OT - In A Small Town in Texas Called

[Griff]

Langtry, sits what is left of the Judge Roy Bean saloon/courthouse. On a recent trip thru, I stopped and took some pics:

West of the

Pecos, there was only one Law



and it was dispensed when liquor wasn't












Langtry is just off US90 west of Del Rio, TX. Great fishing can be had in Lake Amistad, and Langtry is about an hour north & west as the crow flies. Further west lies Alpine, TX, home of Sul Ross University, and beyond there is Marathon, home of the "mystery lights." No explanation exists for them, and I've not been lucky enough to witness them firsthand. North of there sits Ft. Davis, worthy of a visit all on its own!

Enjoy, us Texans would love for ya to visit... then go HOME! Not really, I'm sure most of you Levergunners would feel at home!

[bdhold]

I've been to Vinegarone, but even the general store there has finally collapsed.


Something about that part of the state - everything bites, scratches or stings you - plants and animals all.
No wonder cowboys had chaps


this is a primitive campsite at Devil's River SNA - really.

[J Miller]

Texas, fascinates me. But so much of it is private land that it wouldn't be any different for me there than here. Gun ranges, parks, and private property.
If I could find a place near some state or fed land where I could just go and shoot and explore without paying for it, I'd really consider moving there.

Griff, love those pictures.

Joe

[Old Savage]

Wow Griff, great, thanks for that.

[Borregos]

Thanks for posting that.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yep, like a whole nuther country

Joe, Texas is big. Real big. We even have areas like you describe. East Texas holds several very large national forests and you can buy land right up next to em. There's lakes over there too. All public land. For $40 more a year, you can hunt them.

[wecsoger]

Haven't been down that way yet, other than some quality time in San Antonio, courtesy of Uncle Sam and couple subsequent visits on business. I do like that area, what parts I saw of it.

Spent a lot more traveling time in the DFW area, multiple trips there supporting my old company and new one. My old company had a facility in Waco, I dearly loved flying in to DFW then driving down 35. Always tried to visit the Texas Rangers Museum. Never did make it to the Dr. Pepper Museum, despite my good intentions. Did go to the site of the Davidian church, just to see a bit of history.

Next week, if my company travel people get it in gear, I'm flying into Dallas Love field, quick afternoon in our Dallas facilty, then off to Abilene to work at our location there. Hope y'all will have some good weather for me!

I do like Texas.

If you guys do secede, can us Kentuckians get a step or two ahead in line for passports?

[Sixgun]

Neat pics Griff Texas is one of about 10 states I never landed on. I stay outta there because you boys is baaaaadd and I don't wanna get beat up

Interesting though as to how the judge delivered justice. I'd like to see it continue. He would have his hands full here in the East.

Musta took me 15 minutes to read that sign. My neck is all sore now. ---------Sixgun

[Blaine]

Last summer I rode the scoot from El Paso North East thru Dallas to Texarkanna....what a beautiful state, tho I much prefered the southwest part around El Paso....... I forsee retirement somewhere in the SW

[bdhold]

Blaine, I'm afraid you may have skirted the hill country.
Did you see any of the aquifer recharge zone?

[Paladin]

Thanks for some great photos of an area I haven't been too for a very long time. Spent a year and a half in Texas and loved it. I got around as much as I could on my dirt bike and when I was learning to fly from the Army base. The hunting, diving, and fishing was a dream come true for a Yankee farm boy.

[Hobie]

I was stationed at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo for about 11 weeks in 1974. Never met anyone there I didn't like.

[hfcable]

dang it griff and bulldog, posting pictures like that!!!! went to langtry about half a dozen times, when i was covering a practice in del rio. the retired railroad station master there [ railroad station was gone by then but he stayed on ] owned the motel and store combo. took me a friend up in the hills showed us wonderful places, huge wild goats, massive perch living in a sinkhole in a dry wash there, and all sorts of indian artifacts and artifacts from the railroad crews etc. what an adventure.
and those rivers, like that , which i used to float tube fish. man my mouth is watering to wander around there again. great adventures, great state, great people...... thanks fellows for torturing me!

[kimwcook]

Cool pics, Griff. Wouldn't of wanted to get on the wrong side of his honor.

[bdhold]

I'm guiding Kevin Townsend this weekend, filming an episode of The KT Diaries - the subject is conservation of endemic Guadalupe bass - trying to save the fish from genetic dilution by smallmouth introduced in the 70s.
He was filming at the Johnson Creek Hatchery and stocking fish on the South Llano today and tomorrow.

The two places I've picked to take him are a 3-mile stretch of private river bank on a working ranch on the upper Guadalupe, and most of that is cypress tunnel


then we will head west, to an aquifer recharge creek just east of the gorgeous creek in the photos on my last post. This one is impounded, and we will be after big bass

we'll also both be fishing some of my vintage and venerable fly rods and reels

it's no wonder Judge Roy was so tough, the town he grew up in, Vinegarone, is named after a member of the scorpion family that doesn't even have to sting you - it spits formic acid at you.

[flounderjig]

Several thousand acres around Amistad for bowhunting for a small fee, got to obey the Nat. Park Service rules while there. Camping is good all around the lake in designated areas. Mexico is just three miles from Del Rio but I havent gone over there in 20 plus years. Del Rio is abit of a tourist town. I grew up there and hunted around the lake. Got a brother out there that works for the park service. Big border patrol station on the way into town to the right before San Felipe creek, use to catch Rio Grande perch out of that creek. Some big bucks out that way if you have the money. It is semi desert and check out the Seminole Canyon while you are up a Langtry. Tx. Parks and Wildlife does a lotto drawing for black powder hunts there. If you like to bass fish or Stripers even catfish then Amistad would be a good bet. I try to go out there at least once a year to see the family and do a little bowhunting.

[rangerider7]

This is an old photo of three rangers visiting Bean's old saloon. The Texas Ranger on the right is Eddie Aten, he brought all his prisoners to Bean's for court. I have his old cartridge belt. Neat stuff and great photos Griff.



That is the cartridge belt on the right.

[Blaine]

Blaine, I'm afraid you may have skirted the hill country.
Did you see any of the aquifer recharge zone?

Yup, I took 10, to the 20 to the 30 and the 30 on out....I was kind of in a hurry as I had spent alot of time in AZ visiting and old Army Buddy....Next time, San Antonio and slowly work north...

[RIHMFIRE]

great thread and pics! ....all of them!

[willygene]

great pics i live here and travel all over texas and i still love to see someones pics they took along the way.

[20cows]

...and beyond there is Marathon, home of the "mystery lights."

You'll have a better chance to see those a little closer to Marfa, but there ain't no guarantees.

[Griff]

...and beyond there is Marathon, home of the "mystery lights."

You'll have a better chance to see those a little closer to Marfa, but there ain't no guarantees.

Yep, Marfa it is, Marathon is E of Alpine!

[bdhold]

... If you like to bass fish or Stripers even catfish then Amistad would be a good bet. I try to go out there at least once a year to see the family and do a little bowhunting.

don't forget the Devil's River, which flows into Amistad. All the land is private, but outfitters have set up a 3-day float trip with campsites on a couple of ranches, and there is access at the state natural area.
100-200 smallmouth/day are normal on the float (and I've heard February is the best time to fish it)