We got an early start, leaving Bakersfield at 6:15 am. In 3 days we drove 1,100 miles and are now in Amarillo, TX. The first day we traveled through desert most of the way to Williams, AZ, seeing nothing exciting, just blue sky, nice clouds, and some succulents, sage brush, and some cows here and there.
The next day we made Albuquerque, NM., driving through flat lands with nothing as far as you could see. Once in a while we saw some cattle, but always a very small amount (less than a dozen!) We saw many billboards trying to get the tourists to stop and spend their money. There were sooooooo many gift shops, trading posts and/or out posts with Indian casinos galore! You can spend and/or lose your money in many different ways. They all seemed to have blankets, rugs, crafts, jewelry, dolls, moccasins and casinos. We didn’t stop at any of them. For a short distance we drove by evergreen trees, believing they were cedars, since that’s what we smelled. We drove through and over mountains, which were a nice change after being on flat lands earlier. A lot of the rock formations were red, which we love to see. We noticed there were a lot of trucks on the road, figuring they were driving on Sunday in hopes they can take off next Sunday and Monday because it will be Memorial Day Weekend.
Next stop was Amarillo, TX. We drove again over rolling hills and then through boring flat lands. We went to the Big Texan Steak Ranch for dinner. We have eaten there with the kids when we moved to California from Michigan. For miles and miles we have seen many billboards advertising this restaurant. Their gimmick is if you eat a 72 oz. steak dinner (with all the trimmings) in an hour you get the dinner free. If you don’t you have to pay $72. We’re not going to even try!!! Dinner was delicious, we split a 21 oz. top sirloin. No leftovers to bring home! There were three guys who tried to get their 72 oz. steak, served with two sides, and a roll free. They were visible from our table, so we were able to watch them. One had given up by the time we were finished and ready to leave, while the others were still ‘at it!’ We were stuffed after eating our steak.
The next day we slept-in, had breakfast, took showers and visited Palo Duro State Park in Canyon, Texas. Some people call it the ‘Grand Canyon of Texas.’ The park consists of 18,438 acres which officially opened on July 4, 1934. Seeing the canyon is done in your vehicle which we did after going through the visitor center. “Palo Duro” is Spanish for “hard wood” in reference to the Juniper trees which we saw all over the canyon. The canyon is where erosion has shaped the land. Judy spotted a Texas long-horned steer as we entered the park. Farther down the path Mike spotted a wild turkey, which was well-camouflaged! The canyon is 120 miles long and 800 feet deep and is the second largest canyon in the U.S., but is no way close to the Grand Canyon in size or beauty!
Heading back ‘home’ Judy spotted a billboard, but couldn’t read the font until we were right up to it, so Mike backed up so we could get a closer look. And yes, she read it correctly……it was for “Feldman’s Wrong Way Diner" in Canyon, TX. They were open, so we went in and Mike asked the hostess if Mr. Feldman was in. He was then informed there was no Feldman Family. Her step-dad and his two brothers own the place and named it after Wrong Way Feldman!
Wrongway Feldman was a fictional World War I fighter pilot who appeared on the TV sitcom Gilligan's Island played by actor Hans Conried. He got his nickname for always flying the wrong way, and during the war, bombed his own airbase. He told the castaways that he survived on the island with "matches, magazines, and 64 bottles of Scotch.
While watching TV later, it was announced that the tiny City of Canyon was being evacuated due to a grass fire. We could see the smoke in the sky and hoped that our namesake diner was safe, as well as all the residents.
Their menu states:
Feldman’s is dedicated to anyone who has gone the wrong way, taken a wrong turn, made a wrong decision or in some way wandered off the beaten path…in other words: all of us at one time or another.
Often things just turn out the way you thought they would; but that’s not always a bad thing. The surprises you encounter while wandering around off the proverbial beaten path can be the spice of life, and at the very least, they make the best stories when you are sitting around a table sharing a meal with family and friends.
So make yourself comfortable, enjoy our food and drink, and tell your best “Wrong Way” story. With a nod to our fictitious “Col. ‘Wrong Way’ Feldman,” lets toast the paths we have followed that brought us where we are today. We hope you are enjoying the journey.
We enjoyed a delicious early dinner and even purchased tee-shirts with our name/their name on them. While watching TV later, it was announced that the tiny City of Canyon was being evacuated due to a grass fire. We could see the smoke in the sky and hoped that our namesake diner was safe, as well as all the residents.
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