When I started out, I enjoyed it a lot, but now I don’t enjoy it anymore,” expressed Kathy. “She’s not really into wanting to do anything in this house anymore. I’m more to the extreme. I’m always looking for the next crazy thing to happen,” said Sonny.

Sonny showed us how to monitor things in the house and how to use some of the equipment.  This is also when we started having unexplained interference in our microphones that we had never heard before. After things calmed down, we took to the upstairs with Sonny and the senses and sensors started going off. That was about as exciting as it got with Sonny.

Once we were left alone to explore for the evening, not much happened at first. Little did we know that EVPs we’re being picked up around us and they were some pretty random ones, like “Grab me a beer” and then spooky ones like, “Save us”.

Then around one in the morning, we actually started hearing things. First I heard a sound that at first was like a sort, or cat coughing or maybe even something growling at us, that made us freeze in our tracks.

That’s when we decided to head up stairs and that wasn’t a good idea. As soon as Donnie my photographer and I reached the top stairs, we both heard an EVP say something. When we reviewed the recording, it could be heard saying “Grab their hair!”..

At that point, I was ready to head out while my photographer Donnie wanted to stay. During our discussion as to if we had enough to tell the story, we both heard a voice that startled us. The cameras didn’t pick it up but we both heard it, “Get out,” and it came from Toby’s room. And at that point, we were good. “I run, I’m not going to lie. I run, I run screaming,” said Kathy.

Donnie and I did our best to debunk this and so do Kathy and Sonny.  Every investigation is checked for authenticity. “We go through our cameras and we go through everything and we watch them. We zoom in on them. We make sure that they’re not doing it. That no one else is doing it. If we do see that someone is making up things in the house for a YouTube or TikTok and we catch them faking things, we will not promote them. We will not share their videos as evidence. And we will also not allow them to return to the house,” explained Kathy.

“We take this very seriously and it’s not something to be faked, that this is to us as research and like science, we take it very seriously. And people that play around for fortune and fame, we don’t appreciate those kinds of people coming here,” said Kathy.

So if you seriously want a spooky experience to check off The Texas Bucket List, why not talk with folks that have already kicked it in this very creepy old house.  “People love this place. This place is big. It’s a hit because people love it because it’s real,” stated Kathy.

The Texas Bucket List – Round Rock Donuts in Round Rock

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Round Rock – The morning rush in Round Rock can be a little ridiculous downtown. At the dawn of the day, people position themselves into the perfect place not to get on Interstate 35 but to get in line for Round Rock donuts. “It’s been here as long as I can remember,” said customer Phillip Hartfield. “It’s a very special thing and people like that,” said general manager Polo Garcia.

Polo Garcia has been at Round Donuts since 1996 and his eyes have never glazed over for these pleasurable pastries.  “I started in the back, pretty early, running doughnuts, making chocolate, and learning the process,” said Polo.

Polo has pulled his way all the way up to General Manager at this donut shop that dates all the way back to 1926. “Same ingredients. We haven’t changed anything at all, since 1926,” stated Polo.

Now they do have darn big donuts. But before I get to that preposterously sized pastry, we’ve got to dive into what makes this donut shop different from the rest because it is busy morning, noon, and night. “We start around midnight. We’re going to stop probably 10:00 PM tonight. And it’s going until now,” explained Polo.

We get a little tour of the kitchen where the delightful donuts are made, unfortunately we do not get to catch a glimpse of the ingredients that are compiled into these pastries, that is top secret. Once the donuts take their shape, it’s off to the fryer where Polo looks for the perfect pigment on the donuts, then comes the glaze. “And this is the Round Rock Donuts, the best doughnuts in the United States,” said Polo while holding a freshly made donut. “It’s almost more kind of like funnel cake, but it’s got just this amazing glaze kind of all around it. Not too sugary, not too sweet. Kind of savory. It’s almost hard to describe unless you’ve just had it,” said Phillip.

“In Texas, we pride ourselves on all the diamonds in the rough, hidden places that you don’t know about, that are awesome. And this is one of those places,” said customer Ian Overton.

I got a bit of a surprise from Polo, a doughnut that’s definitely Texas sized! Despite taking a darn big bite, I didn’t make a dent in that donut.

“Anytime we come into the Austin area, Georgetown Round Rock, we have to have Round Rock Donuts,” said customer Kesha Rodgers.

“Business only stays open that long when it’s got a lot of history and just a phenomenal product. And it’s unlike anything else I’ve ever had,” said Phillip.

“Everybody has to have the Round Rock Donuts. I don’t want to hesitate, but we are one of the best doughnuts, if not the best doughnuts in the United States,” stated Polo.

The Texas Bucket List – Gator Country in Beaumont

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Beaumont – When it comes to Cajun lineage in the Lone Star State, southeast Texas is a good place to start.  Beaumont has a big assortment of down on the bayou businesses but there is one that will croc your world. Gator Country.

Gary Saurage is the proprietor of Gator Country, a place right on the side of Interstate 10 that’s home to hundreds of gators. Gary risks life and limb daily to deal with these deadly animals that have been around for a millions of years. “People do say I’m crazy all the time, but you know what I say to them? They’re crazy. You know why? They’re sitting at a job in front of a computer all day that they hate. Look what I get to do all day. Who’s really crazy,” said Gary. “When you walk in here, we’re going to hand you a baby alligator, we’re going to hand you a snake. We’re going to teach you a bunch of stuff. This absolutely is on people’s bucket lists.” said Gary.

But it’s not just Gary risking it all to put on a really good show, so does his wife Shannon. Her specialty is snakes but that doesn’t mean she won’t wrangle one of the big gators when needed.  Gary and Shannon’s place is sort of like a zoo, rescue facility, and reptile research center all wrapped into one big park and that’s a lot to chew. “There’s nowhere else in Texas you’re going to go and get this experience. Bar none,” stated Gary.

Shannon has only been working with Gary for a few years but she got in on the gator action as soon as she could.   “People will tell you that alligators have the little pea brains, and they have no thought process. But I can tell you, I have taught him to come. The only thing I haven’t taught him lately is how to sit down and roll over,” explained Shannon.

Now the big gators get a lot of attention.  You’ve got Big Al who’s 88 years old and measures in at 13 feet 4 inches. Then there’s Big Tex. At 13 feet, 11 inches long Gary doesn’t get in the ring with this gator.  That’s why Gary handed me a long grappling stick to feed the gator. “He’s going to come up. When he does, I want you to drop that meat in his mouth. We don’t hand to him. He is a dangerous son of a gun,” explained Gary as we braved feeding the gigantic alligator.

But there’s also little gators that need lots of attention. “There are a lot of injured animals out there. And somebody’s got to take care of them,” said Shannon as we showed me around the injured alligator tank.  “So you see this one right here, that’s missing her top jaw? Her top jaw got bit off by another alligator. Now, because she doesn’t have a top jaw, she can no longer feed by herself. So her only way to stay alive is in a facility where we take tongs, we reach over there, and we have to put it into the back of her palatal valve and feed her. This one right here, this is Tank. He came out of a local refinery tank. He’s missing his bottom jaw. A piece of equipment ripped the whole bottom jaw off. And he, too, has to be fed by tongs. These guys here will be with us for the rest of their life, and they’re going to get tons of food and love,” expressed Shannon.

 

Not into these prehistoric looking creatures?  Well, they got snakes too. “My all-time favorite room, this room belongs to me, and it is the venomous snake room. This right here is a timber rattlesnake. It has two toxins. It has a neurotoxin and a hemotoxin. Meaning that it affects your blood as well as shuts down your organs. You get bit by that sucker, you better find God,” explained Shannon.

Getting a close encounter with a timber rattler was terrifying so why not jump in with the gators?  Shannon brought me into the pin with a huge gator named Cuddles and all I hoped is that I didn’t look like brisket.  My first go around with a gator was a little muffed as I missed Cuddle’s massive mouth by a mile but my second go around was a lot more successful.

Fortunately, I didn’t lose any appendages. “I’ll tell you what though, you would not believe how much you need your thumb. You cannot zip your pants without your thumb. That’s a true story,” joked Gary.

So whenever you want to get down with the gators, use your medulla oblongata and take a trip to Gator County in Beaumont. Well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.  “Most of these reptiles are things that most people fear, and it’s been something that’s been taught since we were younger. You walk up on a snake, they go, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s a snake. It’s a poisonous snake. Get away from it.’ Well, until you really go and educate, these reptiles need voices too, and they have a reason for being here. Trust me, when you get educated and you start handling these beautiful creatures, you start falling in love with them,” expressed Shannon.