Amarillo

It’s a dump. Nothing to do here. Maybe you could go look at the Bell-Textron plan and see where they finally assemble the MV-22B Osprey. I doubt they will let you near the place unless you’re military. Maybe you could tour a meat packing plant?

I have a few days in town and am looking for things to do after I get off work. Can you suggest some things to do? I already went to Palo Duro Canyon and plan to go to the Cadillac Ranch. Restaurant suggestions welcome as well (especially steakhouses)

What can I say? Amarillo gets a bad rap, and deservedly so. It’s dry, it’s kind of ugly at first glance, and it reeks of cow shit and ignorance. It’s a vacuum that manages to suck you back everytime you leave home, no matter how long you’re gone or how far you travel. It’s a source of shame for a majority of residents. I don’t blame any of ‘em.

But I love it. It’s resistance to change, it’s push to conformity, and it’s overall lack of empathy only force me in the opposite direction. And I’ve learned to love it for precisely this reason. Because if you can be a truly unique breed in this town, you qualify as a certified badass anywhere you go.

I dunno. Amarillo is a town that is constantly having an identity crisis. A growing hippie crowd, revitalisation of downtown, and expanding art community can’t compete with the largely ignorant citizenry. Highest per capita crime rate in Texas and one of the dirtiest small cities I have ever seen. Overwhelmingly Republican redneck cowboy crap mentality. Personally, I can’t wait to leave. Amarillo is a huge embarrassment for the state of Texas.

I miss it! Yeah it was boring but it is missed.