Day Trips: 25th Anniversary
10 favorite "Day Trips" out of 1,290
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., April 15, 2016
The 25th anniversary of "Day Trips" kind of snuck up on me. For the record, the first "Day Trips" appeared on April 12, 1991.
Sorry, loyal readers, no big celebration, just my gratitude for your continued interest and nice comments. You can find most of the past "Day Trips" columns at austinchronicle.com/daytrips.
Part of the fun of writing the weekly column has been researching the background of common things like vultures, javelinas, or the history of grain elevators.
Over the years, one of my favorite Texas stories has been the natural phenomenon of the Marfa lights. Since covered wagons, people have tried to explain the flashes of light in the desert.
Scientists can explain the Sierra Madera Astrobleme south of Fort Stockton, and it's a fascinating story.
During my travels I've met a lot of interesting people. The tragic story of Chief Diwali and the Cherokees in Texas is a reminder of history's blemishes. On the other hand, I always found inspiration from the story of faith healer Don Pedrito Jaramillo.
My favorite day trips are the ones when I discover unique places, like Cestohowa, Texas; Prazska Pout in Praha; and Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico, in Big Bend National Park.
The best day trips have food involved, and researching where to celebrate National Pie Day still brings a smile to my face.
1,290th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2 a book of "Day Trips," is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 40312, South Austin, TX 78704.
Follow "Day Trips & Beyond," a weekly travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.
