Category: Trips

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Manteo, North Carolina

It’s amazing to think about, but the first air flight took place on December 17, 1903! And it happened here at Manteo/Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Before 1903, human flight was only a dream. Wilbur and Orville Wright worked at a bicycle shop in Akron, Ohio, when after many hours of thought and experimenting, they went to North Carolina because of the guaranteed windy conditions. And they taught us to fly! This was an incredible national monument and memorial.

Replica of the Wright Brothers’ first flight areoplane.
This is inside the museum, which contain many very interesting exhibits.
Some Wright Brothers biographical information.
Actual tools from the Wright Brothers’ bicycle shop that were in Akron, Ohio
This marker marks the spot where the first plane took off.
120 feet from the takeoff marker is this marker, which marks the spot where the first flight landed.
The spot where the second flight landed after flying for 175 feet.
The spot where the third flight landed after flying for 200 feet.
The spot where the fourth flight landed after flying for 852 feet.
This flight lasted 59 seconds! Imagine the exhilaration Wilbur and Orville experienced on December 17, 1903 when they realized what they had accomplished!
Looking down from Kill Devil Hill toward the flight markers.
The Wright Brothers Monument atop The Kill Devil Hill

Then and Now…

Now that we are back home from Dallas, I was able to find some pictures to compare “then and now” pictures from the 1980s with last week in Dallas. Here goes…

At the top of Reunion Tower, 1989 and 2018:

  

Downtown Dallas from Reunion Tower, 1984, 1986, 1989 and 2018:

  

Downtown Dallas from the west, 1985 and 2018.

  

Bank of America Plaza, 1984 and 2018:

  

Las Colinas Mustangs, 1986 and 2018.

  

Bonus picture from 1989:

  

Homeward bound!

Alas, we must get back to the real world, so we say bye to Dallas! It was a neat trip back to see old sights and new. This is where we started 31+ years ago! And now we are ready for our own bed in our house! Let’s go!

But first, we must have lunch at Pappasito’s Cantina in DFW Airport.
The Laredo: enchilada, crispy taco, and pork tamale.
My good old classic cheeseburger!

Our flight was delayed for over 1-1/2 hours so the flight maintenance crew could work on some “items”. So we landed at Dulles at 8:30 instead of 6, and we got home at 9:45. But we made it home! We thank God for His travelling mercies!

Goodbye, Dallas!
   
  
Berber carpet.
Mississippi River

Last Night in Dallas

The Deltek Insight 2018 Conference has its “Celebrate Insight” night at Gilley’s in downtown Dallas.

  
Texas barbecue night.
Apple cobbler and Jack Daniels chocolate pie.
Gilley’s in Houston was the setting for the 1980 movie Urban Cowboy starring John Travolta. I actually rode the mechanical bull at the Houston Gilley’s back in 1985. I’ve got the picure at home if you ever want to see it. Now, you are not even allowed to sit on this (non-moving) mechanical bull for a picture without staff supervision!
So Kool & the Gang were playing!
 
  
  
Dallas skyline at night.
  
  
  

Out & about in Grapevine

So we found this cool cafe in Grapevine for breakfast.
Cool door handle.
Awesome food!
Delicious french toast.
Omelet chock full of cheese and bacon, with grits and bacon!
Really cool mural at the Whataburger.
  
The bottom line kind of negates the entire sign, doesn’t it?