El Paso trip - Have you ever been?

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Having been in most all of Texas' major cities, I recently made a trip to El Paso, since I had never been there before.

From my home in Denton County, the quickest trip would have been I-20 to I-10. But I wanted to travel a different route and see something else.
Once I got to Odessa, I took TX 302 (the pavement is in bad shape due to heavy oil/gas traffic), to Ranch Road 652, to US 67/180. This brought me within about 100 yards of New Mexico, but I went west, past El Capitan. This area contains the highest point in Texas at about 8350 feet above sea level. On the roads I took, I went from 2949 feet above sea level, to about 5700 feet above sea level, in a short distance. But it was a very gentle upwards glide. Denton County to El Paso was 616 miles and I made it in 10.5 hours, with a few stops.

Prior to going to El Paso, I had not checked the population, and was expecting more of a small city. Well, once you get out on El Paso's I-10 or Highway 54, the traffic is just as intense as being in Dallas, Austin, or Houston! The El Paso/Las Cruces MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) 2017 population estimate is 1.06 million folks. No wonder the roads are busy.

El Paso is on the border with Ciudad Juarez. Both cities are fully developed urban centers that go right up to the international border. I tried to get someplace where I could get a clear view of the border, but that was easier said than done.

While there I visited the Magoffin House. The Magoffins were the premier El Paso family. The patriarch Magoffin got 1280 acres of El Paso from his father's estate. Since 640 acres = 1 square mile, his landholdings were exactly 2 square miles. His house was built of adobe, but very upscale. It was constructed from 1875-1877. This land had been seized by the Union as a result of the Civil War, but Magoffin was able to <buy?> get it back after the Civil War.

El Paso was an early adopter of modern infrastucture (water, sewer, electric), so as the city grew fast, this fostered growth. When mules were the animals to pull all the city passenger wagons, all the mules were named "Mandy" so that the coachmen always knew what to call their mules to give them commands. Pretty dope idea.

The city has "Scenic Drive", which allows one to drive high up some steep hills overlooking the city. There are many large homes clinging to the cliffs. Many have elaborate expensive retaining walls to keep them from sliding downtown. It kind of reminds one of how Cali homes cling to the cliffs there, seemingly taunting gravity to pull them down.

I visited the US Border Patrol Museum, the Archaeology Museum, the Holocaust Center, and bought a new pair of Tony Lama's at the Tony Lama factory outlet store. Too late I found out about Rocketbuster Boots. https://www.rocketbuster.com/ I would have loved to have seen this in person, but the website will have to do. Fort Bliss has a military museum, but I ran out of time to see it.

Prior to my trip, I had PM'd "karder", who was the only forum member I was aware of that was an El Paso guy. I was hoping to get together with him, but my PM was not answered. Oh well, people's emails change sometimes.

So now I have seen El Paso. My next "never been there" trip may be to Caddo Lake/Jefferson, TX.

SIA

[AF-Odin]

Glad you had a good trip. My wife is from El Paso and one of her sisters still lives there. Too bad you did not get to stop by the Fort Bliss Rod and Gun Club. it is not too far from the Border Patrol Museum. The Fort Bliss Rod and Gun is on Fort Bliss property, but outside the secured area of the post. They allow civilians to use the range and become members of the club. They have several pistol and rifle ranges and one out to 1,000 yards. Once you see it and talk to the staff you quickly understand why it is considered the Best Rod and Gun Club in DOD.

[txhighlander]

Well if you get to Jefferson drop me a line, I don't live far from there.

[joe817]

Glad you had a great time SIA! I've never been to El Paso, but want to go before I pass on. I love Tony Lama boots. They hold up well. In fact, when I was a kid growing up in the country, Tony Lama boots were the only brand I wore. Hope you like them.

And you will fall in LOVE with Jefferson! Very historic town in Texas. Be sure and go to the 'haunted hotel' there. They have a Confederate museum that's a fascinating visit. Oh. And if you get a chance, take the bayou tour on the south side of town. Very interesting. You'll pass by a Confederate powder magazine still standing.

[philip964]

El Paso is an interesting city.

There is an outlet mall for shopping.

A real big statue at the airport.

Not many trees so to can see along ways into Mexico when you drive down I-10.

You can drive down to the river and see a small wall. I found the downtown very attractive.

What I really found interesting was the mountain bluffs right near the down town that were painted with advertisements and realizing they were in Mexico. Mexico is really close.

Our dog would only do number 2 on grass. After a couple of days with no movements we searched and found some grass at a Walmart. There has never been a more happy dog to see grass.

A decade later there was a mass shooting in El Paso at a Walmart.

It was not the one our dog took advantage of many years before.

[03Lightningrocks]

El Paso is an interesting city.

There is an outlet mall for shopping.

A real big statue at the airport.

Not many trees so to can see along ways into Mexico when you drive down I-10.

You can drive down to the river and see a small wall. I found the downtown very attractive.

What I really found interesting was the mountain bluffs right near the down town that were painted with advertisements and realizing they were in Mexico. Mexico is really close.

Our dog would only do number 2 on grass. After a couple of days with no movements we searched and found some grass at a Walmart. There has never been a more happy dog to see grass.

A decade later there was a mass shooting in El Paso at a Walmart.

It was not the one our dog took advantage of many years before.

Sorry to be off topic but I am amazed by your dogs ability to hold it for a couple days. That must have been one big pile! I want to ask if you left it or carried it off with a dump truck. You have one stubborn dog!

[RoyGBiv]

^^ Y'all crack me up.

[philip964]

El Paso is an interesting city.

There is an outlet mall for shopping.

A real big statue at the airport.

Not many trees so to can see along ways into Mexico when you drive down I-10.

You can drive down to the river and see a small wall. I found the downtown very attractive.

What I really found interesting was the mountain bluffs right near the down town that were painted with advertisements and realizing they were in Mexico. Mexico is really close.

Our dog would only do number 2 on grass. After a couple of days with no movements we searched and found some grass at a Walmart. There has never been a more happy dog to see grass.

A decade later there was a mass shooting in El Paso at a Walmart.

It was not the one our dog took advantage of many years before.

Sorry to be off topic but I am amazed by your dogs ability to hold it for a couple days. That must have been one big pile! I want to ask if you left it or carried it off with a dump truck. You have one stubborn dog!

Small dog, small poop. We were worried. Coaxing him around decorative gravel and cactus in motel parking lots was not cutting it with him.

[KC5AV]

Well if you get to Jefferson drop me a line, I don't live far from there.

Same here

[Lynyrd]

I traveled the exact route you described about 30 years ago. I remember coming into El Paso on 62 and seeing lots and lots of cranes at businesses along the road. Each crane had a trailer loaded with tools suspended about 30 feet in the air. I could only surmise that theft was so bad they had resorted to using the cranes to keep their tools safe. It was a weird sight.