hurricane dolly – blessing or curse to the hot texas weather?

Texas weather is something I consider paradoxical. Of course, it’s nothing like the tropical air of Florida, because even on the areas sitting around the Gulf of Mexico can still be as hot as the desert. Humidity makes it even worse. Our last trip to San Antonio was a torture to the skin. Yet when you go drive up Wichita Falls, you’ll beg for a hurricane.

Speaking of hurricanes, we just got news that a new tropical storm, hurricane Dolly, will be on its way to the U.S.-Mexican border, affecting Brownsville, South Padre, and other neighboring counties. Obviously if you’re planning a trip to Schlitterbahn on the southern paradise of Texas, you’re gonna have to rethink your plans. In this time of the year, Texas weather is starting to be a little bit unpredictable, so brace yourself.

I’ll be happy for a little bit of rain in this 103-degree heat of our north Texas home. For more Texas weather report about hurricane Dolly see this link on Dallas News

texas roadhouse – the food and money report

There’s a Texas Roadhouse restaurant in almost every county and city in Texas. A lot of those who have dined in here may actually confuse it with Logan’s Roadhouse, because food is pretty much the same, except the former seems to be more popular. Who ever lives in Texas and doesn’t like ribs, steaks, and chicken barbecue? Texas Roadhouse is one of my favorite places to chow them. For a girl with a small appetite like me, it’s hard to resist when the steamy plate of fresh bread, sides, and ribs come in.

If you are interested in current news about Texas Roadhouse stocks and financials in this roller coaster economy, you may want to check out their 2008 financial report on their latest press release.

Otherwise, stop by in one Texas Roadhouse joint and dine in cowboy-style, if you must!

did high gas prices affect your Texas vacation?

“The people who run many Central Texas tourist destinations say they are seeing more traffic this summer despite rising gas prices. Managers of local day-trip attractions attribute strong ticket sales to Central Texans vacationing closer to home. Resorts are also expecting to pick up some first-time customers accustomed to vacationing in California, Florida or Colorado.”

-quote from The Statesman article

I can’t stress hard enough how high gas prices have affected our roadtrips. We actually are making plans to go to Vegas once more this summer, but because of time constraints and soaring fuel prices we are rethinking about it. How about spending a Texas vacation in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, or Austin?

That can’t be a bad idea. It’s actually good for the local tourism business. If you’re from a different but nearby state such as Oklahoma or New Mexico, a Texas vacation may help you save money because of the tons of attractions to visit here. If you’re a local denizen, there’s still so much of the Lone Star state that you haven’t seen.

I won’t be disappointed to postpone our trip to Vegas this summer in lieu of a Texas vacation maybe in Dallas or Galveston, or somewhere with nice parks and lakes in the nearby states. It’s cool to see sights outside of Texas but everyone’s trying to conserve resources. In fact, we might just make a roadtrip from Wichita Falls to Shreveport, Louisiana. Play some golf and poker, and spend time at the lake. Again, not a bad idea!

texas travel tips on saving gas

In any Texas travel, driving can be such a huge necessity. Not only because it’s a big state but because the rest of it is accessible mostly by cars. Unfortunately, because of the rise in gas prices, many residents are complaining they can’t drive as much anymore. And the funny thing is, those who don’t listen to the news think it’s because the gas pumps are not working right.

But you don’t go blaming the gas pumps. The Texas law requires them to be checked for defects at least once every four years. Instead of putting the rap on the pumps, try the following ways of conserving gas on your next Texas travel:

1. Keep your car updated and well-maintained (i.e., change oil, inflate the tires).
2. Make plans and shortcuts on trips .
3. Keep your car light when traveling but do not speed up.

How much gas money should you spend on a particular Texas travel? I use the Fuel Cost Calculator to figure it out. And if you wish to be in the know of national average on gas prices, see the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.