HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY
I hope all the mothers in the family and friends of ours had a great day and were treated specially. This is how Gerry spent the afternoon celebrating her special day dining on a rack of baby back ribs, one of her favorite meals. We shared a 64 oz pitcher of a Hefenwezin beer.
We are waiting for a part for the motorhome and lucked out and arrived in Amarillo where we can get it serviced. We are in a rv park across I-40 from the repair facility which makes it very convenient. In addition, we are about 1/2 mile from the Big Texan Steak Ranch, home of the 72oz steak.
In 1960, R. J. “Bob” Lee opened The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo
on Route 66, the “Mother Road. Its distinctive architecture soon became
recognized across the Mother Road as a good stopping place for great
steaks grilled over an open flame.
The towering sign of a long-legged cowboy that Bob erected next to the building became a major landmark on Route 66. From the beginning, the Big Texan welcomed weary travelers and migrating families whose roots spread all across America. The now World-famous FREE 72-oz. steak came to life not long after Bob opened the doors to the Big Texan Steak Ranch.
Beginning in the mid-1960s signs began cropping up along the Mother Road inviting travelers to come in for a 72-oz. steak dinner that was FREE if it could be eaten in one hour. Thousands of road-weary youngsters practiced their ciphering as they converted 72 ounces into four and one-half pounds. Those Big Texan signs became as much of the nation’s culture as the old Burma Shave signs. One company has long-since disappeared with the dust of the old road, but the other still flourishes. Big Texan Steak Ranch billboards can still be seen to the east and west of Amarillo along Interstate 40 and on major north-south routes that run through the Panhandle.
The towering sign of a long-legged cowboy that Bob erected next to the building became a major landmark on Route 66. From the beginning, the Big Texan welcomed weary travelers and migrating families whose roots spread all across America. The now World-famous FREE 72-oz. steak came to life not long after Bob opened the doors to the Big Texan Steak Ranch.
Beginning in the mid-1960s signs began cropping up along the Mother Road inviting travelers to come in for a 72-oz. steak dinner that was FREE if it could be eaten in one hour. Thousands of road-weary youngsters practiced their ciphering as they converted 72 ounces into four and one-half pounds. Those Big Texan signs became as much of the nation’s culture as the old Burma Shave signs. One company has long-since disappeared with the dust of the old road, but the other still flourishes. Big Texan Steak Ranch billboards can still be seen to the east and west of Amarillo along Interstate 40 and on major north-south routes that run through the Panhandle.
In the early 1970s, Interstate Highway 40 muscled its way across the
country replacing Route 66 as the major traffic lane. Bob Lee purchased
land along the route for the new highway.
He and his family built an new, bigger and better Big Texan Steak Ranch fron the ground up along I-40.
The giant cowboy, now an historical icon, was moved by helicopter from its original location on the Mother Road to its current home on Interstate 40.
He and his family built an new, bigger and better Big Texan Steak Ranch fron the ground up along I-40.
The giant cowboy, now an historical icon, was moved by helicopter from its original location on the Mother Road to its current home on Interstate 40.
The main restaurant is on two floors with the 2nd floor being a balcony area. The photo below shows about half of the ground floor and the balcony area.
They have numerous animal heads on the 2nd floor overlooking the main dining room.
Gerry's ribs came out just like she likes them and the sweet potato, salad and garlic bread set it off. She couldn't finish the ribs and brought them home for lunch tomorrow.
One brave person decided to try the 72oz steak challenge and thought he could finish it off. It included potatoes, salad, rolls, drinks and a 4.5 lb steak. He had 60 minutes to consume it all and lasted until the last 8 minutes when he gave up. It cost him $72 for the challenge and had to pay off when he couldn't finish.
We were close to the grill and I went back to check it out. The cook said they prepared 700-800 steaks a day along with many other entrees. Those steaks sure looked good.
I ran into a large grizzly bear on the way out and he was huge. Glad that he was stuffed and I didn't have to fight him or try to outrun him.
I ran into a few friends and stopped to chat with them. They were shy and didn't have that much to say.
Gerry managed to find two sets of earrings and a nice ring in the gift shop. She wasn't that happy to see the live 6ft rattlesnake they had in a glass enclosure. It was constantly moving around checking how to get out of there. Glad I didn't see the rattlesnake while out geocaching. I know it could move faster than I can.
That was our day, how was yours?
