Sight Seeing in Amarillo

We were jolted awake about 1:30 last night by a loud explosion, and a blow torch sound that sounded like a giant propane water heater next to our bedroom window.  The noise turned out to be four miles away.

“A massive fireball with flames shooting 700 feet into the air erupted shortly after 1 this morning in Bushland, forcing the evacuation of residents, destroying at least one home, and lighting up the night sky for miles.

Authorities said a gas line ruptured at an El Paso Natural Gas pump station in the Prairie West subdivision. Potter County Sheriff Brian Thomas said it’s too early to determine what triggered the blast, which rattled windows miles away in Amarillo.
Thomas said at least two people were injured.”   (Copied without permission from Amarillo.com)

Needless to say we were awake for another couple of hours before we got back to sleep.  The night sky was lit up with the gas line that was burning out of control.  Sirens were wailing down the interstate as fire trucks and police roared by.


As all this was going on, and we were watching out the couch window of the coach, I was disassembling the sleep number bed.  My side of the mattress was completely flat and the air pump was running continually.

The top of the mattress had to be unzipped, and the tube that connects the air supply needed rerouted into the  air bag.  I pushed it back together.  There are no clamps or crimping devices, so I would bet that it will happen again. That bed is a $1200 option that now has gone flat in the middle of the night.  Sigh!

We weren’t up very early in the morning after our sleep interruption.  And our heads hurt from the disturbed sleep. But this is our day to see a few things here in the Amarillo area.

Cadillac Ranch   (Wikipedia)

Up close, these cars have about a half inch of paint on them.  Painted over and over with spray cans.  The cans are tossed everywhere on the ground, even though there is a dumpster right at the gate.  This is private ground.  Folks don’t care.

I found it interesting that this sight has actually changed once, as the old sight was getting too close to civilization.  They were dug up and moved a couple of miles farther West.


From there we drove South to Canyon, and then to Palo Duro State Park.

Palo Duro Canyon from the visitors center.



Once down the 10 % grade rock wall, the floor was made up from soft red  sandy material.



You drive thru the Red River as you wind thru the park.  The silt erosion gathers at the road crossings, and they have to clear it.





The colors and beauty at the bottom of the canyon are spectacular.



There is only one way down into the canyon and you retrace your drive to get back out.

The Cavalry and the Indians had quite a skirmish at the bottom of the canyon in the latter part of the 1800’s and the soldiers captured and killed the Indian’s horses.  Captured 1,400 and killed 1,000.

The Indians went back to their reservations afterward as they had no transportation or supplies to wage war.  A different time, I’m sure.

Retired Rod