Palo Duro Canyon State Park Cabins

Gold in Palo Duro Canyon

Urging the local populace to use Palo Duro Canyon State Park, which turns 75 this weekend, is nothing new. Apparently there was some unusual marketing to get more traffic into the Canyon going back to the 1950s.

Don Williams of Amarillo recalls a gimmick initiated by then-superintendent John McCarty back in the 1950s. Getting into PD Canyon was harder in those days, so McCarty, frustrated by that, had an idea to make it worthwhile.

According to Williams, McCarty had fake gold coins made, each one with a serial number, and a Panhandle merchant donated a prize for each serial number. He had an airplane fly over strategic parts of the Canyon and drop the coins.

'I can remember my family of four spending so many Saturdays or Sundays hiking the canyon looking for those coins,' Williams wrote. 'My Dad, Mom, and Sis did find some coins but only three I remember. One was for 100 pounds of potatoes from a Hereford produce wholesaler. Our whole neighborhood shared in this prize. Two was a floor lamp given by Taylor Furniture and three was a dinner for four at Myer’s Fried Chicken.'

For some reason, that sounds something right out of the 1950s.

Gold in Palo Duro Canyon: "

Rattlesnakes in Palo Duro Canyon

ORIGINAL POST HAS BEEN EDITED

(to add information, to correct my atrocious spelling and grammar, the usual stuff)

Updated as needed.

NOTE: I'm now not for sure if these photos are from PD Canyon. The photos were horrifying and I know a sight like that definitely COULD be somewhere here in the Texas Panhandle. ( or in surrounding states)

A video at YouTube has these same photos and claims they were taken in Wyoming. Another video looks to be similar country, but doesn't have the same images.

This is probably yet another case of an email "spoof" or at the very least, a mistake as to where the photos were taken.

So, my apologies to all who have found this post via Google, my apologies to all who regularly read this blog and my apologies to whoever owns these photos.

Things like this shouldn't happen...but will probably happen again.

Happens to the best of us. Happens a bunch to a doofus like me.


Here's the original post.

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My neighbor sent me these photos earlier this a.m. She didn't say who took them, and I'm normally loathe to publish something like this, not knowing to whom they belong or who I should credit, but thought they might be of interest to the readers of this blog.

So, if someone reading this owns these photos and objects to me putting them in this pathetic excuse for a blog, just email me and I'll be more than happy to take them down. Really, I'll be happy.

My toes are still curling up and I'll probably have nightmares tonight.

Click the photos for larger view.







I honestly believe that all God's creatures have a purpose and a right to exist on this planet; I also am concerned about the environment but looking at these I can't help but think:

"Five gallons of gasoline and a match...."

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End of original post

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Here's the last mail I got about rattlesnakes. I honestly think that's real as to the location, as well as the perspective of the shot influencing weight/length.

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My last encounter with a rattler Snakes Alive!

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Here's a photo a friend sent me a couple of years ago. It's supposed to be in Kansas, and since he is a State of Kansas highway employee, I figured he could vouch for the location.



The funny thing is that this photo also made the rounds, and it eventually got back to me as being in a Texas highway culvert.

I know we Texans are prone to brag, even to stretch the truth some, but we're not supposed to out-and-out lie about things. (well, not all the time, anyway)

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Thanks to all for the emails regarding this, and thanks also for being polite. That's why this blog has limits on posting. I don't mind being told I'm wrong, but I draw the line at being called names because I've made a mistake.

(If I enjoyed that sort of thing, I would've stayed married)

One reader from Yukon, OK sent me this link; seems that the mail has made its way out West and now the snakes are in California.

Man, those snakes sure get around, don't they? Faster than a speeding email.

Thanks for the link!

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Palo Duro Canyon official website

Some good photos there, loads of information on the canyon.

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The Lighthouse - Palo Duro Canyon

Great article about Palo Duro Canyon.

I don't have any photos of The Lighthouse, but I DO have this photo, taken at the start of the trail to The Lighthouse.

It's also the reason I don't have any photos of The Lighthouse.

I Googled ya some, though.

Spanish Skirts

(click any photo for larger view)

Palo Duro Canyon has some interesting formations; the canyon walls show the different levels of sedimentary rock laid down over millions of years. They are Nature's patchwork quilt in lovely colors; various shades of vivid reds and purples, yellows and whites.

When the Spanish conquistadors first rode through here in the late 1500's, they noticed the beautiful formations and named them "Spanish Skirts" because it reminded them of a senorita's gloriously gaily- striped dress.

I'm sure it's the difference in culture, but to me they look like fancy stretch pants from Lane Bryant, but what do I know?

I also wonder what they thought of... and named ... this particular formation?

Best and Worst Legislators

Reported by: Micah Taylor
Friday, Jun 22, 2007 @04:11pm

(Note: Inserted links below are my own, also be aware of Wiki Warning)

AMARILLO -- Texas Monthly magazine came out Friday, and a couple of our local legislators are in it.

It's called Best and Worst Legislators of 2007.

Representative Warren Chisum of Pampa is on the worst list. The writer says Chisum got in a position of power and did not set a good example. Chisum says the article is one man's opinion, and he's confident with his performance.

Over on the best list -- Amarillo Representative John Smithee made honorable mention.

There's also an article in there about Palo Duro Canyon.

Cow For Sale

Custom upholstry, horns included.

At the Palo Duro Canyon amphitheater

Of course you knew it wasn't real, but wouldn't that be cool markings for a Longhorn steer? I saw a cowdog one time that had a mark on its head just like Mikhail Gorbachev.

My ex had so many freckles that you could, with a felt-tip pen and some imagination, trace a pretty good map of the Solar System on her forearm. Of course, you needed her co-operation, too, and that was pretty hard to come by on most anything I wanted to do. (Yes, most anything.) I dunno, you might have better luck. There were some freckles on her butt...I'd better not get into that.

Another colorful cow

There's something fishy about this cow...

Taken in the amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon last summer.