Texas Oddities

One of my objectives for this trip is to find roadside oddities. While I haven’t been able to dedicate much time to this endeavor, I have found a few quirky attractions in Texas.


Terlingua Kitch
My first oddities were found in Terlingua. There we encountered Kathy’s Kosmic Kowgirl Kafe. The café consists of a school bus painted bright pink, tables made of cable spools, a small trailer with Betty Boop painted on the side, and another trailer for the kitchen. Unfortunately, Kathy's was closed when we arrived.

In the same dry desert area we found a home with a ship, the top of a submarine, and a statue of liberty out front. A sign over the entrance read “Passing Wind.”

Rest Stops for All
As we traveled from West Texas to the Dallas Fort Worth area, we took a break at a very nice rest stop. As we stretched our legs we noticed a fire hydrant that seemed to be singled out as somehow very important. We walked over and realized that it was a special rest area for dogs. A sign above the hydrant read “K-9 Comfort Station.”

Too bad we don’t have a dog.

Dallas Dino
As we drove into the Dallas area, we saw a lake on the map. Hoping to eat lunch on the banks of the lake, we drove into the community. Unfortunately, there was no access to the lake. However, we found a large dinosaur on the property of one house. The dinosaur’s mouth opened and closed and lights in its eye sockets glared. Nice.

Tourist Trap
Fort Worth’s historic stockyards are a major tourist attraction. This, of course, leads to some eccentricities. Here you can attend Cowboy Church, take pictures of your children riding a longhorn, ride an electric bull, or do any number of cowboy activities.

Cowboy Tower
Finally, in Paris, TX we found the Eiffel Tower. While it is not as tall as the cell phone towers of the area, this tower is much more interesting. It looks like the Eiffel Tower in France, but it has my figure—-wide at the bottom compared with its short height. At the top of the tower is a bright red cowboy hat. Perfect!

We’re looking forward to the peculiarities we can find in Arkansas!