Mel Was Here

April 6, 2019 One of the best things about road trips are the small little towns between destinations with interesting attractions and restaurants to stop at. On the way home from Amarillo we decided to make a stop along the way in a little town called Wichita Falls, Texas. I had heard of this town before because of the waterfall (which of course is the namesake of the town) but I didn't know if there was anything else there that might interest my father and I. After googling "things to do in Wichita Falls" I came across a building known as the world's littlest skyscraper. Of course I was intrigued so I decided to give this one a visit...and a little more research.  Located at 701 La Salle in downtown Wichita Falls stands the Newby-McMahon building which has been dubbed "The World's Littlest Skyscraper". Standing at only 40 feet tall this structure can hardly be considered a legitimate skyscraper so I asked the local shop owner (who now occupies

April 5, 2019 The last stop on our Amarillo vacation was actually not on the bucket list. For every trip I plan out I have several bucket list places and a few extras for if we have time or if one of the bucket list items is for whatever reason closed. This place was on the extras list and since we had time for one more attraction in Amarillo I let my dad choose and this was his choice. No big shocker there considering he's a classic car enthusiast! I honestly didn't think I was going to enjoy it but I was wrong. Bill's Backyard Classics all started with one mans passion for classic cars and the desire to bring more family friendly entertainment to the area. Bill Pratt sold his successful business in 2012 and began looking for classic cars to buy. What was originally meant to be the purchase of just one or two cars has grown to a collection of over 90 fully restored classic cars all in mint condition! They have cars from as far back as the 1920s, military vehicles, a

April 5, 2019 Some of the best adventures and discoveries on a vacation are when you take a detour. Sometimes you end up finding something totally unexpected. While in Canyon Dad and I were looking for the local post office when we came across the old courthouse and small downtown district. I love being in the heart of a small town and this one was no exception.  The first thing we noticed was the huge courthouse with an awesome looking statue out front. We decided to stop and get a closer look and ended up walking around the block. The road around the courthouse is still made of brick which adds to that old country town charm along with the many little shops and eateries across from the courthouse. One place in particular caught our attention so we decided to check it out. Located in a shopping strip directly across from the courthouse is the Rock and Roll Soda Shop. From the outside it doesn't look like much but when we walked inside we were taken back to the 19

April 5, 2019 The number one item on the bucket list for my Amarillo vacation was Palo Duro Canyon. I was here back in 2006 but I didn't stay long or even drive to the bottom of the canyon and my father was here back in the late 1950s and really wanted to go back because he didn't remember anything. Needless to say we were both excited to visit this Texas state park which is located just south of Amarillo in a small town called Canyon. This time around I was determined to do more than just visit the overlook... Palo Duro Canyon, also called the grand canyon of Texas, was formed by a river as it ran through the canyon slowly carving the beautiful geological formations that can be seen today. The second largest canyon in the US (the grand canyon is first) is roughly 120 miles long with an average width of 6 miles (20 miles at some locations) and a depth of around 820 feet which increases to 1000 feet at some points. A man made road takes you from the top of the canyon all

April 5, 2019 The next attraction on the list for my Amarillo trip is actually not in Amarillo but in a small town to the south called Canyon. This is where the largest history museum in Texas is located and being the history fanatic that I am I had to check it out. Also, my dad went on a school field trip here in the late 1950s and was very excited to come back and see all that has changed. Both Dad and I were happily surprised with just how awesome and well laid out this museum actually is. The Panhandle Plains Historical Society was founded in 1921 by students and faculty of the local college. In 1933 the museum opened at its current location and has since grown to house over 3 million artifacts including an entire town replica. This old pioneer town was the absolute best part of the museum! It was like stepping back in time and seeing just how people lived all those years ago. What would make this exhibit even better? Actors dressed in period costume! Someone should certainly