Epic Roadtrip Recap

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photos Mark M. Hancock / © DFWmark.com 
music "Campesina" © Tekumbe / Tekumbe.com

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We toured Texas during the week of July 15 to 22, 2010.

We logged about 1,100 miles inside Texas during a five-day roadtrip. We drove a triangle from Dallas to San Antonio to Houston and back.

To see more of what she saw, please follow the links below.

In one week we hit these cities:
Addison - dinner at Magic Time Machine served by the Mad Hatter
Dallas – Dallas World Aquarium, Sixth Floor Museum (JFK), West End Marketplace
Mesquite – Mesquite Championship Rodeo along with an all-you-can-eat-and-drink BBQ
Waco – lunch at Collin Street Bakery
San Marcos – Wonder World caverns (a waste of time)
San Antonio – Sea World, The Alamo, walked and took a river barge tour on The Riverwalk, Mexican dinner on the river and late-night burgers at the Hard Rock Café, San Fernando Cathedral and plaza
Schulenburg – lunch and fresh cinnamon-glazed pecans for the road
Galveston – Moody Gardens Aquarium, dinner at the Rainforest Café, drove along the seawall, coffee on The Strand with a dear friend
Clear Lake – toured and dined at NASA's Space Center Houston
Kemah – dinner and shopping on the Kemah boardwalk
Plano – shopped at Willow Bend Mall, several meals

Epic Roadtrip - NASA Space Center Houston

photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

Fayrouz Hancock poses for a portrait next to a painting of the Apollo XIII astronauts in the Saturn V building at NASA's Space Center Houston on Tuesday, July 20, 2010.


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Fayrouz Hancock tours NASA's Space Center Houston in Texas.

Lady Cardinals post-season run

 Photos Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Soundstripe composed by Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

Lamar University's Lady Cardinals advanced into the semi-final and championship games of the Southland Conference Tournament against Corpus Christi at the Merrell Center in Katy. Their post-season run ended when they lost the championship game to UT San Antonio on March 15, 2008.

People in this slideshow include (in order of appearance): Lamar's Nikki Williams (No. 10), Corpus Christi's Shaye Montgomery, Lamar head coach Larry Tidwell, Lamar's Tamara Abalde (No. 22), Corpus Christi's Adrienne Scott (No. 44), Lamar's Brittney Williams (No. 34), Millie Hoyal of Vidor, Lamar's Aida Bakhos (No. 13), Lamar's Trashanna Smith (No. 25), UT San Antonio's Monica Gibbs (No. 33), UT San Antonio's Amanda Foster (No. 24), UT San Antonio's Amber Gregg (No. 10), Lamar’s Emily Spickler (No. 4), and Ashley Crawford (No. 12).

Bruins go into hibernation

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

West Brook sophomore Stephen Young plays a Sousaphone under the stands before the Class 5A Division II area-around playoff game against Fort Bend Clements in Houston on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007.


West Brook's Christine Michael (No. 33, center) drags Fort Bend Clements' Kyle Hoke (No. 7, bottom) as Dylan Thorwaldson (No. 25, left) moves in to assist during the playoff game. Michael rushed 20 times for 175 yards and three touchdowns during the game.


West Brook's Joshua Powdrill (No. 2, center) powers for yards during the playoff game against Fort Bend Clements.


West Brook fans Karen and Chuck Sayles of Beaumont cheer for the Bruins during the playoff game against Fort Bend Clements. The Bruins held a 12-point advantage during part of the 4th quarter.


West Brook's Jordan Garrett (No. 4, left) bobbles the ball as he's hit by Fort Bend Clements' Dylan Thorwaldson (No. 25, right) during the Class 5A Division II area-around playoff game in Houston. West Brook lost the game 36-33 and is finished for the season.

Playoff awe

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Remington Boykin, 8, of Lumberton gapes at activities before the Class 4A Division II playoff football game between Lumberton and Houston Smiley high schools in Mont Belvieu on Friday, Nov. 16, 2007.

Airport Rangers

Some of the 800 volunteer Airport Rangers pose for a portrait at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Thursday, August 3, 2006.

© Mark M. Hancock / NewsEagles for American Profile magazine

The Airport Rangers program is composed of volunteers who regularly ride their privately-owned horses around the parimeter of the ninth-largest airport in America to ensure safety and security.


Airport Rangers program coordinator David Poynor prepares Shalako, a 13-year-old Chestnut, before a ride at the Airport Rangers station near Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.


Airport Ranger Terry L. Stevens prepares Chaves, a 6-year-old Rocky Mountain, for a ride at the Airport Rangers station near Bush Intercontinental Airport. Many horse owners rode trails around the airport prior to Sept. 11, 2001. After 9-11, airport officials closed the trails.


Terry L. Stevens rides patrol atop Chaves, 6, as a jet departs Bush Intercontinental Airport. Riders patrol and secure the 12,000-acre wooded perimeter of the airport, which includes some wetlands where only horses can travel. Airport Rangers are trained and can respond to any airport needs including search and rescue operations.


Tamsen Valoir rides Silver Sam, an 8-year-old Arabian, during patrol at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Fellow horseman Richard Vacar, director of the Houston Airport System, suggested a way for airport security and riders to cooperate.


Jill Sisler holds on as Chloe, a 6-year-old Missouri Foxtrotter, stops from a gallop during patrol at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Sisler bought Chloe specifically to join the program and give back to the community. The Airport Rangers program became a successful partnership while initially costing the airport less than $50,000 in training and trail clearing.


Pam Thonsgard rides Meg, a 22-year-old Grayed Pinto, on patrol at Bush Intercontinental Airport. While most riders are only armed with cell phones to report abnormalities, about 50 off-duty law enforcement officers in the program also carry firearms. Thonsgard said she finds and reports illegal activities during almost every patrol.


Terry L. Stevens dismounts and leads Chaves, 6, across a drainage culvert at Bush Intercontinental Airport. While most riders are only armed with cell phones to report abnormalities, about 50 off-duty law enforcement officers in the program also carry firearms.


Airport Rangers Tammy Powell (left to right), David Poynor and Pam Thonsgard chat atop their steeds during patrol at Bush Intercontinental Airport. First-time Houston airport visitors also appreciate seeing horse riders patroling the woods when they glide into Texas.

Please read the Texas Profile story by Beverly Burmeier and see additional photos in the slideshow.

Space Center Houston

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
An astronaut's uniform and propulsion device appear to fly past Earth at Space Center Houston in Clear Lake on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006. Last week's scheduled space shuttle mission was postponed due to Hurricane Ernesto.


Guests purchase tickets as mushrooms grow outside Space Center Houston.


An extravehicular-mobility unit (EMU) features many patches at Space Center Houston.


A lunar landing craft is displayed at Space Center Houston.


Children can attend the Superhero School located at Space Center Houston.


A space shuttle engine is displayed at Space Center Houston.


Guests can see a space shuttle pilot's area in a mock bulkhead area at Space Center Houston.


(Left) An extravehicular-mobility unit (EMU) is displayed at Space Center Houston. The unit functions as a portable spacecraft for astronauts and provides them with everything they need to survive in space.


(Right) An RX-5 hard suit is displayed at Space Center Houston. The suit is designed to protect astronauts from potentially deadly consequences of space exploration by functioning as space armor.


An astronaut's uniform and propulsion device appear to fly away from a space station model at Space Center Houston.

Space shuttle Atlantis was expected to lift off Sept. 6, 2006 at 12:29 p.m. EDT. It was postponed due to a electrical short in the shuttle's fuel cell coolant motor. When it launches, the crew's mission is to carry equipment to resume assembly on the International Space Station. It's the first time they've worked on the ISS in four years.

Since the Mission Control Center is at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Fayrouz and I visited Space Center Houston to get some file photos.
 

Ataya family reunites

A happy ending for a Beaumont family from Lebanon.


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Beaumont pediatrician Dr. Raja H. Ataya (right) hugs his daughter Ramona, 22, (left) as they are reunited at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Wednesday, July 26, 2006. Ramona, her mother and their cousins were vacationing in Beirut, Lebanon when the conflict with Israel began.


Carla Abousaad, 7, of Clear Lake looks for comfort from family members during a reunion at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.


Neim Abousaad of Clear Lake (center) holds his wife Nada (left) and daughter Caren, 15, (right) as they are reunited at Bush Intercontinental Airport.


The Ataya family from Beaumont (from left to right) Raj, Ramona and their father Raja are reunited at Bush Intercontinental Airport.


Dr. Raja H. Ataya (top left) and his cousin's family are reunited after their return from Lebanon at Bush Intercontinental Airport. The women of the family were vacationing in Beirut when the conflict with Israel began. The Abousaad family of Clear Lake (from left to right) are Carla, 7, Caren, 15, Nada, Neim and Carol, 11.

Please see additional photos by Fayrouz and read "Relieved family reunited after relatives come home from Lebanon" by Beth Gallaspy.

Images are part of the faces of immigration series.
 

The Rocket returns to Houston

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise
Fans cheer as Astros pitcher Roger Clemens enters the field to pitch against the Minnesota Twins at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Thursday, June 22, 2006. Fans include (front row from left to right) Jenny and Bob Radtae from Kingwood; Carol Garner, wife of Astros' manager Phil Garner; her grandson Gage, 1; her daughter-in-law Tammy Garner and Ray Miller of Houston.


Roger Clemens (No. 22) pitches during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Minute Maid Park in Houston. It was his first return game since his announced retirement.

Suger Land is up for grabs

Former House of Representatives' majority leader Tom DeLay announced he'll step down and let another Republican try to hold the district.

Folks outside Southeast Texas probably don't realize this area is pedominantly Catholic and Southern Democratic. The Houston metro area and Southeast Texas are divided by the Trinity River, however Congressional District lines don't follow natural boundries - particularly after DaLay's redistricting plan. Consequently, DeLay would have faced Nick Lampson, who represented Southeast Texas until 2004.

In December, a poll indicated DeLay was losing support. Below is a look at his home turf of Sugar Land (near Houston) to see what's at stake.


Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise


(Above) The town square in Sugar Land acts as a hub of community activity and commerce on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2005.

(Right) USB financial advisor Rama Gali drinks a soda next to the town's 4-star hotel in Sugar Land.


Tara Lipinski's autographed figure skates are displayed prominently in the in Sugar Land City Hall. At age 15, Sugar Land's Lipinski won the gold medal in women's figure skating during the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.


Nail tech Hilda Lewis (left) and Stafford resident Jennie Ormsby share a laugh at Strands Hair and Nails in Sugar Land.


Although no longer operational, the Imperial Sugar plant remains in Sugar Land. The company-owned town incorporated in 1959 and established a home-rule municipal government in 1981 - three years before DeLay was elected.

Stopped

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Clear Creek High School's Ryan Bagwell (No. 99, left) gets a handle on West Brook High School's Joe Chaisson (No. 11, right) during a playoff football game at Galena Park ISD Stadium in Houston on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005. West Brook won the game and advanced in the playoffs.

Denied

West Brook High School's Will Wilson (No. 31, right) uses his head to deflect a pass intended for Clear Creek High School's Austin Yancy (No. 17, left) during a playoff football game at Galena Park ISD Stadium in Houston on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Touchdown reception

West Brook High School's Blake Kelly (No. 12) looks up to make a touchdown reception against Clear Creek High School during a playoff football game at Galena Park ISD Stadium in Houston on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005. West Brook won the game and advances in the playoffs.


Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise