Destination Guides - Southpoint.com Blog

Texas State Fair - A Mega Event

As this is our first time to the Texas State Fair, I didn't know just what to expect. Held yearly in October near downtown Dallas, we soon found our way among UT/OU fans who were also looking for parking places as the football game is held at the Cotton Bowl by the fair. After following the signs for many blocks, we turned in and paid $10 to park. As we arrived after 6 p.m., I expected the gate entry to be reduced but it was $14 a person (tip: bring a Dr. Pepper can and get half off).

People were everywhere, along with the new cars on display, hot tubs, amusement rides, wine tastings, artwork, exhibits, livestock, and all types of food you could imagine. If it could be fried it was sold. What we missed seeing that are staples with the Mississippi fair are free biscuits, catfish on a stick, kettle corn, roasted corn, cinammon rolls, elephant ears, and huge hamburgers. Also, the classic cars had already left for the day. With the Mississippi fair, they are indoors and can be seen as long as the fair is going.

We only got to see a quarter of the fair as we got tuckered out after walking for several hours. Huge is an understatement. Still, we enjoyed hearing Kevin Fowler once again, sampling the food, and walking through the exhibits.

Upcoming Mississippi Features: Natchez, Long Beach

We return soon to the grand old city on the bluff, Natchez to feature the b&b gem Linden. Not many stately mansions in the area have such a rich history. The doorway was the inspiration for Tara in the movie Gone with the Wind. Our veteran writer Tommy Ford will cover the unique aspects of this antebellum home that dates to 1800.

Along the Mississippi coast in Long Beach, we will be featuring the first b&b along the coast, the Red Creek Inn, a quaint b&b housed in a three story cottage dating to 1899.

Upcoming Texas Features: Dallas, Palo Duro Canyon

We will be traveling soon to Dallas to cover the giant Texas State Fair and featuring the Texas RV Ranch, located in Mansfield near Dallas/Ft. Worth.

From there, our RV travels will take us to the picturesque Palo Duro Canyon, 2nd only to the Grand Canyon in size and beauty. One of the early white settlers who owned most of the area was Col. Charles Goodnight, famous for his ranching empire among other pursuits. We will a be featuring West Rim RV Park, situated conveniently just outside of the State Park.

Apologies for not updating the blog recently as the software used (Thingamablog) has experienced numerous glitches. Due to it's limitations, we will be updating to a more robust solution in the coming months.

Interactive real-time map of Hurricane Ike

September 11 - 7 years later

September 11th. It was all so surreal. It happened so fast.

I remember my wife and I were staying in a small campground in Redding, California in our fifth wheel.

It was a morning like any other morning during that time when we had time to travel more than we do now. I was busy writing the final chapters for my book on web hosting. I got a call from my Mom telling me about a plane that hit a building in New York. I turned the television on and watched with disbelief as the second plane hit the second tower.

As we commemmorate that day, the lives that were lost, the heroes, let us not ever forget the hatred of the terrorists that did this and why they hate us for the freedoms we enjoy and what we stand for.

We must never forget the lessons we learned that day, and to always cherish our great Republic, and our freedoms that our veterans and troops have sacrificed so that we can enjoy.

Hurricane Ike heads to Texas coast

Hurricane Ike continues to make a bee line for the Texas coast. It is now expected to make landfall near Galveston, with powerful winds and water damage expected to be widespread.
Track Hurricane Ike here.

Denver, The Place For Mile High Fun

Denver offers a lot of fun things to do, the least of which is going to a boring convention... We explored a few months back from our trip to the Mile High city. Look for more features coming up in December as we travel back to the Colorado rockies.
 

Lynden Pioneer Museum, Lynden, Washington

 
Lynden Pioneer Museum in Lynden, Washington

I love small town museums. They have heart, and have an obvious pride in showing off their local history. Such is the case with the Lynden Pioneer Museum we visited a few years ago.
Few small towns have a museum this size. We spent several hours meandering through all the impressive exhibits that are housed in the 28,000 square feet of the museum.

Early wagons, tractors, cars, are in pristine condition. On display are farm implements, a soda fountain, doctor's office, barber shop, school house, and many other items dating back to the early 1900s, with snapshot histories of local ciitzens that helped to found the small town. Lynden, Washington is situated about 16 miles east of the coastal town of Blaine. When traveling through Washington, be sure to stop in and see the Lyndon Pioneer Museum. It will be a visit you will cherish for a long time.

Mississippi Gulf Coast welcomes tourists anew

The Mississippi Gulf Coast residents are resilient and are making a quick and steady comeback. I got a recent update from Vincent Creel, Public Affairs Manager for the City of Biloxi on all the positive things happening. Tourists are welcome to explore the many attractions that have now reopened.
The area holds a special charm and attraction to me. I spent several summers walking the beach, exploring Ship Island as a young man. Along this 28 mile stretch is the longest manmade sand beach in the world. It has a rich heritage of fun, seafood, and festivities that draws you in. View our updated feature on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Large arch at Arches National Park collapses

The Wall Arch at Arches National Park collapsed early last week, the sandstone a victim of time and erosion. Shown above is a photo I took on our visit to the park back some nine years ago as we hiked along Devils Garden Trail. According to Paul Henderson, the park's chief of interpretation, "They all let go after a while."

I plan to write a book someday from our travels, but in the meantime here's a snippet I wrote when we stayed in Moab -

Upon entering Arches National Park, we went up a winding road to view the many sandstone and sculpted slickrock formations formed from 100 million years of erosion and underground salt beds. The snow peaked La Sal Mountains could be seen in the distance. The mountains got their name from Spanish explorers who thought they looked like piles of salt when covered by snow. There are over 2,000 arches to view in this tranquil place in Utah. Native Americans traveled these lands for thousands of years, leaving evidence of petroglyph and pictograph drawings. Ranchers came in the late 1800s to raise cattle in the side canyons. Be sure to stay on the trails if you go. The soil is fragile, made up of algae, fungi, and lichens. This crust absorbs moisture and helps prevent erosion in the harsh climate. The best time for photos are in the early morning or late in the afternoon, where the colors of the rocks appear the richest (photos to appear here soon). As we left the park late in the day, we saw a skinny mule deer along the road, one of many we have seen on our journey.