I started out in Pennsylvania when I was a child. I don't remember much about the place except it was cold a lot and GOTHIC.... Everything seemed to be made out of granite stones.

Most of my young life was spent in Southern California (which at the time a kid with a mini-bike and ten cents for gas could ride all over the place in, but is now so restricted you could be arrested for endangering a vernal pool by riding a bicycle through it)

The weather in Cally is wonderful, but the high cost of living is smothering - and as far as I can see much of the huge state income tax they levy is spent on (among other things) publishing the state drivers lisence test in so many languages that I was not aware of some of them...

And they also killed off sprint car racing, except on indian (native american) reservations. When I was sitting in my Poppas livingroom and we saw on the news that ASCOT PARK in Gardenia had been bulldozed - I turned to Poppa and said: "That's it, it isn't worth living here anymore"

And he told me:

"You're right, it isn't"

There are many things that matter very much to me, freedom as you can see from my sig is one of them. I joined the NAVY to GET THE HELL OUT OF A STUPID PLACE!

My eyes are now turned towards TEXAS. Where a man or woman can live as they should be allowed to!

And RACING is still alive, well, and respected.


I hear the hunting and fishing is pretty good too, if you are into that.


~ And I want my own damn citrus trees in my own damn yard - I grew up with them!!!

The only reason I don't think Florida, is because for every hurricane that makes it to Houston - a dozen will have bowled through Jacksonville

~ And I have weathered a few storms when I was stationed in Norfolk. BONNY for one... I am not afraid of them. I was driving home to my quarters offbase down I-64 on the penninsula when Bonny changed direction and came back in. Yeah, my Taurus wagon skated a little bit on standing water, but at least once I stopped to render aid. A good man is good wherever he goes - and TEXAS is the home of good men and women!

*I guess that weekend on Whilloughby Spit I was one of the few who had stocked up on CORONA


There are many far worser places you can be, and these days that is my guage.



Wolfie


PS: I have come to love and enjoy as a delight to my sensibilites the respect southern folk grant to one another - and nowhere I have seen is that so true as in TEXAS

 

Texas is quite beautiful and has much to offer in all of its regions.







I am on the far east side of Dallas and there are over 20 great fishing lakes from 300 yards to 1.5 hours from my home. They range from 2,000 surface acres to 84,000. Some of the best Black Bass, Striper and Hybrid fishing in the country is right here.

Hill country is spectacular and the gulf regions are as great as you want them to be. West Texas has is own spectacular ranges and you can see storms a hundred miles away.

Austin is truly the nesting place for liberals but, it has some great entertainment and again, great outdoor recreation opportunities.

But, keep in mind, if you are into tent camping like we used to do...well, you need to stay at home from June to October. Gets pretty HOT!

We can have all 4 seasons in a week.

San Antonio has the River Walk, Fiesta Texas, Sea World and some of the best Mourning Dove and White Wing Dove hunting in the state.

Deer hunting is a HUGE business in Texas so while there are more than you could ever count...it is pretty pricey. But, wild pigs can be popped year round and some farmers/ranchers will welcome you with open arms to shoot them and just let 'em lay.

But, it is HOT compared to where you folks have been but, not as hot as others.

There is no state employment tax. Sales tax typically runs in the 8.25% but, limits vehicles and such to 6.25%. Property taxes and all insurances are higher than most states.

We do have tornadoes and drought but, our snow/ice issues only last a couple of days.

Employment is strong and the trades seem to be doing quite well. Hi-tech is strong in Dallas, Houston and Austin. If you can spell O I L there is a good future for you damned near anywhere. Kids are coming out of college with chemical & petroleum engineering degrees stroking $ 80K to $ 90K right of the box.

Dallas holds the State Fair of Texas and it is the largest in the US of A.

We are independent, gun friendly and most are pretty good folks.

You can shoot a bad guy for stealing your tail gate...

Come on down. There's plenty of room.

 

I didn't know "SEA WORLD" had another place there - is there (or are there) any significant Oceanographic Institutes like "SCRIPPS" in Texas???

The only other "SEA WORLD" that I know of is in San Diego California

 

Link to Texas Parks, etc.

Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

 

The Texas "High Plains" is where the old Clint Eastwood "High Plains Drifter" movie was about, isn't it?

* I heard that the so called "SPAGHETTI WESTERNS" were filmed in Italy though...

Am I right in thinking that the high plains are what are called the "Pan Handle"?



* Beautiful map - it shows a lot!


*Also - someone I once knew called hisself an "EAST TEXAS CAJUN"

That right there just runs me curious...

Boldest (and maybe craziest) guy I ever knew.


Made a cherokee look ordinary

(But was also the best of friends)

~ I kept his shotgun for him when he went on deployment
He was active duty navy when I knew him


When I get down there, I'll tell you more.

 

Welcome Fella


One thing about us is we commonly like to refer to each other on a first name basis. I'm Jay, but a lot of people like to call me JT. What's yours?
I am a TX native who has traveled extensively, and lived in ID. I can tell you of all the places I have been, ID is my favorite, and I have always wanted to settle there. (I have a not-so-secret desire to be a "Blue Elvis" - Go Broncos!) So, ironic that we would be talking about the opposite here.
I have connections to both Boise and Austin, and have good friends living in both places today.

Anything "special" you should know?
Well, first, and foremost, winter does not exist here as you know it.
What you will need to try to prepare yourself and your family for is 6-8 months of 90+ degree temperatures out of the year. It is not uncommon for us to hit 80+ in Dec, Jan and Feb. Wearing shorts at Thanksgiving is not unusual, either. Words like 'brutal' and 'unrelenting' are often used to describe our typical hot weather. That said, some people like the heat.

While TX is not a "nanny state" - it needs to be understood that it is not a nanny state - yet. Things are changing here. TX is forecast to be majority hispanic 5-6 years from now, and expected to be a blue state shortly thereafter. The effects that will have on freedom remain yet to be seen, but 2020 is not far off.

http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/1841.pdf

http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/2035.pdf

http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/2039.pdf

http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/1938.pdf

It's been said there are 253 counties in Texas and Travis County. (There are actually 254 counties in TX.) Travis County is the location of Austin, where the saying "Keep Austin Weird" is a popular slogan. Austin is famous for great live music, food, and art, and now even has an F1 track!

San Antonio has been showing early indications of an Anti-Second Amendment shift in the last year or two. That may be something you wish to factor into your considerations.

If you haven't done so already, please come join us in the TX Chapter.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum96/
We have a number of very active members (Bob, Matt, Timothy, Mike, Woody and others) in the Austin/SA area, and as I'm sure you know, there is no shortage of generously helpful people here on FTE.

Feel free to PM me as well, and I'll be glad to talk with you more at length and help you with whatever I can. This will be an extreme change. I wish you the best of luck in what will likely be a major adjustment for your family.

btw - ... do the letters PWS hold any significance for you .... ?

 

... and then there's this:

 

^^^

 

My first real "job" was as a lifeguard in the "lost lagoon" at Sea World San Antonio.
Talk about a skin spoiled teenaged male...

We are experiencing very accelerated growth down in the Victoria area. Catarpillar has a new manufacturing facility operational, and kicking out the monster track hoes..
Oil&gas is positively buzzing with work.

With all the oil&gas guys racking up extra overtime... money is getting freed up for construction projects for handy persons to bid on.

Even the body modification industry is seeing an influx of business.
My wife is a tattoo artist, the shop just received the award for #1 tattoo shop in Victoria... stays booked up at least 1 month in advance.

Victoria is right in the middle of everything...
Pretty close to equal distances from san antonio, houston, and corpus christi.
Half an hour from the beach too.

All we need to claim the title of utopian perfection is constitutional open carry... and maybe secession from all the dead weight...

 

I hear the Devil left Texas looking for a milder climate and set up shop in Hell where it wasn't quite so hot.