9. TEXAS BYWAYS

Texas

Day 20: Thursday, March 30

In order to get back to the East Coast and travel in warm climes, one obviously must drive through Texas - but I don't have to take an interstate most of the way.

Got under way by 8:30 AM, after enjoying a hot shower in the very clean bathhouse of Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus, NM. For a campground in quasi-desert surroundings, this is a rather beautiful place. While it is out of the way of the interstate traveler, it's worth the detour, especially in combination with a trip on NM-9.

Stayed on NM-9 as far as I could, then made it through El Paso without using I-10 and found my way to TX-20, which parallels I-10. It's a farm road that runs through alfalfa and chili farms and pecan groves. The trees don't have leaves yet. Often the road runs alongside irrigation canals.

TX-20, the Texas Mountain Trail, ultimately merges into I-10 as it approaches and then crosses a mountain range just west of Van Horn. Jumped off at Van Horn to take US-90 for the run through the Antelope Valley to Alpine, TX. There were some good vistas along the way.

Alpine, TX is a pleasant little town, and I found a great campground, The Lost Alaskan. Very neat and clean, a super bathhouse, cable TV, full hook-ups for $16, and the very friendly owners let me use the office phone to connect to my ISP.

The weather was beautiful all day. Occasional wisps of high clouds, temperatures in the upper seventies. Temperatures ranged from the night's low of 40F to 90F in some desert areas. Drove 310 miles and was on the road for 6 hours. If you wonder about my average speed, remember that Texas has high speed limits even for farm roads (which usually are in excellent condition.) Bought gasoline near El Paso for $1.469/gal. Averaged 16 mpg on the last tank.

Day 21: Friday, March 31

Another scenic vista day, but marred by afternoon cloudiness. Started the day with a great shower in the superclean bathhouse of The Lost Alaskan campground. If you ever get to Alpine, TX be sure to stay here - OK sites, complete hook-ups, everything neat, clean, well-managed.

Took TX-118 to the Big Bend National Park. There are three roads leading to the park, all marked with green dots in the Rand McNally atlas. I think the best way to come (or go) is via TX-118 to (or from) the park, and the River Road (TX-170) to Presidio (going back to US-90, or coming from.) While this involves some backtracking, it's worth it. To see the best of the park, enter from Study Butte (TX-118), take the park road to Panther Junction (visitor center), then head back on the park road to the turn for the Basin campground, turn around at the campground, go back to the park road and go west to Santa Elena Junction, take the side road to see Santa Elena Canyon, and then take the dirt road (Old Maverick Road - easy to drive) to Maverick Junction/the park road. Pick up TX-118 again back to Study Butte and then take TX-170 to Lajitas and Presidio. The third way, via Marathon and the Persimmon Gap, is a bit monotonous.

As I said, I took TX-118 this time and it is very scenic, especially for the last 20 miles or so. Once in the park, took photos like crazy.

Left the park via the Persimmon Gap exit and TX-385. The stretch to Marathon is a bit boring, but the town itself is sort of neat in a touristy way. From Marathon on it was US-90 all the way, an easy road to travel even for large RVs. Mostly desert, some canyons, many dry washes, quite a lot of dust. But certainly more interesting than I-10 would have been.

Stopped in Anderson to have the oil changed and to get gasoline. $1.599/gal, got 17.1 mpg on the last tank.

Took the 1 mile detour to Langtry, put on the map by the (in)famous Judge Roy Bean - the "Law West Of The Pecos"

Operating without any formal law training, running a saloon on the side, he dispensed justice based on common sense rather than on "it all depends on what the definition of the word 'is' is." He was fascinated by the famous English actress Lillie Langtry, internationally known as 'The Jersey Lily" and named his saloon/courtroom after her. An itinerant sign painter (commissioned for food and drink) to letter Bean's sign misspelled "Lily" and the ancient sign still proclaims "The Jersey Lilly." Bean nailed the sign on his home, designating it "Opera House, Town Hall and Seat of Justice." Surely, much more economical than those palaces our judiciary seems to be unable to do without nowadays.

This is the original bar counter, minus the mirror or the painting of a nude lady, that was undoubtedly there.

I was surprised by the small size of the room - not at all as big as the saloons we saw on Gunsmoke or Maverick. To take the next photo, I leaned against the rear wall and set the camera to wide angle.

Crossed the Pecos River a few miles east of Langtry. This is where law ended before Roy Bean was appointed Justice of the Peace.

After a few more miles, pulled into the Seminole Canyon State Historic Park. A very attractive park (considering that it is in barren desert country) with a good bathhouse and water/electric sites for $13. (Was $12 a year ago - see my 1999-1 journal).

Was on the road for 7 1/4 hours, drove 320 miles. The temperatures ranged from 56F during the night to 62F at departure, to the mid-eighties in Big Bend NP, to the mid-sixties now after sunset. It was very windy most of the day and the Westy is shaking a bit as the wind continues into the evening.

Day 22: Saturday, April 1

The wind abated during the night and I slept well. Was up by 6:30 AM, enjoyed a good shower and a satisfying breakfast, and was on the road by 8:15 AM. The temperature had already climbed to 68F from the night's low of 58F. Inside the van it never dropped below 62F - I had all the windows closed because of the wind.

I wasn't on the road for more than an hour when the rain started. Not a "good" rain that washes the vehicle and soaks the earth - just light showers on and off and heavy clouds, fog, mist.

Followed US-90 to Del Rio, where I looked in vain for a Kinko's. Then on to Brackettville, and on Ranch Road 674 to Alamo Village. Bob Madigan (there is a link to his journal on my home page) had recently issued a very positive report on his visit to this movie location, built for John Wayne's epic movie "The Alamo." So I went to take a look and found it worth the $6.45 admission charge. The replica of the Alamo church is especially well done.

Then, not wanting to backtrack, continued on Ranch Road 674. In other parts of Texas they call this kind of road "Farm Road", but not here. Anyway, it is such a small road that it does not appear on the official Texas road map. But since it seemed to be headed north to northeast, I figured I couldn't go off course too much. Definitely worth taking since it leads through fertile ranch country and across mountains, canyons, and tributaries to the East Nueces River as it rollercoasters through he southern end of the Texas Hill Country. It ends at US-377, which took me to Rocksprings, population 1,399. From there a similarly attractive TX-55 took me to Uvalde.

Despite the rain, Uvalde looked nice - tree-lined streets, neat homes, stately houses along the main road.

Much less attractive were the side roads I then took to San Antonio. Probably should have stayed on US-90.

Didn't spent much time in San Antonio. The traffic was horrendous, the parking fees outrageous, the temperature was in the low eighties, the humidity a sweaty 95%. The discourtesy and recklessness of the local drivers by far exceeds what I have observed in Miami or New York. The tourist crowd is sizable. My recommendation: Avoid this place.

Took US-181 south to Floresville, where I paid $1.469/gal for regular. Averaged only 14.9 mpg on the last tank, I suspect it is because of the very strong winds yesterday. Jumped off at Kenedy and took TX-239 to Goliad, where I am spending my last night in Texas (on this trip) at the very attractive Goliad State Park. The sites ($13 for water/electricity) are well separated, the overall setting is beautiful - with big shade trees - but the bathhouse is in dire need of renovation. It looks filthy, but isn't.

The sun came out after I left San Antonio and it was a balmy 78F after sunset. Grilled a cheeseburger and read up on the history of the area. Goliad is one of the oldest towns in Texas, going back to 1749 when the Presidio La Bahia and the mission were established.

Drove 440 miles today and was underway for 8 hours.

Day 23: Sunday, April 2

Had changed the clocks to daylight saving time before going to bed and slept until 7:00 AM. Looked outside and it was grey and solid cloud cover. Went back to sleep and didn't wake up again until 9:30 AM. Was tempted to just stay another day to let the bad weather clear up. But didn't like the idea of driving through the Houston area on a business day, so moved on.

Was on the road by 11:15 AM, headed for Victoria on US-59. A forgettable road and a forgettable town. Continued on US-59 to Houston. Nothing scenic along the way unless you like to look at cow pastures and rice paddies in the rain.

The rain started at Victoria and the pouring rain began at Houston. I spent almost two years consulting in Houston and remember an attractive skyline. But today it was fog and clouds only. Traffic wasn't too bad, but the roads were very slick - aquaplaning. Had to hit the brakes a few times and it's a disconcerting feeling when the van just keeps on going until the tires reconnect with the pavement.

Stayed on US-59 all the way to Cleveland and then took TX-105 to Beaumont. On a sunny day, this would be a very pretty road, tree-lined and skirting the edge of the Sam Houston National Forest. However it's a horror to drive when wet: Traffic has worn troughs in the road in which water collects. Just enough to make for very dangerous driving.

The heavy rain turned into thunderstorms. At 2 PM it was as dark as it would be at night. The thunderstorms worsened as I passed through Beaumont, got on I-10, and headed east. Abandoned my plan to take byways, stayed on I-10 to Lake Charles, LA and headed for the Sam Houston State Park (where I had enjoyed a stop last year.) Got a campsite for $6. Louisiana honors the Golden Age Pass. OK bathhouse, needs work. Campsites fairly close to each other.

Drove 330 miles today, was on the road for 6 1/4 hours - but the inclement weather made it seem much longer. The lowest temperature was 60F during last night, the high was 76F when I made camp for the night. The humidity is 100% and there are tornado warnings on TV.

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