Stuff in Amarillo

We did it, got our driver's licenses upgraded to the Real ID (federal mandate for next October), got the car and the RV inspected and that was a bit touchy.  Tuesday morning we had drugged up Buddy, got the RV ready to go over to the inspection place, and it is only about 5 miles from this KOA.  About 2 miles into the drive we got a call from the place and said - we cannot inspect the RV if it's raining - and it had been all night long and we were in a lull when we left the KOA.  He said, okay, it is not raining right now, continue to come.  Hopefully, we can get you done before rain.

The outside of the Beg Texan - right along I 40

The amount of food you have to eat in 1 hour - if you can, it's free! 

A man from Virginia said let's do it - see the clock tracking 

Look at his cheeks full of food!

I am sick just looking at him eat all that

Why is the concern for the rain?  When they take it out for it's test drive, and if it's raining and the brakes fail, they do not want to be liable.  Fortunately we got a window of an hour to get the inspection done, hurray!!!!  Got back to the campsite, reopened everything, sat back and went - phew, done.  And then we started to watch everyone come in for the night.  Huge turnover here at the park.  Fun to watch the folks try to park their rigs.

We celebrated by going to the BIG TEXAN STEAK RANCH restaurant.  Okay, we were going there to celebrate our achievement, relax, watch the people come and go.  What a hoot!  Reminded me of the restaurant in Phoenix called the Roost which overlooks looks the city, very kitchzy.  Ordered food, watched the folks, and then there was the 72 ounce steak challenge that started.

My steak - that's a lot!

I hardly ate any of it - maybe 2 ounces?? Sheese

If you can eat a salad, roll, shrimp appetizer and a 72 ounce steak in one hour, your meal is free.  And many many people have done it, either tried and failed, or completed the challenge.  O. M. G.  I cannot imagine eating that much food and in one hour!!!  If you fail for whatever reason - either you get sick, or give up, you pay the full amount - $72!  You cannot share the meal with anyone, once the clock starts, you better git going.

I had ordered the most popular steak, could only eat about 2 ounces of it, took the rest home.  And I was miserable the rest of the night, shame on me.  But we saw where the legend of the Big Texan Steak Ranch is, learned about how the man who started literally put Amarillo on the map, but decided that we cannot do something like that again!

Route 66 goes through the old part of Amarillo

We heard sirens early yesterday morning, the ambulance, fire truck, police cars came into the campground when a wife called 911 to report her husband was very ill.  This started a conversation with many folks - are they covered medically should something happen?  Can the spouse drive the vehicle (in this case she cannot and has to call in family to get the rig out of here while he's in the hospital)? Do you have adequate insurance such as life-flight, or med-a-vac? What happens if something like this happens to you - have you planned what would need to be done?

As of late yesterday he is on life-support, not sure if he'll make it

Amarillo's knickname is the Bomb City.  What?  They make nuclear weapons here somewhere, and we think near us since it said - large factory near the international airport, well, we are 3 miles from the airport.  No, we do not see any glow from it.  Amarillo is also located in the Texas Panhandle and is also considered in the High Plains.  The 120 miles of Interstate 40 that crosses the panhandle is said to represent all that Texas is known for - oil rigs, cattle, cowboys, large ranches, wide open prairie, and great hospitality.  We have seen it all in this little bit of Texas panhandle.

The view out our front side window about an hour ago - flooded

We have had torrential rail since Monday - have set records in rainfall.  Amarillo was in a drought but no longer.  As of this morning over 4 inches of rain have fallen, we are under water here in the campground.  We have been in this kind of rainfall before when we had the 5th wheel, but not with this class A.  Rain supposed to continue all day today, clearing after midnight, which is good  because we head out tomorrow for New Mexico.