South Texas Street in Shamrock. A genuine fragment of the Blarney Stone from the ruins of Blarney Castle in County Cork, Ireland, can be found there.
★ GET YOUR KICKS You’ve heard about getting your kicks on The American Wind Power Center in Lubbock has windmills from many eras.
of 10 Cadillacs—from a 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville—embedded, tail up, in an Amarillo fi eld. T e unlikely work of art was commissioned by local billionaire Stan- ley Marsh 3 (he thought “III” was too pre- tentious) and erected in 1974. Its meaning is up for deliberation, but it continues to be a work in progress as visitors are welcome to leave their mark, as long as they bring their own can of spray paint. You’ll fi nd Cadillac Ranch just west of Amarillo off Interstate 40 and Exit 60. Another Panhandle treasure is Old Rip the
Horned Toad in Eastland. As the story goes, a horned lizard was placed in a cornerstone of the county courthouse when it was built in 1897. When the building was demolished in 1928, crowds gathered to see the opening of the cornerstone. Lo and behold, they found the horned toad was still alive aſt er all this time, hence his name, Old Rip Van Winkle. Old Rip became an instant celebrity, but he only enjoyed his fame for a short time. Aſt er going on tour, he died in early 1929. Old Rip was embalmed and can be seen resting qui- etly in the courthouse lobby. Amarillo has many exceptional din-
ing options, but one draws in tourists for a particular menu off ering. T e Big Texan at 7701 I-40 East in Amarillo off ers diners a free 72-ounce steak. Free, that is, if the meal can be consumed in under an hour.
T e $72 meal includes a shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad, roll and a few rules, along with that steak. Many have tried. Many have failed. T is meal proves it’s not unusual for Texans
to “go big,” but visit the Newby-McMahon Building in Wichita Falls, and you’ll fi nd what happens when big ideas turn small. T e building, known as the “world’s littlest skyscraper” and reportedly part of a fraud scheme, was built to spec with architectural plans made in square inches instead of feet.
★ IT’S IN THE WATER T at’s a little crazy, but how about a lot
of crazy? Mineral Wells has been drawing visitors since the late 1800s for the reported healing powers of its mineral springs. T e springs helped turn the community into one of the premiere resort towns of the 1900s. Ed Dismuke, who found healing for himself, started the Famous Mineral Water Company in 1904. T e company has been distributing the mineral water—Crazy Water—ever since. Today, it’s a popular stop for visitors who want their share of the Crazy Water. Visitors are welcomed to stop by the historic property at 209 NW 6th St. T ere, they can shop and sample the waters. While in the Panhandle, you also can get a taste of Ireland by visiting Elmore Park on
For more infor ma tion about Panhandle Plains, visit
TravelTexas.com.
Route 66. T e famous “Mother Road” runs right through the Panhandle. U.S. Route 66 was one of the United States’ original high- ways, and the system connected Chicago to Los Angeles (Santa Monica) via Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Well, the geo-mathematical cen- ter of that famous highway is right here in the town of Adrian. From this central point, you’ll fi nd that Los Angeles is 1,139 miles to the west, as is Chicago to the east. Aſt er you fi nd the spot, treat yourself to a meal at the Midpoint Café, the oldest continuously oper- ated café on Texas’ section of the route. Amarillo is the largest Texas city along
Route 66. In McLean, check out the Devil’s Rope and Route 66 Museum. T e Panhandle off ers a heavy dose of cow-
boys, Native Americans, canyons and quirk- iness, and it all blends togeth er to make it one diversely fun place to visit. ★
INF ORMATION Travel
GETTING THERE
RICK HUSBAND AMARILLO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
http://airport.amarillo.gov
LUBBOCK PRESTON SMITH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT www.fl
ylia.com
DALLAS/FORT WORTH INTL. AIRPORT
www.dfwairport.com
TRAVEL INFORMATION CENTER S
AMARILLO: Located on East I-40. 9700 East I-40. 806/335-1441.
WICHITA FALLS: Near the Texas-Okla- homa state line on I-44 (Central Freeway). 900 Central Freeway. 940/723-7931.
Open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, and 8 a.m.–6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. To speak to a professional travel
counselor for travel information and trip planning assistance call 800/452-9292 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Central time daily.
www.txdot.gov. For 24-hour highway condition
information call 800/452-9292 or visit
www.drivetexas.org.
PHOTO: KEVIN STILLMAN/TXDOT 189
PANHANDLE PLAINS
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