22 Things To Know Before Moving to Amarillo

I saw this on Facebook ... 22 Things You Need To Know Before Moving to Amarillo.  You can click on the link if you like.  I can think of numerous things you really ought to know ... like what to do when the tornado sirens go off, how to keep your car on the road when the wind is blowing 60 mph, or how to avoid being burned by your seat belt & steering wheel in the summer but they didn't mention those.  I will add some comments on some of the things they did list.

http://www.movoto.com/amarillo-tx/moving-to-amarillo-texas/
       Amarillo has a population of about 200,000 but it is still a small town.  This list was put together by a real estate company in California but they hit most things on the head (got it right).
     Remember a few posts ago I said the drought in the Texas panhandle doesn't have an effect on just us Texans.  If it doesn't rain enough we can't grow hay to feed the cattle so there are fewer cattle, then cattle prices go up and your hamburger is more costly...  item # 1 says "Today, a quarter of the U.S. beef supply is processed in the panhandle."  ("the panhandle" is the top narrow part of Texas consisting of 26 counties and probably more cows than people.  That "more cows than people" is not official, I'm just sayin', but we do have a lot of ranches and feedlots here.  Amarillo is the largest city in the panhandle)    Probably the most famous Amarillo restaurant is "The Big Texan."  I have never been out there. I wanted to take my son there before he moved to Seattle but he said why would he want to do something tourist-y.  Oh-kay.  Anyway, my favorite meal is pinto beans with cornbread, onion & chow-chow but my second favorite meal is a sirloin cooked extra well done.  Beef, it's whats for dinner. That is THE slogan here.   (At my house only sometimes.  I probably have beef maybe twice a week and then it is most likely hamburger)
      Item # 2 .... my daughter-in-law works at Tyler's BBQ and she makes the best potato salad, as well as cole slaw, cobbler, beans, green chili mac & cheese.   That is her boss,Tyler, in the big hat.  Last year Tyler's was named one of the top 50 bbq places in Texas by Texas Monthly Magazine.  In Texas we like having braggin' rights.  I love their chopped brisket sandwiches.  If you ever pass through Amarillo stop and have one.
      Item # 7 ... some time I am going to drive around town and take photos of all the artsy horses to show you.  They add some color to our town.
      Item # 8 ... Hmm, I have never seen a live armadillo.  And not even a dead armadillo in green grass, just on the side of the road.
      Item # 9 ... I don't know where they took that photo of the Osprey but not here....out at the airport it is flat as a pancake and not a tree like those in sight.  Back in March I mentioned being out on the balcony of my daughter's apartment when an Osprey flew over, fairly low.  I love to see them. 
item # 10 ... they wrote this obviously before the National Weather Service named us the windiest city in the country.  
      Item # 11 ... if you have been here very long you will know someone that works at the Pantex plant.  It is a big employer.  Security is very tight so don't expect to go out and get a tour.  You can't even get close.  Bombs and all.
      Item # 12 ... I live on tortilla chips and Tascosa Picante Sauce.  Yummy!
      Item # 16 ... my son was a barista at the 806 before he moved to Seattle.  The 806 is a little coffee shop like no other in the world on the old Route 66 here.  (806 is our area code)
      Item # 19 ... about 25 miles south of town you will be driving along on the flat, bare prairie and all of a sudden the earth drops off into this huge, huge canyon.  Palo Duro Canyon is the prettiest spot in Texas.