For years, veteran Houston photographer Ray Viator has followed the trail rides that lead up to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and has captured the color, the camaraderie, and the flavor of this popular annual event. In All Trails Lead to Houston: Riding to the Rodeo, which opens with a foreword from Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo COO Emeritus M. Leroy “Shafe” Shafer, Viator’s stunning photographs are accompanied by brief narratives and informative sidebars that provide insight into life on a trail—from sunrise to sunset. The trail rides began in January 1952 when Brenham rancher Reese Lockett and five friends were having lunch in Houston. The conversation turned to the joys of riding horses and its place in the Texas ranching tradition. Ultimately, the discussion sparked a challenge and an idea: stage a trail ride from Brenham to Houston as a way of publicizing and promoting the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. That first Salt Grass Trail Ride—named after the predominant source of grazing for cattle ranchers on the Texas Coastal Plain—started with Lockett, his friend and fellow rancher Emil H. Marks, and two others. By 1959, participation had soared to more than 90 wagons and 2,000 riders. In the years since, more rides, each covering a different route to Houston, have been organized with thousands of riders from all over Texas. While the Salt Grass Trail Ride claims pride as “the grandaddy of ’em all,” the movement also spread to other Texas cities and even other countries. Viator provides readers with colorful descriptions of the riders, horses, wagons, and western traditions celebrated each day on each of the twelve rides. All Trails Lead to Houston is a celebration of Texas, western ranching heritage, and culture.

“Other people locked themselves away and hid from their demons. Townes flung open his door and said, 'Come on in.'” So writes Harold Eggers, Townes Van Zandt's longtime road manager and producer, in My Years with Townes Van Zandt: Music, Genius, and Rage – a gripping memoir revealing the inner core of an enigmatic troubadour, whose deeply poetic music was a source of inspiration and healing for millions but was for himself a torment struggling for dominance among myriad personal demons. Townes Van Zandt often stated that his main musical mission was to “write the perfect song that would save someone's life.” However, his life was a work in progress he was constantly struggling to shape and comprehend. Eggers says of his close friend and business partner that “like the master song craftsman he was, he was never truly satisfied with the final product but always kept giving it one more shot, one extra tweak, one last effort.” A vivid, firsthand account exploring the source of the singer's prodigious talent, widespread influence, and relentless path toward self-destruction, My Years with Townes Van Zandt presents the truth of that all-consuming artistic journey told by a close friend watching it unfold.

The guide highlights factors such as location, access, directions, distance, and scenery. Included are both newly established trails and older trails ripe for rediscovery. Based on the author's own research, this handy guide introduces the best easy day hikes. Filled with detailed descriptions of each trail, Easy Hikes Close to Home: Houston helps novice hikers discover their choices with clear maps and concise at-a-glance information.

New York magazine was born in 1968 after a run as an insert of the New York Herald Tribune and quickly made a place for itself as the trusted resource for readers across the country. With award-winning writing and photography covering everything from politics and food to theater and fashion, the magazine's consistent mission has been to reflect back to its audience the energy and excitement of the city itself, while celebrating New York as both a place and an idea.

Includes history of bills and resolutions.

Who says you have to travel far from home to go on a great hike? In Best Hikes Houston, author Matt Forster details the best hikes within an hour's drive of the greater Houston area perfect for the urban and suburbanite hard-pressed to find great outdoor activities close to home. Each featured hike includes detailed hike specs, a brief hike description, trailhead location, directional cues, and a detailed map.