Texas Bucket List

Texas Bucket List

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The Texas Bucket List – Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern in Houston

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HOUSTON, Texas — Downtown Houston has always sparkled and the hustle and bustle of downtown is apparent each and every day.  But underneath this big ol’ city is something a bit more serene then the city streets of H-Town that was almost forgotten.

Judy Nyquist with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership brought us to the banks of the bayou, which happens to be in the shadow of the space city. We’re not here for a walk in the park, we’re here for a subterranean hidden treasure.

“I’m a huge enthusiast of these green spaces in Houston, this being one of the premier and most visited one in the city,” Judy said.

Judy took us to the low key locked down doors that led the way to the Cistern.  A recently acquired acquisition that’s been filled with agua for ages.

“This is the entrance,” Judy said as we walked in. “It snakes along just about thirty feet. And you’ll notice here, this was built recently just two years ago. You’ll notice here a very interesting treatment of the concrete which is called board form concrete. You’ll see the grains of wood that was pressed against it in order to create that pattern. This is reminiscent, it’s the same technique that’s used inside of the cistern on the ceiling, so it was taken from that.”

Built in 1926 to supply the city with water, it was forgotten for decades in the dark until this grand space sprung a leak in the 2000’s. Initial plans called for constructing the cistern into a place to park.

“Obviously as soon as they saw this they knew that it was destined for much grander things than for parking, so it was decided early on with the city to find a way to repurpose it as an architectural relic and as a site for visitors to learn about water and the history of water in Houston,” Judy said. “And also most importantly, that the local bayou wish to program it for public art.”

For nearly 100 years this 87 thousand square foot cistern held onto 15 million gallons of water.

“It’s just like all of our other attractions, it’s a great thing to see,” Judy said. “I mean you have magnificent buildings and great things like the Astrodome and such things and the eighth wonder of the world, and still we have these kinds of much more industrial places that are equally interesting.”

221 25-foot tall concrete columns and about 6 inches of water make up this space that messes with your senses.

“It looks as if these columns are just continuous and it’s actually a reflection on the water,” Judy said.

The deception in the perception gets the biggest reception from visitors.

“The reflection is awesome,” Garrett said. “It looks like there is a whole other story underneath the water.”

Touring the cistern started in 2016 and despite the large space only about 30 folks are allowed in at a time.  But that’s enough to properly showcase the cistern’s 17 second echo.

“The cavernous space is fascinating from a light and sound perspective,” Martha said.

Some think it’s a bit spooky others side with the serene solitude.  Either way, getting see this sunken sight is well worth a stop on the Texas bucket list.

“It’s a key part in the history of Houston,” Garrett said. “It’s really cool and it has played a role in Houston’s development. Everyone should definitely come check it out.”

 

The Texas Bucket List – Shorty’s Place and Hurricane Harvey

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PORT ARANSAS, Texas – There’s nothing like partying in Port A. Since 1946, this small shack with an even smaller porch has been the place to forget about your problems. When we visited the oldest and friendliest bar on the island during the summer of 2017, things were A okay in Port A.

Owner Edwin Myers is a bit new to this bar businesses. Edwin purchased this pillar of the community back in 2012. He embraces its long-tenured history on the Texas Gulf Coast.

“You don’t get the opportunity many times in this business to be able to run something that’s been around and open for 70 plus years,” Edwin says.

The story of this saloon started with woman named Shorty, Gladys “Shorty” Fowler.

Brian Underwood is in the fourth generation of Shorty’s family to work at Shorty’s, he started here in 1991.

“You would not believe the things that you see or hear if you work in a bar on a regular basis,” Brian said.

Brian was hired by his grandmother, Ms. Rose, who operated the business after inheriting it in 1978.

“She kept everybody in line,” Edwin explained. “Nobody got crossed with Miss Rose. If you did, you knew the consequences real quick.”

Shorty and Ms. Rose made this hole in the wall what it is today. With both of them gone, Edwin is simply trying to keep their memory alive by keep Shorty’s as simple as it’s been since the start.

“I enjoy doing this,” Edwin shared. “I came up in the restaurant business. I’ve always been an outgoing person, always enjoyed talking to people. That’s what you have to be to be in this business in a sense. When I took it over, there were all these expectations. I just let Shorty’s be Shorty’s. That’s all you had to do. It didn’t need anything. It just needed to be taken care of. Shorty’s has taken care of itself.”

It feels like home to so many parched people, that many like to leave a hat hanging.

“It’s there until it falls down or falls apart, one,” Edwin shared. “Some of them are pretty old.”

Some folks will even use the hats to help pay for a round.

“They’ll put a 10 dollar or 20 dollar bill in the hat, and when their friends come down here they’ll go, ‘Hey go find my hat. There’s a 20-dollar bill in the rim. I’ll buy y’all a drink,’” Edwin said.

No one knows for sure how long this hat heritage has been hanging here, some say it started in the 70s. Regardless of when it started, it’s worth crossing off the list.

Over the years, Shorty’s has seen its share of major storms.  In 1961 Carla came through and in 1970 Celia caused an incredible amount of damage to the building.

“This place has survived hurricanes and all kinds of stuff,” Edwin informed us. “I believe Celia washed it off, and they rolled it back over here is what I’m told.”

While talking about the history of hurricanes around here, none of us knew that just a few weeks after this interview, Hurricane Harvey would wreak havoc on the island.

We returned a month after the storm to find Port A slowly recovering. Most of the business along Tarpon Street are heavily damaged and months away from opening, except one.

Bartender Jo Cross was back behind the bar, the place she feels she needs to be.

“We need to get some normalcy back into the island,” Jo said. “People like to drink.”

For some, coming here is another part of the recovery process; pondering the predicament Port A is in.

“It was a real mess; still is,” Jo shared. “We stayed. We got some buckling and we lost our walk-in. Beer coolers, we got them replaced. We’re going to go through it. Port A strong.”

Like the great Gary P. Nunn says in his song, My Kind of Day on Padre, stop by Shorty’s, have a round, and help a town recover from this once in a lifetime storm.

“Give us your business,” Jo requested. “That’s the main thing. The bar tenders need the business, the restaurants. We just need to get it all back working and right.”

Like Edwin says, “It’s a great place to experience Port Aransas.”

The Texas Bucket List – Hotel Galvez in Galveston

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GALVESTON, Texas – Along the rolling waves of Texas gulf coast, sitting on the Galveston seawall, you’ll find the Hotel Galvez. Named after Bernardo de Galvez, the Spaniard who surveyed the  area in 1786, the Galvez is the only historic beachfront hotel on the Texas coast.

Christine Hopkins was born on the island, known as B-O-I in these parts and she has worked at the hotel since 2008.

“It’s just a wonderful place to feel like you’re going into a bygone era,” Christine said. “When this hotel opened in 1911 we had 275 rooms, but eventually every room needs to have a bathroom. So now we have 224 rooms.”

Everything is done with elegance, from the well-stocked bar to a brunch that’ll beckon your taste buds before you get your first bite. There is also another staple here that personifies this hotel’s exquisite characteristics, Mr. Bobby Lee Hilton.

“We have a history of hospitality and a future of distinction,” Mr. Hilton informed us while speaking of the Hotel Galvez.

Mr. Hilton was born on the island back in 1933 and got his first job at this hotel back in 1949.

“We had to work, because you didn’t have all the money in the world,” Mr. Hiltons says. “Like one guy said, poor folks was talking about us we were so poor.”

Mr. Hilton worked here till 1953 but those four short years had a major impact on his life.

“Around the 1940s and 1950s you could make pretty good money around here,” Mr. Hilton explained. “I went home with so much money in my pocket one night, my dad had to call the manager out here and find out, ‘What did that boy doin? Was he out there?’ He said, ‘Yeah, he came to work.’ I had ninety-something dollars in my pocket, and his salary was like $50 a week. I made that in one day. I made $90.”

In those days, Galveston was a gathering place for the stars and Mr. Hilton was there for it.

“Oh man, I’ve seen all kinds of people come through here,” Mr. Hilton said. “You name them. The Rat Pack, they was through, Dean Martin and all of them. You see all kind of people, all kind of stars, but back in my day, in 49, that’s when all of the movie stars were just walking the beach and in our hotel and the Buccaneer that used to sit down there before Mr. Moody tore it down. They’d just piled up here because there was no Las Vegas ‘til the mid-50s, so man the money was here.”

Hearing Mr. Hilton tell these stories can make the hours fly as fast as the past few decades have for him.  After a long career all over the country, Bobby returned to the Galvez in the mid-90’s and has been the hotel’s ambassador ever since.

“He’s so charismatic and guests love him,” Christine says.

So we headed to one of Bobby’s favorite parts of the hotel, something he had a lot to do with.

“Here’s our hall of history here,” Mr. Hilton said as we entered the area. “Mr. Mitchel had this put in after the Ike Storm, 2008.”

With stories of famed Galveston gangster Sam Maceo, the rebuilding of the Hotel by Cynthia and  George Mitchell, and how it all got started, you can find whole lot of history down here.

“We had a potato peeling machine, and an icemaker, dishwasher, ice-cream maker, wine cellar, printing press,” Mr. Hilton said. “The company made rolling chairs that we parked outside, so the guys rolled the ladies up and down the boulevard.”

But there is one part of the hotel everyone loves to hear about,  the hauntings.

“We have sightings from our guests and from our staff we get reports of things out of the ordinary happening,” Mr. Hilton said. “We had people with a cake sitting in the restaurant, a big old iced cake with big candles on it. And all of a sudden everybody said, ‘Look at the candles.’ It looked like somebody was standing over them blowing them out one at a time.”

Guests aren’t the only folks at the hotel getting in on the haunting action. Mr. Hilton had a run in with the ghosts, too.

“The only thing I had is with glass flying off the table back there at four o’clock or about 2:30 in the morning.” Mr. Hilton explained. “We had a security guard. We were cleaning up and setting up for breakfast back there, and he asked, ‘If there’s ghosts in here, do something and let us know you’re with us.’ He turned out the lights, and all of a sudden one of them glasses broke. I broke right out the door down the hall.”

Now a lot of the ghostly energy here is focused in room 501 and for some reason, we couldn’t get Mr. Hilton to take us up there.

“That’s the most rented room we’ve got in the hotel,” Mr. Hilton said. “Oh, man. You can’t get in there. You can’t get reservations hardly in there.”

So who is this ghost, and why are they haunting such an amazing hotel?

“According to local folk lore her name was Audra,” Christine informed us. “She resided in room 501 as she waited for her fiancé to come back from sea. She was told that his ship was lost at sea. In her grief she went up to the west turret and hung herself.  There’ve been reports of kind of a feeling of a presence in that room, the smell of flowers in that room. People have seen kind of a woman, and just throughout the hotel there’s just interesting stories that guests and staff have experienced and shared with us.”

While the hotel seems to be a hot spot for haunting, the real treasure here is its connection to Texas history and a man named Bobby Hilton. Together, they make this hotel well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.

“The Galvez was the big hotel that started the city on this move towards greatness, because it was put here for that as a survival of the Great Storm,” Mr. Hilton said. “I just think this icon should last for a long, long time to come.”

The Texas Bucket List – The National Border Patrol Museum in El Paso

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EL PASO, Texas – Here in Texas, border security is a hot topic.  The line between Mexico and Texas stretches over 1200 miles and protecting it is a tough job.  Now we’re not here to talk about the best way to do that, but rather focus on the history of how it’s been done and how dangerous that job can be.

From Brownsville to El Paso, Texas shares a long line of border with our neighbors to the south.  A river may separate us, but in most border towns commuting back and forth is an everyday affair. However, there are those who don’t have the best intentions, and that’s where the border patrol comes in.

David Ham retired from the border patrol in 2003 but now he helps tell the story of the agency’s long history at the Border Patrol Museum in El Paso.

“Immigration is a very political issue right now, yes,” David said.

That’s why we’re going to focus on the history of these agents that have one heck of a responsibility.

“We enforce the laws that the people, who elected their congressmen, have passed,” David says. “That’s our job, to enforce the law. We try to do it as humanely as possible.”

Around 18,000 border patrol agents safeguard the borderline between the U.S.  and Mexico, but when the border patrol was established, bootlegging was the biggest issue.

“The big thing when it started was prohibition era,” David said. “That was the bloodiest era in our history. We lost more agents in that time period than any other, both here and on the northern border. That’s basically their primary job from 1924 up until prohibition ended, I think in ’34.”

When David started his career, the job itself started to change.

“The late 60s early 70s was when the cartels started moving drugs big time,” David informed us. “In 72 we started to see a big increase in drug loads.”

Even though the majority of the border patrol’s attention has shifted south, the mission has stayed the same.

“You read about the early history, and nothing really has changed,” David says. “People try to smuggle and people try to come here. It’s gotten a lot more sophisticated.”

With more sophisticated smuggling comes a need for more sophisticated modes of transportation and weapons for the border patrol.

“It’s a never-ending chase,” David explained. “They change and we have to change with them.”

Among the sieged weapons David showed us was a homemade shotgun from the prohibition era called a zip gun.

“They’re just as well armed as we are,” David said. “Got to be careful.”

The Border Patrol has to be fast as the smugglers too, that’s why they’ve got some supped up cars including a Firebird that was part of operation roadrunner.

Over the years, 124 men and women who have protected our border have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Here at the museum, they honor each and every one.

“That’s probably the most meaningful thing to me,” David said. “The fact I knew these guys, and they gave their life. It’s just like a war. You lose people and it affects you. You’re protecting the United States.”

So stop by the U.S. Border Patrol Museum in El Paso to see the hardware and hear how harrowing protecting the northern and southern borders of America can be.

“You get to see the type of people that these smugglers are and how they treat these people,” David said. “Those people that take apart that smuggling organization get a lot of satisfaction out of that.”

 

The Texas Bucket List – The Big Bend Brewing Company in Alpine

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ALPINE, Texas – Whenever we’re on the road, every so often we need to find an oasis.  While in West Texas, we found one in Alpine at the Big Bend Brewing Company.

The wild but peaceful wilderness of West Texas is like no other place on planet Earth.

With majestic mountains, prickly plants, and a dry whipping wind it’s safe to say you might get a little parched in these parts, particularly during the summer months.

But fear not, if you find yourself in Alpine there’s a watering hole dedicated to this beautiful piece of Texas.

Jan Matysiak ain’t exactly got the accent you’d expect to hear here.  The native German is the brew master at the Big Bend Brewing Company, a brewery with a unique distinction.

“It’s the most remote brewery in the continental United States,” Jan informed us.

But then again, being isolated with an IPA in your hand is never a bad thing.

“I mean sometimes it’s challenging because every time everything takes like three times as long,” Jan says. “ When you’re waiting for delivery you always have to plan ahead because sometimes the delivery services are like, ‘Ah, sorry. We decided to not show up today.’”

The unusual working conditions also make for a unique sort of beer.  In a world where craft beer has big bold flavors, it’s hard to imagine those types of beers quenching your thirst out in the hot desert.  Somehow, Big Bend Brewing found a way.

“We are not living somewhere there in the ice desert,” Jan informed us. “We’re trying to quote on quote engineer our beers, even the ones with a little more umph, with a little more alcohol, in a way that they are still refreshing as much of course as that is possible.”

Now a Mexican style lager will always fit the bill when it’s time to fiesta in these fiery temperatures, but don’t forget about the chilly evenings out in the desert that serve as a perfect time for a porter.

“So, we call it a robust porter, 6.4 percent alcohol, and now you have really full-bodied mouth feel the chocolate, toffee, hazel nut,” Jan said. “A beer that is to be enjoyed a little bit slower, but it’s definitely one that can be enjoyed.”

With several different styles to choose from, Jan is a busy brewer.

“It’s like asking a mother what’s her favorite child,” Jan says. “I love them all equally.”

With its unparalleled location and lovely assortment of lager libations, the Big Bend Brewing Company is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.

“We are very pleased with what we have been able to create out here,” Jan said. “We just want to share it with the people, and I think that is a good reason to come out here and have a few beers with us.”

Season 9 of The Texas Bucket is List Premieres September 9th

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The show dedicated to EVERYTHING there is to see, do, and experience in the Lone Star State is gearing up for its ninth season! Entering out 5th year on the air, The Texas Bucket List has been bringing exciting Texas stories, fantastic food finds, hidden gems, and amazing annual events into the homes of viewers since 2013 and will continue to do so on Sept. 9 during the first episode of the fall season.

TBL fans can expect to see an expanded palate on the show this year, including a tour of Central Texas BBQ stops in the season opener. The Texas Bucket List Burger of the Week segment will be returning this season as host Shane McAuliffe continues to find meaty treats almost as unique as the state they are made in.

The show will also feature interesting things to do in the state where everything is bigger and better that may inspire a few tall tales. Among these experiences are a Prairie Dog Park, a long standing Christmas ball, and Canton Trade Days, to name a few.

With more excitement, food, and action than ever before, the ninth season of TBL is one you won’t want to miss. It’s no secret that Texans are proud of the state they call home.  Shane McAuliffe’s interactions with people all over the Lone Star State make it easy to see why Texans are so proud of this great state.

The Texas Bucket List airs on 23 markets television markets and has won seven Telly Awards.  TBL has also been nominated for seven Lone Star Emmy Awards.

For more information on The Texas Bucket List, visit TheTexasBucketList.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pintrist.

TO TEXAS!

The Texas Bucket List – Caprock Canyons State Park

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CAPROCK CANYON, Texas — The panorama of the Panhandle can’t even begin to be painted on a picture screen but if you pull on up to Caprock Canyon you’ll be more than pleased you made the trip.

But it’s not just the beauty of the majestic bluffs, there’s also the buffalo.

Donald Beard is the park superintendent and every day he has to deal with some residents that pretty much get to do whatever they want.

“The views are just absolutely fantastic,” Donald said. “I’m very fortunate to be able to be a part of the management of this herd.”

The buffalo that roam the range at Caprock Canyon aren’t just any troup of tatonka, they’re the official bison herd of the state of Texas.

“This is the only place in Texas you can come to see free ranging bison in a public setting, Donald said. “This is Yellowstone in Texas right here.”

The herd stands at around 100, a far cry from the millions of buffalo that used to stampede across the state prior to the slaughter of these native creatures. No one knows just how many bison could be found on plains but experts estimate it was around 30 million.

“It would stop the trains for days because they were crossing the tracks so just miles and miles long and miles and miles wide. Nothing but bison,” Donald said.

By 1895 there were only 1,000 buffalo left.   It was then that Mary Ann Goodnight, wife of Rancher Charles Goodnight convinced her husband to round up all the calves he could find. The Father of the Texas Panhandle ended up with seven, only five survived.

“That’s when Goodnight started his heard and about four other people across the country did the same thing,” Donald said. “There were five herds where all of these animals were. Through those five herds, all bison today descend.”

Around 500,000 bison live across North America but many aren’t pure breed bison thanks to a cross-bred with cattle but the official state bison herd of Texas is true to its roots.

“All of the animals were Texas native animals and throughout time, there’s never been any outside influence,” Donald said. “These animals, through genetic testing, have some unique genetic characteristic not found in any other bison in the world. … You got probably the last southern plain bison and true Texas native bison here.”

Trent Johnson makes his way to Caprock to catch some fish but watching the bison come and quench their thirst while he casts a line is better than the biggest bite.

“It’s nice to come and see them,” Trent said. “You don’t get many opportunities to come out and see them, especially for the young kids.”

Not to be lost in all the buffalo bliss is their sheer beauty of Caprock Canyon.  At 15,000 acres it’s the 6th largest state park in Texas but one of the most colorful and desolate.

“Honestly, I think this is Mother Nature’s way of making art,” Matthew said. “Just millions of years of art here.”

So if you’ve got an itch to see the official state bison herd of the State of Texas, Caprock Canyon is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.

“What we are doing is a huge thing and it is very important to the conservation of bison,” Donald said. “These animals belong to the state of Texas. I’m just the manager. They belong to you and the other residences of Texas and they are a Texas treasure.”

The Texas Bucket List – Summer Special 2017 – Luckenbach, Texas

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Luckenbach, Texas serves as a destination for traditions from all over the state, and there’s no denying Luckenbach’s deep roots in country music. Whether you’re singing, picking a guitar, dancing in the dance hall, or simply soaking up the magic that fills the Luckenbach air you’re sure to leave happier than you came. While sitting under the oak trees, soaking up some Texas rays and cooling off with an ice cold Texas beer, you realize life really is better in Texas. In a town where everybody’s somebody, you always feel right at home. With great country music and the spirit of Texas legends in the air you can’t help but feel at piece with the world. Luckenbach is a must stop for anyone who ventures to the Lone Star State.

The Texas Bucket List – Wyler Aerial Tramway in El Paso

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El Paso, Texas – El Paso.  The Sun City.  The west Texas town unlike any other in the Lone Star State. Closer to Las Vegas than Houston, El Paso is an incredibly unique part of Texas.

But to get a real appreciation of the majestic beauty of the last stop west in the Lone Star State, a trip to Franklin Mountains is quite frankly a top spot on The Texas Bucket List.

Diana Moy works at the mountain range that splits the middle of El Paso.

“You get to see two countries, three states,” Diana Moy said. “Such is the view from the top. On a clear day you can see about 7 thousand square miles.”

In order to get to the summit overlooking the city, the Wyler Tramway is your fastest and most fantastic method of transportation.  A simple four minute ride over half a mile on a gondola that’s supported by a 1 3/8 inch steel cable.

“It’s a very simple system, a very reliable system you’ll see in parts of the world mainly in ski lifts,” said Esteban Maceado, the man in charge of keeping the tramway working in tiptop shape.

Built in 1959, the formally privately owned El Paso Aerial Tramway was open to the public from 1960 to 1986.  Karl Wyler left the tramway to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in his will under the condition it remain open to the public.  After extensive renovations, the Wyler Tramway was reopened to the public in 2001.

“You see the cables on both ends,” Roy said while explaining how the tramway works. “So it exits on one side and enters on the other one. So it’s one continuous loop cable that’s kind of split in half. So part of it’s attached to one gondola on one side, and the other half of the cable is attached to the other. So as it’s moving it’s pulling one and bringing the other one down at the same time.”

After learning about how the tramway works, it was time to hop in for a ride. As we ascended, I wasn’t sure which way to look.

Before we could finish humming Marty Robbins’ song about this city, we had arrived. As the view across the expanse of West Texas, Mexico, and New Mexico came into focus it became abundantly clear the Wyler Tramway is something every Texan needs to experience.

Spending hours up here is common.  Whether it’s getting a look at Juarez and its famed la equis, the ski resorts of New Mexico miles and miles away, or the city of El Paso, shining bright in West Texas this sight is stunning.

As the sun sets on the Lone Star State, the entire crowd gathers to the west side of the peak to get one last look at this incredible sight.

“I catch myself on occasion saying that I would do it for free, and I never get tired of it being this spectacular,” one tramway employee told us. “Every time I come here it’s just gorgeous.”

Reflecting on life is easy to do at this vantage point.  Where you’ve been, what you’ve seen, what your family and friends mean to you and how lucky we are to live in the Lone Star State all come to mind.

So take the time and make the trip to El Paso for a perspective that puts things into perspective and is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.

The Texas Bucket List – Driving Tanks at The Ox Ranch in Uvalde

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UVALDE, Texas – On the northwest corner of Uvalde County, you’ll find 18,000 acres of serene Texas scenery at The Ox Ranch.  This sprawling Lone Star State spread is home to an exotic game ranch and happens to have some fascinating full time residents that’ll be happy to take any carrots you might have off your hands.

The biggest surprise here is housed in a metal building with some historic heavy equipment.

Dedicated to the greatest generation that ever lived, Drive Tanks.com offers a very unique experience that is well worth a stop on any bucket list.

“Well that’s what’s really unique,” Spencer said. “We reserve that right for our clients. They actually get to drive and shoot these tanks.”

Todd DeGidio came up with this explosive idea of allowing people to drive, operate, and even shoot some of the most iconic military weapons, and yes, that includes tanks.

“People want to see history,” Todd said. “They want to see and feel and live the past. You know, see what happened in the past. I don’t think that you can put a label on it, and that’s the good thing about our operation.”

Todd served as a green beret back in the 80’s and his team of veterans helps run this operation with some serious firepower. This fire power includes a Russian T34 tank, a German Half Tracks, a Sherman E8 tank, anti-tank guns, machine guns, mortars, and flame throwers.

“We have people constantly just sitting here and I’m like you know you can touch ‘em,” Spencer said. “It’s kind of different. Usually you’re in a museum, and you’re like, ‘If I cross the red tape, will they kick me out?’ No here we want you to actually grab it, lift it off the wall, feel it, feel what it feels like, and imagine yourself shooting it.”

As you drive through the tank coarse, the thrill of commanding 31 tons of American made military might is immeasurable.

“We have military people come and say, ‘Yeah this was on my bucket list because I never could do that in the military,’” Todd said. “So, it’s a very small percentage that even get to do that in the military.”

Dodging explosions and turret gunners takes this experience to the next level. You can’t help but think of the young men who didn’t do this for fun but to protect our freedom.

“When you sit in one of these things and hear the engine running, and realize there was somebody that was in here defending our country overseas and this was their only means of survival and this was how they had to survive and live and fight; it brings a whole new level of meaning to what these pieces of equipment are,” Todd said.

There’s no doubt our Armed Forces are the greatest in the world and we appreciate their incredible service and sacrifice to our country. This experience adds to that appreciation.

“To be able to have them here and bring them to life just as they were in 1945, there’s nothing like it,” Spencer said.