Another road trip and another loss. It seems I’ve started a few summaries that way, but every trip was well worth the experience as we grow through the pains. New cities, stadiums, fans on the P5 level are the new norm. There are no half-full stadiums, low energy vibes, and teams we will likely curb stomp to victory. It makes the wins feel so much better and the losses, well, they still suck. We are competing in a P5 league without the benefit of P5 resources (yet) and in every road game I’ve met multiple fans that welcomed me to their city, to the B12, and usually were grateful they came out on top. In my opinion, we’ve validated our status in the BIG leagues. My motto on the road is don’t get embarrassed, stay competitive in the second half, and win. Aside from Kansas after the Baylor let down, we were never embarrassed. Good times ahead and the Texas Tech game is the epitome of belonging. An equivalent to benchmark against, the eye test didn’t lie. Leaving the X’s and O’s to the Dungeon Coaching Staff, I’ll reserve my thoughts on the overall state of the team. After a one road game hiatus opting for a trip to the lower bowels of the Grand Canyon over a trip to see UCF play Cindy, I’m back on the road to Lubbock.
Lubbock, a dusty town wedged vertically in the panhandle of Texas between Midland and Amarillo. Where? Exactly. I do have some familiarity with the remote parts of Texas on a personal quest to visit all 254 Counties in the state. I’ve spent time in remote cities such Van Horn, Del Rio, Bandera, Paris, and Pecos, to name a few, and surprisingly Lubbock would be larger. My flight choice of going into Midland and out of Amarillo was predicated on sight seeing and knowing I’d lose my mind if I spent 3 solid days in Lubbock. Combine that with a goal to see places with historical significance, sights most overlook, and chew off a few more counties, I chose a plan most would shake their head at. I don’t blame you either.
Midland: Located in the 86,000 square mile Permian Basin which reaches just south of Lubbock, oil and natural gas is king here. Peek at the satellite imagery north and south of Midland and you’ll see what looks like constellations and images of Space U paraphernalia. Instead of stars being connected it’s oil fields and wells. A vastly different landscape from the palm trees.
Permian Basin Vietman Veterans Memorial: Located just outside the Midland airport, halfway between Midland and Odessa, this memorial honors the 225 men from 30 of the West Texas Permian Basin Counties. It was dedicated on November 12, 1994. It’s a small memorial with dedication plaques and one helicopter on site.
Home of Presidents George Bush and George W. Bush: The family moved quite a bit between Odessa, Midland, and Houston starting in 1948. There is a historical plaque at one of their former homes located at N31 59.913 W102 05.473.
Big Bend National Park: If you think Midland is in the middle of nowhere, try getting to Big Bend National Park. It’s a few hours south and will remain on my to do list, but I’ll mention it as a point of reference since you can’t possibly get there any easier than El Paso to the West or San Antonio to the East. The region is unique and features the Ouachita Orogeny which extends 1,300 miles from Mississippi to West Texas. 80% is buried in the subsurface, but there are two major exposed areas which are the Ouachita Mountains in Oklahoma and Arkansas and the Marathon region of West Texas. The physical features include vertical rock beds with tilted rock layers called unconformities. Fort Pena Colorado Park (N30 09.209 W103 17.258) features visible unconformities such as folds which I did visit and marked my southern boundary for the trip.
Lubbock: I felt that the overall vibe of the city was in support of Texas Tech, but in talking to several locals, they battle a bit of what UCF has over the years in their state. A large population of fans and alumni didn’t grow up in Lubbock, they don’t live in Lubbock, and they likely grew up rooting for other schools in their state (UT). 30 years ago a large majority of folks following UCF now likely were fans of FSU or UF in the 90s. As UCF has evolved, and some grow from childhood fans to alumni, the passion and allegiance shifts. Tech faces much the same issue in Texas, and in that regard, we have some similarities. Two schools fighting for bragging rights in their states. The fans weren’t quite as welcoming as those in Kansas, but then again, that’s the difference between Texas and the Midwest. They also weren’t quite as entitled as Oklahoma given the overall state of their program from a historical stance. I made the lone walk across from campus up Broadway Street which boasts plenty of bars and the Red Raider Outfitter since 1975. I grabbed a drink nearby and met a TT alum who reminded me to NOT eat a tortilla at the game that was likely snuck in around or near someone’s crotch. Don’t eat a random tortilla from a random fan at the game. Check. He bought me a beer and offered to walk into the game with his Dad. I got a walking tour of the stadium and he explained the building architecture along the way. The overall look and feel of the campus is different yet really nice. It’s not UCF or Florida and has a vibe of its own. It’s West Texas. If you’ve been there, you know. After the game I ate at Spanky’s and enjoyed a burger and their famous fried cheese. It was a tasty burger and the cheese was excellent, but you can only eat so many massive logs of fried cheese. Plenty of TT fans made comments about how great a game it was and welcomed us to the conference. I imagine that is an easier conversation for them after gifting that game to them.
Game Day Vibe: The overall vibe inside the stadium was nice. It wasn’t raucous or nearly as loud as Kansas State. The fans were much more engaged into football than Kansas. They were more hospitable than Oklahoma though. The noise level inside the stadium was pretty quiet and calmer than I expected. Temperatures were in the mid to low 50s with a strong and cold wind. I had on T shirt, long sleeve dry fit, and a sweater and still was cold and shivered for the second quarter. I was sitting in section 111 since I didn’t plan on going to the game far enough in advance of the early cut off time where tickets need to be returned, so I bought a cheap $5 (before Ticketmaster fees) to get in. The second half I watched the game from the outside concourse which is open air and looks down into the field. I preferred standing here compared to my seat and enjoyed the view (and less wind). The Red Raider riding out onto the field was cool to see, but I was surprised at how quiet the fans were to welcome their team. Again, I don’t know what I expected but could only compare against the other road games this year.
Buddy Holley (Holly): Kuddos to Brandon for this and stealing my thunder. His gravesite and museum are located just outside of town. I noted that on his grave the spelling was Holley, but the sign inside the cemetery pointing to his grave and the museum drops the E. I’m not sure why and haven’t done the research on that, but plan to at some point. I’ve actually been to the location in Clear Lake, Iowa where he played the night before the plane crash so this visit brought those two together. ** I googled and the E was dropped in a contract he was asked to sign. Who knew?!**
Amarillo: One of the more populous towns in the northern panhandle of Texas, Amarillo sits along Route 66 and the famous Cadillac Ranch and the Big Texan.
Cadillac Ranch: A roadside attraction standing along Route 66 west of Amarillo, Texas, Cadillac Ranch was invented and built by a group of art-hippies imported from San Francisco. They called themselves The Ant Farm, and their silent partner was Amarillo billionaire Stanley Marsh. Ten Cadillac vehicles are half buried in the ground standing upright. Feel free to spray paint them and the concrete road as much as your heart desires. I attempted to spray paint a DIRTYD in pink but failed as it just bled into a multi-colored mess. The ranch is located at N35 11.237 W101 59.222.
2nd Amendment Cowboy: If you’re visiting Cadillac Ranch, this is less than a mile away. Located at N35 11.192 W101 58.447 and also along Route 66, this giant cowboy roadside statue screamed “shoot ‘em up, bang band, get ‘er done guns” to me. I had to stop and check it out. It also doubles as the Cadillac Ranch Gift Shop.
Helium Time Columns Monument/Don Harrington Discovery Center/Amarillo Botanical Gardens: All are located within walking distance next to each other and are great spots to take the kiddos. The helium monument has a 6-story high stainless-steel structure which is a sundial and four sealed tubes. It commemorates the 100th anniversary of the discovery of helium on the sun in 1868. The four tubes are time capsules and are (were) to be opened after 25, 50, 75, and 100 year anniversaries from 1968.
Overall, it was another eventful trip with plenty of new sights to explore. The crushing one-point loss aside, I would recommend a trip to a future Texas Tech game. The overall game day experience was entertaining and the fans were hospitable. It’s not an easy trip logistically and the overall area doesn’t provide a lot of the key attractions that would bring families. If anything, the tortillas tossed is almost worth the price of the trip. There’s a phrase “Lubbock or Leave It”, and while I had fun at the game, I’m going to leave it for the sun and fun of Orlando.
Lubbock, a dusty town wedged vertically in the panhandle of Texas between Midland and Amarillo. Where? Exactly. I do have some familiarity with the remote parts of Texas on a personal quest to visit all 254 Counties in the state. I’ve spent time in remote cities such Van Horn, Del Rio, Bandera, Paris, and Pecos, to name a few, and surprisingly Lubbock would be larger. My flight choice of going into Midland and out of Amarillo was predicated on sight seeing and knowing I’d lose my mind if I spent 3 solid days in Lubbock. Combine that with a goal to see places with historical significance, sights most overlook, and chew off a few more counties, I chose a plan most would shake their head at. I don’t blame you either.
Midland: Located in the 86,000 square mile Permian Basin which reaches just south of Lubbock, oil and natural gas is king here. Peek at the satellite imagery north and south of Midland and you’ll see what looks like constellations and images of Space U paraphernalia. Instead of stars being connected it’s oil fields and wells. A vastly different landscape from the palm trees.
Permian Basin Vietman Veterans Memorial: Located just outside the Midland airport, halfway between Midland and Odessa, this memorial honors the 225 men from 30 of the West Texas Permian Basin Counties. It was dedicated on November 12, 1994. It’s a small memorial with dedication plaques and one helicopter on site.
Home of Presidents George Bush and George W. Bush: The family moved quite a bit between Odessa, Midland, and Houston starting in 1948. There is a historical plaque at one of their former homes located at N31 59.913 W102 05.473.
Big Bend National Park: If you think Midland is in the middle of nowhere, try getting to Big Bend National Park. It’s a few hours south and will remain on my to do list, but I’ll mention it as a point of reference since you can’t possibly get there any easier than El Paso to the West or San Antonio to the East. The region is unique and features the Ouachita Orogeny which extends 1,300 miles from Mississippi to West Texas. 80% is buried in the subsurface, but there are two major exposed areas which are the Ouachita Mountains in Oklahoma and Arkansas and the Marathon region of West Texas. The physical features include vertical rock beds with tilted rock layers called unconformities. Fort Pena Colorado Park (N30 09.209 W103 17.258) features visible unconformities such as folds which I did visit and marked my southern boundary for the trip.
Lubbock: I felt that the overall vibe of the city was in support of Texas Tech, but in talking to several locals, they battle a bit of what UCF has over the years in their state. A large population of fans and alumni didn’t grow up in Lubbock, they don’t live in Lubbock, and they likely grew up rooting for other schools in their state (UT). 30 years ago a large majority of folks following UCF now likely were fans of FSU or UF in the 90s. As UCF has evolved, and some grow from childhood fans to alumni, the passion and allegiance shifts. Tech faces much the same issue in Texas, and in that regard, we have some similarities. Two schools fighting for bragging rights in their states. The fans weren’t quite as welcoming as those in Kansas, but then again, that’s the difference between Texas and the Midwest. They also weren’t quite as entitled as Oklahoma given the overall state of their program from a historical stance. I made the lone walk across from campus up Broadway Street which boasts plenty of bars and the Red Raider Outfitter since 1975. I grabbed a drink nearby and met a TT alum who reminded me to NOT eat a tortilla at the game that was likely snuck in around or near someone’s crotch. Don’t eat a random tortilla from a random fan at the game. Check. He bought me a beer and offered to walk into the game with his Dad. I got a walking tour of the stadium and he explained the building architecture along the way. The overall look and feel of the campus is different yet really nice. It’s not UCF or Florida and has a vibe of its own. It’s West Texas. If you’ve been there, you know. After the game I ate at Spanky’s and enjoyed a burger and their famous fried cheese. It was a tasty burger and the cheese was excellent, but you can only eat so many massive logs of fried cheese. Plenty of TT fans made comments about how great a game it was and welcomed us to the conference. I imagine that is an easier conversation for them after gifting that game to them.
Game Day Vibe: The overall vibe inside the stadium was nice. It wasn’t raucous or nearly as loud as Kansas State. The fans were much more engaged into football than Kansas. They were more hospitable than Oklahoma though. The noise level inside the stadium was pretty quiet and calmer than I expected. Temperatures were in the mid to low 50s with a strong and cold wind. I had on T shirt, long sleeve dry fit, and a sweater and still was cold and shivered for the second quarter. I was sitting in section 111 since I didn’t plan on going to the game far enough in advance of the early cut off time where tickets need to be returned, so I bought a cheap $5 (before Ticketmaster fees) to get in. The second half I watched the game from the outside concourse which is open air and looks down into the field. I preferred standing here compared to my seat and enjoyed the view (and less wind). The Red Raider riding out onto the field was cool to see, but I was surprised at how quiet the fans were to welcome their team. Again, I don’t know what I expected but could only compare against the other road games this year.
Buddy Holley (Holly): Kuddos to Brandon for this and stealing my thunder. His gravesite and museum are located just outside of town. I noted that on his grave the spelling was Holley, but the sign inside the cemetery pointing to his grave and the museum drops the E. I’m not sure why and haven’t done the research on that, but plan to at some point. I’ve actually been to the location in Clear Lake, Iowa where he played the night before the plane crash so this visit brought those two together. ** I googled and the E was dropped in a contract he was asked to sign. Who knew?!**
Amarillo: One of the more populous towns in the northern panhandle of Texas, Amarillo sits along Route 66 and the famous Cadillac Ranch and the Big Texan.
Cadillac Ranch: A roadside attraction standing along Route 66 west of Amarillo, Texas, Cadillac Ranch was invented and built by a group of art-hippies imported from San Francisco. They called themselves The Ant Farm, and their silent partner was Amarillo billionaire Stanley Marsh. Ten Cadillac vehicles are half buried in the ground standing upright. Feel free to spray paint them and the concrete road as much as your heart desires. I attempted to spray paint a DIRTYD in pink but failed as it just bled into a multi-colored mess. The ranch is located at N35 11.237 W101 59.222.
2nd Amendment Cowboy: If you’re visiting Cadillac Ranch, this is less than a mile away. Located at N35 11.192 W101 58.447 and also along Route 66, this giant cowboy roadside statue screamed “shoot ‘em up, bang band, get ‘er done guns” to me. I had to stop and check it out. It also doubles as the Cadillac Ranch Gift Shop.
Helium Time Columns Monument/Don Harrington Discovery Center/Amarillo Botanical Gardens: All are located within walking distance next to each other and are great spots to take the kiddos. The helium monument has a 6-story high stainless-steel structure which is a sundial and four sealed tubes. It commemorates the 100th anniversary of the discovery of helium on the sun in 1868. The four tubes are time capsules and are (were) to be opened after 25, 50, 75, and 100 year anniversaries from 1968.
Overall, it was another eventful trip with plenty of new sights to explore. The crushing one-point loss aside, I would recommend a trip to a future Texas Tech game. The overall game day experience was entertaining and the fans were hospitable. It’s not an easy trip logistically and the overall area doesn’t provide a lot of the key attractions that would bring families. If anything, the tortillas tossed is almost worth the price of the trip. There’s a phrase “Lubbock or Leave It”, and while I had fun at the game, I’m going to leave it for the sun and fun of Orlando.
