Corpus Christi

Other than a brief trip to South Padre Island, I've never spent much time on the Gulf Coast in Texas. I'm really interested to start my drive along the coast in Corpus and see how the atmosphere and culture is different than the other parts of the state as I head towards Galveston. I have some good friends that I'm staying with here that will be able to show me around town. One stop I want to make is the Texas State Aquarium.

Big Bend National Park

So, the reason this journey includes so much nature and viewing of the Texas landscape is because I've been to all of the major cities in the state. What I haven't seen are most of the parks or natural wonders the state has to offer. I've heard so much about Big Bend National Park, but have never had the opportunity to go. I think that having the opportunity to see Texas as it was before people settled here would be really interesting to me.


Visit Big Bend

El Paso

I know, I know what you're thinking. El Paso? Really?

But that's why I'm going. I want to see if the rumors are at all true. Is El Paso really a desolate wasteland with nothing to do or see? Is it the worst city to visit in Texas (besides Lubbock, of course)? I've been avoiding ever traveling through El Paso for as long as I can remember. By visiting El Paso now, I hope to see what makes it unique and why the people who live there thought it was a good choice. If nothing else, I can call some of my friends who live there to take me across the border for a strong margarita… or two.

Amarillo & Palo Duro Canyon

This will be the furthest north in Texas I've ever traveled. Palo Duro Canyon is known as the "Grand Canyon of Texas" and is supposed to be pretty good for hiking. Here I just want to stretch my legs, do some hiking, see the natural wonders of the canyon and see what the Panhandle has to offer - besides Palo Duro Canyon, I hear that's not a lot. I plan to spend the afternoon exploring there before heading back to Amarillo for the night.

The Proposal

Coming from a family that loves to travel when time and resources permit, road trips have always held a special place in my heart. In my experience road trips are a means by which people can learn more about themselves through exposure to and interaction with other people and cultures. In order to fully experience a road trip one has to have an opportunity to see and interact with other cultures and have a willingness to experience all that lies ahead, especially the unexpected.

To further explore this notion of road trips, I have planned a journey of my own during summer 2010 after I graduate this May. My road trip will crisscross around Texas, visiting the varied landscapes that the state has to offer including the pine forests and swamps of the east, the border towns of the south, the deserts of the west, and the hill country in the center. The main reason for taking this journey will be to discover as much as I can about the state I have always loved. As a 6th generation Texan, admiring the Lone Star State and defending it to “foreigners” has always been a part of who I am, and I have never questioned it. Despite living here my entire life, I really have only seen bits and pieces of the state. This journey will be a way for me to see the big picture of what makes Texas such an interesting place to live in, what instills its citizens with such pride, and hopefully, teach me something about myself.

I plan to make this trip in my SUV entirely by myself. I plan to bring a pillow and a few blankets, in case I have to sleep or nap in the car, my laptop and a camera for documenting the journey, a few changes of clothes, and my iPod for company. To ease my mother’s worrying mind, I’m sure I’ll also take something along for protective measures like pepper spray, as well. To adequately cover a state this large, I intend to give myself eleven days. The entire trip will cover a little less than 2,500 miles. At an overestimated cost of $3.00 per gallon and a car that gets roughly 28mpg, the cost for gas will be roughly $268.00. In most cities, I have friends or family that I can stay with, but I plan on staying at hotels in Amarillo, El Paso, Big Bend National Park, and Horseshoe Bay for a total of $315.00. For food and miscellaneous costs, I plan to budget $30.00 a day for a total of $330.00. The total cost of the trip comes to approximately $910. I have enough saved money to cover the cost, along with my tax return from this year.

Because Texas has produced such a wide variety of talented musicians, I plan to listen to a playlist of various great Texan artists including Willie Nelson, Janis Joplin, Buddy Holly, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steve Miller, and ZZ Top. As I travel across the state I hope to see its natural wonders, talk to people about why they love Texas, and see various landmarks that I’ve always heard of but never seen.


View Trip Around Texas Blog Map in a larger map

I plan to start in my hometown of Denison near the Red River and travel to Amarillo and visit Palo Duro Canyon. Then, I’ll stop to see friends in Lubbock and the famed Buddy Holly Statue for a night on my way through Midland to El Paso, to really see the western part of the state. From there, I’ll travel to Marfa to get off the major highway for awhile and see if I can find out more about the infamous Marfa Lights. Afterwards, I’ll head south to Big Bend National Park to take in the scenery and stay at the Chisos Mountain Lodge – the only lodging inside the park . From there, I’ll travel south along the border through Del Rio and Laredo, TX. After grabbing a meal in Laredo, I’ll venture south to Corpus Christi and stay with friends there for the night. The next morning, I’ll head along the coast to Galveston and on to Houston to meet up with family friends. I plan on exploring Houston for a day before traveling to Huntsville and eventually turning back west towards Horseshoe Bay to get a great view of the Texas hill country. I plan to have a few good friends meet me in Horseshoe Bay for a mini-vacation (and to split the hotel cost!) From there, I’ll head back east towards my apartment in Austin, TX.

All of these stops along my journey will help me really discover what makes Texas such a unique place. I understand that not all places I visit may meet my expectations, some may exceed them. Regardless, this trip will shed new light on the state that has helped shape who I am, and hopefully, reinforce my belief that Texas is not just a lot of wide open space full of rednecks like so many people believe it to be.