That's A Wrap

Last year, mad had a fantastic idea that I start a photo blog to show off all the super fun places that I went for work. If you read my other blog, The Pineapple Report, then you know that I no longer have the job that took me to the fabulous small towns of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma depicted on this blog. I'm still taking pictures and I've even been to Aggieland since my August post (thanks for pointing that out Evil Spock), but I've decided that I am going to do all postings on The Pineapple Report until further notice.

Thanks!

tags: The Pineapple Report travel pineapple photo blog

The "ica" Building

Austin, Texas
August 10, 2007

This a picture of the famed "ica" building (also known as the Bank of America building run by people too lazy to fix the lights on their sign). I'm just saying...

tags: Austin texas Photo ica Bank of America

Inner Space Cavern

Georgetown, Texas
August 4, 2007

In 1963, the Texas Highway Department began testing the ground in Georgetown to build I-35. They started drilling holes to test the strength of the ground. This is when they discovered Inner Space Cavern. Naturally, they went ahead and built the highway right over the cavern.

You are not allowed to touch anything because it will stop the growth of the formations in the cave, but there is one place that they allow you to touch. We decided not to touch it because the child sized germ factory in front of us had something that sounded a lot like whooping cough or TB. Gross.

If you do touch anything, you turn into black and white statues from the 1960s.

You can buy furry hats in the gift shop. Nothing says "caverns" like a furry hat. But Sylwester does look really cute!

Our tour guide told us that this formation was a sumo wrestler eating ice cream. I can see the sumo wrestler, but can can she be sure that he is eating ice cream? And what flavor? I would have asked her, but when she offered to take questions she always cut off the kid with really good questions. It was kind of like going on a tour led by a hall monitor.

Here are a bunch of other picutres I took of the cavern.

tags: Travel Texas Georgetown Inner Space Cavern

So close, yet so far away

Georgetown, Texas
August 4, 2007

Cactus Pryor used to do these radio commercials for Gold's Department Store in Georgetown and one of it's selling points was that it was "just a conversation away." Back when those ads were running, there was actually pasture land between Austin and Georgetown. It was a nice drive. Now it is just bad traffic and strip malls. It isn't a conversation away anymore, just road rage and stress. Two cheers for progress. My friends were in town and wanted to go to Inner Space Cavern so I drove them up there. Once you get to Georgetown, it isn't a bad place even if you have to drive through Round Rock to get there from Austin.

Back in the day, Georgetown was covered in cow poop because The Chisholm Trail went through the heart of town.

I don't know what this building is, but I took a picture because I thought it was cool.

And because anytime I go to the county seat, I take pictures of the courthouse. Old habits die hard.

tags: Travel Texas Georgetown Chisholm Trail Cactus Pryor Golds photo

Is that right?

Waterloo Ice House
Austin, Texas
July 14, 2007

I've never been a new mother so I can neither verify nor dispute the truth of this statement. But either way, I thought it was a strange marketing ploy. You know, not everyone is a new mom. Does this mean that the non-new moms among us should be eating something else instead?

tags: Texas Austin Waterloo Ice House Photo New Mom Cheeseburger

The Big Texan

Amarillo, Texas
March 30, 2005
(more phone photos)

The Big Texan is a steakhouse, a motel, and a horse hotel. And they have a gift shop too.

and a really big cows. You know how much I love fake animals!

This is a picture of the 72oz. steak. When you order this, you sit at a table on a stage in the middle of the restaurant. It comes with a baked potato, salad, dinner roll and shrimp cocktail. You have to pay the $72 up front, but if you can eat the whole thing in less than an hour, they refund your money and you get a T-shirt, a souvenir boot mug and a certificate.

tags: Travel Texas Amarillo The Big Texan steakhouse 72oz. Free Steak

I-44 in Oklahoma

Stroud, Oklahoma
June 13, 2005

As I was looking through some pictures I took with an old phone (during my pre-digital camera days) and I found some special pictures I took while I was in Oklahoma. I spent the summer of 2005 working in Oklahoma and went to a lot funky little places and saw some strange things. Unfortunately, I did not take many pictures. However, I saw this speed limit sign when I exited the interstate at the toll booth in Stroud and managed to get a picutre of it. I really wondered, why 17 mph? Why not round it down to 15 or up to 20?

tags: Travel Oklahoma Stroud I-44 toll road photo

I always enjoy a pun!

Ha ha! Cops & Joggers instead of Cops & Robbers! Get it? Well, when I saw this, it got me thinking. Wouldn't it be more fun to watch the cops chase the robbers through a maze instead of a bunch of people running down the road? Am I wrong?

tags: Austin Texas funny pun sign photo Cops & Joggers

Ted Nugent, really?

As a general rule, I post photos that I have taken. However, my obsession with my sitemeter has led me to Ted Nugent (see photo, left taken from www.tednugent.com). No foolin'. I admit, I was really curious. How could Ted Nugent's site possibly link to mine? I clicked on the link and it told me I had to register. Fine, no problem. I registered. But then I discovered that in order to find out what is in the hunting forum (where the link to my page is located), I have to subscribe. This is very different than registering because it requires a $20 payment. Well, Ted, I'm curious but not that curious. So, if anyone happens to get to my page from Ted Nugent's hunting forum, I am dying to know the context of the link to my page.

tags: sitemeter Ted Nugent hunting forum pineapple photo

Mean Eyed Cat

Austin, Texas

That's right. Just like the Johnny Cash song. What else could you do with the old Cute-Rite chainsaw repair shop? Turn it into a funky Johnny Cash tribute bar, of course.

Well, actually some developers really wanted to turn it into condos. And now developers have snatched up all of the land around it and are busily putting up yet another place to buy overpriced things that nobody really needs (or can really afford) and more lofts (we don't have nearly enough of those in Austin). And even though the Mean Eyed Cat has been in business since 2004, the zoning doesn't allow for a bar and they just don't serve enough food to be a considered a restaurant. Well, now they have to face the music and try to get the property rezoned to stay in business. It is a kick ass little dive despite all of the crappy development around it. Of course there is a petition to save the place, and they have had a benefit concert to save the place (this is Austin afterall and we have got to keep it weird). Naturally, the Old West Austin Neighborhood Association is against the zoning change. Why? Because they think if there is one bar near their neighborhood then there will be a million tomorrow. Frankly, I would be more upset by the new development than the cool bar if it were in my neighborhood. Personally, I'm rooting for the Mean Eyed Cat.

For those of you unfamiliar with the song I have included the lyrics for your reading pleasure:


Mean Eyed Cat
by Johnny Cash

I give my woman half my money at the general store I said, "Now buy a little groceries, and don't spend no more." But she gave ten dollars for a ten cent hat And bought some store bought cat food for a mean eyed cat.

When I give her ten more dollars for a one way ticket She was mad as she could be Then I bet ten more that if she ever left She'd come a-crawlin' back to me When I woke up this mornin' and I turned my head There wasn't a cotton pickin' thing on her side of the bed I found a little old note where her head belonged It said, "Dear John, honey, baby, I'm long gone."

When I heard a whistle blowin', and the big wheels a-turnin' I was scared as I could be I put on my overalls and I headed to town Gonna bring her back with me.

I asked the man down at the station if he'd seen her there I told him all about her pretty eyes and long, blonde hair He spit his tobacco, said, "I'll be dad blamed...... I believe I did see her leavin' on the east bound train."

I bought a round trip ticket on the east bound train I was broke as I could be But when I come back, gotta buy another ticket Gotta bring her back with me.

Well, I got off the train somewhere in Arkansas And I worked up the guts to call my Mother-In-Law She said, "I'll tell you where she is, if you act right." "She's workin' four to twelve at Trucker's World tonight."

When I walked in she saw me, and she took off her apron And she grabbed her goin' home hat She bought a ticket with her tips And now we're curled up on the sofa, me and her....and that mean eyed cat

tags: Austin Texas Mean Eyed Cat Johnny Cash bar photo

Is that a fact?

Austin, Texas
June 9, 2007

I usually see this guy standing on the corner of 38th and Guadalupe on Saturdays. His signs are odd, yet always religious in nature. He usually wears this tie-dyed shirt and a wig. I never have my camera. Except this time I did.

tags: Austin Texas religion photo

Smithville, Texas, the home of Hope Floats

Smithville, Texas
June 10, 2007


Ironically, when we got home that day Hope Floats was on cable so I decided to watch it and I actually saw this lovely blue bull in the movie. Has this been sitting there in this parking lot all of this time?

tags: Travel Texas Smithhville blue bull Hope Floats photo

R.O.T. Biker Rally Parade

June 1, 2007:

Every year, thousands of bikers come to Austin for the R.O.T. Biker Rally. One of the highlights is when they ride through Austin for their parade. Here are the pictures I took:

And here is the video I shot:

tags: Austin Texas R.O.T. Biker Rally Parade 2007 Harley Bike Motorcycle Video Photo youtube

Memorial Day 2007

I suspect that this Memorial Day will be very memorable for my neighbors. I came home early from my friends' anniversary party and was relaxing on the couch when I heard lots of squealing tires. I heard the car screech around the corner and start down my street. I got up and ran out on the front porch. That's when I heard the crash and screams. I took off running down the street. That's when I saw a guy running down the street and the truck crashed into my neighbors' house. By the time it was over, we had two fire trucks, two ambulances, and five cop cars on our street. The driver was found and arrested. Luckily, the only thing that got hurt was the house.

tags: Austin Texas Memorial Day truck crash house photo

Where in the world was Pineapple?

May 11, 2007

Look! I'm in New York...

Oh, that's just the other Statue of Liberty in front of the Midland County Courthouse...

tags: Texas Travel photo Midland

"Home" of W

May 10, 2007
Midland, Texas

There is an old saying: Just because a cat has her kittens in the oven, that doesn't make them biscuits. So here is the deal. Baby Boy Bush may have lived in Midland as a child, but he was not born in Texas. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He is not and never will be a Texan. That being said, here are pictures I took when I drove past his childhood home.

Aren't you excited?

I guess they are expected big crowds because the parking lot is HUGE!

But if by some chance, that many people wanted to visit at the same time they couldn't all fit inside. I guess they would have to visit the gift shop next door.

tags: Travel Texas Midland Bush

Garden City, Texas

May 9, 2007
Garden City, Texas

I bet you are wondering -- "where is the picture of the garden?" Well, Garden City is one of the many towns in Texas with a name that is ironic or perhaps just hopeful. I got to visit two of them in one week (Big Lake and Garden City). While I was there, I bought a lottery ticket and decided that if I hit the jackpot, I would build them a much needed garden. When I asked about the town name, no one had an explanation. However, after a search on google, I discovered that the town was supposed to be named after a store proprieter named Mr. Gardner, but it was misspelled.

This is the Glasscock County courthouse, built in 1910.

This is the old jail (built in 1894).

I don't know what this is, but it was on the courthouse grounds.

This is the new jail and home of the tax assessor's office. Naturally, the sheriff jails people and collects the taxes.

tags: Travel Texas Garden City Glasscock County

Lake! Big Lake!

May 8, 2007
Big Lake, Texas

Did Long Duck Dong wreck Grandpa's car here? Probably not. Apparently the Big Lake was drained in 1975.

But because it was raining, I had my own personal big lake in front of my motel. Yeah, me!

And because I take a picture of the courthouse in every county seat I visit, here it is.

This is La Mula, the mexican food restaurant. Yummy!

Too bad, there weren't enough people to keep Poppa Joe in business. Sho-Nuff!

tags: Travel Texas Big Lake

Rankin, Texas

May 7, 2007
Rankin, Texas

Mmmm, rusty water tower...

This is the courthouse. Exciting!

This used to be a place to eat. Now it is an out of business junk shop that still has a cow on it and a sign that says "eat." When I first saw the cow, I was excited because I found the place I wanted to eat lunch. I was sad to discover the truth. Instead, I ate lunch at La Familia and it was really good. You should eat there if you ever end up in Rankin.

This was the Yates Hotel, home of the Rankin Museum. It is closed like just about everything else in Rankin. Once upon a time, Rankin was a hoppin' little town with the Yates Hotel, a country club, places to eat, and so on. Unfortunately, the economy went South and so did the people.

Here is an odd piece of yard art in front of the former Yates Hotel/Rankin Museum.

And some more yard art next to the building. It makes you wonder what could have been inside the museum...

tags: Travel Texas Rankin Yates Hotel Rankin Museum photo

I'm a lucky pineapple

April 29, 2007
8 Miles East of Columbus, Texas on I-10:

So I am driving down I-10 on my way to Houston when I hit something and the tire blew out. This is what it looked like after we took it off the car:

So here is the scary part. There was something else in the road and this is what made me lose control of the car. This is the point when I did a 180 across two lanes of traffic and ended up facing the wrong direction in the median. Of course, the car did not stop before it hit the fence in the center of the median. Here is the damage:

This was probably one of the scariest things that has ever happened to me. But now that I have had some time, I can recall a couple of things about this that were pretty damn funny. For instance, after the car started spinning out of control, MOTL told me that I should slow down. Gee, thanks! Then, when I called the handy-dandy number on the back of my license for road side assistance I was explaining to the dispatcher where I was and she said I think you are near the wreck that was called in. I told her that I didn't see a wreck and she replied that I was the wreck. Duh!

Disclaimer: Do not try this at home (or on a busy highway).

tags: Travel Texas Columbus Houston car wreck blow out tire