Texas Bucket List

Texas Bucket List

Simmons Bank

The Texas Bucket List – East Texas Oil Museum in Kilgore

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Kilgore – Texas is all about oil and it all strart with the state’s first really big boom at Spindletop back in 1901. Today you can find pumpjacks from Beaumont to Midland with roughnecks working throughout the day to collect crude.

Over in northeast Texas, the oil boom wasn’t heard till the 1930’s.  That’s when things got crazy in Kilgore.  “At the height in Kilgore, there were over 1,100 derricks. As you looked across the skyline, you could see them popping up all along,” explained Olivia Moore, manager of the East Texas Oil Museum.

Just a few blocks from the big rigs scattered across the Kilgore skyline, the East Texas Oil Museum tells the story of the crazy way oil exploration exploded in Kilgore. “It not only tells the story, tells the history, tells the oil piece of this area, but it tells the story of the people who’ve lived here,” said Olivia.

Dedicated to the boom that kicked off on December 28, 1930 the East Texas Oil Museum takes a look at what life was like when oil changed the landscape of a little town. “Well, they say that a picture’s worth a thousand words. Well, could you imagine how many words walking into a picture would be,” Olivia stated as walking into the museum.

When walking into the museum, you are greeted with a man hanging from the ceiling that is sure to surprise you.  “We have Buddy,” explained Olivia. Buddy being an animatronic figure of course. “Buddy welcomes you in, talks about electricity coming to the East Texas oil field and then that brings you right into the general store, where we have Mr. Crim, the mayor of Kilgore talking to his customers about the goings on in the East Texas oil field,” explains Olivia. This town, that happens to be inside of the museum, consists of everything that you would have found in Kilgore during the oil boom. One of the most active sites for drilling in Kilgore happened to be right in the middle of town.  An area famously referred to as the world’s richest acre. “Out of that 1.2 acre space, they were able to pull 2.5 million barrels of oil out of that. And a barrel of oil is 42 gallons if that gives you any kind of reference of how much crude that is,” explained Olivia.

The historical pictures of the time help tell the story but actually having some derricks on that acre, well that helps too. “We’re an oilfield town and we’re very, very proud of our heritage,” stated Mayor of Kilgore Ronnie Spradlin.

Ronnie Spradlin has been the Mayor of Kilgore since 2010 and he grew up here.  Back when he was a boy, he took a family trip to Big D and he had one big question. “Where are their derricks? I assumed every town had derricks in it. Ours did,” said Mayor Spradlin. These towering spires dedicated to a time gone by help bring the story of Kilgore’s oil boom back to life.

Each one of these derricks here now, represents pretty much where a derrick was. “There were even more on the block, but we put back the number of them to have a representation of what it looked like,” explained Mayor Spradlin. If there was a building, they would simply knock down the walls and drill straight through the floor, not even pull up the floor! “Yep, the old brick floor from the bank is the next derrick over, and they left the brick there and just drilled through it,” said Mayor Spradlin.

“The oil field itself affected so many people in East Texas. It helped insulate against the great depression. It helped win World War II with our oil getting to the refineries in the Northeast. It just is such a special story. And it needs to be told,” said Olivia.

“The oil business has been like a ride on a roller coaster. There’ve been years where there was more money in town, second highest deposits in the state of Texas back in ’78, ’79. And then when the oil field would crash, people would be unemployed. Our unemployment would go to double digits and in spite of what the nation’s doing. So, we’re have our own little economy that’s totally separate from the rest of the nation,” explained Mayor Spradlin

So the oil continues to churn out of Kilgore, providing Texans with a natural resource for energy and our economy, including bringing people to town to get a look at the lineage of the Lone Star State. “Being transported back in time is something that all people would love to do before they kick the bucket,”joked Olivia.

“If you haven’t been to Kilgore, you haven’t been to Texas in my mind,” stated Mayor Spradlin.

“It’s an everyday reminder of how important oil was to the city of Kilgore and how important it is still today,” said Olivia.

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 – Muy Grande Deer Contest in Freer

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Freer – As the sun dawns on a new day during deer season in South Texas, the long shadows of the winter solstice make finding that big buck in the brush that much more difficult. For some hunters this experience is about getting away and taking refuge from the wintry temps in a blind that’s out of sight from everyone else. Because just being out here is beautiful.

“It’s an addiction, man. I mean it’s South Texas, when hunting season comes, guys will… They’ll drive all night long from God knows where,” said Kenneth Sharber. Sharber runs the Muy Grande Village in Freer.

Situated smack dab between Corpus and Laredo, this specialized store is sort of like a gas station, convenience store, restaurant, feed store, and sporting goods stop all rolled into one. “We’ve evolved from just a little old gas station on the corner of Highway 16 and 59,” stated Kenneth.

This business was started by Kenneth’s father-in-law Leonel R. Garza in 1965 and in order to promote his business, Leonel started a deer hunting contest at his Center Circle Gas Station. “People started making fun of him and calling it the gas station deer contest and that kind of stuff. And then Garza got a little perturbed about that. He didn’t like that. And so he came up with a name, Muy Grande. That name has stuck for 56 years,” explained Kenenth.

Now the Muy Grande is just as big as it sounds, attracting thousands of hunters each year to participate in a hunting contest that’s got a massive reputation. “It’s as big as Texas. And it’s as wide as the Rio Grande,” stated Kenneth.

Back in 1965, Homer Garza won the first contest that was only dedicated to the deer with the largest spread. His prize, Leonel’s old watch. “He had won a wristwatch for selling tires and he gave Homer the wristwatch. That was the first prize that was given. And it’s pretty cool,” said Kenneth.

The prizes have evolved a little bit from that. “Now we give jackets and trophies and plaques. And we have a really nice award ceremony. We give out about 300 trophies and jackets each year,”” stated Kenneth.

The Muy Grande is the Masters when it comes to this sort of competition. The oldest contest of its kind in the world, prizes are awarded for all sorts of crazy categories.  “Men’s, women’s, kid’s, boy’s, girl’s, youth division. We have Pope and Young division, which is a bow division. We have Macho Grande, which is anything that’s got a hole in the ear, tags, any of that kind of genetic stuff. We’ve got out of state. We’ve got Mexico. We’ve tried to accommodate every hunter from high fence to low fence, to Macho Grande, to give everybody a fair chance. And everybody gets competitive. It’s fun,” explained Kenneth.

And with the Muy Grande division, they take everything of your submission into account.  “Yes. It’s all around, yes, sir. When you’re Muy Grande all around, as you can see, like I said, we’ve got the weight, the spread, the points, the left circumference, right circumference. And we add all that together and that gives you the Muy Grande score,” explained Kenneth.

There’s even a husband-and-wife team category. “If you hunt together, you stay together,” joked Kenneth. And a contest for top story. Not like that could be subjective or anything. “Top story of the year, we’re looking for the most interesting thing that’s happened this year and checking it out,” said Kenneth.

Now how do you know if you should enter the one 190 club or the Muy Grande all around division? “Well, the good part about our contest is, when you enter the $25 entry fee, before you kill the animal, it puts you in every category here. So when you bring your animal, it’s up to us. We take a look and see where it’ll fit. So this thing is constantly moving back and forth, which keeps it exciting. Keeps the phone ringing,” explained Kenneth.

This contest in this little Texas town has drawn hunters from every corner of the country and even a few well-known country stars.  George Strait won this competition back in the 80’s.

Well, we had to ask what Kenneth’s favorite part is of hosting this hunting contest.  “The kids, yeah, it’s the kids because you get to see them grow up. You get to see them bring in their animal and they got that first experience. So to me, it’s the family. When you have the hunting family, the hunting world, it’s pretty awesome,” expressed Kenneth.

Even if hunting isn’t your thing, just seeing the sun makes those long shadows across South Texas makes this trip something everyone needs to experience before they kick the bucket. “If you have the opportunity, take it. And I’ve had people say, ‘Well, I don’t like to shoot.’ That’s cool. That’s cool. Go sit in a blind. Go sit out there for a minute and turn your cell phone off and listen to the birds. Listen to the wildlife. Watch the sunrise. Watch the sunset. And you’ll understand it. You’ll understand how the addiction comes,” said Kenneth.

The Texas Bucket List – Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission

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Mission – We’re always fond of flying the coop on The Texas Bucket List and when you’re in South Texas, one of the top birding centers in the whole world, you find out that birds of a feather really do flock together. “Birdwatchers, they’re an interesting lot. They chase those birds wherever they can, and this is one of the places where you can see stuff nobody else has,” said Park Ranger Roy Rodriguez.

Roy didn’t grow up too far from here considering he’s from Pharr but what makes this neck of the woods so far from what the rest of the state is like, besides the fact that it’s far, is it’s unique ecosystem. “We are on the 100th meridian, putting us right down the middle of the country. We have the Gulf of Mexico pretty close. We have the desert pretty close. The mountains are pretty close and so are the tropics, so we’re basically at the biological crossroads of North America down here with two migratory flyways. Important bird area,” explained Roy.

The Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park is only one of nine birding centers you can find in the RGV.  Each of them is dedicated to one of the most popular activities in this part of our state, birdwatching. “I grew up hunting and fishing like a lot of people in Texas. I didn’t really know much about birds, except for those birds that I was going to try to shoot and eat, and at some point I discovered that birdwatching was a big deal down here. We’ve got lots of wildlife, lots of shorebirds, and it’s all about water. So as long as we have water, you’re going to attract a lot of wildlife,” stated Roy.

The Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park is only one of nine birding centers you can find in the RGV.  Each of them is dedicated to one of the most popular activities in this part of our state, birdwatching. “I grew up hunting and fishing like a lot of people in Texas. I didn’t really know much about birds, except for those birds that I was going to try to shoot and eat, and at some point I discovered that birdwatching was a big deal down here. We’ve got lots of wildlife, lots of shorebirds, and it’s all about water. So as long as we have water, you’re going to attract a lot of wildlife,” stated Roy.

Roy took to birding like a duck to water and since 2001 he’s worked at this State Park that was established in 1962. “People come to your town to see what you have, but they never go out there and experience it themselves. Well, the first day I went out birdwatching, I was blown away that so many people from around the world came here to my little part of the world just to see what we had, and I had no idea,” explained Roy.

With 800 acres right on the Rio Grande, the park is full of flying fowl that create a colorful fresco. “You get hundreds of birds on one trip, and you get a hundred birders to see that one bird,” said Roy.

Roy then took us on a walk over to the Hawk Tower observation deck to see a breathtaking view of the park and maybe even catch a glimpse of some singing birds. “We have volunteers that count four months out of the year, counting all migrating raptors that they can identify as they head south and when they return in the spring. We’re one of over 200 sites in the U.S. that have Hawk Watch so that we can keep track of these movements of these raptors, which are great indicators of the overall environmental health,” explained Roy.

Harris Hawks, Merlin Falcons, Cardinals, Red-winged Blackbird and Green jays are small samples of some of the things you’ll see here but if an Altamira Oriole is on your bucket list, Roy can summon them with a simple whistle! “The valley overall, the whole region, has got so many different types of habitats. It’s not just South Texas and a couple of woodlands. There are elevational differences. We’ve got the desert and the Gulf of Mexico within 140 miles, and in between there, we’re looking at about 11 or 13 different habitats, and those are all unique,” explained Roy.

So we had to ask just what that bird is that everybody’s looking for. “There’s a few birds that are considered to be the bird you got to see when you come down here. One of them is called the Hook-billed Kite. It’s a type of raptor that specializes in eating snails. It goes after crawfish and other things as well, but it’s a very riparian bird. It likes the woodlands near the river, and so their habitat is very, very limited in the U.S. If a birder comes down here and gets their Hook-billed Kite, I think that then they can die happy, I guess,” explained Roy.

To say Roy really likes his job might be an understatement, he’s as proud as a peacock to be here. “The connection to this park is deeper than just the job. Like I said, I was meant to be,” expressed Roy. “We are the stewards of the planet, and the more we know and the more we connect, the more we appreciate. And the more we appreciate, the more we value that stuff, the more likely it’ll still be here for our kids when they grow up,” said Roy.

The Texas Bucket List – Memorial Mini Golf and Museum in Buda

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Buda – The sound of a golf ball hitting a putter is always pleasing to the ear but when the ball finds the bottom of the hole, that’s even better. For people who play putt putt, that’s pretty much the only task at hand.  But over at Memorial Mini Golf in Buda, there’s much more to the golf game here.

Brian McKinney is the owner of this big putting playscape that looks a little different from your typical mini golf getaway. “My favorite hole is probably the Submarine Atlantic Blockade hole,” said Brian.

Here there’s a mix of green, blue, black, and tan making up 18 holes that are dedicated to the veterans of World War II. “I’ve been collecting World War II memorabilia. And my grandfather was in World War II, his little brother was in World War II. My dad was in Vietnam. So military history’s kind of just been my thing,” said Brian.

So, Brian created this one of a kind excursion complete with a museum and the only full scale replica fighter plane playscape in the world. “History buffs, mini-golf lovers, I mean, you could almost spend a half day here in itself,” said Brian.

Brian’s inspiration to create this colorful place to place a round actually came to him in a dream. “I had a pretty vivid dream that my wife and I and kids were playing on a World War II themed miniature golf course. It was a little bit different how this turned out, but, but I woke up and said… It was a calling to try to figure something out, to create an interactive environment, to not forget this generation and mini-golf was it,” explained Brian.

Each hole is dedicated to particular parts of the war and the people who fought it. “Hole number one starts in Blitzkrieg, which is the start of the technical start of World War II. And then it just runs down the chronological order,” explained Brian.

Another hole is dedicated to Pearl Harbor. “Bomb hits are actually where the bombs hit on the real USS Arizona that sank it. And then here we have a replica, full scale replica, 40-millimeter anti-aircraft cannons that were made by the same model builder that built the planes in the museum. And then the hole is dedicated to a veteran who trained with the Navy on Pearl Harbor,” explained Brian.

Then there’s the hole dedicated to Normandy and it’s a beast! “So it’s the longest par five. There’s actually a place in the Northeast that has the world’s longest hole, but it’s a par 12,” said Brian.

While this is fun, it’s actually quite a lesson in what happened during the war and those who contributed throughout. “Getting these younger generations to learn what these guys did outside of what just their Texas history book teaches. But more of the details that we have with the veterans dedicated to the holes and the additional history that we added to the placecards,” said Brian.

One of those veterans featured is Abilenian Huie Lamb. The playscape is a replica of his plane and inside the museum at Memorial Mini-Golf you’ll find a display dedicated to him along with a collection of his things. You’ll also find the uniform of Dorothy Lucas, who served with the Women Airforce Service Pilots. “This one gets overlooked, I think a lot, in history where all the able body guys that could fight went overseas and who, who was, who was making and helping with the war production in the United States. And they stepped up big,” explained Brian.

Being fortunate enough to have grandparents that served in the war, it’s refreshing to see the next generation have a way to learn about this amazing generation. “It’s pretty cool. Especially when they go from the course into the museum. And I hear a lot of parents saying, ‘That’s what your great-grandfather did.’ Or ‘That’s what your great-grandfather flew.’ And then they go, ‘Wow.’ Like they’re just that, that kind of makes it all worthwhile when you hear the wow factor of, ‘Wow. That’s what my great-grandfather did.’ and  like, ‘That’s what he flew!’ It’s real, it’s really neat to hear that,” expressed Brian.

Saluting the greatest generation that ever lived is always easy but to do it while play golf and learning about the toughest war of all time is an easy stop, for the most part on The Texas Bucket List. “It’s not huge, like the Nimitz Museum or Smithsonian, but you’re getting a huge chunk of history at every hole,” stated Brian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Texas Bucket List – The Pumpkin Patch at the Dallas Arboretum in Dallas

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Dallas – When the calendar rolls around to October and the chill of the first cold front hits our state, it doesn’t take long for Texans to take things outside to enjoy the crisp air from up north. But if you live in a big city like Big D, finding the perfect stop to enjoy the refreshing revision in the weather could be a bit of a conundrum and fortunately, we found a good place to start.  The Dallas Arboretum.

Rick Williams, a volunteer at the Dallas Arboretum gave us a tour of the oasis and he was excited to showcase this slice of serene scenery in the middle of the city.  “Well I’ve always had an interest in horticulture,” said Rick.

Rick enjoys volunteering out here so much, he took time to earn a degree in horticulture during his retirement. “Now all I do is play golf, play with the grandkids, and volunteer at the arboretum so life is good,” expressed Rick.

We took a tour of the spacious greenery and saw White Rock Lake with the fantastic Dallas building skyline in the background. “It’s an area that has lots of asphalt and buildings and stuff so it’s definitely a place to get away, breathe fresh air and enjoy the outdoors,” explained Rick.

Situated on 66 acres, the Dallas Arboretum is a haven from the heavy traffic around the metroplex, and here the hue is heightened. “Unlike a lot of arboretums, which are pretty much just trees, shrubs, and a few flowerbeds, we specialize in color,” said Rick.

But when it comes to the festive orange splendor that we look forward to during the fall, the Arboretum goes above and beyond. Known as the Pumpkin Village, this annual tradition has been going since 2005. It takes 90,000 pumpkins to create this fairytale land faithful to fall, and it’s an eye full. “We have three different pumpkin houses with a whole variety pack of pumpkins, we have some squashes and gourds. I always thought pumpkins were orange but fool that I was, turns out we have white ones, and ones with stripes so you get a whole variety pack around here,” explained Rick.

Seeing such a diverse and colorful pumpkin patch brings out a bunch of people and they usually have one thing on their mind, pictures. “Well it’s a great place for family pictures you’ll see tons of folks out here taking pictures. They come down here by the ton so this is a family oriented place if it were one,” said Rick.

While we snapped some colorful photos for our social media feed, Rick doesn’t really get into that too much. “No, I try to keep my life simple, golf, the grandkids, then the arboretum. I don’t want to worry about that,” said Rick.

Of course, it doesn’t take posting your pictures to get a positive experience out at the Dallas Arboretum. In fact, leaving your phone in the car and just seeing the sights of a seriously silly amount of pumpkins might be the best way to fully experience this haven in the middle of the city. “It’s a great place for families and it does your heart good to see people enjoying themselves down here. This is certainly a wonderful spot to cross off your bucket list,” said Rick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Texas Bucket List – All Star Bar-B-Q in Rusk

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Rusk – Tuesday through Saturday, Russell Turner spends a lot of time serving up some savory smoked meats. He’s the proud owner of All Star Bar-B-Q in Rusk and behind the pines, you can smell his brisket and sausage getting served up five days a week.  “It’s a good, honest way to make a living. And it’s Texas,” said owner Turner.

Since 1993 All Star has been a reliable restaurant in Rusk and while the BBQ is good, what brings in the crowd is his collection. “My whole idea all these years was to put stuff in here for people to just look at and enjoy while they’re eating barbecue,” stated Russell.

Russell is a big fan of Houston’s professional baseball team, hence the reason he has an astronomical amount of Astros gear in his restaurant. “I’m an Astro guy, I always have been. I said, ‘Why don’t I start putting Astro stuff up?’, and it took off,” said Russell. “I don’t think it ever quite got to be an obsession, borderline. I have a problem, my wife says,” joked Russell.

From tins to toy cars, it’s hard to tell if All Star Bar-B-Q is a restaurant or a really cool museum. “Shot glasses, commemorative baseballs, all the playoffs, baseball games, a few beer taps. I think it’s good for baseball to sell stuff like that. I mean, it just brings it closer in to the people. They can actually see it and touch it.”  He even has a game used base! “We don’t discuss price,” joked Russell while walking us through his collection.

Russel’s got hung up on Houston baseball as boy when his father took him to games back when they were still known as the Colt 45’s. “I just thought it was the coolest thing ever. They were building, of course, the Astrodome across the parking lot. You could see this big frame made of steel,” said Russell.

“The year the Dome opened was amazing. We did get to go the first year. We had already heard the word that you bring a sweater with you because it was going to be cool. So, it was a wow when you walked in, of course. Isn’t that something? Because they were showing off their air conditioning. They had it cranked down to like 63, probably,” explained Russell.

Conversations in most Texas BBQ joints center around BBQ.  But here, you can’t help but talk baseball. Even in the middle of an interview Russell started talking to a fellow fan! The much bigger debate in these parts might be which Texas baseball team you’re supporting. “The Mason-Dixon Line of Astros and Rangers right here in Rusk. Used to, the Astros’ line stopped at Lufkin 40 miles south, but I’ve been able to move it up to here, and then Rangers to the north, so we’re advancing. If the Astros would just let me help them market just a little, we’ll take over the whole third of this Eastern part of the state. No problem,” explained Russell.

Russel is definitely doing his part. “Most of my Ranger fans have learned that we serve them at the to-go window. So,” joked Russell.

“Most people get a kick out of it. Because again, it’s just tied into the decorations, to give the customer something to do, something to look at. Can you not look at a baseball card and have to flip it over? You have to,” explained Russell.

The centerpiece to his collection, a hand painted Astros sign that hung in the outfield of Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia that happens to be signed by the whole ’91 squad. “Most people when they come in here and they do, “Hey, would you mind taking our picture?” it’s usually in front of this.” In front of this? “Yeah. So, it’s a good backdrop,” said Russell.

Surprisingly this sign isn’t the most coveted piece in Russel’s collection. “Somebody said, ‘Well, if this place caught on fire, what would you grab?’ My son and I went to Wrigley Field to watch the Astros play, and I’ve got the lineup card for the dugout the day we were there. And I got a picture of us sitting there with Wrigley in the background and I have it framed over there by my desk. I’d probably grab that,” said Russell.

Baseball. There’s just something about it that brings families together. “Grandkids and grandfathers, those are the ones who seem to appreciate baseball the most. Maybe I just say that because I’m a grandfather now. I don’t know,” Russell said.

So if you’re a fan of the right Texas team, a stop at All Star Bar-B-Q in Rusk is right up your alley and well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List!

The Texas Bucket List – The Tejas Rodeo Company in Bulverde

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Bulverde – At an arena, just north of San Antonio you’ll find a rodeo that puts the bull in Bulverde. The Tejas Rodeo Company offers a regularly occurring rodeo from March to November each year and it herds in people from all over the place.

“If you haven’t seen a rodeo and you’re from Texas, you haven’t lived life,” said Yancey James. James makes up half of the team that put this little show together. “We’re just part of each other’s life on a daily basis,” said Trey Martin. Trey Martin is the other half. “We each bring different things to the table,” stated Trey.

These two Texans came up with an incredible concept, a weekly rodeo that takes place at a venue that takes Texas culture to the extreme. It’s like a Lone Star State theme park. “We really do offer a true taste of Texas here,” said Trey.

Now Trey, grew up in Devine, went to Sul Ross and became a big-time lawyer. In 1993, he bought 71 acres in Bulverde not knowing one day it would turn into one of the most sought-after places on Saturday night.

“I can’t really call it a job, because I’m doing what I love,” expressed Yancey. James is from Kerrville and he was a professional bull rider a few years back. But in 2006, they found themselves in a team event they never expected. “We kind of joined forces, and the next thing I knew, in a big whirlwind, I’m knee deep back in the rodeo business,” joked Yancey.

Watching bulls and blood and the dust and mud and hearing the roar of the Saturday crowd isn’t the only reason to get out to Tejas, they also have one superb steakhouse. “What we’re known for is our KC steak. And that stands for Kansas City. Well, believe it or not, that’s a west Texas method of cooking. They would take a piece of meat, and they would heavily season it, and they’d pan sear it. And it’s that seasoning and the pan searing where you lock in that flavor,” explained Trey.

“When these people come, they want to drink, they want to eat. They want some entertainment, and so that’s what intrigued us to go on and build various different venues inside of the big venue itself,” said Yancey.

There’s even history on the walls of the restaurant. From Winchesters, Colts, to turn of the century chaps. “Most of the stuff was in my house. And so some of it’s my father’s, so I know it all and I like it all or I wouldn’t have had it there, wouldn’t have put it here. So we got a lot of favorites,” explained Trey.

Despite the darn good steak and the amazing mac and cheese, you just can’t come out of the chute and say the Tejas Rodeo Company is an amazing restaurant because it truly is so much more than that. “So everybody looks at us as a rodeo and a steakhouse, but we’re a working ranch. So our day starts at seven in the morning and it doesn’t end until seven at night. We house about 50 head of horses. Probably 20 head of cattle and sheep. The whole nine yards. So it’s a full-time job in itself,” said Yancey.

For the cowboys and cowgirls showcasing their grit and guts, this great venue is also a proving ground to get to the next level. “When you’re a rodeo cowboy, you’re trying to rodeo somewhere every day. That’s your job. That’s your life. That’s what you do. It’s no different going to the office. You miss two or three days, you don’t get paid for two or three days. So it’s a good filler for the pro cowboys. And it’s a good stepping stone for the younger athletes coming up, trying to go into the professional ranks,” explained Yancey.

Keeping things country and keeping up with the traditions we’ve had in Texas all these years is what the Tejas Rodeo Company is truly trying to rein in. “I don’t want to say the Western lifestyle’s a dying breed, but it’s definitely not as prevalent as it was 30, 40, 50 years ago. And so it struggles a little bit, but it’s a true way of life for people still to this day,” said Yancey.

“Keeping the Western heritage alive, I think is important to both Yancey and I, and really just putting on a good show and keeping it all clean,” stated Trey.

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.