Trip to Texas

[THE TOUCH]

I just got back from spending a few days in Denton Texas for Business. The first day I drove a few hours and decided that it wasn't much different than Bakersfield, CA - flat and dry.

But, on the second day I decided to head to Oklahoma just for the heck of it and I soon realized that Texas wasn't about landscapes and beautiful scenery...but was more about historical landmarks, buildings, and farms.

I only had ~5 hours so I was pretty happy with the results.:D

Welcome to Texas! yeah.
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81856857-L.jpg

Not sure what all the flags are...:dunno
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81856870-L.jpg

While driving back from Oklahoma, I noticed a tall clock-tower in the middle of a small town next to the freeway - I had to check it out! As soon as I parked, some guy walked up and started telling me ALL about it - the people were so nice down there. They got a huge grant and were restoring it back to the original designs. Very beautiful!
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81856899-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857120-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857260-L.jpg

I wanted to start a fire just so I could slide down the fire escape!:rofl
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857147-L.jpg

All the buildings downtown where historic...
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81863024-L.jpg

The houses were just amazing!
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857311-L.jpg

I found this amazing church with huge stained-glass windows. It was closed so I was very disappointed I couldn't see the inside.
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857415-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857446-L.jpg

I think I overdid this one a little...:dunno
http://THE-TOUCH.smugmug.com/photos/81857848-L.jpg

While I was photographing the outside, a man parked across the street,walked over and introduced himself. My prayers were answered - turned out that he was the groundskeeper and asked if I would like to see the Sanctuary!!! SWEET! This place was amazing...you don't find too many like this in California -
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857521-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857548-L.jpg

Unfortunately, I didn't have a tripod, and only had a few minutes so I tried my best to work with the lighting and keep the warmness of the place.
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857586-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857655-L.jpg


I just missed the cross in this one:wxwax
http://THE-TOUCH.smugmug.com/photos/81857712-L.jpg

The stained glass windows were amazing! I was surprised how well the detail was in the print.
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857607-L.jpg

Here's the same window at 100% - ISO800
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81867771-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857752-L.jpg

Another church just a couple blocks away...this one makes me sick!:puke
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857947-L.jpg

Can't leave without a barn shot...wish I had better sky
http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81858132-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81858195-L.jpg

Thanks for viewing YA'LL!:jose (closest thing to a cowboy!:D) All the pics can be found HERE (http://the-touch.smugmug.com/gallery/1667597/1)

[rosselliot]

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81856870-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857120-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81863024-L.jpg


http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81857947-L.jpg

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81858195-L.jpg


Those are definitely my favorite...especially the one with such a red church!!! WONDERFUL photos. great job!

[THE TOUCH]

Those are definitely my favorite...especially the one with such a red church!!! WONDERFUL photos. great job!

Thank you rosselliot! :thumb

This town was probably the best location I've had in a long time! I don't get to travel much:cry . I would have loved to stay several days in this town...Unfortunately, I only had a few hours.

Thanks again!:D

[Baldy]

Wow, sounds like a great trip. Great pics. Loved seeing the inside of the church.

[THE TOUCH]

Thanks Baldy! The church was amazing - I could have spent two day in it easily but I was thankful for the 10 minutes I actually got! :thumb

Wow, sounds like a great trip. Great pics. Loved seeing the inside of the church.

[allensphoto]

gainsville is a cool town .. there a lot of little towns like that in north texas... they are really picky about there town squares.. a lot of the towns have redid there squares most have a court house in the middle surrounded by a one way street ...great story .. you need to get back this way more there's lots more to see...

[THE TOUCH]

gainsville is a cool town .. there a lot of little towns like that in north texas... they are really picky about there town squares.. a lot of the towns have redid there squares most have a court house in the middle surrounded by a one way street ...great story .. you need to get back this way more there's lots more to see...

Thanks Curtis!

It was really shocking to see a town like this. We just don't have anything like that in California.

I did make it to Ardmore, OK! I stopped, had lunch at Applebee's, then turned back around. I've never heard so many people say Ya'll in my life!:rofl Everyone is so nice and kickback in that area though. Made me realize how caotic California can be!:wxwax

I was interviewing for a traveling position. Hopefully I'll get to go there some more!

[allensphoto]

i am about an 1 1/2 hours north east of ardmore.. please don't judge OK by ardmore... it is a nasty town.. just my 2cents... if y'all get this way, y'all give me a holler..we'll russell up some viddles and go shoot sumthan...lol:rofl enjoy the lingo...

[THE TOUCH]

:rofl :rofl :rofl


i am about an 1 1/2 hours north east of ardmore.. please don't judge OK by ardmore... it is a nasty town.. just my 2cents... if y'all get this way, y'all give me a holler..we'll russell up some viddles and go shoot sumthan...lol:rofl enjoy the lingo...

[jamesl]

You did a great job capturing the essence of Texas! I live in the Dallas area, and I don't get out to the smaller towns enough. There are so many beautiful things to shoot. I love the Churches around here. They are amazing, and there are tons of them. Glad to see you got a chance to visit some! :):

James

[Maestro]

Very nice shots! I especially like the church shots. I still can't do inside shots well.

BTW, the flags represent the 6 entities that have governed Texas; Spanish, French, Mexican, Republic of Texas, Confederacy and the U.S.

[THE TOUCH]

Thank you James!

I took all of my gear and almost went home with nothing until I saw this town on the last day! I would love to go back again and search for more of these towns!

You did a great job capturing the essence of Texas! I live in the Dallas area, and I don't get out to the smaller towns enough. There are so many beautiful things to shoot. I love the Churches around here. They are amazing, and there are tons of them. Glad to see you got a chance to visit some! :):

James

[THE TOUCH]

Thank you Maestro! Church shots were my favorites as well - I'm very thankful the janitor showed up!

I got pretty lucky on the inside shots!:D The huge stained glass windows brought in a lot of light otherwise I probably would have been screwed.:huh

Thanks for the info on the flags! That's very interesting that they show tribute to something like that. I'll have to put that info in the data.


Very nice shots! I especially like the church shots. I still can't do inside shots well.

BTW, the flags represent the 6 entities that have governed Texas; Spanish, French, Mexican, Republic of Texas, Confederacy and the U.S.

[erich6]

Way-to-go Kevin. I also like the church images. But my favorite is the barn shot. :thumb

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81858132-M.jpg

Erich

[Nikolai]

Thank you for taking us to the trip! :thumb

[THE TOUCH]

Way-to-go Kevin. I also like the church images. But my favorite is the barn shot. :thumb

http://the-touch.smugmug.com/photos/81858132-M.jpg

Erich

Thanks Erich!:thumb I almost didn't shoot it. It was just off the highway and I passed it on my way to OK so I figured I would stop on my way back. It caught my eye right away and there was a really cool rustic windmill next to it so I continued to ponder how I wanted to frame it. On the way back, I was worried about getting to the airport so I decided to keep driving.:huh Couple miles down the road, I finally convinced myself that I would regret it! When I got there, the original shot I was thinking with the windmill AND the barn wouldn't frame up like I wanted, so I decided to shoot the barn anyways since I was there!:thumb

Glad I did!:D

[THE TOUCH]

Thanks Nik!:thumb No problem.:D

Thank you for taking us to the trip! :thumb

[Dani]

HA! there's one good thing in ardmore.... Fireside Dinning Restaraunt at Lake Murray...

BEST PRIME RIB EVAR!!!! fantastic food

i am about an 1 1/2 hours north east of ardmore.. please don't judge OK by ardmore... it is a nasty town.. just my 2cents... if y'all get this way, y'all give me a holler..we'll russell up some viddles and go shoot sumthan...lol:rofl enjoy the lingo...

[THE TOUCH]

Awww...I wish I knew! I didn't feel like searching so I just stopped at the first decent restaurant I saw - Applebee's.:dunno


HA! there's one good thing in ardmore.... Fireside Dinning Restaraunt at Lake Murray...

BEST PRIME RIB EVAR!!!! fantastic food

[Dani]

Nothin wrong with Applebee's :)

Fireside is a bit out of town... if you ever find yourself headed back that way though... here's a page for you to bookmark (http://www.ardmoreokdining.com/)

Awww...I wish I knew! I didn't feel like searching so I just stopped at the first decent restaurant I saw - Applebee's.:dunno

[THE TOUCH]

Thanks Dani!:thumb

Nothin wrong with Applebee's :)

Fireside is a bit out of town... if you ever find yourself headed back that way though... here's a page for you to bookmark (http://www.ardmoreokdining.com/)

[allensphoto]

HA! there's one good thing in ardmore.... Fireside Dinning Restaraunt at Lake Murray...

BEST PRIME RIB EVAR!!!! fantastic food
i'm sure there are more than just one thing... just the few times i was there for any length of time just a lot of bad stuff going on...i would never dog my own state . but we do have our share of rif raff...:D :D

[Nappalonia]

I know I'm late, but this is good stuff, love the inside of the church:thumb

[THE TOUCH]

Thank you Nappalonia! :D

I know I'm late, but this is good stuff, love the inside of the church:thumb

[jerrykr]

Hey Kevin,

You sure made my home town look good. It's always amazing that someone could get excited about a place that is so familiar.

Your shots sure do Gainesville justice.

I'm amazed that you didn't take a shot of the best Victorian house right across the street from First Pres Church. It is truly an outstanding house of the Cotton, Cattle, and Oil eras in Frontier Texas.

edited: Opps, I see you did get a shot of it in the gallery. That big old pecan tree is kind of in the way. Lots of trees up and down Denton St.

First Pres is a pretty neat church, but there are really a lot of them in Gainesville. Our church choir used to trade off with them, so, I have sang (sung?) in that church a number of times. The pipe organ is really something to hear, the low notes will shake you to the core.

If you are ever back to Denton, and travel back up to G-ville, do yourself a favor and travel west 4 miles on Hwy 82 to Lindsay, Tx. If you liked First Pres, you will be floored by St Peter's Catholic in Lindsay. It is unlike anything you have ever seen, unless you happened to have visited the "Painted Churches" in south Texas.

Travel another 8 miles west to another German community, Muenster. Their church is great, but much more modern in design. The German food and culture out there are wonderful, and very accomodating to the visitor. I am distantly related to about every 3rd person in Muenster. :):

Thanks for the pictorial visit to my Home. I need to get back up there again soon.

-=- Jerry -=-
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[THE TOUCH]

Wow Jerry! That's so cool! What are the chances of that!?

I would have loved to spend a few days in that area, Unfortunately, I only had a few days.:cry

I declined the job so I don't think I'll be heading that way anytime soon. I'll be sure to keep those areas on my list though!

BTW - Welcome to Dgrin!:D



Hey Kevin,

You sure made my home town look good. It's always amazing that someone could get excited about a place that is so familiar.

Your shots sure do Gainesville justice.

I'm amazed that you didn't take a shot of the best Victorian house right across the street from First Pres Church. It is truly an outstanding house of the Cotton, Cattle, and Oil eras in Frontier Texas.

edited: Opps, I see you did get a shot of it in the gallery. That big old pecan tree is kind of in the way. Lots of trees up and down Denton St.

First Pres is a pretty neat church, but there are really a lot of them in Gainesville. Our church choir used to trade off with them, so, I have sang (sung?) in that church a number of times. The pipe organ is really something to hear, the low notes will shake you to the core.

If you are ever back to Denton, and travel back up to G-ville, do yourself a favor and travel west 4 miles on Hwy 82 to Lindsay, Tx. If you liked First Pres, you will be floored by St Peter's Catholic in Lindsay. It is unlike anything you have ever seen, unless you happened to have visited the "Painted Churches" in south Texas.

Travel another 8 miles west to another German community, Muenster. Their church is great, but much more modern in design. The German food and culture out there are wonderful, and very accomodating to the visitor. I am distantly related to about every 3rd person in Muenster. :):

Thanks for the pictorial visit to my Home. I need to get back up there again soon.

-=- Jerry -=-
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