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Plan ahead for San Marcos - some itinerary ssuggestions


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If you are planning on driving to next year’s convention in San Marcos, TX, plan ahead and add a couple of days to your itinerary. 

About 2 hours west of San Marcos is Fredericksburg.  It is the site of the childhood home of Admiral Chester Nimitz and is the home of the National Museum of the Pacific War.   It is a wonderful museum with a good collection of hardware.   IMO, the description of the roots of the war – the conflicts between Japan and China -- are better explained than at other museums such as the WWII Museum in New Orleans.   There are also good food and drinks in the area.  Fredericksburg is the capital of the Texas Wine Trail.    There are numerous wineries, breweries, and distilleries in town and along highway 290 toward Johnson City. While the San Marcos convention will be offering a Fredericksburg tour, it really takes several days to do the area well.  Perhaps that is why the museum’s entry is a two-day ticket.  There are a number of hotels and B&Bs in the area.

Speaking of Johnson City, it is the site of LBJ’s Texas White House.   The last time we were there, the buildings were closed and undergoing conservation but driving tours and access to the grounds are available. Out back of the home is the Boeing Jetstar, Air Force One-half, that was used to fly into the ranch.   

If your significant other is a fan of Chip & Joanne, and all things Magnolia, Waco is about two hours north on I35.    Plan ahead to keep SWMBO happy and allow you free rein in the vendor room at the convention.  In addition to their Silos, Waco is also the location of the Texas Ranger and Dr Pepper museums and Baylor University.   There is construction on the Interstate in Waco which the State says will be finished ‘soon’.   (We’ve been waiting for 27 years for ‘soon’ to come.)

About an hour east of San Marcos on I10 in Schulenberg is the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum.   Stanzel was one of the major manufacturers of wood and tissue flying aircraft models in the first half of the 20th century.   The museum is at their former plant.  The museum is only open M/W/F and Saturday so plan your trip accordingly.

If you are entering Texas from the northwest at Amarillo, divert a bit south to the Palo Duro Canyon. It is located, appropriately, in the city of Canyon.   Palo Duro is the second largest canyon in the US (see, everything in Texas isn’t the largest!)  The eroded cliff formations called “Mexican Dresses” are spectacular.  While in Canyon, check the Panhandle-Plains Museum on the campus of West Texas A&M University.   It covers dinosaurs to pioneers, oil to wind energy, Route 66, and the High Plains.  My wife and I found it very interesting and were there until they ran us out.

 

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Ed, I know it's an airplane so you're forgiven.  It's a Lockheed Jetstar VC-140B ... but that wouldn't stop Boeing from trying to collect trademark fees!!

 

And don't forget about stuff in Houston: JSC & the USS Texas (refit might be finished by next summer) but it'd be neat to see her out of the water, too.

Edited by jcorley
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The Texas isn’t being pulled out until later this month or sometime in September, hurricane season allowing. They’re going to have to completely re-bottom her, plus structure.     Can’t say that will be a quick - or cheap - job.  Summer 2023 is unlikely.  

There are still negotiations as to where to put her once repaired.  Beaumont is the latest to enter the fray.  I fear that Beaumont may be on par or a slightly worse location than the current location in LaPorte.  Orange, just next door to Beaumont, lost the destroyer Orleck which was even built there.   No reason to go there unless to specifically to visit the ship. And few other reasons to go to or through Beaumont - other than driving from Houston to Baton Rouge. I think the speaker of the state house is from Beaumont - so the fix might be in.    

Putting her in Galveston, Port Aransas, or elsewhere on the mid-coast might be better choices (IMO) for long term support.  Lots of beach and/or cruise ship visitors.  
 

Or my other option — dredge the Trinity River and put her in Dallas

They say a boat is a hole in the water into which you throw money.   A ship is a bigger hole.  

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22 hours ago, EFGrune said:

If you are planning on driving to next year’s convention in San Marcos, TX, plan ahead and add a couple of days to your itinerary. 

About 2 hours west of San Marcos is Fredericksburg.  It is the site of the childhood home of Admiral Chester Nimitz and is the home of the National Museum of the Pacific War.   It is a wonderful museum with a good collection of hardware.   IMO, the description of the roots of the war – the conflicts between Japan and China -- are better explained than at other museums such as the WWII Museum in New Orleans.   There are also good food and drinks in the area.  Fredericksburg is the capital of the Texas Wine Trail.    There are numerous wineries, breweries, and distilleries in town and along highway 290 toward Johnson City. While the San Marcos convention will be offering a Fredericksburg tour, it really takes several days to do the area well.  Perhaps that is why the museum’s entry is a two-day ticket.  There are a number of hotels and B&Bs in the area.

Speaking of Johnson City, it is the site of LBJ’s Texas White House.   The last time we were there, the buildings were closed and undergoing conservation but driving tours and access to the grounds are available. Out back of the home is the Boeing Jetstar, Air Force One-half, that was used to fly into the ranch.   

If your significant other is a fan of Chip & Joanne, and all things Magnolia, Waco is about two hours north on I35.    Plan ahead to keep SWMBO happy and allow you free rein in the vendor room at the convention.  In addition to their Silos, Waco is also the location of the Texas Ranger and Dr Pepper museums and Baylor University.   There is construction on the Interstate in Waco which the State says will be finished ‘soon’.   (We’ve been waiting for 27 years for ‘soon’ to come.)

About an hour east of San Marcos on I10 in Schulenberg is the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum.   Stanzel was one of the major manufacturers of wood and tissue flying aircraft models in the first half of the 20th century.   The museum is at their former plant.  The museum is only open M/W/F and Saturday so plan your trip accordingly.

If you are entering Texas from the northwest at Amarillo, divert a bit south to the Palo Duro Canyon. It is located, appropriately, in the city of Canyon.   Palo Duro is the second largest canyon in the US (see, everything in Texas isn’t the largest!)  The eroded cliff formations called “Mexican Dresses” are spectacular.  While in Canyon, check the Panhandle-Plains Museum on the campus of West Texas A&M University.   It covers dinosaurs to pioneers, oil to wind energy, Route 66, and the High Plains.  My wife and I found it very interesting and were there until they ran us out.

 

Good suggestions, all.

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