Anyone near Jasper Tx

[Grandpa Shooter]

The Missus and I are trying to plan a road trip in August.  She recently found that her best friend from grade school lives in or near Jasper Tx.  If anyone on here knows the area and wants to tell us about it, we would appreciate it.

[roo_ster]

(DFW resident, here)

Jasper is in the Piney Woods of Texas.

Good hog hunting, or so I'm told.

Pretty much surrounded by National Forestland, so bring a map, compass, and your hiking shoes.

[vaskidmark]

It's in Texas.

Down there they think bbq involves beef.  Most of the livestock are steers - look carefully before calling anything/anyone cow or bull.

Used to was hats came with a brim all the way around, were taken off in the presence of women and most other females of the species Homo Sapiens.  Nowadays not so much so for either - brims may even be found only in the back.

Lone Star beer is served cold for a reason.  Pearl is better, but only marginally.  Look for local brews that are not advertised as micro-anything.  If it is served to you with a head falling over the rim it stands a good chance of being better than passable.

As it's close to Houston & Beaumont and the Sabine River than to Dallas, it's probably humid in August.  That means staying in airconditioning from 8AM till 11PM unless you are swimming between airconditioned locations, as opposed to the parts of Texas that have that "dry heat" - there you only need to stay in airconditioning from 8AM till 11PM unless you are sweating gallons per hour between airconditioned locations.

Jasper may even have local sights of interest or history.  You can get a brochure sent by mail from the Chamber of Commerce.  If you ask nice you might even get picture postcards to mail to folks saying "We did not go here.  It was wonderful.  Wish you were there."

stay safe.

skidmark

[crt360]

I've been in the area, but don't recall stopping in Jasper for any length of time.  It popped up in the news about ten years ago when some white guys chained a black guy behind their pickup and towed him around until he died a rather gruesome death.  The coverage of that event did not do much to improve Jasper's image.  Nearby Sam Rayburn is a large lake with good fishing.  You can probably find cabin and boat rentals there.  There are lots of trees - it doesn't look like the Texas that most people are familiar with - it's pretty flat and everywhere you look, you're looking at trees.  Along with the map and compass, I'd recommend a fan and bug spray.  As mentioned, it will be hot and humid.

[coppertales]

I think that is where some guys dragged a guy to death behind a pickup.  They got life or gas, I don't remember.....It is not that hot in Texas.  I grew up here before anything was air conditioned and I survived......you get used to it.....Besides, when it is hot out, the girls dress nicely.....chris3

[vaskidmark]

It is not that hot in Texas.  I grew up here before anything was air conditioned and I survived......you get used to it.....Besides, when it is hot out, the girls dress nicely.....chris3

Nobody said it was hot, as in "it's a dry heat."  Jasper is hotandhumid in the middle of August.  Here's the local 36-hour weather forcast as of today 6/9/09

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USTX0653?lswe=jasper,%20texas&from=searchbox_localwx

Here's more data than you want - just scroll down and check out the yearly average temperature & humidity charts.  http://www.city-data.com/city/Jasper-Texas.html

Here's the Chamber of Commerce  http://www.jaspercoc.org/  - and yes, they do have postcards.  Also of note is there are no fireworks scheduled for the 4th of July.

stay safe.

skidmark

[roo_ster]

I looked up the city-data link vaskidmark gave for Jasper, TX; LR, AR; and Columbus, GA.

I know hot, humid, and miserable weather, from my time in LR, AR, and Col, GA.  Jasper looks to be just as bad.

Dallas & points west is much more the "dry heat" than, "Dear Lord, I'm drowning in my own sweat!" heat, which is what seems to be the deal in Jasper.

[Jamisjockey]

Nobody said it was hot, as in "it's a dry heat."  Jasper is hotandhumid in the middle of August.  Here's the local 36-hour weather forcast as of today 6/9/09

skidmark

What he said.
We lived in Beaumont for a year and a half, down the road.
I promise you its not a dry heat.  Its like taking a bath in your own clothes in August.  Like "break a sweat" walking to the mailbox and back hot.
There isn't much around Jasper.  It is, however, close to Louisiana if you feel so inclined to go gamble.  Not far to Galveston, which is a nice place to visit.  Jasper is pretty poor country, something like 30% of the people are below the poverty line.

(DFW resident, here)

Jasper is in the Piney Woods of Texas.

Good hog hunting, or so I'm told.

Pretty much surrounded by National Forestland, so bring a map, compass, and your hiking shoes.

Lots of forest around Jasper, but I wouldn't go hiking into the woods blindly.  Lots of critters in that area that mean to do you harm.  Last time I went fishing around that area at a state park, all the trails had really, really big spiders that had spread their webs across the trail.  Really big webs and really big spiders.  Also, that time of year, its a little hot for hiking.....
There are two national forests real close to Jasper.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/texas/recreation/sabine/sabine_gen_info.shtml
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/texas/recreation/angelina/angelina_gen_info.shtml
If you fish, get a guide for either Sam Rayburn or Toledo Bend, both are close by, for some good Largemouth Bass fishing.

Really its just small town east Texas.  Not very much to see or do in that area.

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Lots of love for east Texas. 
From what little I've seen of that particular area, it's hot and humid. That close to the coast might mean that you get real, actual breezes now and then. Probably won't need a raincoat. Make sure you have a functional AC in your car.
If you have any plans for hiking, use bug spray liberally. And beware of snakes.

[Brad Johnson]

Jasper is coastal country.  Hot and very, very humid.  Plenty of bugs and crawly things.

Brad

[Jamisjockey]

Lots of love for east Texas. 
From what little I've seen of that particular area, it's hot and humid. That close to the coast might mean that you get real, actual breezes now and then. Probably won't need a raincoat. Make sure you have a functional AC in your car.
If you have any plans for hiking, use bug spray liberally. And beware of snakes.

The only coastal breezes they get in Jasper come with their very own warning center.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

The only coastal breezes they get in Jasper come with their very own warning center.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Oh joy. While not quite as hot as my current residence, they seem to have 10-20% more humidity.
GS, new plan of action: don't go outside. 

[Jamisjockey]

Oh joy. While not quite as hot as my current residence, they seem to have 10-20% more humidity.
GS, new plan of action: don't go outside. 

Or just don't bother taking showers....

[MechAg94]

No, showers are a good thing. 

Seriously, you get used to it to some extent.  While summer can be pretty bad, the other season, fallwinterspring, can be very pleasant.  Along the Gulf Coast or close to it, the humidity is higher, but it also doesn't typically get as cold in the winter.  There is also a lot of industry in the Beaumont/Port Authur/Orange areas.

[Jamisjockey]

Beaumont/Port Aurthur and Orange are very dirty nasty places.
Sorry, no love lost for that part of Texas.  Hated it and when I got my transfer out of there I stopped to spit on the city limits sign on my way out.

[vaskidmark]

Seriously, folks!  We need a little more love here.

Did anyone look at the postcards on the Chamber of Commerce site?  You can either print them on your own printer, or ask the CofC to send some to you.  Given the economy, I's be willing to guess a small contribution would get them to send them with a Jasper TX postmark to your friends.

What other CofC will do that for you?

stay safe.

skidmark

[Jamisjockey]

Did I mention the smell in the Beaumont area?

They don't have that smell in the Jasper area, though.  Its unique to the Beaumont area and its hard to explain, but unpleasant.

[roo_ster]

JJ:

You make Jasper sound as attractive as such garden spots like Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and Peoria, Illinois.

[Jamisjockey]

Don't get me wrong, it's pretty country.  But in August its also very hot. 
There is some really good hunting and fishing in that area, cost of living is dirt cheap, and the people are normally hospitable. 
But there also just isn't much there, especially near Jasper. 
I've got no love for Beamont/Port Aurthur/Orange.

[slugcatcher]

Jasper is a nice little town. There is just nothing to do there unless you like to hike thought the woods or go fishing. What a horrible place . Yes it's hot and humid. We call the summer and it lasts for about 9 months of the year. We like it as it tends to keep the yankees and hippies away. The banana spiders won't eat you and neither will the snakes. That's why you carry a walking stick or a fishing pole. Wal-Mart sells both. The best place to eat was the seafood buffet at the Jalepeno Tree but they don't do the buffet any longer . Enjoy your trip and let us know what you did for fun.

[MechAg94]

I used to work around Beaumont/Port Arthur/Orange.  Honestly, I wouldn't want to live in either of those towns especially anywhere near the coast.  If Jasper is further North, it is probably in a much nicer area.  Most of the guys I worked with who could do so lived further North across I-10.  I agree with the above post that outside of hunting, fishing, bowfishing, and maybe other water sports, there isn't a whole lot to do there. 

I work in Freeport now.  What I like about this area and that area is if you want to live near where jobs are available yet be able to own some nice land not too far away, it might be a good place to live. 

[Stand_watie]

d.  Lots of critters in that area that mean to do you harm.  Last time I went fishing around that area at a state park, all the trails had really, really big spiders that had spread their webs across the trail.  Really big webs and really big spiders. 

Scary, scawey, skewey!!

     Here in east Texas we call them "Garden spiders" asnd as the name implies they are spiders who hang out in your garden doing spidery things....like eating bugs a such..

[Stand_watie]

duplicate post

[MechAg94]

Every fall, there are hundreds of those big banana spiders around the gun club.  If you don't mess with them, they don't care about people.  These are black/yellow/white and have really long legs and tend to hold them such than it looks like 4 legs from a distance. 

[crt360]

Scary, scawey, skewey!!

     Here in east Texas we call them "Garden spiders" asnd as the name implies they are spiders who hang out in your garden doing spidery things....like eating bugs a such..

Yeah, plenty of those around.  But you gotta admit, when you unsuspectingly walk through a web and get one on your shirt or head, they have your full attention.  :D