050301- Fort Worth-2
050301-Ft Worth
Ordinarily. I would have keep further south on our return trip and used interstate 10, but I wanted to pass thru Fort Worth Texas. Before I left on our first trip, I had purchased the Batmobile from a company in Fort Worth that advertised on Ebay. The owner was Marc Trout. During our trip, I had occasion to email him and speak with him on the phone and we developed a relationship. He told me that if I ever traveled near his hometown, we must get together.
We pulled into a park close by Marc’s home and he came out to pick us up for a tour of the city. We hit lots of interesting sites and areas and of course the most famous being the Stock Yard. This is tourist area that is in its historic garb and represents the days when cattle were brought in for sale and slaughter.
The remnants of two meat-processing plants are still present, as well as area of the original stockyards. Keeping with tradition, twice a day there is a cattle drive right thru the area (a herd of about 15). It is also the site of the biggest honky-tonk – Billy Bob’s – which is so large that they actually have live bull riding inside the building – not mechanical bulls – the real stuff on the hoof.
I have to tell you more about Marc. He was diagnosed with diabetes at age nine and as many of you know, childhood diabetes is serious and unpleasant for a young adult. He excelled at golf and won a college scholarship to Texas Christian University and also won many local club tournaments. His family was in the fireworks business and he continued the family business. His kidneys started to fail and went thru dialysis for a long time waiting for a kidney transplant, which he finally got. Unfortunately, thru a series of traumatic events, he underwent amputations of both lower legs. He has recently been fitted with lower leg and foot prostheses, but is not able to walk on them yet. He drives a van with a built in ramp. He transfers himself from the car seat to his electric wheelchair and rolls out on the ramp. A few years back, after his amputations, he was looking for a suitable means of mobility and in so doing, started his own Internet business selling handicap scooters and wheelchairs.
We spent some time at his home looking over his inventory and I decided to turn in Batmobile 1 for a new model. He gave me a good deal – and hopefully he will be able to sell my old one on Ebay for me.
On our last night together, we had a great Texas steak dinner at the 3H Steakhouse in the Stock Yards, and I think Peter will agree it was a great piece of meat.
The restaurant was classic Texan; with the bar area having saddles for barstools and a large buffalo head on the wall with its butt on the other side of the wall. It was too dark to get good pictures – sorry.
Ordinarily. I would have keep further south on our return trip and used interstate 10, but I wanted to pass thru Fort Worth Texas. Before I left on our first trip, I had purchased the Batmobile from a company in Fort Worth that advertised on Ebay. The owner was Marc Trout. During our trip, I had occasion to email him and speak with him on the phone and we developed a relationship. He told me that if I ever traveled near his hometown, we must get together.
We pulled into a park close by Marc’s home and he came out to pick us up for a tour of the city. We hit lots of interesting sites and areas and of course the most famous being the Stock Yard. This is tourist area that is in its historic garb and represents the days when cattle were brought in for sale and slaughter.
The remnants of two meat-processing plants are still present, as well as area of the original stockyards. Keeping with tradition, twice a day there is a cattle drive right thru the area (a herd of about 15). It is also the site of the biggest honky-tonk – Billy Bob’s – which is so large that they actually have live bull riding inside the building – not mechanical bulls – the real stuff on the hoof.
I have to tell you more about Marc. He was diagnosed with diabetes at age nine and as many of you know, childhood diabetes is serious and unpleasant for a young adult. He excelled at golf and won a college scholarship to Texas Christian University and also won many local club tournaments. His family was in the fireworks business and he continued the family business. His kidneys started to fail and went thru dialysis for a long time waiting for a kidney transplant, which he finally got. Unfortunately, thru a series of traumatic events, he underwent amputations of both lower legs. He has recently been fitted with lower leg and foot prostheses, but is not able to walk on them yet. He drives a van with a built in ramp. He transfers himself from the car seat to his electric wheelchair and rolls out on the ramp. A few years back, after his amputations, he was looking for a suitable means of mobility and in so doing, started his own Internet business selling handicap scooters and wheelchairs.
We spent some time at his home looking over his inventory and I decided to turn in Batmobile 1 for a new model. He gave me a good deal – and hopefully he will be able to sell my old one on Ebay for me.
On our last night together, we had a great Texas steak dinner at the 3H Steakhouse in the Stock Yards, and I think Peter will agree it was a great piece of meat.
The restaurant was classic Texan; with the bar area having saddles for barstools and a large buffalo head on the wall with its butt on the other side of the wall. It was too dark to get good pictures – sorry.
posted by The Highway Guys @ 10:26 PM
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