A true Texas fact

[Mike Hill]

Notice the established date! 6 years after Lil Mikey gradidiated. Too big to bullride, but did do a little rugby - thats sorta the same, isn't it? But could have gotten into this organization in a big way. A performing Texas Swing dance group!! I was out two-stepp'n at least 3 nights a week! Guess I'll have to settle for the boots, belt and hat. Anybody want to send them to TN as a late birthday gift?

 

[Nature Man]

Speaking of boots, I was recently in a Longhorn Steakhouse in San Antonio. Snapped this pic that was above the entrance interior door. Chuck

 

[Mike Hill]

Had a pair of wing-tips very similar to that pair! Never wanted snakeskin, but do want ostrich although the others are more my style now - wide toes and not flashy and likely walking heels!

 

[Tony]

Never did have wingtips. I had some lizard skin ones i got for my 16th birthday but they're gone now. Just have my Lucchese alligators now. Wide toes, going for comfort these days!

 

[Mike Hill]

...... Just have my Lucchese alligators now. ........

Tony is either independently wealthy or he has a different pair of Lucchese alligators than what I saw in the Lucchese store here in Nashville a few years ago - think they were $13,000 at the time. But they also had an alligator shaft also!

 

[Tony]

Tony is either independently wealthy or he has a different pair of Lucchese alligators than what I saw in the Lucchese store here in Nashville a few years ago - think they were $13,000 at the time. But they also had an alligator shaft also!

Hell no. I bought these at a second hand store some years back. Looked damn near new, maybe they didn't fit him right. I got them for about $400 as I recall. I shouldn't have spent the money then but knew I'd never find a deal like that again.

 

[Mike Hill]

My favorite was a pair of Tony Lama Bull Hide. The ones that fit the best were a couple of pair of customs. My Mom bought them at a garage sale for little of nothing. They had been custom made for my High School head coach - but fit me perfectly. Wide but with a pointed toe - they kinda looked weird. Only thing wrong was the shaft - it was short and kept irritating my calf. About half the time at A&M I wore the bull hide, the other half wore the customs. Got a lot of ribbing about the customs from one roommate of mine. He was from Odessa and wore the tall shaft boots with built-in holes in lieu of the pull strap. He wore them with his jeans tucked in a lot of the time. Let's say that we didn't agree on a lot of things.

 

[JonathanH]

Tony is either independently wealthy or he has a different pair of Lucchese alligators than what I saw in the Lucchese store here in Nashville a few years ago - think they were $13,000 at the time. But they also had an alligator shaft also!

Tony's got all the money, he just camouflaged himself as a poor guy!

 

[DLJeffs]

I picked up a pair of Tony Lama elephant hides right after I got out of the Army, someplace in Missouri that had a going out of business sale. They real nice boots, fit fine once I got them on, but getting them on and off was a major exercise. Later I got a pair of TL water buffalo that fit perfect so gave the elephants to my cousin. Still wear the buffalo ones when I have to wear shoes and it ain't snowing.

 

[Tony]

My favorite was a pair of Tony Lama Bull Hide. The ones that fit the best were a couple of pair of customs. My Mom bought them at a garage sale for little of nothing. They had been custom made for my High School head coach - but fit me perfectly. Wide but with a pointed toe - they kinda looked weird. Only thing wrong was the shaft - it was short and kept irritating my calf. About half the time at A&M I wore the bull hide, the other half wore the customs. Got a lot of ribbing about the customs from one roommate of mine. He was from Odessa and wore the tall shaft boots with built-in holes in lieu of the pull strap. He wore them with his jeans tucked in a lot of the time. Let's say that we didn't agree on a lot of things.

I expect nothing less from a guy from Odessa....

 

[Mike Hill]

I picked up a pair of Tony Lama elephant hides right after I got out of the Army, someplace in Missouri that had a going out of business sale. They real nice boots, fit fine once I got them on, but getting them on and off was a major exercise. Later I got a pair of TL water buffalo that fit perfect so gave the elephants to my cousin. Still wear the buffalo ones when I have to wear shoes and it ain't snowing.

Never could afford the TL elephants. The water buffalo i never thought about. I'd kinda like to try a pair of kangaroos - but had not been able to find one that is wide enough for my foot. Years ago Nocono had a model that was a dark brown, and a "natural" that fit well when you could get it in a wider size. Hard to find around here.

 

[DLJeffs]

Never could afford the TL elephants. The water buffalo i never thought about. I'd kinda like to try a pair of kangaroos - but had not been able to find one that is wide enough for my foot. Years ago Nocono had a model that was a dark brown, and a "natural" that fit well when you could get it in a wider size. Hard to find around here.

Kangaroo leather is okay, but kind of soft in my opinion and not all that durable. There is a brand of shoe, a mid-ankle boot, called Wallabies, made by Clark now I think. Nice soft leather boot but too soft for a cowboy boot. The buffalo are indestructible.

 

[Mike Hill]

@Nature Man - I know you are probably 5 miles from the Guadalupe, but how have you and your family and friends fared? And anyone else in the area. Lucky my sister on Canyon Lake is on high ground, and Dad and other sister are about 2 miles from the river. Some of the homes in the lower areas of Seguin got flooded - many in the same areas I helped evacuate and clean up 50 years ago. Wonder what happened to McQueeney Lake since the dam is under construction.

 

[Tony]

@natureman - I know you are probably 5 miles from the Guadalupe, but how have you and your family and friends fared? And anyone else in the area. Lucky my sister on Canyon Lake is on high ground, and Dad and other sister are about 2 miles from the river. Some of the homes in the lower areas of Seguin got flooded - many in the same areas I helped evacuate and clean up 50 years ago. Wonder what happened to McQueeney Lake since the dam is under construction.

I meant to call you and ask how your family was doing, I know Seguin got hit pretty hard.

 

[Mike Hill]

Appreciate that Tony!! My sister on Canyon took the advice of older bro. She had two lots they liked, and I told them they better pick the higher one. They didn't get any water even back in 2002 (I think) when water came over the dam. Other sister and Dad are at least 2 miles from the river and on high ground. They only have to remember to turn left at the main road instead of right. The right side crosses Mill Creek and it is over the bridge frequently and was this weekend. They can get to where they need to by turning left - just takes longer but there are a couple of creek crossings that have covered the road, but only once or twice that I know of. Sis inherited another house from MIL, that is in a low area near Starcke Park (on the river). I wonder how it is faring? How far downriver is it supposed to flood - Victoria?

 

[Arn213]

Tony is either independently wealthy or he has a different pair of Lucchese alligators than what I saw in the Lucchese store here in Nashville a few years ago - think they were $13,000 at the time. But they also had an alligator shaft also!

Come on man, he gets it for half price proportionally for his size. You are not going to charge him adult size…… …………thank goodness is thousands of miles from me or he might chuck the ostrich version towards me. Got to get it going Monday is a slow day.

 

[Nature Man]

@Nature Man - I know you are probably 5 miles from the Guadalupe, but how have you and your family and friends fared? And anyone else in the area. Lucky my sister on Canyon Lake is on high ground, and Dad and other sister are about 2 miles from the river. Some of the homes in the lower areas of Seguin got flooded - many in the same areas I helped evacuate and clean up 50 years ago. Wonder what happened to McQueeney Lake since the dam is under construction.

I’m doing fine. We are on high ground. Haven’t been out to see the Guadalupe River where it crosses Hwy 281 in Spring Branch. Of course we are about 1 1/2 hours from the catastrophic flooding in/around Kerrville. All is well here, but there’s a whole lot of suffering going on West of us. Chuck

 

[SENC]

Just tragic. Watched some videos of the Frio over near Leakey and Concan, amazing amount of water, thankfully not the same human tradegy as on the Guadalupe.

Was talking to my wife about this yesterday, discussing relative to the flooding in the NC Mountains last year. Both equally tragic, but so different in nature. I think it is hard to understand river flooding in TX unless you live there or have spent a lot of time there (or just studied it). One thinks of flat, open lands and slow rises, and doesn't think of a rain event that might be many miles away creating a difficult to foresee wall of water - particularly when the river passes through vast expanses that are lightly populated.

 

[Tony]

Just tragic. Watched some videos of the Frio over near Leakey and Concan, amazing amount of water, thankfully not the same human tradegy as on the Guadalupe.

Was talking to my wife about this yesterday, discussing relative to the flooding in the NC Mountains last year. Both equally tragic, but so different in nature. I think it is hard to understand river flooding in TX unless you live there or have spent a lot of time there (or just studied it). One thinks of flat, open lands and slow rises, and doesn't think of a rain event that might be many miles away creating a difficult to foresee wall of water - particularly when the river passes through vast expanses that are lightly populated.

I'm sure it's different than the flooding y'all get there Henry but either way is bad. I was in SC for a couple weeks in March and saw all the trees that were still down from the weather y'all had late last year, tough to see.

When are river rises 28 feet in 45 minutes the results are horrific as we're seeing now.

 

[Mike Hill]

Just tragic. Watched some videos of the Frio over near Leakey and Concan, amazing amount of water, thankfully not the same human tradegy as on the Guadalupe.

Was talking to my wife about this yesterday, discussing relative to the flooding in the NC Mountains last year. Both equally tragic, but so different in nature. I think it is hard to understand river flooding in TX unless you live there or have spent a lot of time there (or just studied it). One thinks of flat, open lands and slow rises, and doesn't think of a rain event that might be many miles away creating a difficult to foresee wall of water - particularly when the river passes through vast expanses that are lightly populated.

There is a "church camp" on the Frio at Leakey that we used to go to every year for our church retreat when we lived in San Antonio. It was owned by a foundation of HEB. HEB is a large regional grocery store chain started by Henry E. Butt sr, - sort of. Actually his Mom started a small store in Kerrville, but son Henry Sr. grew it into a chain. Quite a philanthropic family.

One of the unique things about the camp was that there were two entries to the camp. One you drive through a gate, the other you drove in the river quite some distance to finally turn into the camp. It was a thrill from years past for Lil Mikey that probably is not allowed now. We were there at the camp and witnessed one minor flood one year. But it happened somewhat frequently - all you had to do was look up into the trees at the debris. Nowhere for rain to go - lots of rock - but into the river and down. I guess it is the same as NC mountains. On our side of the Smokies - there are lots and lots of small streams that are nothing but water flowing over rock. ,