July 14, 2018
Saturday
Texas
Every year since we got a Harley, we ride out on or near Tim's mid-July birthday for as little as a three-day ride or as much as a ten-day ride. This year's ride was 3.5 days and 1255.3 s'miles.
Day one we rose early, tucked away the last few things on The Ride and rolled out before daylight. We didn't make a pot of coffee. We simply rode the six miles to Mom and Dad's (Ted and Nezzie) house which was on our way out of town for a cup of coffee and a brief visit before heading out.
We rolled south shortly after daybreak on Hwy 281 toward Jacksboro TX mostly to avoid riding east into the rising sun and because there are a few roads well south of Wichita Falls we have yet to ride. It was cool enough and we had a few morning clouds and a light breeze helping out.
We thought about stopping in Jacksboro for breakfast at The Green Frog but the morning was so nice for riding we decided to continue on and look for breakfast a bit further south.
Mural in Jacksboro TX
Sometimes when we are riding in unfamiliar territory I snap pics of road signs and town signs and occasionally a historical marker or two. This is mostly so I recognize in the photos once I get home a particular point of interest along our way.
One such place was of Texas Historical Marker #4931. OLIVER LOVING - Site of the home in 1855 of Oliver Loving (1813-1867). First trail driver of Texas Cattle. Loving Valley and a county in Texas bear his name. Erected by the State of Texas, 1936
The Shadow Riders
Once we rode south of Mineral Wells, we travelled on roads we have not ridden on the bike. Some we have travelled before in a car years ago. Most we had not. We enjoyed seeing the small towns and countryside. We found breakfast in Stephenville in a 70 year old café near downtown. Jake and Dorothy's Café served up coffee and breakfast including excellent hot cakes fast and hot and tasty and with a smile. We're saying YUM! And we will be back.
Travelling out of Stephenville we found Hard Eight BBQ, a place Dad and most of our friends recommend - we will be back for some of that before long. Smokers were going but it was too early for BBQ. Moving on we travelled through Hico, TX "where everybody is somebody" and past the historic Koffee Kup Café (we will be back to see if the pies are still as good as they used to be a couple decades or more ago). We sadly agreed, after the hearty meal at Jake and Dorothy's a few miles back there was no room for more coffee and pie. You might call that a lack of planning.
We planned to call Nacogdoches TX home for the night so we travelled on. The day was heating up but not unbearably so. You know the drill on a motorcycle - as long as you're moving - it's okay. Still, we stopped for ice cream and cold soft drinks along the way. Just past Meridian Texas we rode near Lake Whitney taking a route on Hwy 6 and Hwy 22 through Hillsboro where we stopped for a while to let a parade pass through on Main Street, through Corsicana where we stopped at the Court House to admire the structure and pay our respects at the Veterans Memorial and then southwest on Hwy 287 to Palestine. Just pass Corsicana we rode across Richard Chambers Reservoir. All along the way, we enjoyed the spectacular mostly Victorian architecture in the small towns. Tim remarked on the size of the Crepe Myrtles all along the way. The countryside was greening up and the trees along the roadside (mostly pine and oak) were - well, to say they were tall would be an understatement. Crops in the fields were cotton and corn. In Palestine we turned south toward Crockett TX, named for - you guessed it - Davy Crockett. At Crockett we travelled Hwy 7 through Davy Crockett National Forest into Nacogdoches.
The Courthouse - Corsicana TX
The Call to Arms - Erected 1907 by Navarro County Daughters of the Confederacy
Veteran's Memorial - Corsicana TX
Bronze - Honoring local Medal of Honor Veteran - Corsicana TX
Plaque - Medal of Honor Veteran - Corsicana TX
Hey Mom! As we passed through Corsicana we rode past Russell Stover Candies.
Crepe Myrtles - Palestine TX
Davy Crockett National Forest TX
We ran though a small rain shower in Davy Crockett National Forest. We're not complaining.
In Crockett Texas we rode past this devastated building with a sign calling it the Mary Allen Museum. We have since learned it was once a black college/seminary and is proposed to be a museum focusing on black art and culture in the area. I hope they accomplish what looks to be a massive restoration. It is a magnificent building.
It took a few minutes and a turn around to find our motel on south street in Nacogdoches - there's a south street on each end of north street. Hmmm... No matter - we found food alley. Just as Tim backed up to our motel room in Nacogdoches it came a nice little shower. We had to wait to unload the bike. I checked in with the Folks while Tim cranked the a/c in our room to icy. By the time we showered and started looking for supper - the rain was gone. We rode a couple miles to an excellent restaurant we heard about. We found shrimp and catfish and some of the best darn onion rings we've ever had at Clear Springs Café.
We are from Texas but we travelled a part of the state today we have never seen. It was fun! We are calling the road to Nacogdoches (Nack-a-doe-chez) well done.
About Nacogdoches: Considered to be the oldest town in Texas, Nacogdoches was founded in 1779 by Don Antonio Gil Y’Barbo. The Caddo Indians lived in this area prior to the Spanish. Nacogdoches is the name of a Caddo Indian tribe. The town is located about 50 miles west of the Sabine River. Col. José de las Piedras commanded a Mexican military garrison at Nacogdoches until driven from the area in August 1832 after the battle of Nacogdoches, one of the events that led to the Texas Revolution. Four signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence-John S. Roberts, Charles S. Taylor, Thomas J. Rusk, and Robert Potter claimed Nacogdoches as their home.
More About Nacogdoches
Today's ride = 434.9 s'miles.
Slide show of today's ride (quite a few photos) with music.
