Twisty, Curvy Roads

The Plaza in Downtown Round Rock After riding around on the scooter Sunday, Max and I decided to take a walk around downtown Round Rock. Round Rock dates back to 1851. What I call "downtown" is actually "New Town". Originally, Round Rock was about a half-mile away. When the railroad came in 1876, the town moved closer to the tracks. After that, the original location became known as "Old Town", and the new location was called, appropriately enough, "New Town".  Most of the buildings are single story and were built of limestone in the late 1800's. Main Avenue is only slightly over two blocks.Max and I strolled the length of the street enjoying our Sunday afternoon. There is a lot of history along this street and most of the buildings have a plaque posted that tells when the building was built and what businesses have been located there.  Today almost half of the businesses are bars or restaurants.  There is also a tattoo parlor and a fe...

Today was a beautiful Fall Sunday and Max and I wanted to get out of the house. So we climbed onto the motor scooter for a short tour around Round Rock. Brushy Creek at Memorial Park With no particular destination or route in mine, we soon found ourselves at Memorial Park where we stopped to enjoy a few moments of the perfect day. Luckily I had remembered to bring my phone and was able to snap this photo from the low water crossing where N. Lee Street crosses Brushy Creek.  After leaving the park, we wandered around through one of the older neighborhoods. The neighborhood is primarily Mexican American and many of the homes are a bit ramshackle. But it has always been an interesting neighborhood.  As you drive through you often see entire multi-generational families on their porches or gathered in the yard for a family barbeque. Almost every third or fourth lot now has a commercial "For Sale" sign and within a short time, this neighborhood will not longer exist. It wi...

I spent the night parked in a rest area beside the Rio Grande Gorge, only a few miles from Taos, New Mexico. When I opened the Casita door the next morning, this is what I saw.  The far mountains belong to the Sangre de Cristo range. This was facing east, roughly toward Taos, and you can see the flare from the morning sun along the upper left side of the photograph.  What you cannot see in the photograph is the unbelievable scent of the high desert and how the cool desert air felt upon my face. This was truly one of those transcendental moments where all of the disparate elements of the Universe seem to coalesce into one harmonious and perfect whole. Looking over the edge of the gorge. Rio Grande is far below. Another thing you cannot tell from the photograph is that only a hundred or so yards away, the flat desert terrain is sliced open by a huge gash cut by the Rio Grande on it's way to the Gulf of Mexico.  The day before, I had been driving along...

The My camp on Lake Ouichita Ended up spending two nights in arkansas. Stopped at a camp on Lake Ouichita Friday night. Right on the water but pretty crowded. Got up yesterday morning and drove to Mena, Arkansas. Mena has a population of slightly over 5000. Nice enough little town and seems to have all of the basics. Highlight was a scenic drive along ridge of the mountains that stretch from Mena into Oklahoma. Lots of pull offs with wonderful views. On the way back I took highway 63 which runs along the valley to the south of the skyline drive. Very nice country. I was surprised that there was almost no traffic. I did not see more than a double handful of cars on the entire tour if I exclude those in the towns. I stopped at a Subway back in Mena and decided upon where to head next. Spoke with Julie on the phone and she encouraged me to take an extra day or so before returning to Round Rock. Using my gps on my phone, I spotted a route that headed south throug...

(The day after Thanksgiving, 2014)   Click here to listen to this post Max There are times that the words that I want will not come to me.  Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year, and this year, in particular, has been filled with people and experiences for which I am especially grateful. This morning I sat down to write exactly why I feel that way..., but the words simply refuse to flow.    Perhaps it is because there is so much for which to be thankful that I can not begin to sort it out. Should I start with the sheer thrill of walking out of the door each morning into another beautiful Texas day? Are there any words that would express the joy of reuniting with my long lost cousins Glenn and Jane, and meeting their families? What about the trips I took with my sons and getting to spend some time with my grandchildren, Alise, Momo, and Zilker? Or do I begin with the excellent Thanksgiving meal that I enjoyed yesterday with dear friends Roger, Carolyn, ...

The star marks our campsite. Wellington Lake shows near the bottom left. Exploring Forest Road 550 Found a great campsite for tonight. We are somewhere off of hwy 67 north of Woodland Park and south of Deckers. I unhitched the Casita and drove off to explore father down the forest road. Lots of snow and ice but I could see that others had passed so was not too worried. Never the less, having four wheel drive was a comfort. Ended up at Wellington Lake, a pretty large body of water that was frozen solid. I would not want to go onto the ice - not that solid! Frozen Wellington Lake Back to camp now and time to let Max out to explore, then feed him and myself. I may practice my ukulele a bit before turning in. It is only 5:53 Texas time. Much too early to hit the sack. I miss having internet big time. The coordinates for this campsite are: N 39.34488 and W 105.27187. I can always get back if I don't loose them! Well just finished a delicious dinner of boiled fra...

(Feb. 2014 - Trip to see Alise) Forest road 550 was where I left hwy 67. Slept well, warmer either because I had the thermostat higher or because t he blanket of snow that fell d uring the night help to insulate the Casita. It we as 3 degrees outside this morning. Beautiful snow covering everything! Sent from my stupid iPad! my iPad

(Feb. 2014 - Trip to see Alise) Reached Lakewood, Co. yesterday. Drove by Patrick and Lysha's place to be certain that I could find it and then on to Chatsfield State Park. Chatsfield is a "grasslands" park, very different from the mountain campsite of last night. The campsites are designed for motorhomes and that is mostly what the other visitors are using. The main thing is that there is a very nice bathhouse with showers, toilets, and a laundry center. That makes it a great place to stop and clean up before going to visit the kids. I set up the Casita and then showered and changed to a clean shirt and jeans. I left Max to hold down the fort and drove into town to see little Alise. She is a pretty baby. Patrick ordered out for salads and we ate dinner there. Their house is a 60's style split level. The front door open to a set of stairs, one going up and the other going down. They have remodeled the bottom floor with a nice kitchen, famil...

Spent last night In a roadside park across the Perdenales from LBJ's ranch. The lady who maintains the park stopped by and we spent an hour or two visiting. She is an interesting person. She is also an Elmer Kelton fan and we talked about his books and how they make Texas history come alive. Gave her my email and website address. Scott Bailey's wife called to let me know that Scott had passed yesterday around 3:15 pm. I will put together a New Orleans funeral for Scott. Lots of musicians want to play so we will send him off in style. It is a wonderful morning, pleasantly cool with a fairly stiff breeze from the west. My New (to me) Toyota is just what I have always wanted. Pulls the casita as though it isn't even back there. It is a great feeling to know that I can turn in any direction and travel in comfort and with peace of mind. Max and I are really enjoying this little trip. I will go back to Round Rock today to make certain that Scott's funeral is handle...

(October or November of 2013) I am sitting in my comfortable camp chair gazing at Mansfield dam. I can't help but remember the first time I saw this dam and compare it to today. It was 1968 and I had driven from Huntsville, Alabama to Austin for a conducting workshop at the University of Texas. I had a free afternoon and decided to spend it exploring the area. I drove from the University out a wonderfully scenic little two-lane winding road, Ranch Road 2222.  Today 2222 is a major arterial with heavy traffic. I came to an intersection with ranch road 620. Not knowing anything about the area and having no particular agenda, I turned left on a whim. It was a wonderful drive through land that was pretty much as God intended it to be. I saw quite a bit of wildlife, in particular white-tailed deer. At that time, deer were fairly rare back in Alabama and so I was thrilled to see so much wildlife. It was that drive that convinced me to become a Texan. Today, the dam is still the ...

(On the road to visit Alise, Feb. 2014) Monday. I have travelled 125.9 miles from home. Stopped for a burger at McDonalds. Now I am at an old style roadside rest area N31.70783. W 098.85686. This would be a nice place to stop for the night, but it is only three in the afternoon. Nice oak trees and above hwy 183. No toilets or drinking water though. Sent from my stupid iPad! my iPad ******** This roadside rest area is just south of Early, Texas on Hwy. 183.  It is on a hill above the main road.

(Feb. 2015 - On the road to see Alise) Max and I are snug in our little Casita and needed has been done for the night. We are at a Texas rest stop north of Lubbock on hwy 87. My cellphone says this is Underwood, Texas and that the temperature is 39 degrees. It is predicting a low of 24 for tomorrow morning. I'm glad that I had the propane tanks filled! As soon as we stopped I got into the Casita and turned the furnace on. Then took Max for a short walk so he could take care of his necessary business. By the time we got back the Casita was toasty warm. I turned the thermostat down (maybe too much), fed Max and spread my sleeping bag. I do not unhitched when we are in a rest stop, but I do disconnect the electrical. I do not want to risk running down the truck battery overnight. I expect to make the Denver area by tomorrow night and find a place in a National Forrest. May be a problem finding an open campsite this time of year. I'll find out when we get there. Sent from ...

(Trip to see Alise. Feb 2015.  Stayed overnight in a rest area in the Texas Panhandle) Awake at 5:20 am, very early for me. Had a good night's sleep. I had expected to hear tractor trailers coming and going during the night, but did not hear a sound. Temperature inside the Casita is a comfortable 55. Quiet comfortable for sleeping with my down bag and long johns! Outside it is 25, which would probably been ok as long as I stayed in my sleeping bag. I had a strange dream this morning. My mother and father were moving back into the house on Pratt Avenue, where I grew up. I was there helping them clean up the house. We were in the "workshop" I the backyard which was stacked to the ceiling with Dahl's half finished projects. I was explaining to mom that Dahl needed a room of his own where he could just leave his stuff the way he wanted. Then I woke. The window coverings that I made worked well. The parking area is very well lit, but inside the trailer it is dark. If...

We are spending tonight in Hardscrable Canyon in the San Isabel National Forrest. This is not a legit campsite. All of the regular campgrounds are closed for the season. We are stealth camping tonight. As a backpacker I always followed the "leave no trace" ethic, and that has carried over into my travels with the Casita. When we leave tomorrow morning there will be absolutely no trace that we were ever here. I have blackout shades on the windows, so even if I have the lights on in the Casita, no one can see them from outside the trailer. We are in plain sight of the road, but far enough back that no one will notice us unless they pull in. This spot is designated as a wildlife viewing spot, so someone may pull in, but I am not worried. If anyone gets close to the Casita, Max lets me know right away. The forecast for Pueblo, the nearest town, is for 17 tonight. We are at a higher elevation than Pueblo so I suspect we will see a pretty cold night. The furnace should kee...

(Post on our trip to Colorado to see my new grand daughter, Alise.  Feb. 2014) 20.9 degrees outside this morning. It was a comfortable for sleeping 57 degrees inside the Casita, then the furnace kicked in and quickly brought it up to a toasty 63. I slept ok but not as well as the night before. I believe that I have a touch of altitude sickness, which I usually have the first night or two in the mountains. It will go away by tonight. Max is doing well. He likes getting out of the car and having some run around time. He started last night curled in his own bed, but when I woke he was beside me. I don't think it was for warmth, he just likes to be in physical contact. In. The car, Max often climbs onto the lumpy console between the seats so he is close to me rather than staying on the soft pad I keep in the passenger seat. We do not have an agenda for today. I will feed Max and fix coffee then see what happens. Sent from my stupid iPad! my iPad

Got here late and had a bit of trouble finding the spot in the dark. But now I am sitting at the table munching a sandwich and swigging lemonade. This is a favorite place for Max and I to overnight. It is not an established camp, just a beach where folks come to fish and picnic. Perhaps "beach" is not the correct word, there is no sand, just grass beneath some very tall pine trees.  It is very scenic in the daylight, but a bit gloomy in the dark of the night. I  had thought that we would arrive with plenty of daylight left but I overlooked the fact that daylight goes away sooner 500 miles east of home.  The tricky part of getting here  in the dark is deciding where to leave the pavement.  There is no driveway or even a dirt track - no marker of any kind. Make a bad decision and the FJ and Casita will tumble down a steep bank into the thick forest, or worse, into the reservoir. I would never try this in the dark if I had not been here several times previous...

Max and I are in a rest area (perhaps the only one in Louisiana) near Ruston. Since we left Texas, we have been stuck on Interstate 20.  It is pretty country but interstate driving puts me to sleep, so when I finally saw a sign announcing a rest stop, I felt it was time to allow Max to stretch his leg(s) a bit and for Jim to fix a bite of lunch and perhaps a short siesta in honor of Ol' Mister Sun's hard work climbing all morning to reach the top of the heavens. First things first, Max always considers it as his bound duty to personally inspect and water each and every tree, fence post, blade of grass, and even inorganic items like aluminum sign poles.  He outdid himself and I am most certain that the state of Arkansas will want to reward him when they harvest the bumper crop of timber that will result from Max's ministrations. Afterwards, I cranked up the Casita's A/C system and fixed one of my glorious lunches.  Lunch to me is not a simple matter of feeding my body. I...

Left the house around 4:30 this afternoon. I wanted to get a little way down the road so I would not dawdle around the house and get a late start Friday morning.  Max and I stopped at the Walmart in Rockdale and picked up a few supplies. Then we drove on until 9:30 or so and then began looking for a spot for the night. Pulled into a parking lot at a crossroads store and checked the campground guide on my iPad.  Noticed a green dot with the intriguing name, "User Area #5".  I poked the coordinates into my GPS and saw that "User Area #5" was only about 14 miles down a county road from my nominal location of Marquez, Texas.  Off we went! I may have mentioned that my night vision has become somewhat problematic. By now nightfall had descended with full force and finality. No problem though. The friendly lady who resides inside of my GPS was right there to guide me each inch of the way.  "Turn left in 3 tenths of a mile,... 2 tenths,  1 te...

A beautiful morning! I am in a campsite on top of Montesano Mt. sitting outside the Casita having my morning coffee. Temperature is 77 with a gentle breeze rustling through the trees. The hardwood forest is heavy here. I've seen nothing like it in Texas although I suspect that there may be similar forests in the southeast part of the state. It has been nice reconnecting with my cousins. It seems strange that the last generation is gone now that Uncle Vernon has passed away. I am wondering creating some sort of online registry that would let us keep in touch and communicate easily. Maybe there is already an existing system that would work. I will check into that. It would have to be secure. Easy to use have a messaging system. Some sort of family tree, personal as well as group messaging. I'give it some thought. For now I have to decide what I will do today.. I suppose I should pack up and head back to Texas. Maybe stop in Arkansas tonight. Sent from my stupid iPad!...

Leading Ashore - Andy Blake, Photographer 'Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic,  Taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick.   The funding of arts education in public schools has been an issue as long as I can remember.  Any time the politicians tinker with educational funding, it is a fairly certain conclusion that the arts will come out on the short end of the stick.  "Readin', writin', and 'rithmatic" are important and everyone easily recognizes their importance.  On the other hand, the value of music, graphic arts, drama, and other art forms are not as universally recognized. They are looked upon a frills - not essential elements in a child's education.  I just finished reading an article that attempts to justify music education in the public schools. The writer points out that music students tend to do better on standardized tests than the general student population. I am certain that that is a true statement. On th...

Not the most beautiful place to awaken, but it was nice to have hot coffee waiting for me! Spent last night in the parking lot of a small truck stop in the town of Riesel. It sounds much worse than it was. The Casita has blackout coverings over the windows and is insulated well enough that little sound from outside gets through. And, of course, it was quite nice to walk inside the truck stop this morning and find fresh coffee ready and waiting. We had looked for a more aesthetically pleasing spot, including one rather long, after dark tour of a series of narrow gravel roads. The roads cut between crops of corn and sorghum that seemed to tower over the FJ, Once I had started down the road, there was no place wide enough to turn the FJ and Casita around.  Our luck held and we wound around and came out back in Otto, where we had started. That is when we decided to go back to a more traveled road and found the truck stop. We got up at 6 am so we could get t...

On the road to Cheaha Mountain There is something about the open road that frees the spirit. The scene above was snapped while standing just outside the door of the Casita on the second morning of my vagabond though the Deep South. It was late in the evening, as I was driving east on Interstate 20, when  I noticed the exit sign for Cheaha State Park.  The wisdom of heading down an unknown backroad after sunset is questionable, but I could not resist the urge to explore.  After driving a wonderfully twisty-curvy road for about 20 minutes, I came to an overlook and decided to stop for the night. I fed Max and fixed a simple supper for myself, then sat outside in the cool night air watching the stars and the twinkling lights of a village far below. When I awoke the next morning, I was greeted by the scene you see above.  I wish that a photograph could convey the smell of wild honeysuckle and the sound of the birdsongs that accompanied my breakfast coffee a...

(Trip to Huntsville, Alabama for Uncle Vernon's Service) Left RR at 6:30 this morning. made it to Mississippi by 6:30 this evening.  Can see that I will not make to Huntsville before midnight and having problems keeping my eyes open while I drive. Called Shelby Jean and left message not to expect me tonight. Turned up Natchez Trace Parkway and found a beautiful campsite by the water.  Set up camp, ate some Kung poa chicken I brought with me.  Took a few photos and turned in. I will grab a bit of rest, then get a very early start so I can be there early tomorrow. Woke at 2am.  Hitched up and headed for Huntsville.  Should arrive around 8am.  at Shelby Jean and Bill's. Got to Tuscaloosa at 6am.  Too early to call Ed and Betty Ann.  Would not have time for a visit anyway.  Gassed up and continued toward Huntsville.

Forrest road 550 was where I left hwy 67. Slept well, warmer, either because I had the thermostat higher or because the blanket of snow that fell during the night help to insulate the Casita. It was 3 degrees outside this morning. Beautiful snow covering everything! Our camp the next morning! I climbed the boulders behind our camp to get this photo Sun shining through the trees Forest Road 550 looking back toward our camp

(3rd Night On The Road) Williams Lake Frozen Solid Found a great campsite for tonight. We are somewhere off of hwy 67 north of Woodland Park and south of Deckers.  I unhitched the Casita and drove off to explore father down the forest road. Lots of snow and ice but I could see that others had passed so was not too worried. Never the less, having four wheel drive was a comfort. Ended up at Williams Lake, a pretty large body of water that was frozen solid. I would not want to go onto the ice - not that solid! Back to camp now and time to let Max out to explore, then feed him and myself. I may practice my ukulele a bit before turning in. It is only 5:53 Texas time. Much too early to hit the sack. I miss having internet big time. The coordinates for this campsite are: N 39.34488 and W 105.27187.  I can always get back if I don't loose them! Well just finished a delicious dinner of boiled frankfurter with mustard and a side of corn chips, followed by a dessert of drie...