Headed "To West Texas"

Another one in Midland: Ol Monterrey.

Kind of hidden dowtown. Great Carne Asada and a similar vesion with pork.

 

Man, you're always such a chipper guy. People must love being around you.

 

Goddammit, I had an enormous post just disappear.

Let's see if I can remember it:

The best brisket in the area is at Pappy's in Monahans. You will drive through Monahans if you are going from El Paso. Be sure and buy some of their sauce on your way out the door. Boobie Miles also lives in Monahans and you might see him stumbling around on the streets.

The best Mexican food I ate, was at La Margaritas, on the Southside of Odessa. Though Rosa's is just as good and has Taco Tuesday's.

The best bar is in Midland and is called The Bar (http://www.thebarmidland.com/). They also have concerts and a really good brunch.

The best steak is at The Wall Street Grill in Midland, lots of good history there as well.

The best hole-in-the-wall bar is Woody's Lounge, which has cheap Shiner and the nicest pool tables in Odessa.

For concerts and good catfish hit Dos Amigos in Odessa (http://www.dosamigoscantina.com/). They also offer free bull riding on Sunday's. I never had the balls to try that.



One other thing I always wanted to do was go to the ghosttown of Girvin, Texas, which is technically still a town. It is south of Odessa, about 70 miles or so. There is a bar that is sometimes open there, though it is generally filled with roughnecks. There is also a post office/trailer home. It is a very strange place.



http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/tx/girvin.html

I'd also suggest watching the movie Fandango, starring Kevin Costner.

 

Anything west of I-35 is West Texas to me.

 

let me giggle just a little bit when i say rosa's is not as good as jorges.

but taco tuesdays at rosa's is damn solid cheap food ... if you get the carne asada.

 

Heaven. On. Earth.

 

The drive from Odessa to Dallas is awfully long and boring.

There's not a whole hell of a lot along I-20 between Abilene and Fort Worth. Even gas stations. If you pass a station and you're running low, go ahead and get gas because it could be a while before you see one again.

 

Umm, you are wrong.

There's not a lot between Odessa/Midland and Abilene, but between Abilene and Fort Worth there is actually quite a bit - at least compared to West Texas.

The worst West Texas stretch is buckweaver's favorite: San Antonio to El Paso.

Let's see: Sonora, check; Fort Stockton, check; El Paso, check. A cool 400 miles.

 

Kerrville and Ozona are pretty sizable as well, at least for out there.. But that's about it for I-10. But hey, the speed limit's 80 from Kerrville to... some god-forsaken place past Fort Stockton.

There's a town every 30 miles or so from Fort Worth to Abilene - Weatherford, Ranger, Eastland, Cisco and then you hit Baird and Clyde right outside of Abilene itself. Big Spring and Sweetwater, fairly sizable towns, are betweeen Abilene and Midland/Odessa, but I don't think there's much else.

 

Yes.

I didn't know who I was quoting when I first made this. I love jumping on Texas newbs, but this isn't a Texas newb.

Sorry, Blair. Please forgive me.

Anyway, I forgot about Kerrville and Ozona.

The point still stands that Abilene to Fort Worth is much more populated than Abilene to Midland/Odessa, though.

 

In any case, the trip from Odessa to Dallas is quite long.
If you take it, on the way back take a back road and you could stop in Brownwood and go to Underwoods. There's a history behind Underwoods, which is well known by West Texas natives.
It'll be busy, no matter what day or time you get there, but there's room. (I will admit to only going to Underwoods once, but just because I haven't had need to go to Brownwood more)

Outside of Big Spring there used to be a hot dog stand (I have no idea if it's still there), New York's finest or something like that. I know most people don't think much of hot dog stands, but this is something different amidst all the Mexican, Tex-Mex, Greasy Spoons, and BBQ places you'll find out there. And it has New York style dogs. It's nothing fancy, and easy to miss. But if you see it you'll probably think "that's seemingly out of place" like I did and end up stopping there.

 

Mmmmmm ... New York style hot dogs with KETCHUP!