Waco, Texas

January 17, 2019

Today we spent the day in Waco.

First, we drove by SpaceX. They’re only 5 miles from the campground we’re staying at. We had hoped to hear some rocket testing….but no booming while we were there.

 

Then headed over to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum (like in Chuck Norris…not baseball(0: ).

 

A little history of the Rangers.

 

They had some really fancy guns.

 

Some even had diamonds and rubies and mother-of-pearl.

 

These were guns you could handle to get a perspective of how heavy these guns used to be. Those Texas Rangers had strong wrists!!

All Rangers ride a horse, right?

 

 

Had to visit the Lone Ranger exhibit. A good creed to live by too.

 

This painting looked like a photograph!

 

 

We were pretty hungry so we headed to the Twisted Root Burger Co. Heard they had really good burgers.

 

 

The burgers were good.

Josiah’s was a burger between two grilled cheese sandwiches.

 

 

They had a bunch of Chuck Norris sayings in the bathrooms.

 

 

After lunch we headed over to Magnolia Market Silos, Chip and Joanna Gaines place. Suzie had wanted to stop in their bakery but the line was out the door and starting down the sidewalk. They have a lawn area with corn hole and blocks to play with. There is also a store, garden and seed shop. They also have food trucks on the perimeter and picnic tables under a pole barn. And of course, the silos.

 

 

 

 

Always looking for opportunities to hone those ninja skills.

 

Pardon the thumb.

 

Audrah and Jed working out with some unusual weights as we walk through town. (0:

 

 

 

Next stop, Waco Mammoth National Monument. We weren’t sure if it would be open with the government shutdown. They were open as they are a join federal/city park. So the city workers were still working.

 

There have been many Columbian Mammoths unearthed here. Of course they teach you that millions of years have taken place over this sight. Looking at it from a Creationist perspective, one can easily see how a great flood caused the demise of these great creatures. They were actually even larger than Woolly Mammoths. Here is a picture to demonstrate the size compared to Audrah.

 

They have built this 4 million dollar building around the site in order to save it until they get funding/people to do the excavation. They say there is 60 years worth of work to do here.

They are the only known sight to have a mammoth nursery. They found 16 mothers, juveniles and babies all together.

 

 

 

 

After the building tour we took a short hike.

 

Some major thorns!

 

We then headed over to the Branch Davidian site. Donald wanted the kids to know this tragic part of our history.

 

A kind lady, Alexa, allowed us entry into the chapel that has been build on the remains of the compound and to walk around the property. (thank you Alexa!).

 

 

The school bus that you can see in the 1990’s photos.

 

The swimming pool.

 

This is the foundation of the building where the women and children died.

 

Foundations of some of the former buildings.

 

We did one more drive by SpaceX. The road ended at their security booth. They told us no photos. We got one before being told that.

 

We ran by Walmart to resupply groceries and then went home to eat supper. Stayed up way too late watching a documentary on the Waco siege. May that never happen again.