Author Topic: Texas questions  (Read 2366 times)

Offline fernly

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Texas questions
« on: June 26, 2006, 10:10:54 pm »
Got some questions for you Texas folk, if you’d be so kind as to help a fanfic writer out.
What’s the landscape around Sonora, say about 20, 30 miles outside of town? Is it hill country? What are the rivers like? Typical vegetation?
And has anyone been to the Sonora Caverns? If you have, anything you could tell me about what they’re like would be most appreciated.
I’ve been looking at the websites, but first-hand info would be so much better.
Many thanks in advance for your help.
Fern
on the mountain flying in the euphoric, bitter air

slayers_creek_oth

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Re: Texas questions
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2006, 11:18:31 pm »
I'm from Texas but unfortunetely can't help ya a whole lot...never was in those parts much...


moremojo

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Re: Texas questions
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2006, 03:21:01 pm »
Hi, fernly--

I've passed through Sonora, and visited the Sonora Caverns, but it was a long time ago (nearing a quarter-century, in fact), and my memories are kinda fuzzy. Sonora is to the west of Kerrville, which is in the heart of the Texas Hill Country--pretty, hilly (bien sur!), and often quite green, with lots of juniper (aka mountain cedar) in the area. Going west past Kerrville, you're starting to get into terrain more typical of western Texas--arid, often quite flat, with sparse or desert-like vegetation. I remember Sonora and Ozona (another town not far from Sonora) being more like this. My memory of my visit to the Caverns is pretty hazy, apart from having been there--I remember at one point in the tour, our guide turned off all electric light (perhaps just a flashlight she was carrying?) in the chamber we were in, to let us sample total darkness, and I thought I would freak out if the experience lasted one minute longer.

Tell you what, my sister (with whom I live) and our mother (who is visiting us this week) were on that visit, and I'll check with them to glean their memories and impressions of the place. I'll post back here after I've heard what they have to say.

Until later,
Scott

Offline fernly

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Re: Texas questions
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2006, 05:02:51 pm »
Thanks, Scott. I sure appreciate the info.

I was in the Oregon caves years ago and the guide did the same thing. Disorienting doesn't begin to describe it.

Fern
on the mountain flying in the euphoric, bitter air

moremojo

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Re: Texas questions
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2006, 11:21:49 am »
Hi again, fern--

Have spoken with mom and sis, and had my basic memories of Sonora and area confirmed. Sister Cathy has been to Sonora many times (including the Caverns near town), having once gone there to help build a house for an underprivileged family, and she has a pretty detailed recollection of the place.

She tells me that the land around Sonora is neither hilly nor flat, but is rather characterized by gently rolling terrain. The vegetation is sparse and scrub-like--the juniper and oak of Kerrville gives way to mesquite and prickly-pear cactus. It's definitely not Hill Country.

The town itself is small, with some green spots to be seen. There is one main road through town, and a scarcity of any big-name stores.

The Caverns are a short drive outside of town. Both mother and sister remember them as being pretty, with distinctive "bacon rind" patterns to be seen on some walls and stalactites; Cathy also recalls an unusual "butterfly" pattern to be seen on some of the formations. My mother remembers seeing sparkling mica on the walls of one chamber. The caverns are a living cave system, and are very steep and deep.

A guidebook I consulted stated that Sonora and Sutton County is a major center for the production of Angora wool in the U.S. The goats are descended from a flock donated to some man from the Ottoman Sultan back in 1849, in recognition of some good service which I cannot now recall with certainty.

Hope all this is of some help.

 :)
Scott
« Last Edit: February 15, 2008, 08:10:33 pm by moremojo »

Offline fernly

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Re: Texas questions
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2006, 08:23:35 pm »
Sure is, Scott. That's what I was looking for. Thank you very much, and a thank you to your mom and sister, too!
Fern
on the mountain flying in the euphoric, bitter air