Couple traveling to every Texas Roadhouse in America coming to Stanislaus County
One of my favorite pieces of life advice is: “Be passionate about something, anything.” And there’s no denying that a Virginia couple have embraced that message.
When I talked to 72- and 73-year-old Mike and Judy McNamara Wednesday, they were in Scottsdale, Arizona, to visit a Texas Roadhouse. Since 2018, they have been on a quest to visit every location in the nation.
They told me they’ll be making their 546th, 547th and 548th visits to Texas Roadhouse restaurants the weekend following Thanksgiving — two of them in Stanislaus County.
Friday, Nov. 28, the McNamaras will dine at the Turlock location (1665 Countryside Drive) at 3 p.m. They’ll spend Saturday in Union City and return to Stanislaus County to visit the Modesto location (3037 Sisk Road) at 11 a.m. Sunday.
“We’re having a good time,” Mike McNamara said. “We are seeing the country through the Texas Roadhouses. Sometimes we’re not visiting stuff, but you’re seeing it as it flashes by at 70-75 mph.”
The McNamaras take two long trips around the country per year, he said. The first is typically from the end of May to the beginning of July, and the second from November to December.
Their preferred method of travel is driving. They either stay at motels or tow their camper, and are doing the latter on their current trip.
While in California, the McNamaras are staying at Kit Fox RV Park in Patterson. After they leave Sunday, they’ll travel to Reno, Las Vegas, a couple of stops in Arizona, a few in Texas and Alabama, then back home to Franklin, Virginia.
When asked if they’ve visited any other California locations, Mike Manamara said they’ve gone to Rialto and Corona. As far as stopping at restaurants in the central part of the state, “it’ll probably be another year,” he said.
“We went to 92 (Texas Roadhouse restaurants) last year,” Manamara said. “This year, it’ll be somewhere around 50-55. Next year will probably be sort of the same thing. So we’re slowing down.”
The couple visited the chain for the first time in 2003 while visiting Judy’s brother in Tennessee. It wasn’t until after retirement that they decided to make a habit of it.
So, why travel to every Texas Roadhouse?
“The food is great, the people are wonderful and the prices are very reasonable,” Mike McNamara said.
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