Saturday, after the race, I got cleaned up all quick and drove over to Sue’s best friend’s house from childhood. She lives over in Highland Park, a pretty nice area of Dallas. And she happens to be married to a oil and gas guy that struck it big a few years back and is a 4 billionaire.
It was a great afternoon. Sue’s friend is still down to earth. It was refreshing. I’m not so sure I could be so real if I had all the opportunities presented by so much wealth.
And it is an incredible amount of wealth. It is 80 chunks of 50 million dollars. It is almost incomprehensible. But it’s not like they don’t spread it around. Sue’s friend built the new SPCA animal shelter here. And they give tons of money to lots of other charities, which they should.
After doing a tour of her home, we scooted over to downtown Dallas to have a snack on the penthouse of the Ritz Carlton. They bought the penthouse to house her husband’s western art collection. It is truly amazing.
I must of told her at least 3 times that I would never have an opportunity to be in a place so unbelievably nice. Everything was beyond top end. I’ve never seen door handles, or touched door handles, that were so perfect. I didn’t know they built door handles like that. And the art collection was unreal too, not that I know anything about western art. But it was everywhere.
Anyway, the penthouse has balconies on three sides. We went out on the side that faces Love Field and ate some leftovers and drank Shiner Bock, watching the Southwest Airlines planes land. It was great.
Sue is flying back to San Diego on Friday with them on their private jet. Bromont and I could tag along, flying back here on Monday. But since Peter enlightened in my last posts comment section, “I don’t have anything to do but ride my bike.” I guess I need to just skip this private jet trip to the West coast and go to Joe Martin to race my bike. It’s all I know how to do it seems.
Anyway, I have to pack up and drive back up to Kansas today, only to drive back to Arkansas tomorrow. Here are a few photos of the house and penthouse.
Driving up to the gates at the house.
Sue and Bromont leaving.
One of the 3 balconies at the penthouse.
One of the gazillion rooms there.
I have a tile fetish, so the bathroom were really interesting to me.
Of all the pieces there, I liked the original letters the best.
I guess this is a famous Remington bronze.
A famous painting I'm sure.
Sue's friend sweeping the lunch crumbs from the balcony.
Tools and bikes in the van heading back to Kansas.
Highland Park = “pretty nice”
priceless . . .
Another great story!
CM Russell’s paintings and bronzes are #1 with me.
Has Bromont lost weight? Watch out for Lyme’s disease.
Nice juxtaposition with that last photo!
Steve,
If according to the haters, all you have to do- and all you know how to do is ride your bike then I say “ride on.” Leave the naysayers behind with the knowledge that attacking the messenger is often the tool of those who are confronted with unpleasant facts about their own behavior. Your racing, writing, attitude, and yes your lifestyle are an inspiration loads of cyclists, including this 50+ year old (who rode his first criterium in 1977)
Where in the World is Steve Tilford?
Hanging out with the 1%… They’re all nice people, as long as you’re not on the other side of a business deal with them. Of course, it’s still very possible to get that kind of money by using superior knowledge and a lot of luck, and that’s often the case in the oil business.
Most modest people are unwilling to divulge their net worth. I wonder if there is net worth tipping point beyond which it is advantageous to reveal it in hopes that it will subdue those in awe. I suspect that the tipping point in Highland Park, Texas is a tad higher than Topeka.