[Sly Fox]

I make the Texas-Virginia roadie semi-regularly. It is a long haul but worth it.

[JK37]

What's the preferred driving route?

[Purple Haize]

What's the preferred driving route?

Interstate. Probably in a car

[rmiller1959]

I get that most folks on here aren't old enough to remember the Pony Express before the Death Penalty, but a victory in Dallas would be arguably the biggest brand name victory in our program's history. Hopefully they get bruised and beaten by the "Baptists" in Waco on Sunday before we arrive in town.

Not only am I old enough to remember the Pony Express, I'm old enough to have watched them beat us! I always wondered what happened to the QB, though. Mike Ford was a prototypical pocket passer with impressive size (6'3", 220 lbs) and he always looked imposing with those big pads and the linebacker-style facemask as he stood back there slinging the ball all over the place. He had one year where he was nationally ranked, but he had an injury and never recovered his form. I read that he was drafted into the NFL but didn't make it and eventually went back 30 years later to get his degree.

I know they're not the SMU I remember, but it would be quite a feather in our cap if we can beat them!

[Sly Fox]

What's the preferred driving route?

I live further south but I would recommend the blue route through Knoxville-Nashville-Memphis-Little Rock-Texarkana:



It is a long but easy drive with plenty of places to stop heading both ways to break up the trip. Dry rub in Memphis anyone? You could easily hit Texarkana after the game to spend the night and then drive the rest of the way home on Sunday. I drive much further heading back and forth to the Tetons with a car full of family every summer.

[Jonathan Carone]

Good Lord that looks horrible.

[Purple Haize]

How about a dirigible?

[JK37]

Good Lord that looks horrible.

That was my first thought, too. Aside from benig a kinda neat BBQ tour, I'm not liking that at all.

[Sly Fox]

Which is why we are so excited here in Texas to not have to make that drive this fall. Of course it is still cheaper to fly and considerably less tiring.

[ATrain]

For the first time in nearly a quarter century, the Flames will be playing a football game in the Lone Star State on September 17th. Obviously some of us like SumItUp & I are jazzed to have a rare appearance in the Great Southwest portion of the country. Several folks have contacted me that they plan on flying into Dallas for the game, If some of you are considering the trip, this thread is for you.

Air Travel:

• Flying into Dallas is rather easy from just about anywhere in the US. Atrain can verify that flying into Love Field (DAL) is the most convenient airport in relation to Highland Park and the SMU campus.
  
  
  
  
  Southwest is the primary carrier flying into this recently remodeled but smaller airport. But several other carriers also have flights into this convenient option. Otherwise American primary hub DFW is also where the majority of United & Delta flights go as well. Flying from Lynchburg (LYH) you will likely fly into DFW via American/US Airways. But if you drive other regional airports like RDU you will hve multiple options to get into either airport at what is often reletvely inexpensive airfares. You will not want to use taxis if you fly into DFW because it will cost you a fortune to get to Hghland Park. Take a rentai car if you are in a group or use Uber or Lyft if flying solo. Feel free to chime in, Atrain.

Driving

• For those of us in Texas & Oklahoma, this is self-evident. For those coming from the East Coast just keep in mind that this is a major undertaking. Unless you have a significant amount of free time, I'd fly. It's much cheaper.

Lodging/Light Rail

• There are two primary thoughts on where we be a great place to stay if you are including a hotel stay in your trip. You can either stay in Downtown Houston/West End or you can hit the suburban corridor just to the north of campus. Frankly it comes down to price and whether or not you have a rental car. If you don't have a rental car, you can actually utilize DART almost excludively. The yellow line runs from Love Field into Downtown Dallas and that keeps going right up to Mockingbird Station that is just 2 or so blocks from Ford Stadium. There is a shuttle from DFW that goes down to the CentrePort station where you can ridethe Trinity Railway Express over to the Victory station near Atrain's old neighborhood by American Airlines Arena. There you can take the DART to either downtown or Ford Stadium.

Food

• If you are expecting great options of Texas staples BBQ & TexMex you may be a bit disappointed. Dallas is far too pretentious for such pedestrian fare and the vast majority of 'cue or Mexican options in Big D are nothing to garner excitement. There are some exceptions and Atrain can offer some of his favorite choices. But the restaurant scene in Dallas is actually pretty strong as whole. Whatever your budget, you'll find something worth enjoying. Yesterday, I stopped at the In-N-Out Burger just about a mile north of SMU on Highway 75 and there was a Freebirds a block or so away. There are chain options aplenty. I do recommend the Pappadeaux halfway between SMU & Downtown Dallas if you enjoy Cajun.

Gameday

• I'll get into greater detail about what you can do in Dallas on your visit. But I wanted to give you all a heads up about a great tradition they have on gamedays at SMU. The Boulevard is a massive tailgating/college fun atmosphere that is quite the experience. Sadly much of the huge crowd that comes out onto the Boulevard doesn't bother to go inside the stadium. But it is quite the spectacle in the middle of the campus:
  
  

Ok, chiming in here: 3 carriers fly into Love Field (DAL): Delta, Virgin America and Southwest. If you're in Lynchburg, Southwest flies there directly from RDU and Virgin from DCA. Delta will involve a connection in Atlanta.

Taxis - you can get to Highland Park for under $50 from DFW and even cheaper from DAL.

DART - I don't recommend this option. Its an hour trip from Terminal A at DFW to downtown, and unsavory characters tend to be on it at any time that isn't rush hour. As for Barbecue, Lockhart in Bishop Arts is AMAZING - or if you want something closer to SMU, Cowboy Chicken has some great rotisserie options for extremely good prices. If you're looking for adult beverages, Bishop Arts and Deep Ellum are the places to go. As far as lodging options: the ATrain apartment in the West End will be closing down on Sept. 14, but there are plenty of places near SMU that offer rooms at decent prices. Things to do: JFK 6th Floor Museum and Reunion Tower downtown, as well as the Perot Science Museum. Or walk the Katy Trail and explore Uptown.

[Sly Fox]

Thanks for chiming in, Atrain.

Since I posted this back in the spring, I have become a big fan of the Velvet Taco. Mrs. Sly doesn't feel it. Finding a decent place to eat is not a worry in Dallas. I haven't eaten BBQ at Lockhart in Bishop Arts, but if it is anything like the 'cue in BBQ mecca city of Lockhart in Central Texas then it is a winner.

[ATrain]

Yeah, Bishop Arts is also not terribly convenient to access unless you have a car. However, there are plenty of good places to eat (I can't recommend any Mexican/Tex-Mex in that part of town, but there is also a place that is famous for its pies) down there, as well as Lower Greenville (go east on Ross Ave. from downtown till you get to Greenville Ave. There is a good taco place at the corner of Ross and Greenville). Can I also recommend Braum's Ice Cream?

[Sly Fox]

Braums burgers are not bad either. But I've already mentioned In N Out Burger is nearby the stadium.

[jcrew4]

For those of you who elected not to go to Dallas and SMU this might have been one of the hottest football games I've ever attended. 96 degrees around kick off with the sun in our face. The frat row tailgating was quite amusing with tents 5 yards apart each with their own DJ playing loud music no one could understand. Drunk students walking around in white clothes that were drenched in sweat. Very amusing event.

For those considering Waco next September if that game actually happens, you've been warned. It will be a scorcher.

[ballcoach15]

I have no desire to be around drunk students (or adults). Drinking should be banned from all athletic events.

[jcrew4]

I have no desire to be around drunk students (or adults). Drinking should be banned from all athletic events.

I'm sure some fans from other schools come to Liberty and think what a bizarre place. Where's the party? Where's the drunk tailgaters? I actually thought the same exact thing of SMU. Beautiful campus. But they had 40 large tents each with their own DJ's blasting music that you couldn't understand and 5k drunk students all dressed in white dresses, and white dress shirts with ties in 96 degree heat drenched in sweat. I know I'm old but I couldn't find anything fun about this. Beautiful campus, bizarre pre game ritual.

[Sly Fox]

We Texans don't mind a little heat. Bring on the Bears!