. . . . that's us - drifting along like tumbleweeds - wherever the wind (or a whim) takes us!!
(Yes, new blog template. Hope you enjoy the new look.)
So here's what we've been up to since leaving Albuquerque, starting with Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
Fri Feb 18th – A leisurely morning at the RV park, made good use of the wi-fi, knowing it could be awhile before we’re online again. We goofed off a bit and then walked over to the Billy the Kid Museum. It was unbelievable!!
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Harold with Billy & saloon gal! |
There we had a nice chat with Don Sweet, son of the founder of the museum. Don told this story: When his dad Ed was 10 years old, he went off on a toboggan ride with a group of 13 boys. Exploring in the snow, they found a cave and, inside, a cache of 26 rifles! They divvied up the rifles and the two that Ed Sweet took home that day were the beginning of a lifelong love of collecting for what eventually became the museum. Now, it is the town's good fortune that Billy the Kid, lawless young man that he was, was shot dead there, as that gave Fort Sumner it's “claim to fame” and it's what draws tourists to town. So, we did see and learn much about Billy the Kid today, but the museum is so much more than Billy! That place holds a mind-boggling collection from petrified turtles to ranch, farm and cowboy paraphernalia, a Siamese-twins calf with eight legs, antique tools and household goods, old buckboards and carriages and an array of antique cars and various means of conveyance and too much more to list – even an old jail cell, plus a reproduction of the grave of Billy the Kid and two of his ruffian pals.
There on the wall behind us - Billy the Kid's rifle -
We had to practically drag each other out of there, but we eventually got back on the road! Travelling the blue highway 60 out of New Mexico, we headed due east. Dead and dying villages, derelict structures, crumbling reminders of times gone by, appear sporadically in the desolation along highway 60 from Fort Sumner to Texico.
Then, crossing into Texas, the landscape suddenly comes alive! Originally headed for Lubbock, Texas, we changed direction when we remembered we like to be OFF the interstate and AWAY from metropolis! Rolling along the highway off the beaten path through dots on the map – Lariat, Muleshoe, Earth, Springlake, Halfway – all along the way, farms small and large, dairy farms and fields of cotton and cattle, real wooden windmills, cotton gins and farm supply – we had a taste of Americana a la Texas.
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Earth - "Established 1924" ??
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We were awed by the beauty that came with the late afternoon sun laying long shadows across the farms, fields and towns. With the sun setting behind us, the sweeping clouds ahead took on a ghostly look with pink and purple hues – sunset Texas style!
Sure enjoyed the scenery along the picturesque route which brought us to Plainview, Texas, where we are once again enjoying a pleasant evening at Camp WalMart! Tomorrow, we’re off to Wichita Falls!
Saturday took us from Plainview along the two-lane blacktop through Floydada, Dougherty, Roaring Springs, Dickens, Benjamin and Archer City - it was like a trip back in time.
Along the way . . .
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| Flocks of sandhill cranes . . . |
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| My two sweeties in a cotton field . . . |
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| . . . actual "cotton pickin' " |
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| . . . just had to stop along here - they were interested in us, too! |
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| Texas is flat! Here's the view from atop the RV! |
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Lunch stop in Dickens
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Here' the old Dickens County jail - now the Sheriff's office.
Sign below the barred window: "$25 fine for talking with prisoners". |
Made it to Wichita Falls where we found a great parking spot at yet another Camp WalMart!
Sunday was a wonderful day, lazing around in the morning before going off to a big and beautiful Wichita Falls city park! Well, it truly is a very nice park and I'll bet it's gorgeous in spring and summer! We got some much needed exercise today in the form of a ten mile bike ride on the trails of Lucy Park, along the Wichita River. Here we are in front of The Falls . . .
Monday - Must've been all that exercise yesterday - we had a hard time getting going today! We finally did, though, and got back on the road, and went back to Archer City (population 1,800).
Harold is a big Larry McMurtry fan and McMurtry is from there. He has these amazing book stores "Booked Up" and you can check them out on the internet! So we went to Archer City and visited with lovely 80-year-old Juanita Shepard at the antique shop. She knew "Larry's" family and entertained us with anecdotes about the whole clan. McMurtry is a writer (Lonesome Dove, Last Picture Show, Terms of Endearment) and his passion for books and entrepreneurial labor of love resulted in a handful of antiquarian book stores of unique character.
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| "Booked Up, Inc. No. 4" in Archer City |
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| One room - a small part - of "Booked Up No. 1" |
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| Juanita Shepard & Harold |
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"Last Picture Show" was filmed here in Archer City.
That's me in front of the theatre used in the movie. |
Well, ya know we love to experience such "culture Americana", so once again it was hard to pull ourselves away! But, prior to our setting out on this adventure, Harold had discovered "Harvest Hosts" which is a network of wineries around the U.S. that welcome RVers to overnite at their vineyards! And by Monday afternoon we had bid farewell to Archer City and arrived at Brushy Creek Vineyard & Winery south of Bowie - just in time for tasting!!
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| Happy in the Tasting Room! |
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Rachel Cook - young, exceptional winemaker & wine-tasting hostess extraordinaire!! |
And what a winery! An unbelievable array of varietal grapes - very nice folks who know tons about wine-making - and delicious wine!! Mmmmmmmm . . .
Owner Les Constable gave Harold had a little tour around the vineyard and winery. Later, after a bowl of soup and a bottle of Merlot, we were ready to call it a night under their old wooden windmill!
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| "Our" windmill at sunset . . . |
Tuesday
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| . . . and in the morning ! |
After a great sleep in the vineyard and a late breakfast, we set out on our bicycles to check out the wine farm and surrounding area. Stopped to pick up pecans under a native tree by the banks of Brushy Creek, pedaled through the wild brush and then betweenrows of dormant vines, making our way out to the county road where we just happened by LBJ National Grasslands! An unexpected treat.
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| Awesome pecan tree - awesome RV guy! |
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| Dormant vines and the row where my new favorite wine comes from! |
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| Here's our cool campsite! |
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| After our exhilarating bike ride - next stop! |
Wow! What a fun ride! Along the way we found a nice little ranch to buy, but then - well, decided that would be a bit hasty! Back at the vineyard we stopped for a last quick "taste" and, reluctantly putting Brushy Creek behind, hopped in the RV and hit the road.
We've been doing a bit of exploring between there and Fort Worth, where we'll arrive later today for our visit with Renee and Dewey Williams and family - hurray!
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