Where to Eat:
Perini Ranch Steakhouse is located just a short drive south of Abilene in Buffalo Gap. And it is a ranch… and a restaurant… A restaurant on a ranch. If you’re anywhere remotely close to Buffalo Gap, you’d better get yourself over to Perini’s. To start out, I enjoyed Jalapeño Bites, which are jalapeño slices with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon, and a Chopped Blue Cheese Salad (more bacon, yes!). The main course was the Mesquite Smoked Peppered Beef Tenderloin. Let me tell you about that tenderloin, folks. It is wonderfully seasoned, fork tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Top it with Perini’s signature horseradish sauce and it is absolute perfection. The Dusted Jumbo Shrimp were also very tasty. They were plump and crunchy and seasoned just right. For sides I was presented with Green Chile Hominy (with bacon, cheese, and green chile sauce), Old Fashioned Green Beans, and Zucchini Perini, which is just as fun to eat as it is to say.
For dessert, I was treated with the best darn Bread Pudding I’ve ever had. Chunks of sourdough bread and pecans were smothered in a Jack Daniels Whiskey Sauce and then caramelized in the oven to create a creamy and chewy and crunchy and a slightly boozy treat. A perfect ending to a perfect meal enjoyed with friends. I highly recommend Perini’s… it’s well worth the drive.
—Bobbie Cupell, General Mgr.,
Burmass Oil Directory
With its powerful battery, it can power up and charge just about any portable electronic device. The Sol Sport Solar Charging Kit will power up your phone, mp3 player, portable GPS navigator, GPS tracker, digicam, portable DVD player, portable gaming system, and more. Whatever you’ve deemed necessary to your life away from electricity, this charger can juice up. Leave it out in the sun to recharge, or plug it into any AC adapter or car charger. Works with any device that can charge via USB. Includes heavy duty snaps and grommets, plus suction cups for attaching to windows. Select from a 2.5w panel with 1350 mAh battery or a 5w with 2200 mAh. Priced at $49.99 to $69.99, Sol Sport Solar Charging Kit can be found at thinkgeek.com.
What’s not to like about a truck that top-ends at 376 mph, powers itself with three jet engines, belches fire out of twin overhead exhausts, and outruns aircraft? That’s right, nothing. The world’s fastest truck, the Shockwave Jet Truck, is one of the featured performers at the Commemorative Air Force AIRSHO, slated for Oct. 12-13 at the Midland International Airport. Driving down airport runways, Shockwave races airplanes that are flying above it at speeds in excess of 300 mph. This truck is the most impressive jet ground vehicle on the planet. Shockwave, the jet powered truck, boasts three times the smoke, three times the fire, three times the noise, and of course three times the horsepower, thanks to its three engines. This truck has afterburning J34-48 jet engines that weigh in for a total of 36,000 horsepower. Shockwave was built and designed by Les Shockley and is now owned by Darnell Racing Enterprises, Inc. Neal Darnell has been performing at different airshows around the country for over ten years. The CAF AIRSHO, the largest warbird airshow in the world, features more than 80 warbirds flying per show. Go to airsho.org for details.