Cowtown

 

 

On Saturday we hopped the Grapevine Vintage Railroad and rode the hour and a half down to Fort Worth. The 1890's coach car was really decorated well for the season.

 

However, you have to notice the purple window coverings .... well. Because the train would go next week on their special Santa run of 12 minutes duration and the entertainment would be inside after dark, they covered up the windows with this decorative plastic stuff.

 



They forgot to realize that before that the train would have several of the longer, day runs, to Fort Worth where the customers were paying $26 a head to see outside for the hour-plus ride each way. After several folks walked out and demanded their money back before we departed ("we didn't pay to ride on a subway"), the balance of the unruly mob took matters into their own hands (finally management capitulated and let us rip) and peeled the pretty stuff off the windows. Here's Morgan, Jeanette, and Jo-Anne as we joined the ripping party.

The balance of the trip was quite nice as we were able to see out and we arrived at the Fort Worth Stockyards of international fame.

We strolled around the shops and bought some cowboy/cowgirl themed things and then went up Exchange Avenue to the old Stockyards Hotel to take a break from our tough day.

Inside the 100+ year old hotel as we sipped some nice wine we could really put our brains back that 100 years to what it might have been like; here's Jo relaxing on the cow-sided chair, looking pretty regal indeed.

As we walked back to the train depot the cowboys had rounded up the longhorns for the daily cattle drive down Exchange Avenue just as they had done in times past and what made this cattle to train shipping depot so important.

And lastly, everybody knows the famous western cowgirl called "Cowlamity" Jane, eh.

Then back on the comfortable train ... with windows we could see out of ... and returned to our lake spot on Lake Grapevine ... super day and lots of fun!