• There seems to be an uptick in Political comments in recent months. Those of us who are long time members of the site know that Political and Religious content has been banned for years. Nothing has changed. Please leave all political and religious comments out of the forums.

    If you recently joined the forums you were not presented with this restriction in the terms of service. This was due to a conversion error when we went from vBulletin to Xenforo. We have updated our terms of service to reflect these corrections.

    Please note any post refering to a politician will be considered political even if it is intended to be humor. Our experience is these topics have a way of dividing the forums and causing deep resentment among members. It is a poison to the community. We appreciate compliance with the rules.

    The Staff of SOH

  • Server side Maintenance is done. We still have an update to the forum software to run but that one will have to wait for a better time.

pics from a recent flight.

Why are Texans so rabid about Texas? I lived there for nine years. It's almost like you get sucked in and homestead, and you forget that there's no good produce, the terrain is ugly, some of the people are...well...nevermind and the weather is always HORRID. There are no good weather days in Texas. I'm amazed there's so much aviation there because I've had perfect flying weather maybe twice EVER.

Ah, well, perhaps for these reasons:

1. A government that believes in staying out of people's private lives.

2. Low taxes.

3. Relatively inexpensive real estate prices.

4. Good people who value honesty and common sense.

5. Terrain that contrary to what you say, is remarkably varied, ranging from pristine white sand beaches to mountains, to praries, to forests. Have you seen El Paso, Houston, Abilene, Lubbock? They are unique and interesting. Even the panhandle has its share of nice terran -- have you been to Caprock between Lubbock and Amarillo? It's very pretty! The river walk area in San Antonio is one of the most beautiful metropolitan areas I have ever seen!

6. Statewide among the lowest crime rates in the nation.

I'm reminded of the unoffiical slogan, "Don't mess with Texas!" There is a lot to love with this state.

I live in Portales, NM which is only twenty miles west of the Texas-NM border. I assure you having flown throughout Texas regularly, I've certainly enjoyed ideal VFR flying conditions on most days!

Ken
 
Where in Texas did you live under those conditions??? Based on your comment I can tell you have never hunted the hill country or been to Big Bend! There also an incredible long stretch of lost forest called Lost Maples. The coastal marsh lands are loaded with a huge variety of fish and game. It's the attitude and friendliness of the people here that make the difference. The corporate community I was apart of for 15 years in Northern CA was very plastic and superficial with some exceptions! I lived in Blackhawk in CA and while it was beautiful I got awfully tired of keeping up the homeowner's association demands. I couldn't fly my country's flag or display AIRBORNE on my car bumper without raising the IRE of the locals commies!
<INPUT id=gwProxy type=hidden><!--Session data--><INPUT id=jsProxy onclick=jsCall(); type=hidden>


I flew to Marfa a few times and buzzed around the local area. Does that count as having visited Big Bend? :icon_lol: I've never heard of Lost Maples, the Texas I know is a Barren wasteland with no trees. That drive down 20 from Abilene to El Paso is downright brutally ugly and painstaking. Perhaps I missed out on the best of Texas. There's something about not having days off for four months at a time and being stuck out in the nearly uninhabitable foreign planet-like weather with no adequate protection that makes you dislike where you are. I like having a yard, too. Mowing the acre of hollow straw sticks over sunken and cracked, parched clay in the 116 degree weather that lasted 100 days out of the year got boring too. I finally stopped and let the desert reclaim my front yard. The corporate world in California can be brutal, but not as bad as Texas IMHO if you stay ahead of the pack. In Abilene I always felt that the 'friendly locals' were trying to rip me off and rob me blind every chance they got while they smiled big and shook your hand. The best barbecue in the world is in Texas backyards with old family recipes, but restaurant owners are to lazy to serve you the real thing every day.

I will sorely miss the Alliance airshow and Texas De Brazil though. I also missed the wildfires that smelled like the best barbecue you could imagine because of the mesquite brush.


What part of Texas is the hill country? I'd like to know so I can go explore in Google earth. I saw mostly what I would call 'uneven terrain'. There's a lot of misnomers around those parts.
 
You know Tigs we don't generally fly through the hurricanes and tornadoes we get down here periodically that could account for your lousy flying weather. Now I have only been flying down here for 12 years in this state, but I generally wait for sunny weather with just a little breeze and so far that has been the way it is. But hey I am happy you love staying in California. It is a wonderful state to visit!
Ted
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
 
I flew to Marfa a few times and buzzed around the local area. Does that count as having visited Big Bend? :icon_lol: I've never heard of Lost Maples, the Texas I know is a Barren wasteland with no trees. That drive down 20 from Abilene to El Paso is downright brutally ugly and painstaking. Perhaps I missed out on the best of Texas. There's something about not having days off for four months at a time and being stuck out in the nearly uninhabitable foreign planet-like weather with no adeuqate protection that makes you dislike where you are. I like having a yard, too. Mowing the acre of hollow straw sticks over sunken and cracked, parched clay in the 116 degree weather that lasted 100 days out of the year got boring too. I finally stopped and let the desert reclaim my front yard. The corporate world in California can be brutal, but not as bad as Texas IMHO if you stay ahead of the pack. In Abilene I always felt that the 'friendly locals' were trying to rip me off and rob me blind every chance they got while they smiled big and shook your hand. The best barbecue in the world is in Texas backyards with old family recipes, but restaurant owners are to lazy to serve you the real thing every day.

I will sorely miss the Alliance airshow and Texas De Brazil though. I also missed the wildfires that smelled like the best barbecue you could imagine because of the mesquite brush.


What part of Texas is the hill country? I'd like to know so I can go explore in Google earth. I saw mostly what I would call 'uneven terrain'. There's a lot of misnomers around those parts.


Well thank you for all of your experience and corporate wisdom!! LOL
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
 
You know Tigs we don't generally fly through the hurricanes and tornadoes we get down here periodically that could account for your lousy flying weather. Now I have only been flying down here for 12 years in this state, but I generally wait for sunny weather with just a little breeze and so far that has been the way it is. But hey I am happy you love staying in California. It is a wonderful state to visit!
Ted
<INPUT id=gwProxy type=hidden><!--Session data--><INPUT id=jsProxy onclick=jsCall(); type=hidden>


Well, learning to fly in Texas did make me a proficient aviator. 15-20 knot crosswinds are almost standard in Abilene. If I waited for weather with only a little breeze, I'd have never gotten to fly. Texas pilots are some of the best in the world, at least the one's I've met. I rented a plane in Vegas and fought crosswinds down to a textbook touchdown; the instructor told me I was the most proficient pilot he'd ever flown with. I kept my mouth shut and was happy to recieve the compliment, but I knew I didn't know crap compared to all the other pilots I know in Abilene.

Most of my memories of flying in Texas revolve around trying to get my instrument rating in a Texas State Technical College warrior while being slammed around in 30knot winds at altitude and the constant summer thermals blasting me up and sucking me down. I got used to it for normal flights, so it wasn't a huge deal, but for instrument training it kinda stunk. Check Fresh Thyme Ad and Giant Eagle Ad. The thermals were in the same place every day, and I could nearly pre-empt all of them. There's a HUGE thermal right over the FAF for ILS 35R at Abilene, the local NDB. (TOHMI or something) I'd pull power when I got near it because I knew what was coming.

What kind of aircraft do you fly?
 
Do you want my PPL or social security number? LOL

There are several people in here who know I was a pilot and one of them is a General on this forum. You get air Amigo
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
 
Do you want my PPL or social security number? LOL

There are several people in here who know I was a pilot and one of them is a General on this forum. You get air Amigo
<INPUT id=gwProxy type=hidden><!--Session data--><INPUT id=jsProxy onclick=jsCall(); type=hidden><INPUT id=gwProxy type=hidden><!--Session data--><INPUT id=jsProxy onclick=jsCall(); type=hidden>

huh? I was literally asking to see some pics, as a few posted here already. I mentioned earlier that I would like to see more flying pics from people here, and I meant it, and not as a call-out to anyone.

In another thread in 'FSX Discussion' I said I didn't doubt anyone here was a pilot. I meant that too.

You couldn't have taken any of this any more wrong, and I apologize, I should've worded it differently. Someone else thought it could be taken that way and PM'd me. That was the reason I sent you a PM to try to clear things up before you even wrote this post.
 
huh? I was literally asking to see some pics, as a few posted here already. I mentioned earlier that I would like to see more flying pics from people here, and I meant it, and not as a call-out to anyone.

In another thread in 'FSX Discussion' I said I didn't doubt anyone here was a pilot. I meant that too.

You couldn't have taken any of this any more wrong, and I apologize, I should've worded it differently. Someone else thought it could be taken that way and PM'd me. That was the reason I sent you a PM to try to clear things up before you even wrote this post.

My suggestion to you is to give it rest and do something else. You have baited me for the last time. Enjoy your weekend
Ted

<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
 
What part of Texas is the hill country? I'd like to know so I can go explore in Google earth. I saw mostly what I would call 'uneven terrain'. There's a lot of misnomers around those parts.

Examples of "uneven terrain" in Texas:

Big Bend National Park, south Texas east of El Paso:

Big_Bend.jpg


Big_Bend3.jpg


Big_Bend2.jpg



El Paso, Texas itself:

El_Paso.jpg


El_Paso2.jpg




Some of those white beaches I was talking about .... South Padre Island, Texas:

Padre_Island.jpg


Padre_Island2.jpg




Wetlands you asked for? Well, here is Beaumont, Texas also in the southeast corner of Texas:

Beaumont.jpg


Beaumont2.jpg



Remember I spoke of the Riverwalk in San Antonio? One of the prettiest metro spots I've seen!

Riverwalk.jpg



More to follow ...
 
Want rolling hills, green pastures, and forests? Try the northeast region, such as Texarkana, located in the northeast quadrant:

Texarkana.jpg


Texarkana2.jpg



And just so we cover all the quadrants ... more of the "uneven" part of Texas, in this case Caprock which is between Amarillo and Lubbock in the northwest panhandle region ... close to where I live actually!

Caprock.jpg


Caprock2.jpg


Caprock3.jpg



All this in one state! Can't find what you are looking for?

Ken
 
In all fairness to Tigisfat, he did spend NINE YEARS IN ABILENE. The fact that he didn't shoot himself is quite an achievement. I lived in Dallas for manymany years, and also graduated from UNT. Texas can't be pidgeon-holed as being one thing only, there is no doubt. It is incredibly diverse. The same goes for the people. They all aren't nice, friendly, warm, and outgoing people who are just there to help. There's plenty of "Yankee take I-35N" going on. However, there are alot of nice people there.

As I said before, Tigisfat lived in Abilene. The portion of Texas that goes from Abilene to Midland/Oddessa to Wink and back to Abilene is the nether-region of Texas. It is ugly terrain pock marked by drill pads and rigs, and the blowing dust is icing on the cake. Now the area is being taken over by wind farms. There are huge wind generators everywhere...like nanny goat hairs on an ugly womans face. A person transplanted to that area is going to have ill memories of Texas even if they had taken trips to Padre, or the Piney Woods, or the river in San Marcus, ect ect. I think Texas is a great place, except for the area where Tigisfat lived...that blows.


Oh, those are great pics, Ken. They do show some of the beaty of Texas!
 
In all fairness to Tigisfat, he did spend NINE YEARS IN ABILENE. The fact that he didn't shoot himself is quite an achievement. I lived in Dallas for manymany years, and also graduated from UNT. Texas can't be pidgeon-holed as being one thing only, there is no doubt. It is incredibly diverse. The same goes for the people. They all aren't nice, friendly, warm, and outgoing people who are just there to help. There's plenty of "Yankee take I-35N" going on. However, there are alot of nice people there.

As I said before, Tigisfat lived in Abilene. The portion of Texas that goes from Abilene to Midland/Oddessa to Wink and back to Abilene is the nether-region of Texas. It is ugly terrain pock marked by drill pads and rigs, and the blowing dust is icing on the cake. Now the area is being taken over by wind farms. There are huge wind generators everywhere...like nanny goat hairs on an ugly womans face. A person transplanted to that area is going to have ill memories of Texas even if they had taken trips to Padre, or the Piney Woods, or the river in San Marcus, ect ect. I think Texas is a great place, except for the area where Tigisfat lived...that blows.


Oh, those are great pics, Ken. They do show some of the beaty of Texas!

I lived in Abilene also. Based at Dyess myself for two years flying C-130's.

It isn't considered a vacation spot, but I like it. Looking back on it, I sure wish I had gone ahead and got an airplane back then. I would have enjoyed it much more. Vice a three hour drive to San Antonio, I could have taken a one hour flight!

Ken
 
In all fairness to tigs...hogwash! He should not have pigeon-holed Texas when someone from Texas complimenting on his thread and talking about the part of California I enjoyed. He asked the question why I moved I kept it civil until he started his tirade which I personally have had enough of and better not hear again! Argument is ended and there better not be any more!
Ted
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
 
There's an old expression ... "Home is where your heart is!"

I believe that. And I believe you never take a knife to another man's heart!

Here is a personal example...

Some consider east New Mexico to be "uninteresting." Kind of flat cow country. Well, there are lots of dairy ranches and cattle ranches here to be sure. But, here's my homestead. I kind of like it!

Flag%20&%20House%203.jpg


Cheers,

Ken
 
But.....but....you said google streetview......but......

:icon_lol:

That's one heck of a flag pole!

True about Google, but this was my choice. LOL!!!!

I had the flag pole installed a few months after I returned from my last deployment in the war. It's an industrial grade pole and 30 feet tall. It needed to be that strong to withstand the winds here as sometimes they can whip up to 60 knots! But at least I don't have to worry about hurricanes anymore! My last year in the Florida panhandle, my house and yard endured three in one dang year! My yard went from lush to nearly treeless that year! Terribly depressing!

The really nice thing is I live on top of a hill, one of the highest elevations in the area. So, I can see forever -- a nice view!

Ken
 
Back
Top