TEXAS-SIZED!

We both survived the ordeal of the broken leveling jacks.  We'll talk more about that later, but we had plans to do a couple of things before leaving Dallas.  We had reservations for a VIP tour of the AT&T Stadium, previously known as Cowboys Stadium, opened May 27, 2009.  AT&T Stadium is the world's largest domed structure as well as a museum, learning center, and the world's largest column-free structure.   The stadium cost approximately $1.5 billion dollars to build.  In July, 2013, the facility was officially renamed the AT&T Stadium when AT&T bought the naming rights for $18 million per year for an unknown number of years.

Aerial View of AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

AT&T Stadium - Arlington, TX

Tickets for the VIP tour allow you a one-of-a-kind experience to hear facts and trivia about one of the most recognizable stadiums in all of sports.  I'll have to admit one half of the two of us wasn't as excited about this opportunity until I got there.  It was an over-the-top experience and I would do it all over again.

View of AT&T Playing Field

Lounge and Entertainment Area

View of Domed Roof

Tours are scheduled every day, several times a day.  You can throw a football on the field, sit in one of the suites, see the locker rooms of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders as well as the players, and see Jerry Jones' personal booth (not his VIP suite) where he watches each game, and his personal elevator.

Entrance to Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Locker Room

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Locker

Entrance to Dallas Cowboys Locker Room

Inside Dallas Cowboys Locker Room - Our tour Guide

Inside Dallas Cowboys Locker Room

Jerry Jones' Personal Viewing Area During Games

Inside Jerry Jones' Personal Viewing Area During Games

Owner's Personal Elevator

You are taken from the largest pro shop in the NFL (where it is anticipated you will drop even more of your money before you leave) in to the stadium with a seating capacity of 80,000 but can be expanded to seat nearly 100,000 fans for large events - like the Super Bowl.  Ninety-four percent (94%) of the seats are held by season ticket holders.

Second Floor of Pro Shop

On 5 levels there are 300 suites (at this time 298 are sold/leased) that includes the Hall of Fame level, that is just 21 rows from the playing field.  There are 15,000 club seats surrounding the field offering additional features not found anywhere else in the stadium.  In other words, there isn't a bad seat in the house!

AT&T Stadium Seating

Inside Luxury VIP Executive Suites - AT&T Stadium

Hall Of Fame Level on Ground Floor

Cowboys Entrance on Ground Floor

View looking at Hall Of Fame Level at Stadium Level

There is a massive HD videoboard suspended 90' above the center of the field, one of the largest HD videoboards in the world.  By the way, the $40 million cost of the videoboard is more than the total cost of the old Texas Stadium in Irving,TX, when it was built in 1971.  Please don't call the video board a "Jumbotron" which is a Sony product.  Staff with the Cowboys will be quick to remind you their boards are "Diamond Vision", manufactured by Mitsubishi

Diamond Vision Video Board

View of Stadium and Diamond Vision

RV At The Stadium 50 Yard Line

We were surprised to learn about the number of different venues used in this stadium.  Not only are high profile sporting events scheduled on a regular basis but concerts and one of the biggest games for college football fans is the Cotton Bowl, which is now hosted in the AT&T Stadium.

AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Headquarters

One of the  highlights of our almost 2 hour walking tour was talking with the very knowledgeable and personable staff.  We were impressed throughout the tour at just how immaculate the entire facility was in all areas.  Our tour guide was knowledgeable and was able to answer any questions posed by anyone in our group concerning architectural details, the structure, or history of the team.

There were huge elevators used to transport over 20 of us from floor to floor.  These elevators had been used during the construction phase of the Stadium but were perfect for transporting us.  Guess you could say it was "TEXAS-SIZED", just like the rest of the Stadium.

MURPHY'S LAW

Murphy's Law states, "Anything that can possibly go wrong, does."

Usually we try to stay away from statements like the above.  Here we are, driving down the highway in our huge motorized residence with thousands of moving parts, and you are being twisted and turned in every direction on roads that have withstood the weathering of Mother Nature as well as the traffic of all kinds of loads from the trucking and construction industry.  Actually, we think it's a miracle every time we get to our destination in one piece.

Our home for the last 7 years - Tiffin Allegro Bus

Is this a new aerodynamic style on  an 18 wheeler?

The Purple Heart Recipients Highway - Louisiana

  Currently, we are staying at The Vineyards in Grapevine, TX, northwest of Dallas, northeast of Ft. Worth.  The park, managed by the City of Grapevine, is on beautiful freshwater Grapevine Lake, managed by the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers, and backs up to DFW International Airport.  

Entrance to The Vineyards Campground - Grapevine, TX

The Vineyards Campground - Grapevine, TX

The Vineyards Campground - Grapevine, TX 

The Vineyards Campground - Grapevine, TX

Upon our arrival we were only able to reserve 2 nights because of an annual festival in Grapevine, the Grapefest, which was scheduled for the weekend.

Downtown Grapevine, TX

All RV sites, cabins, and backup sites were taken.  We asked to be placed on a long waiting list to extend our stay 4 more nights, and then, in our favor, the weather turned ugly.  Rain and cold wind changed everything and we were able to make our way to getting the additional nights until we can drive to our next anticipated destination, Austin, the Capitol of the State of Texas.

The site we were occupying was reserved for someone who should be arriving after a campground check in time of 2:00 pm.  About 9:30 am we were ready to move to another site that had become available.  

One of the last things you do when you prepare for your departure is to retract your leveling jacks.   The jacks provide a stable platform for the coach.  Only this time all but one did not retract.  To make a long story short, we called for roadside assistance through Coach-Net.  A mobile RV tech didn't arrive until about 2pm, and of course it was raining.  After about 2 hours the RV mechanic and RV determined a gear had broken inside the motor of one of the jacks and prevented it from retracting.  My eyes glazed over and then I went inside the coach and made myself very tiny.  All I knew was that this wasn't going to have a happy ending,

Goodbye Texas!!!

You need leveling jacks, period.  On Tuesday morning, our check out day, we will return to Red Bay, AL to have the latest and newest generation of Atwood leveling system installed.   It's going to take us 2 days to get back to Tiffin Motorhomes, and we'll need good luck to be scheduled for service.  We're damaged, but not down and out....just another bump in the road.

Red Bay, see you soon.

On a brighter note, we have 2 days left in Texas and we're making the best of it.    The best is yet to come!

VALOR * COMMITMENT * DEDICATION

"NEVER FORGET"

On the afternoon of September 11, 2014, RV and I happened upon one of the most impressive national memorials located in Grapevine, Texas.  Was our discovery accidental or was it something synchronistic that happened?  At first we came upon an array of American flags on a very prominent corner of Grapevine on the southwest corner of Northwest Highway and Texan Trail in the Grapevine Station Development.  This Memorial is located very close to the entrance of the Dallas - Ft. Worth International Airport.  When we stopped at the traffic light we noticed a sign which read:

 "9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL".  

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

We drove into an adjacent parking lot and noticed people were getting in and out of cars, leaving flowers, taking pictures, spending a few minutes in silence and leaving.

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

The 9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL was the first national memorial to honor the 9/11  flight crew members, and is dedicated to the 33 flight crew members that were lost and those that courageously continue to be ever-vigilant professionals of the airline industry.

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

 The FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL FOUNDATION has donated the Memorial as a gift to the City of Grapevine, who has incorporated the memorial into their Parks system.  

The Memorial has 5 figures: 2 pilots, 2 flight attendants, and a child representing the traveling public.  The names of the crew members of the 9/11 flights are engraved on slabs of granite surrounding the base.  It is truly beautiful and awe-inspiring and was made in memory of the flight crews for all they did and tried to do that helped on September 11, 2001.
  

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

This Memorial is important to the aviation industry as it remembers the lost and honors those who continue the quest for excellence in the skies each day.

9/11 FLIGHT CREW MEMORIAL - Grapevine, TX

The Memorial, which was dedicated on July 4, 2008,  includes an iron beam from the World Trade Center, limestone from the Pentagon, and stone from Shanksville, PA.  

Piece of iron beam from World Trade Center

Limestone from Pentagon

Stone from Shanksville, PA 

An addition was made to the Memorial later in 2008 called "The 343 Never Forget Memorial", a tribute to the 343 New York firefighters who died responding to a terrorist attack on the New York City World Trade Center on September 11, 2001

THE 343 FDNY  NEVER FORGET MEMORIAL