One cannot understand who comancheros were unless you've been to the West Texas border country. That spirit is still alive today out there. Just ask anybody that has ever worked, lived or loved in West Texas. It is truly a world apart from everywhere else. If you want to know the true cowboy spirit, spend some time out there.
The good-book tells us God rested on the seventh day. My thoughts are he probably kicked his feet up on his porch somewhere out there and spent from dawn to sundown enjoying the view of a distance cap rock.
I've got kin spread out from Muleshoe to Kermit to Big Spring. I don't get out there much anymore, but that's ok. Things out there don't change much, or very fast for that matter. I'm pretty sure if there is ever a nuclear holocaust, it will go unnoticed in West Texas. Especially in Loving County, Texas.
Get on Texas State Highway 302 or Farm to Market 652 and try to get west and a little north toward the New Mexico State Line and you will find yourself in Loving County, Texas right before you cross the Pecos. The County Seat is Mentone. The Courthouse there is almost stark compared to some others. But that just reiterates the esprit de corps of the land and the folks.
Very few folks, that is. With a population of 82 and 677 sq. miles that provides each and every hombre about 8.25 sq. miles each. Not bad if you're wanting to clear your head and collect your thoughts. The county is the least populous county in the United States.
Loving County is named for Oliver Loving, a cattle rancher and pioneer of the cattle drive who, along with Charles Goodnight, developed the Goodnight-Loving Trail. He was mortally wounded by Comanches while on a cattle drive in 1867 in the vicinity of the county.
You can't talk about the people in West Texas without mentioning the women first. Not out of chivalry, but out of respect. The women there are a unique creation. They combine some of the toughest and hard-nosed attitudes that a human can have with the sweetest disposition and a heart of gold. Most of them can cook the hats off of the rest of us, too.
Loving County was the home of the first elected female sheriff in Texas, Edna Reed Clayton Dewees. Dewees was appointed to the job in January 1945, then won an election to continue in the office through 1947. She never carried a firearm, and reported only two arrests during her entire term. Later she would return as a county district clerk, a job she held from 1965 to 1986. After retirement she lived on a ranch near Mentone until 22 January 2009 when she died in Del Rio. God rest her soul.
For fine dining my suggestion would be to find some friends or relatives and drop by. Let one of those West Texas girls whip up a mess of something for everybody. You might not get to pick what's for dinner, but you'll love it anyway.
If you're ever out that way, stay a spell. Just like the people out there, the land might look tough, barren and unforgiving. But under the surface is a peace and beauty to behold.
Of course..if you've just 'gotta have a pizza' while you're there Mentone is not the place to go. You'll have to run 22.8 miles up the road:
PIZZA HUT
524 S Cedar St.
Pecos, TX 79772
(432) 445-2929
(Out there 22.8 miles is just considered "a piece". Not as far as "a ways", just a piece.)
This particular establishment had a recent review on the 'net:
"We are truckers that were stopping in to order pizza until we read the reviews. We just got food from Flying J instead."
I don't know how bad the rest of the reviews were, but to pick a Flying J over anything makes me wonder...Once everyone on my crew except me ate a Flying J in Checotah. Lucky thing; two hours later I drove the whole bunch to the ER. Comin' on that quick is usually ptomaine...
Okay, I was with you until you advised:
> For fine dining my suggestion would be to find some friends or relatives and drop by. Let one of those West Texas girls whip up a mess of something for everybody. You might not get to pick what's for dinner, but you'll love it anyway.
I've spent a good bit of time in West Texas, but it wasn't for the fine dining experience. If you're stranded there, my advice is to order Mexican food. Everything else will be some odd variation that would benefit from a great deal of ketchup. Possibly even the pizza.
And if you're really serious about wanting good pizza in West Texas, you'll need a detour to Marfa to eat at the Pizza Foundation.
Murphy's in Ft. Davis is 2nd Tier, but quite good, too, at least by West Texas standards. They don't sell beer or wine, so be sure to stop on the North side of town at what used to be Baeza's and is now Thriftway, first.
Anyone evere been through Gail, Borden County, Texas. Basically a four-way intersection with a court house on the Southeast corner. Named after Gail Borden, the first Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office.
John Harmon
Or Horace or Tribune in Greeley County, Kansas, which is as far west as you can go.
Go west, Young Man!
I've been to Gail many times. Sometimes for work, sometimes for hunting. My stepson played basketball there a few times. One of my favorite places.
> Anyone evere been through Gail, Borden County, Texas.
I played against them in Football as a kid in Wellman. 8 man football. I still haven't figured out what those other 3 players are supposed to be doing on 11 man teams.
James
You shouldn't be too hard to find. If they ever issue an Amber Alert for you, I'll call them and tell'm to search Pizza Hut.
I spent a week in Mentone one night. I've surveyed all around there. I'm more of an Orla man myself. Mentone's too uppity, putting on big city airs lately.
> I spent a week in Mentone one night. I've surveyed all around there. I'm more of an Orla man myself. Mentone's too uppity, putting on big city airs lately.
Orla, Depending on who you believe a population of 2 or 0.
20 miles by air NW of Mentone or 26 miles by road.
It makes Mentone look like the big city.
B-)
I spent some time in Quartzite, AZ a little over 20 years ago.
It got to over 125° while I was there.
I have been known to tell people that I spent a month there one week and I was only there 3 days.
B-)
