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Tyler Area Zip Lines

July 1st, 2010
http://www.goziptexas.com/

NY TX Zip Line Adventures

It seems like a recent trend over the last few years, but Zip- lining has become a huge phenomenon! In fact, nearly every time I turn around, either someone is telling me about their experience, or I’m seeing someone trying it on television.

Now for those hard core enthusiasts, who are likely to protest that the hobby is not new, I know, I know… I’m only asserting that there has been a renewed interest of late. I recall as a kid playing at my uncle’s house where he had run an admittedly short line through the hills around his Vancouver Island home. That line was admittedly rudimentary but we had a great time.

There is now a professional series of lines in East Texas. The company is called NY- TX Zip Line Adventures and they are located at Shultz Mountain Ranch about twenty miles east of Athens. The historic Shultz home is the center piece and home base for the ranch. The views are tremendous and guests can ride through six different zip tours, the longest of which is nine hundred feet long and a hundred feet above ground.

From looking at the pictures available on the site the surrounding landscapes are really beautiful! They also offer a tour available only to returning visitors. It’s called the Full Moon tour, and it whisks participants through the Piney Woods on moon lit nights. Now there is a price to be paid for an adventure like this, and it’s not particularly cheap. The cost for a single rider on one tour is sixty dollars. Add three tours and the cost is eighty dollars.

And there are price reductions available for church groups by the way. Even though the admission fee is rather high, the experience looks to be worth the cost for those who can afford it. If I had more disposable income, I would certainly pay Zip Line Adventures near Tyler Texas a visit. As it is, I’ll have to wait a bit longer before taking in a day or night of flying through the forest. NY- TX Zip Line Adventures is located off 155 past Fat Dogs, on Farm Road 3506.

For more information visit their web site at www.goziptexas.com/index.html. This is a great site with a lot of information and incredible pics. I advise spending a little time looking it over before going. For those who do decide to go, have a great time, then licheck back with our site and tell us about your experience!

The Hudnall Planetarium at TJC in Tyler TX

June 16th, 2010

I have a somewhat foggy memory of a field trip I made as a Jr. High School student. It’s of a visit made by my class to the Hudnall Planetarium on the campus of Tyler Jr. College. While I was researching for writing topics, I came across their website and bells went off in my memory so I had to write about my visit and the planetarium in general.

The Hudnall Planetarium was first built in 1963 just as interest in space and space travel was beginning to heat up. At the time of its construction it was one of the largest of its kind in the state. The Planetarium is named for Mr. Jimmy Hudnall who made numerous and sizeable contributions to it’s development and improvement over the years. Dr. Jim Vaughn also made significant financial contributions including a research telescope. Today, Hudnall has a thirty foot domed theater and numerous telescopes. While the original plan for Hudnall was to serve TJC science students, it has proven useful in a surprising variety of classes offered on campus, as well as area grade school, middle school and high school classes from schools around East Texas.

The Planetarium has been a great draw for the college. By offering a whole litany of educational programs for grade schoolers of all ages, (although I’m fairly certain adults and teachers enjoy the presentations as well), they have been able to bring attention to TJC.  For those interested in visiting, I strongly recommend checking out their website first as well. Go to http://planetarium.tjc.edu. It’s an excellent resource, with a surprising amount of fascinating pictures and information. See the educator tab in particular. Neat stuff! One weekend a month the Planetarium has a public show. Shows are on Saturday and Sunday at two pm. A small admission fee is required, but it’s only three dollars for adults and two dollars for children and seniors, so it’s a small price to pay for a great educational experience.

The Planetarium can be reached by phone at (903)510-2312. Their physical address is Hudnall Planetarium, Tyler Junior College Box 9020 Tyler, TX 75711-9020. For a memorable experience check them out. I can attest that the kids will never forget it! For more information on Tyler Jr. College go to their website at www.tjc.edu.

The Villages in Tyler Texas

June 15th, 2010

It was around eleven and I was sneaking back into my bedroom where my son happened to be sleeping. After an enjoyable night I knew I should take the opportunity to do some writing. Feeling guilty, I glanced at my computer, and watched as the pictures on my screen saver slid by. “I should write for awhile but… I’m so tired.” Ok so my fatigue won out and I went to bed. Now I’m struggling to remember all the things that were passing through my mind as I drifted off to sleep last night, and only half heartedly wishing I’d forced myself to start writing. While I realize how annoying their national ad campaign is, our local Villages resort is really incredible.

I remember some years ago it was just a few time share houses, a couple of pools and a boat ramp. But in the past few years in has grown into an exceptional place to stay or just visit and play. They now offer mini-golf, tennis, basketball, a great club house, several incredible swimming pools and even a series of indoor waterslides. (This short list doesn’t really scratch the surface of what’s available). Along Lake Palestine there are a series of beautiful condos. And the marina offers easy access for boaters and fisherman. One great feature of the resort is the easy availability they offer to the community. It’s not necessary to live within the park, or own a timeshare to take advantage of the opportunities they have. Memberships are certainly nice to have, but patrons can also pay a small admission fee to enjoy at least some of the amenities.

Last night my little boy and I joined members of my extended family on an outing to the Villages pool. He had a wonderful time, beyond what even I expected. He played in the children’s pool running in and out of the fountains and even swam around a bit with me in the deeper section. This is a terrific facility and a great way for East Texans, Tylerites, and out of towners to cool off. For those interested in the Tyler Villages, and the different activities available there, visit the web site at www.waterparkatthevillages.com, or for a clearer more user friendly list of what’s offered (at least that’s what I thought), as well as other attractions in our area, go to www.silverleafresorts.com/resorts/the-villages. For more information on summer events and points of interest in and around Tyler continue to consult the business news section of this site.