At the Convention


The city of Amarillo provided their entire convention complex free of charge for the BGCT meeting. A few other cities have made the same offer for future meetings.





I couldn't see the pianist but the hands were interesting.







I spotted some members of FBC Grandview across the arena.



On Monday the Texas Baptist Men set up their disaster feeding units outside and provided meals for the 2000 plus messengers and visitors. They served both the noon and evening meals. The food was very good.



Rick Warren author of "Forty Days of Purpose" was the keynote speaker. I don't know why he sat down for his sermon.

West of Amarillo



No trip to the panhandle would be complete without a visit to the Cadillac Ranch!









Graffiti is encouraged.





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High Plains Wind

The A&M Research station at Bushland just west of Amarillo was the site of early windmill testing. For years we would drive by the station and see several different styles of windmills being tested. Several of the early models are still in operation at the site but the vertical "eggbeater" mill was destroyed by a storm if I remember correctly.

All that research is finally paying off. This is the view now between Bushland and Vega as the power company is installing 400 ft. tall wind generators.



Billy told us that there are presently 70 of these in operation. They are constructed at the northern edge of the high plains cap rock at the point where the land breaks into the Canadian River Valley.

From Amarillo

Don't have much time at the computer but I will have some pictures to blog when time permits. This is prepared from the Internet kiosk at the exhibit hall.

To Amarillo

Saturday morning was cold and clear with the temperature around 39 degrees. We finally were on the road by 8:30 headed for Vega. Lunch time found us stopping for fast food at McDonalds in Wichita Falls.

We stopped in Iowa Park to visit our foot bridge.





We stopped at one of the new highway rest areas on 287 just long enough to download our email before hitting the road again.

At Childress we turned north on US 83. I had been wanting to visit some points of interest on I-40 east of Amarillo. After crossing the Salt Fork of the Red River we were in cotton country. Even though it was dryland production the fields were some of the whitest I have ever seen.

After turning west on I-40 or first stop was the Devil's Rope Museum in McLean. It was getting late in the day and the museum was already closed. Since we were running late I didn't spend much time looking for the cache near the front door of the museum! Those are rolls of used barb wire on the pillars!

Next we came to a highway rest stop and tornado shelter.

The site overlooked the beginning of the Canadian River Breaks at the north edge of the High Plains.

This is the front entrance to the shelter. Notice the sun coming through one of the star cutouts in the wall casting a bright star shape on the opposite wall. Click to enlarge.

The leaning tower near Groom.

In Groom we stopped my windmill and well repair shop but couldn't find the cache here either.

On the west side of groom is a huge cross listed in Roadside America. We stopped here long enough to take some pictures before heading into the setting sun.

All the stations of the cross are depicted in bronze around the base of the giant cross.

The road into and through Amarillo looks directly into the setting sun. I had to use both the sun visor and my hand to block the glare.

It was around 7:30 by the time we arrived at Bill and Ruth's place. They had already eaten but had hamburger and hot dog fixings on the table waiting for us. We enjoyed the feast.