Saloon Hopping With Elsie Hotpepper To Billy Miner's Saloon In Fort Worth

Last night I was really looking forward to Elsie Hotpepper picking me up in the Elsie Hotpepper Peptomobile and going to downtown Fort Worth to Billy Miner's Saloon.

I have previously gone to a burger joint with Elsie Hotpepper, in non-saloon hopping mode, to the Love Shack in the Fort Worth Stockyards. We were a bit disappointed in the Love Shack's Dirty Love Burger. It did not seem to live up to the hype.

The last time I was really impressed with a burger, was in Phoenix, on February 22, 2004. An In & Out double cheeseburger. Even though I was already plenty full from having spent 2 hours at a Happy Hour, and, even with me due to get on a plane, I had myself 2 In & Out double cheeseburgers. This made for the most explosively bloated plane ride ever.

So, it was with eager anticipation I anticipated a Billy Miner's Saloon Cheeseburger. This anticipation was made even more acute due to the fact that well-known local burger gourmet, Gar the Texan, had given the Billy Miner's Saloon Cheeseburger a rare 5 stars.

Cut to the cheese, I'd give the Billy Miner's Saloon Cheeseburger 4 stars. Not quite to In & Out 5 star worthiness. But close.

Now, you may be wondering who Billy Miner is or was.

Well.

Unlike most large towns, Fort Worth embraces its criminal past. Maybe this type embracing is part of the reason why Fort Worth, collectively, seems to have little problem embracing its criminal present, in the form of those, like the town's mayor, Mike Moncrief, a modern era Sundance Kid who does his robbing in much more sophisticated ways than using a gun to hold up a train.

Both the Sundance Kid and Billy Miner liked to rob trains. Fort Worth named its downtown collection of parking lots after the Sundance Kid, calling the parking lots "Sundance Square."

I believe this is the only downtown square in America named after a criminal.

Like the Sundance Kid, the legend of Billy Miner is that he was usually fairly non-violent in his criminal pursuits. During Billy's life of crime he spent 36 years in prison. He escaped from 5 of his prison homes.

Pinkerton agents were always after the Sundance Kid. Same with Billy Miner. Billy was chased all over America, while robbing trains and stage coaches. Billy was a suspect up in Canada, in British Columbia, in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Illinois and Michigan.

Obviously Billy Miner was very eclectic in the states and provinces he chose to work in.

Billy died at 71 years old, on September 2, 1913 in a Milledgeville, Georgia jail.

I can not help but notice that neither Texas, or Fort Worth, is listed among the locations where Billy Miner practiced his craft.

Regardless, even though Billy Miner may never have consumed a Cheeseburger in Fort Worth, or robbed a Texas train, he still is the sort of criminal we like to honor as a genuine folk hero, here in Fort Worth.

Wednesday Morning Texas Blues

As you can see in the view from my computer room window we are having a very blue Monday here in Fort Worth. Just a few little wisps of white in a sky of blue.

It is barely 9 in the morning and already in the 80s. So, no windows are opening today. The A/C is already cycling off and on.

I suspect it is going to be very HOT today.

Yesterday you may remember me mentioning that Elsie Hotpepper was taking me to Billy Miner's Saloon in downtown Fort Worth in her Elsie Hotpepper Peptomobile.

Well. That did not happen. I was very disappointed to find myself having to fend for myself to find my way to downtown Fort Worth and a cheeseburger.

I had myself a real fine time in the pool this morning. Perfect conditions. I will not be aerobicizing to get my endorphin fix on the Tandy Hills today in the noon time frame. If I get my hill hiking endorphin fix it will have to be later in the afternoon. I hope endorphin withdrawal does not kick in with its attendant grumpy irritability.

I hate it when I get grumpy and irritable.

Hiking & Heading To Downtown Fort Worth In Elsie Hotpepper's Peptomobile

You are looking west towards the stunning skyline of downtown Fort Worth skyscrapers, all 4 of them, this Tuesday in June, around noon.

The temperature was a pleasant 86 when I hit the Tandy Hills Natural Area Sanatorium, with the humidity having the Heat Index make it feel like 92.

A breeze counteracted the humidity, somewhat. It was good to get an endorphin fix today after yesterday's withdrawal.

Speaking of downtown Fort Worth. In a few hours Elsie Hotpepper should arrive in my neighborhood to pick me up in the Elsie Peptomobile to head west to Billy Miner's Saloon for a cheeseburger.

I think, in addition to the cheeseburger, there will be some people seeking ways to stage a revolution against the Fort Worth Oligarchy and the Good Ol' Boy & Girl Network that has foisted the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle on the Fort Worth public without a vote on the issue.

And maybe learn a thing or two about fighting back against wanton eminent domain abuse, such as what is practiced in this, the Eminent Domain Abuse Capital of the Civilized World, Tarrant County, Texas.

That garish pink of Elsie Hotpepper's Peptomobile may seem a bit extreme, but it comes in real handy when it comes time to find your car in a busy parking lot. It sort of stands out. Just like Elsie Hotpepper.