Opinion of Houston

Above, believe it or not, Space Center Houston has longhorn cattle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that we have visited Houston, Texas for the 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, here's my opinion of the host city.

After arriving in Houston, our first experience was with a car rental agency that ties to scam people into buying their insurance in order to rent a car. Not good. We ended up going with a name brand car rental agency.

Driving from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport wasn't too bad until we got onto the freeway system. The freeways (mainly Interstate 45) were clogged like those in Los Angeles. In fact, Houston reminded me of Los Angeles a lot. Small wonder, it is the nation's fourth largest city with a population of 6,971,000. It wasn't western in vibes, unlike Dallas and Fort Worth.

It seemed that every surface street had road work going on. The George R. Brown Convention Center was huge and a great place for the NRA convention.

We stayed in the Hobby Airport area at the Wyndham Hotel. I suspect it was once a Holiday Inn. The room was okay, but the hotel seemed to have seen better days. We had to shuttle to their sister hotel a block away for breakfast (at least the breakfasts were decent and free). 

Getting to the Space Center Houston and to Galveston wasn't too bad. But the traffic was terrible when heading to the downtown area for the NRA convention. Space Center Houston was great with a lot of neat stuff to see. Galveston was a nice place. 

We decided that we would avoid Houston for future trips. Fort Worth and Dallas were much nicer cities. We wouldn't mind visiting them again. 

15 Best Lever Action Rifles Worth Buying in 2026

15 Best Lever Action Rifles Worth Buying in 2026 video by Liberty Firearms.

Summary:

You are watching: "15 Best Lever Action Rifles Worth Buying in 2026 -  Liberty Firearm"

Lever action rifles are back in a big way for 2026, but not every model is worth your money. In this video, we rank the 15 best lever action rifles to buy in 2026 based on reliability, value, performance, ammo availability, and real-world usefulness. From legendary classics like the Winchester Model 1894 and Marlin 336 to modern favorites like the Henry Side Gate Lever Action and Browning BLR, these are the smartest lever guns for hunters, ranchers, collectors, and everyday shooters.

Whether you want a .30-30 deer rifle, a .357 Magnum truck gun, a .22 LR trainer, or a rugged all-weather hunting rifle, this list covers the top options available right now.

 

Seven Famous Japan Landmarks You Need To See

Above, the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether or not one has visited Japan, there are some landmarks that people who visit Japan should see. Some are man-made and some are natural, each should be put on one's "bucket list" of things to see.

That is the topic of an article in The Charlotte Observer.

They begin with:

Japan is filled with rich history and stunning natural sights — from snow-capped volcanic peaks to ancient temples and ultramodern towers. Whether you dream of climbing a legendary mountain, feeding sacred deer or watching a torii gate appear to float on the sea, these seven landmarks belong on every traveler’s list.

To see what they are, go here.

George W. S. Abbey Rocket Park

Above, the flight certified Saturn 5 at Rocket Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When our tour of the Astronaut Training Facility ended, we departed the tram at the George W. S. Abbey Rocket Park.

According to the Visit Houston Texas website:

George W.S. Abbey Rocket Park, formerly known as Rocket Park, is located at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). In December 2021, JSC renamed Rocket Park after its former director, George Abbey, who began his four-decade-long NASA career during the Apollo Program.

At George W.S. Abbey Rocket Park, visitors have the pleasure of viewing four rockets that were used in NASA missions during the 1960s and 70s, including Little Joe II, Mercury-Redstone, the Gemini-Titan, and Saturn V, the tallest, heaviest and most powerful rocket ever flown. 

Mighty and massive, the 30-story tall Saturn V is perhaps the most accomplished of the four with 9 trips into outer space (six of which landed on the Moon) carrying 27 Apollo astronauts. Saturn V also launched Skylab, America’s first space station, into orbit in its final mission. In total, 13 Saturn V rockets were launched into space. When fueled and ready for launch, the rocket can weigh 6.2 million pounds. That is almost the same weight as 39 space shuttle orbiters.

There are only three Saturn V rockets on display in the world. The rocket at NASA Johnson Space Center is the only one comprised of all flight-certified hardware. The other two rockets are made of flight hardware, mock-ups and test components.

Here are some photos taken at the George W. S. Abbey Rocket Park during our visit:

 

Guns of "Night of the Living Dead" (1968)

Above, Ben finds the Winchester 94 rifle.

One of the most popular cult movies ever is Night of the Living Dead, the 1968 George A. Romero zombie movie that wound up being named by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Film Registry for preservation. I remember first seeing it with my parents at the movies when it was first released.

From the IMFDB:

Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 horror movie directed by George A. Romero and was the first in Romero's "Dead Series" which includes Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of The Dead (1985), Land of the Dead (2005), Diary of the Dead (2007), and Survival of the Dead (2010). Night of the Living Dead of the living dead is credited for creating the modern horror archetype of the Zombie, flesh eating undead that can be killed only through the destruction of the brain, despite being referred to only as Ghouls during the films actual dialog. A 1990 remake was directed by make-up special effects artist/actor Tom Savini. The movie was selected in 1999 by the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry. In order for a movie to be selected for preservation in the NFR it has to be deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant"

During the movie, a number of firearms were featured, including a Winchester 94. 

On the Winchester 94, the IMFDB wrote:

Ben (Duane Jones) finds a Winchester 1894 who uses it for most of the film until it is taken away from him by Harry Cooper (Karl Hardman).

Other firearms included a Winchester Model 70, Winchester Model 250M, Pattern 1914 Enfield, Lee Enfield No.I MkIII, Ithaca 37 Shotgun, Smith & Wesson Model 10 and a Walther PP. 

Campfire Chat At The RV Park

Forty-two years ago, after Glenn Thornhill and I were initiated into the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, we started attending clamp-outs. 

During these clamp-outs, we noticed that the older members talked about their ailments and health issues while sitting around campfires. As Glenn and I were in our 30s, we were amused by this.

Now that we are in our 70s, we find ourselves doing the same thing. Funny how things come full circle. As was said in the comic strip Pogo, "We have met the enemy, and they is us!"

The following cartoon posted at RV Travel reminded me of this.

RVers Aren't Immune To Rookie National Park Mistakes

Above, camping at Manzanita Lake Campground in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Having been to several national parks over the years, I generally know what to expect.

Since I bought my motorhome eleven years ago, I have camped in some national parks. They include Lassen Volcanic, Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Grand Canyon. 

There are those RVers who aren't "immune" to "rookie" mistakes at national parks. An article in RV Travel spells them out.

They begin with:

It’s easy to assume experience counts for everything. Many of us have rolled into dozens of parks over the years, know the drill, and figure the “rookie mistakes” don’t apply anymore. But national park mistakes RVers make still show up every season—and rangers say some of them can turn serious faster than people expect.

A former ranger speaking with Business Insider laid out a familiar pattern: visitors arrive unprepared, underestimate conditions, and forget that parks aren’t controlled environments. That may sound like it’s aimed at first-time tent campers. But look a little closer, and you’ll see how often it applies to RVers, too.

To read more, go here. 

NRA Convention 2026 Recap | Thumper Fab

The 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits didn't just have only guns and related accessories on display.

There were some nice off-road machines on display as well

Here, we have some off-road vehicles on display by Thumper Fab. These would be great to drive in nearby Six Mile Canyon of the Cibola National Forest of New Mexico. If I didn't have the 1952 Jeep, I would be looking into getting one of these.

Here's a video on the Thumper Fab off-road vehicles and other goodies at the convention:

Summary:

The NRA Convention 2026 in Houston, Texas was one to remember—and Thumper Fab x Houston Motorsports showed up in a big way.

In this recap video, we take you inside the show where some truly EPIC rigs turned heads and stopped the crowd. From long‑travel suspension to all‑new product releases, these builds showcased what’s possible when performance, utility, and premium fabrication come together.

 

By the way, I read that next year's NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be in Atlanta, Georgia.

NRA Annual Meeting 2026 : Day 1 Sights and Sounds!

NRA Annual Meeting 2026 : Day 1 Sights and Sounds! video by BigRedEDC

Summary:

A few segments of my day 1 walk around the 2026 NRA annual meeting in Houston, Texas.

Become a member of Big Red's Brigade by clicking the join button below the video or by using this link:    / @bigrededc   

 

Johnson Space Center Mission Control

Above, the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center building. Whenever
 astronauts are in space, a U.S. flag flies over the center. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A highlight of my trip to Houston, Texas was to visit the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

It has been a focal point of the U.S. manned space program almost from the beginning. It opened in September 1963.

From Wikipedia:

The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is NASA's center for human spaceflight in Houston, Texas (originally named the Manned Spacecraft Center), where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted. It was renamed in honor of the late U.S. president and Texas native, Lyndon B. Johnson, by an act of the United States Senate on February 19, 1973.

JSC consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres (660 ha) in Clear Lake. The center is home to NASA's astronaut corps, and is responsible for training astronauts from both the U.S. and its international partners. It also houses the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center, which has provided the flight control function for every NASA human spaceflight since Gemini 4 (including Apollo, Skylab, Apollo–Soyuz, Space Shuttle and Artemis). It is popularly known by its radio call signs "Mission Control" and "Houston".

The original Manned Spacecraft Center grew out of the Space Task Group (STG) headed by Robert R. Gilruth that was formed to coordinate the U.S. crewed spaceflight program. The STG was based at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, but reported organizationally to the Goddard Space Flight Center just outside Washington, D.C. To meet the growing needs of the US human spaceflight program, plans began in 1961 to expand its staff to its own organization, and move it to a new facility. This was constructed in 1962 and 1963 on land donated by the Humble Oil company through Rice University, and officially opened its doors in September 1963. Today, JSC is one of ten major NASA field centers and the city of Houston's primary cultural footprint, earning it the official nickname "Space City" in 1967.

 

A Visit To Galveston

Last Saturday, we took a drive down to Galveston, Texas. It was only an hour's drive (about 50 miles) from Houston. 

One of the first things we noticed upon entering the city was that many homes were built on stilts so that they don't get flooded from the Gulf of America (or Gulf of Mexico). 

We drove by the cruise line terminals and the cruise lines we saw were Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

While in Galveston, we found a bagel shop and we treated ourselves to some coffee and bagels. My bagel was with lox (smoked salmon) and cream cheese. Both halves were loaded with salmon.

Afterwards, we stopped at a cigar store and made some purchases. 

Before heading out, we saw what looked to be a graveyard of railroad engines of Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad.

Some photos of our visit:

NRA Magazines Now Quarterlies

Above, the May issue of American Rifleman I picked up at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits 

A few minutes ago, I found out that the magazines published by the National Rifle Association, American Rifleman and American Hunter, have gone from monthlies to quarterly magazines.

I called the NRA Member Services this morning and they told me of the change. I get American Rifleman with my membership. The nice lady on the phone said that May, August and November will be the months American Rifleman will be published this year.

I was wondering why I didn't get the April issue or, to date, the May issue. The aforementioned change is the reason why. She said the May issue should be arriving shortly.

However, I did get a copy of the May issue of American Rifleman at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits convention in Houston.. 

Inside The 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

Above, yours truly at the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

The 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits was quite a show. 

It was touted as 14 acres of exhibits. After having been there, I have to agree. I am still suffering from a cramping of my left leg muscle. I have been practically walking around like the Mummy Kharis. 

My friend Mitch Geriminsky was smart, he rented an electric scooter with a seat. The cost for it was $70.00. 

I did manage to take a few photos at the exhibit hall of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Here's some of them:

Astronaut Training Facility

Above, an Orion spacecraft trainer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During our visit to Space Center Houston, we took a tour to the Astronaut Training Facility.

Inside were mock-ups of various spacecraft including the International Space Station, Orion, Soyuz and future space station facilities. 

Here's some photos I took during the tour:

Space Center Houston's Saturn 5

Above, the Apollo capsule at the top of the Saturn 5. Photo by Armand Vaquer

I just downloaded the photos I took with the Canon camera. They range from the Space Center Houston to the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits to Galveston.

Here, I took some photos of one of three existing Saturn 5 rockets. It was built for an Apollo moon mission but the mission was canceled. It actually was certified to flight status before cancelation.

Home Again!

After six days, I am finally back home from Houston, Texas.

That's another place that I can check off my "bucket list" of places to travel to. Along with the NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits, we managed to see the Johnson Space Center and take a drive to Galveston.

That should be it for traveling for a while. 

I scanned the photo taken at the Johnson Space Center and it is posted below:

Houston Trip Wrapping Up

Above, an Apollo Lunar Module on display at the Johnson Space Center. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The trip to Houston, Texas will be wrapping up tomorrow.

The first full day, Thursday, was spent at the Johnson Space Center where we toured the facilities. It was an interesting place to visit and I highly recommend it.

On Friday, the day was spent at the NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibits at the George R. Brown Convention Center. I managed to see all of the exhibits, but I was worn out by the end of the day, particularly my lower back and legs. 

Saturday was spent in Galveston (around 50 from Houston). We managed to find a great bagel shop and went to nearby Buc-ee's. 

We have an early morning flight to Albuquerque tomorrow. I just hope we don't have problems getting through the TSA check.

A Day In Galveston

Above, the Galveston Bagel Company. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today was spent taking a drive down to Galveston, Texas for the day.

While there, we drove around and stopped for a snack at the Galveston Bagel Company. I had an onion bagel with lox and cream cheese. The lox was plentiful on two halves of the bagel. Mitch asked me how much did it cost. I told him it was $17. He about jumped out of his seat exclaiming, "What?! $17 for a bagel?!"

Above, enjoying the bagel. Note the amount of lox. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

I looked at the receipt and the lox was $16 according to it. I told Mitch this and he thought that made more sense. It was quite good. 

We then went to a cigar store to pick up a couple of things. I managed to leave my debit card there. I discovered this at Buc-ee's and we went back and got it. We were looking for the cigar store when we discovered the Galveston Bagel Company. 

Above, the front of Buc-ee's near Galveston. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Buc-ee's was huge and packed with people. There must have been close to 30 gasoline pumps there. This was the first time I have ever been to Buc-ee's. 

Above, the statue of the Buc-ee's beaver. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We got into a downpour as we were nearing Houston. It looks to be a rainy night tonight.