Lubbock and Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Howdy,

We are hunkered down and trying to stay warm! We spent 5 nights in Lubbock,Texas ( 2 nights more that we had planned but weather dictated that we stay.) The first few days were beautiful, but then the temperature dropped to the 30-40's with rain and wind. In addition, it was snowing at our next  destination , so we stayed until the weather got better.

Lubbock actually surprised us, guess we thought we were going to another small western town, to see where Buddy Holly came from. Instead, we are in a large college town. Texas Tech is a beautiful old university with over 35,000 students.

We visited the Buddy Holly Center.

It was a small, but well done museum. No pictures allowed inside. Mom and dad certainly knew who he was, but had no idea the tremendous influence in his short 18 month career and 25 hit records that he had on so many  bands including the Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Elton John. 

In fact, The Rolling  Stones first hit was "Not Fade Away", a Buddy Holly song and Elton John wore unnecessary glasses to be more like Buddy.


He was only 22 when he died in an airplane crash that also took the lives of Richie Valens and "The Big Bopper". It was February 3, 1959, a date forever known as the Day the Music Died, thanks to singer Don McLean’s 1971 song “American Pie.” 

After the museum mom and dad went to a Tapas Bar for a great lunch 

and were introduced to a wonderful crisp, dry Rose wine from McPherson winery across the street. 

We also visited the  America Wind Power Center, a very interesting museum  celebrating the history wind powered machines and the relationship between the windmill

and the railroad

 

The first windmill  built in North America was in 1621 in Virginia. This commemorative mill was built in 1978 on the same property and moved to Lubbock in 2010. It is one of the few working post-mills in the western hemisphere.

 
Inside there were rows and rows of windmills

Even one you could buy through the Sears catalog.

We also learned about grist mill stones and how the power of the wind was used to grind various grains, even chocolate.

Later that week, mom and dad returned here for a wine event, Lubbock Uncorked and got to taste many Texas wines, and were pleasantly surprised with many of them.

It was a fun local event

Another day we visited the Silent Wings Museum, the only museum in the world dedicated to telling the story of the military glider program.

In front of the museum was a Douglas C-47, known as the Skytrain, the primary tow plane for the gliders. However, it had a special meaning to Dad. He showed me the back door, where he used to parachute out of. Scares me to even think about it, my dad must have been really scared!.

Most interesting was the huge CG-4A glider used during WWII.

 Upon landing the front would open up and a tank with infantry would roll right out ready for battle.

After the weather got better we moved on to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, the second largest canyon in the US. 

We had a great day taking in the sights.

 
We loved going for a hike.

Along the way, old eagle eyes, Brody spotted a rattlesnake, can you see it??

Brody and I love being off leash, but this was a time I am glad we had them on. Dad even heard it rattle.

My favorite part was, of course,our picnic. Brody is finally learning to sit at the table.

 We were going to spend another night here, but decided to leave that afternoon so we wouldn't have to drive so far the next day to Colorado Springs. We really did enjoy our time in Texas, but now looking forward to Colorado.During the drive I spent some time looking out the window and when we got to our campground, Brody got to see 

and smell his first snow.

Next stop, Colorado Springs!
Adios,
Yuki and Brody