What's going on in the world of offbeat Texas travel?
If you know about a roadside Texas story that doesn't appear here, don't hesitate to let me know!

July 9, 2004
Texas Twisted reported in May 2002 and May 2003 on the Texas Department of Transportation's upgrades to the state's highway rest stops. Many of the new stops, now called "safety rest areas," have been designed with specific styles and themes intended to reflect their surroundings, which have resulted in their becoming attractions in their own right. It has recently come to the attention of Texas Twisted that the rest areas, both old and new, are now being equipped with wireless Internet access. Termed TxDOT HotSpots, all 84 rest areas and each of TxDOT's 12 Texas Travel Information Centers will eventually be equipped with the so-called wi-fi connections. According to TxDOT's Web site, four rest areas in Donley and Hardeman counties have already been equipped with wireless access. Last month, TxDOT was accepting proposals from access providers interested in installing connections in the remaining facilities. Motorists carrying personal wireless devices will be able to connect at any HotSpot entirely free of charge. Additionally, TxDOT plans to install fee-based Internet kiosks for those traveling without their own equipment. Though the Donley County Eastbound rest area pictured here does not, at this time, offer wi-fi, its lobby boasts a tornado shelter, its bathroom showcases rare, full-length urinals, and a plaque outside features an incomplete sentence. Those disinterested in this news completely can rest in the knowledge that the technologically upgraded safety rest areas will still provide everyone with the basic opportunity to take a pee-pee.

Related Information:

TxDOT's Safety Rest Area Program Interactive Safety Rest Area Location Map

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World's Largest Wooden Nickel Rededicated

June 28, 2004	San Antonio
The World's Largest Wooden Nickel, which, to my own surprise, I have yet to write about here on Texas Twisted, had its new paint job revealed this weekend in a rededication ceremony. The giant nickel stands 13 feet 4 inches tall outside the Old Time Wooden Nickel Company and Wooden Nickel Historical Museum in San Antonio. It was built by proprietor Herb Hornung in 2002, when its face was dedicated to the Boy Scouts of America. A year later, the nickel's surface was sanded down and repainted in honor of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Despite threatening storms, another new face was unveiled on Saturday, this time honoring the Lions Club. The San Antonio Buffalo Soldiers Association was on hand to assist in the commemoration. Herb plans to rededicate the enormous coin to a new nonprofit organization every year.

Related Information:

The Wooden Nickel Historical Museum The Old Time Wooden Nickel Company

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Cadillac Ranch Turns 30

June 26, 2004	Amarillo
Cadillac Ranch, one of America's most recognizable roadside attractions, was erected in an Amarillo wheatfield in 1974. This month, it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Stanley Marsh 3, the man who sponsored Cadillac Ranch's creation, held a celebration on Monday, complete with free liquor and live entertainment. The milestone, like major Cadillac Ranch anniversaries in the past, was scheduled for commemoration on the 21st to coincide with the summer solstice. (The 2004 solstice actually took place on the 20th, but hey, this ain't Stonehenge.) Naturally, like with all events offering an open bar, Texas Twisted host Wesley Treat was there to record the event — and its tempestuous end. Check out his Special Report.

Related Information:

Cadillac Ranch: Amarillo's Objet D'Art

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The Longhorn of the Law

June 17, 2004	Fort Worth
Car thieves considering plying their trade in Fort Worth may want to steer clear of the Stockyards. Visitors to the Stockyards, known for the Fort Worth Herd and the world's only daily cattle drive, summoned for help yesterday when they noticed a man trying to break into a Jeep. Professional cowboy and local celebrity Ron Sitton was quick to respond. And so was his one-ton associate Buckwheat. Buckwheat, a longhorn steer, is a regular sight at the Stockyards, where he and Sitton pose for photographs with tourists. When Sitton realized a crime was being committed, he hopped into Buckwheat's saddle and gave chase. One vigilant cowboy and 2,000 pounds of armed steer in hot pursuit. Thanks to the duo's heroic actions, the perpetrator was caught and arrested by police.

Related Information:

The Fort Worth Herd

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If They Serve Only Synthehol, I'm Not Going

June 16, 2004	Italy
If you've ever dreamed of having a meal in Ten Forward, this could be your closest shot. Proprietor Andy Gee has chosen Italy, 40 miles south of Dallas, as the site for Starship Pegasus, a science-fiction-themed restaurant modeled after the spacecraft from Star Trek: The Next Generation. The eatery, under construction since March, is designed with warp nacelles and a 58-foot-wide dome serving as the saucer section. Along with space-themed dishes, Starship Pegasus will feature consoles on which diners can play games against one another and with others on the Internet. It's the first in what Gee hopes will be a franchise fleet. No word yet on when the restaurant will open. Incidentally, readers who recognize the Pegasus as Commander Riker's first post are hereby slapped with a scathing Geek Check. Thanks to Unkle John for the story lead. Photo courtesy of Andrew Gee.

Related Information:

Starship Pegasus at the Monolithic Dome Institute

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Headline Archives Main: 5 Most Recent July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 Previous Months >>		I'm in need of Texas travelers with sharp eyes for offbeat news! If you have a lead on a roadside Texas story, don't hesitate to let me know. You may even get a credit! Links are very welcome! Please be sure to point your links to http://www.texastwisted.com/headlines/ and not to one of the archive pages. Thank you very much for the plug!