American Stonehenge
Big Texan
July 1, 2010
Around Amarillo, I found intriguing Americana. What is Americana? It’s anything that is uniquely American. In other words, it’s something you could never find in France, Greece, China, or even Canada.
In the middle of the city, I stopped for dinner at The Big Texan Steak Ranch. The place is famous for serving 72 ounce steaks. If you can eat one in less than an hour, it’s free. There are six large digital clocks on the wall that count down from sixty minutes whenever someone attempts to eat the big one.
When I walked into the large barn of a dining room, with a few hundred people seated on benches at long tables, crammed together like they were all at a church picnic, none of the clocks were running. I asked my waiter how often someone attempted to eat the 72 once steak. He said about two people a night, almost always men. He added, “One one in ten finishes it in time.” I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak, a dish that originated in Texas. It was about a Hubcap Burger, which you can find at Chotham’s in Little Rock. Bill Clinton reportedly had a fondness for Hubcap Burgers before his first heart attack. I couldn’t finish my Country Fried Steak, which was far from 72 ounces.
As I was leaving Amarillo, I stopped to looks at ten old cars, from the late 1950s or early 1960s, planted upright in the middle of a wheat field. Anyone who visits can pick up a spray can and paint the cars, for all day long if they wish.
I looked for a plaque that said something about the genius who created this sculpture. Nothing. The work is as anonymous as Stonehenge.
I’m going to keep an eye out for the World’s Largest Ball of Twine and the World’s Largest Frying Pan.
Democratic Vistas 
George,Lenny and I are enjoying reading about your travels—sounds wonderful
Mae
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By: Mae Barkan on July 2, 2010
at 3:27 pm
George.
Lenny and I are enjoying reading about your travels——sounds wonderful.
Mae
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By: Mae Barkan on July 2, 2010
at 3:28 pm
I’m enjoying reading your posts so much. We always stop off for the ridiculous roadside attractions, and the World’s Biggest Ball of Twin (Wound By One Man) ended up in my dissertations. It’s out in Darwin, MN, if you ever find yourself out that way.
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By: Krista on July 3, 2010
at 10:25 am
Twine, not Twin! Although one does wonder what a Ball of Twins would involve. And only one dissertation. More coffee, please – it’s actually 6:25 here, not the 10:25 that posted on my comment data.
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By: Krista on July 3, 2010
at 10:26 am
Thanks for the editorial help. I need it. By the time that I can write a post, I am usually exhausted. I try to proofread the stinking thing, but my eyes keep closing.
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By: George on July 3, 2010
at 11:02 pm
Oh, I think you were fine. I was just correcting my own typos in my comment.
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By: Krista on July 7, 2010
at 10:00 am
I was serious, though, about help with the editing. If you see something, let me know.
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By: George on July 10, 2010
at 5:55 pm
If your atrilecs are always this helpful, I’ll be back.
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By: Sable on September 26, 2011
at 11:18 am