Dallas, Texas

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OVERKILL

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So, this was my 2nd trip to the US. The first was to North Carolina (Chapel Hill), which I was absolutely in love with. What a beautiful place.

This time around it is Dallas. I was there for a week and will be back several times in the next year due to a project I am involved in.

Flying in I was excited. I had intended on finding a local gun range and renting a .50BMG to do some target shooting with. This never materialized as I didn't find a range that rented one.

It was dry. Really dry. It rained. And then it got dry again, LOL! But I like the heat (it was 8 degrees C when we left, it was 34C in Dallas) so I enjoyed that. And dry heat is much nicer than humid heat. But the dryness and general absence of rain was quite evident in the condition of the grass and vegetation, all of which was quite brown/burnt.

The roads were awful. That surprised me. I expected a place with no frost to have roads in much better condition. Also, there was an extremely evident and stark contrast between prosperity and poverty, much more than I am used to seeing. You'd have a beautiful place like Parkland Hospital neighboured by a few businesses then a pile of condemned buildings that used to house businesses, then ghetto, then some very nice houses and this was a common theme. There didn't seem to be any middle ground, just nice and then awful.

Our 2nd day there, somebody tried to steal the wheels off our Tahoe during the night. They got all the hub caps off and 5 of the 6 lug nuts off the right front wheel before the security guard at the hotel caught them and they peeled out leaving the lugs and the caps on the ground.

The food was good. We found a number of Texas barbecue places that served some very nice meals. But it wasn't as diverse and plentiful in selection as the areas around Chapel Hill in NC, where you were literally surrounded by wonderful little restaurants serving all manner of food.

It will be interesting to do some further exploring the next time I'm down. I really want to visit a range there and do some shooting. I didn't see any guns while I was there, at least in the area I was in, which was surprising, I honestly expected to see a lot of them (yes, typical Canadian stereotyping happening here).

The people seemed to be extremely friendly and hard workers. The drivers weren't anywhere near as bad as some of the other states I drove through when I went to NC. Also, I found the absence of rust and the condition of some extremely old vehicles that were still on the road fascinating. There was an early 70's Ford tow truck that was scooting around with some very faded paint but rust free. You'll never see anything like that up in Canada.

All-in-all, I had a great time and am looking forward to going there again.

And of course some pictures:

Dallas from the air:
Dallas05.jpg


An accident we saw during lunch:
Dallas04.jpg


One viewpoint:
Dallas03.jpg


Another:
Dallas02.jpg


Parkland Hospital:
Dallas01.jpg
 
the reason you didn't see everyone walking around with guns is that I believe TX is not an open carry state. I'm sure plenty of folks carry concealed.
 
I LOVE the Dallas/Ft Worth area. I used to live there,I miss it so much!! Can't wait to move back up there soon!!
 
Thanks OVERKILL, I showed your pics to my wife...I'm trying to make our next big trip Canada, and you're not helping !!!
 
I was in Dallas a few years ago in August. Great place - like you I found the people nice and food good.

Although the HEAT - hot, humid heat - it was over 100 every day I was there. And talking to people that's normal for Dallas in the summer.

Also saw some of the best thunderstorms ever while I was there.
 
Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
the reason you didn't see everyone walking around with guns is that I believe TX is not an open carry state. I'm sure plenty of folks carry concealed.


Even in PA which is an open carry state you rarely see open carry.
 
out of curiosity, (b/c in your sig it says network engineer, and you mentioned parkland a couple times) is this Project @ Parkland, and IT related? (not asking you to get into specifics)

I only ask as My Brother (whom i'm just back from visiting myself) is in the IS (information systems) Dept for UT South Western Medical Center (which Parkland is a part of).

somewhere i have a photo of "airforce one" (not sure which SAM, but isn't that kinda the point?) outside the hanger @ Love Field taken from a window the his Floor of the Cube Farm.

Since your one of us from up in in the land of salt and rust, Texas is a Great place to buy a used car. I wouldn't even consider buying a used Truck up here. I'd Head to TX.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: itguy08
I was in Dallas a few years ago in August. Great place - like you I found the people nice and food good.

Although the HEAT - hot, humid heat - it was over 100 every day I was there. And talking to people that's normal for Dallas in the summer.

Also saw some of the best thunderstorms ever while I was there.


August is one of the worst months to go there lol. August is a terrible time to be anywhere in North Central Texas. But Dallas is a fun place, go there a lot always something to do.
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
out of curiosity, (b/c in your sig it says network engineer, and you mentioned parkland a couple times) is this Project @ Parkland, and IT related? (not asking you to get into specifics)


The company I work for is indeed looking after a project that has an IT scope to it for the new development at Parkland, which I'm heading up. That's about all I can divulge.

I bet your brother just loves working there eh?
 
No worries about Non-disclosure stuff man, He's had to get security clearances for some projects in the past,(like where an FBI agent comes and interviews your friends and neighbors) so I understand.

He's been there since the early 90s, when he was working for Zale-Lipshy University Hospital, before it all got rolled into one campus, and one Data Center.

In fact,IIRC that Parking Structure, and shiny new hospital tower in your last Pic, are only a couple years old, and built over the site where the old Datacenter was.

Currently working on catching on some certifications he should have had already (basically already doing the work), before Finding something back up here. wants to be back closer to family, esp our sister's kids before they are all grown up (currently 7th grade and Kindergarten)
 
Originally Posted By: JBinTX30
Originally Posted By: itguy08
I was in Dallas a few years ago in August. Great place - like you I found the people nice and food good.

Although the HEAT - hot, humid heat - it was over 100 every day I was there. And talking to people that's normal for Dallas in the summer.

Also saw some of the best thunderstorms ever while I was there.


August is one of the worst months to go there lol. August is a terrible time to be anywhere in North Central Texas. But Dallas is a fun place, go there a lot always something to do.


That's what the locals said. I was there for training so I sucked it up, used extra deoderant and had a blast! I'd go back in a heartbeat.
 
Id say you were in an inner city area to see ghetto area. Most people live in the Burbs, and commute into the [censored] Hole.

Im closer to Austin, and I don't go into Austin unless I have to. Too much traffic and too many people. It used to be much nicer in the 70's.
 
Yup-spent lots of time in Texas years ago and a number of trips to the wind tunnel facility at LTV Vought and steak houses were the big deal. We have Dallas folks as neighbors in 'lake country' Minnesota for half the year who don't miss summer in Dallas at all-very nice people, but as all good Texans say-Texas is truly God's country!!
 
I've got a lot of work going on in Arlington. Never had the types of experiences like you mention.

Be sure to get to Jose a garcia's in ft worth.
 
I actually loved the summers in DFW compared to the summers here in south Texas. No humidity there compared to here. It can be cool outside and you still sweat here!
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I've got a lot of work going on in Arlington. Never had the types of experiences like you mention.

Be sure to get to Jose a garcia's in ft worth.


Will check it out!
 
Los Lupes in Cedal Hill is a good Mexican restaurant,and Mexican Inn is a good one too. Esparzas in Grapevine is another favorite of mine!!
 
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