Lubbock, Texas.

[InternalDialogue]

I'm moving there.

Snark won't bother me.

Tell me what joys I might discover.

Like I said, snark won't bother me, it'll be something I scroll by.

And if anyone lives nearby (a day's drive?), I'm open to offering a back yard for a DU meetup.

I have a fantastic woman with me, a future open to everything, and a lot of WTF vis a vis Texas in my headlights. Help me out.

[Ron Green]

1. The mightiest blowing sandstorms you ever want to see.

Can't think of much else, unfortunately.

[InternalDialogue]

2. Damn. Guess I have to live with them.

Nothing else, really?

[jobycom]

3. Every now and then you should drive over to Lamesa and spend the day.

Not that you'll like Lamesa, but it will make you love Lubbock when you get back home. :rofl:

Actually, I know very little about Lubbock. I've driven through it many times, and stopped a few times, but mostly at night. There's a decent college, so there's probably some decent cheap food and an art community nearby. You are pretty close to some interesting parts of the world, too. Roswell, the Guadalupe Mountains and Davis Mountains (both in Texas), Carlsbad Caverns, Fort Sumner (one of the Billy the Kid hideouts), Route 66. For weekends, you can hit Santa Fe, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin/San Antonio or the Hill Country in general. Even the Grand Canyon for a long weekend.

I'd like to say more about Lubbock itself, but it's at just the right distance from Austin and Albuquerque that it's always been late when I've passed through it. The dust storms are pretty awesome.

[InternalDialogue]

4. Thanks, Joby.

I'm kind of aware of the jokes, but I know you well enough that you're not mean-spirited.

We're looking for the arts community and already trying to get inroads into the biking community so we can work toward some better bike routes and bike paths.

I'm eager to explore a lot of the natural phenomena (if I can call them that) that we're moving into. My postal carrier has already suggested a multi-day-trip into Big Bend NP. I think Carlsbad Caverns are in line. I have a brother in ABQ to visit, plus extended family in San Antonio.

[jobycom]

9. Thanks, youself.

:) And good luck.

That's a part of the world I wish I had more time to play in. I used to love driving to Albuquerque a few times a year. A couple more places--Amarillo and Palo Duro Canyon are fun. There's skiing closer than you think, just past Roswell, in Riudosa. And that whole Lincoln Forest/Smokey the Bear area is gorgeous and interesting all year round, except during wildfires. I managed to wind up there a lot during wildfires, somehow. You've got a lot of places within a day's drive to explore.

Good luck on the bike scene. Not many hills, but the wind is fierce. :)

[InternalDialogue]

13. Palo Duro is something I've heard about a lot.

I was calling insurance companies to set up policies for us, and more than one guy mentioned getting up to Palo Duro, in the process of trying to sign me up for health insurance.

Apparently it's not an inconsequential geological phenomenon!

Thanks for the mention. It will garner another star on the list of what we need to check out when we get settled.

[MajorChode]

30. It's not the Grand Canyon by any stretch of the imagination

However, it is a nice and relaxing place to go. There's lots of great hiking to be found in the park.

[seabeyond]

32. palo duro is pretty nifty. canadia? during fall for changing of leaves. nt

[carlyhippy]

44. yeah, Ruidoso is nice, and not too far a drive

horse racing, casinos, skiing, nice cool mountains, very pretty, I would definitely recommend you visit there!

[blogslut]

18. Fie on the Grand Canyon

There's a perfectly wonderful Canyon just 120 miles away from Lubbock:

http://www.palodurocanyon.com/

[jobycom]

22. It's a perfectly wonderful canyon if you can't get to the Grand Canyon, maybe.

:rofl:

[blogslut]

24. Ahh, but that's the thing about the Grand Canyon

It takes for-freaking-ever to get there. The ground opens up, then closes, then opens, then closes and that shit goes on for hours.

Palo Duro ain't no canyon tease. You go through the park gates, take a curve and bam! Down, down, down you go.

[carlyhippy]

43. LOL! Or drive to Seagraves or Brownfield haha

:)

[Radical Activist]

5. All I know is the musical tradition.

I hope you find a honkey tonk bar with good country music.

I would probably plan lots of weekend trips to Austin and San Antonio. And Big Bend NP. Good luck in your new city!

[InternalDialogue]

8. Thanks, RA. I'm going to look for the right bar.

We'll be able to move about weekends (she's from Austin, her mom's from San Antonio).

I thank you for your good wishes.

[jobycom]

12. Oh yeah, I forgot about the music scene out there.

A lot of country and alternate country. Quite a history, too, between Buddy Holly, Delbert McClinton, Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore... I don't know the scene, but I'm always surprised when I hear how many people came through Lubbock at some point.

[Radical Activist]

14. and don't forget natalie maines.

[jobycom]

16. I didn't know! She's from Lubbock?

And Pat Green, too. I had a friend who knew him for Tech. He was also suite mates with some guy who almost won Survivor.

Must be something in the water. Well, if Lubbock had any water... Hmm...

[blogslut]

20. Two wonderful character actors are from Lubbock

G.W. Bailey:



Barry Corbin:

[abq e streeter]

27. Natalie's dad, Lloyd, is a legendary pedal steel player, including a long association with Joe Ely

[InternalDialogue]

23. You're not the only one surprised.

The list has flat-out floored me.

Still, most of them have moved on.

Thank you for your comments.

Joby, I treasure your support.

[blogslut]

19. It's a shame that Stubbs' BBQ moved to Austin

I mean it's great that Austin has it but, back in the day, that was THE place to go in Lubbock.

[blogslut]

6. It's been a long damned time

But things were nice right around the Tech Campus. They have great art and theater departments at Tech.

Also, learn where THE STRIP is. Lubbock is dry so you have to go to this little stretch outside the city to get yer booze.

[InternalDialogue]

10. We're getting our bearings as we visit more often.

Thanks for the tips -- I always imagined a school as big as TT would have good art and theater.

I'm not familiar with "the strip" but I know liquor laws have changed recently in West Texas. Perhaps that takes care of the booze issue? If not, we shall prevail...

[MilesColtrane]

7. Ask Clubber Lang.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1TxiVhrkZA

[InternalDialogue]

11. Well, fuck, Miles.

You're just making me scared.

Thanks a bunch.

Though at this point Mr. T is mostly just an internet meme. He's not scary in and of himself. Just in the lack of any other information about Lubbock.

It's actually kind of scary that Lubbock would be scary because Mr. T had nothing in particular to say about it.

Eek!

[MilesColtrane]

34. I'm so beyond cryptic, I'm opaque at times.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. My dear InternalDialogue!

Our DU member texas1928 lives in Lubbock!

You might PM him to ask for details....who knows, you might be neighbors...

I have no idea how big geographically or population-wise the town is.

Have fun!

:hi:

[InternalDialogue]

17. Thank you, Cal Peg!

I'm glad to find out who might live in the area! Tips from people like you make me feel like I can get a handle on things!

<clicking on texas1928>'s profile now...


Thanks, Peg!

[blogslut]

21. Lubbock is a good sized town

Roughly 250,000.

It's got a hell of a lot of rednecks but is also home to a major university, which evens things out somewhat.

[Heidi]

25. I'm very happy for you, ID!

You can blow a kiss toward Oklahoma for me, okay? :)

I wish you and the lucky woman every happiness! :hug:

[InternalDialogue]

35. Of course, Heidi!

I'll be in Oklahoma next week, on our way via Chicago to Lubbock, so there'll be plenty of opportunity.

[kentauros]

26. How about "The Lubbock Civic Ballet"?

:P

The Handbook of Texas Online - Lubbock

Plus some archaeological history:

"The Lubbock Lake Site, an archeological site discovered in north Lubbock in 1936 near the site of Singer's store, has become internationally known for its unique and unbroken 11,000-year-old archeological record of early man. In 1988 it was designated the Lubbock Lake Landmark State Historical Site and subsequently the Lubbock Lake National Historic and State Archeological Landmark."

From the Texas Parks & Wildlife site
State Parks Within 100 miles of Lubbock, Texas:
Big Spring SP
Caprock Canyons SP & Trailway
Lake Colorado City SP
Palo Duro Canyon SP


And a search of Texas Highways Magazine on "Lubbock" (3 pages of results)
http://www.texashighways.com/index.php/search?searchword=Lubbock&ordering=&searchphrase=all

:D

[seabeyond]

28. i am trying to think of ANYthing that will bring discovered joys, but lubbock?

still thinking here.

i am a two hour drive.

lets see... thinking. huge ass campus. kids were telling me it is the largest campus in u.s.

hm.... lubbock, oh

our skies here are awesome. i have been all over, and the sunsets here are the best. so if you are into sunsets, you are set to go. unless your elevation is different enough, but i think it has to do with the plains and dust.

thunderstorms are awesome. tornadoes not so much

still thinking of a joy in lubbock.

gofers. son said there for cross country meet and lots of gofers

anyway, you have a wonderful woman to experience a new. and since you are on a new venture, with new people, it will be a joy.

[InternalDialogue]

36. Seabeyond, thanks for the thoughts.

I know for sure that joys in Lubbock are scarce, but that's the reason for the thread. But you're right, the woman I'm with is all of the joy I need, and moving to Lubbock will be awesome just because I'm with her.

I agree with you about the skies. I was in Lubbock in June to start our move, and I was really impressed. I've lived most of my life in Colorado, where the skies are deep blue and crystal clear most of the time -- they looked awfully similar in Lubbock, so I already felt at home.

I've got some stuff lined up already for football this fall -- TT tickets and the closest high school. And yeah, it's a huge campus, takes up most of the center of the city.

Thunderstorms I look forward to. Tornadoes, I hope never to see too near me.

[seabeyond]

29. in a couple weeks, town of Plains, there is a Yoakum co, watermelon roundup

suppose to be a to do in the town of plains, population 1454. it is about an hour west of lubbock. hubby went there to work on school computers yesterday and for whatever reason, is pretty jazzed getting down there for this. dont know why. dont get it. they shut down the main thruway which is the highway. dont know how they get away with that. maybe says something it isn't disruptive to travelers.

[MajorChode]

31. Here's my rundown on Lubbock

Lubbock is not a bad town to live. It's not the big city, but it's not a small town either, so you don't have to put up with insane traffic, but it still has a good variety of shopping, restaurants, etc. The interesting thing about Lubbock is when I think about west Texas, I don't really think about Lubbock. It just doesn't have the west Texas feel to it. Lubbock just seems to me to identify much more with Amarillo than say the Midland/Odessa area, even though it's closer to there than Amarillo.

I'm not going to say much about what there is in Lubbock itself because others have done that. What I will say is that one of the very best things about Lubbock is its location. As far as weekend getaways or week long vacations go, it's perfectly positioned. Here are some of the things you can see within a relatively short driving distance:

Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex

Carlsbad Caverns

Alpine, Texas and the Big Bend area

Albuquerque

Cloud Croft, NM (Skiing, etc)

Ruidoso, NM (Skiing, etc)

The Texas Hill Country

A little farther out you have the Four Corners area (which is awesome in October when the trees are turning and there's lots of things to do there).

[InternalDialogue]

37. Thanks, MC

I've got family in ABQ, and they've got a place in Angel Fire, so our skiing and winter getaways are not too far. I've still got my place here in Denver, so for serious skiing getaways we can still make the long drive to get to Colorado's front range.

She's from Austin, so I think we'll be making plenty of trips that direction, as well as San Antonio, where her parents will live. Dallas I've never really been to, and we'll have to see what draws us there.

I've already grown a little fond of Lubbock, after my couple of trips there. The people were fantastically friendly, and our neighborhood south of everything is quiet and calm. It should be a great adventure to settle in and find things to excite us.

[MajorChode]

47. There's a few things to do in the DFW area

You have things like big water parks, 6 flags, the Stockyards in FW, big sports teams, wonderful museums, night life, restaurants of every description, theater, concerts, etc.

Spend some time in the hill country. I go there at least once per year. For hiking and camping, Big Bend is incredible. I usually try to go there once per year also, but I don't know if I'll make it this year.

[av8rdave]

33. You can always try to score some Texas Tech tickets...maybe they will play someone you want to see

I took my daughter there several years ago when she was picking a college. Nice campus.

[InternalDialogue]

38. Thanks, Dave.

Yeah, we've already got Tech football tickets lined up -- her parents bought the season ticket package just to see the UT game, since buying the whole season was actually cheaper than picking up the individual game tickets from a broker. We're planning to frequent the local high school on Friday nights for football.

I think it's a nice campus, too, based on my short time there. I was in town in June, so it was quiet and empty, but I think come fall and football season, it will look strikingly different.

[KamaAina]

39. Texas Tech.

Athletics and presumably some culture.

[Redstone]

40. Home is what you make of it.

Redstone

[hobbit709]

41. The heart of tornado alley.

[carlyhippy]

42. I lived near there growing up

summertime is mighty warm, the wind blows alot, friendly people and a pretty decent mall and restaurants, fair airport. Not a "large" city, but big for around that area. College town, Texas Tech is there, very nice university. Not sure where you are moving from, but if you are not used to scorpions, a few rattle snakes, and tarantulas, get used to them, they will be regular visitors.

[InternalDialogue]

45. I'm moving from Denver.

I thought the smaller size of the city would take some time, but I've already grown fond of Lubbock in my couple of visits. You're right about the people -- they're mighty friendly.

We'll deal with the critters just fine, I think. We're actually taking a couple of dogs that might be less happy about six- and eight-legged neighbors, but they're going to love having a yard to run around in (they've grown up and never known any place other than downtown Chicago).

[ceile]

46. I like Lubbock

Don't know if I could live there though. I like the flat terrain, the red dirt, watermelon fields...

[TheCentepedeShoes]

48. I grew up in Amarillo then went to Tech

1966-70
Although I loved Tech, at the time I didn't care much for the city of Lubbock
I moved to Florida shortly after graduation, then moved back to Amarillo in 2002 (no biggie for me but something of an adjustment for hubby)
Nowadays I could live in either city
Mountains are not too far off for when you get tired of the flat

[handmade34]

49. working in Houston now...

headed to Dallas Friday for three weeks... I have met a few great people.

When I walk by those bumber stickers, "NoBama", "I have a Savior, I want a President", "I Love Global Warming", etc... I just mumble something like jerk or asshole and go on to smile at the next person... Best of Luck to you!

[triguy46]

50. Without a doubt, the ultimate winner, no one even close...

"Flattest Damn Place in the World." Don't tell me Kansas, don't tell me Oklahoma or any other flyover state. Lubbock is the absolute flattest place I've ever been. Not that that by any means decides the relative worth of theplace.

IMHO, TTech campus is very pretty, Mission style architecture. Though their stadium sucks. There also some weird alcohol laws, dry in town except restaurants, but county line is just other side of of campus.

[InternalDialogue]

52. That was actually my first opinion when I visited.

It doesn't get any flatter than that.

I had heard the liquor laws recently changed, but I won't know for sure until I get there.

[Ilsa]

51. Texas Tech is a damn cool university, and no, I didn't go there, but my

really cool friends did. Lots of fun shit happens in university towns.

Good luck on your relocation with your fantastic woman.

[InternalDialogue]

54. I'm hoping the university will provide some entertainment.

I believe their music department offers free concerts, which I will gladly attend.

And of course there's nothing like Saturday afternoon in a college town when there's a football game.

[alarimer]

53. Lubbock or Leave it

Dixie Chicks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cty1b7mmuDA

Fair warning.

[abq e streeter]

55. Amazing how much shadow the memory of Buddy Holly still casts over West Texas

and Eastern New Mexico too for that matter....you can still get tours of Norman Petty's Studio in Clovis, NM, just over the Texas border (where Buddy and the Crickets recorded...so did Raton, New Mexico's Fireballs, with and without Jimmy Gilmer (Sugar Shack)


Oh, boy, rave on down loop 289..

Cause this is the only place
Where as you're getting on the plane
You see Buddy Holly's face

I hear they hate me now
Just like they hated you
Maybe when I'm dead and gone
I'm gonna get a statue too

[Paladin]

56. I Hope You Like It Better Than I Did.

I'd as soon head for Afghanistan as go back to Lubbock.......

[mnhtnbb]

57. I feel that way about Lincoln, NE.

[Moondog]

58. Barbeque and Lone Star in long neck bottles. n/t