A friend at work, knowing I liked to take motorcycle trips, told of this little jewel early this year. Lost Maples State Natural Area is near Vanderpool, Texas, northwest of San Antonio. Needing some new road and views, I determined to check it out this weekend. The fact that it meant going through San Antonio, one of my favorite cities, and my most favorite breakfast, had something to do with the decision. Okay, a lot to do with the decision.
I planned to go to Big Bend National Park after visiting Lost Maples, but the weather forecast for the Houston area promised rain and much colder temperatures on Saturday and Sunday (my intended return dates). My appetite for riding in the cold and rain was whetted on July 28th, 2006 in the Yukon territory. Discretion being the better part of valor, I opted to make it a quick, two-day trip to Lost Maples only. Hence, a mini-miler.
Trip Out - Wednesday, November 26, 2008 - 284 miles
Pulled out from home about 10:00a.m. heading south and west. My destination for today is San Antonio, only about a three and one-half hour ride down the slate path. But, as you know, I don't like the slate path very much, so I took the Sam Houston Parkway to US59S, turning on Alt. 90W through Richmond and Rosenberg. Other than avoiding the interstate my goal was to "collect" some more Texas courthouses.
For the uninitiated the period 1870-1910 represents the hayday of Texas courthouses. The civil war had ended, the economy came back and the people of Texas were anxious to demonstrate their prosperity. As is usual in this state of super egos and highly competitive people, it often came down to a contest between the counties to see who could design and build the most impressive courthouses. We are the beneficiaries of that competition, many of these old jewels having been restored over the past twenty years or so. So, after stumbling on the Donley County CH on my return from my Alaska trip in 2006, I sort of became hung up on these architectural marvels. Plus...it's a good excuse for a ride. Round up another courthouse? Yeah, okay, suit up Betsy, you're goin' in.
My 'first' courthouse - Donley County CH, Clarendon, Texas.
(Click to enlarge)
Old Ft. Bend County CH - Richmond, TX
Other than staying off the slab, my intent was to see the newly restored courthouse in Wharton, Texas. I happened across a local TV documentary on, of all things, Texas courthouses, and it stressed this latest renovation.
I missed my turn off for Hwy60 into Wharton, yet another "music by lane" incident where I'm into my headphones and not my GPS. Okay, feces occurs. Turned out to be one of those little serendipitous moments. I noticed a little "loop" exit onto this small county road (CR229), almost immediately past the intended turn. Upon taking the loop I see this little dilapidated building with the front roof sagging sadly.
Betsy contemplating the current economic conditions adjacent to the CR229 "Chamber of Commerce," near Wharton, TX.
Managed to find the newly restored Wharton County Courthouse in, can you believe it, downtown Wharton, Texas.
Wharton County CH - Wharton, TX
But, missing the turn was not to be the last of my GPS dilemmas. I don't know about the rest of you, but I need some remedial GPS work. I pick towns as way points and the bloody thing routes me right downtown. I realize this is logical, but then, when I get there it keeps turning me (is it just me?) 'round and around pointing me back to the center of town. This is especially true if I don't "go there," I merely wanted to be routed on the road "by there." In any event, on leaving the Wharton County CH, with the GPS screaming silently at the top of her lungs (I don't use the audio, but it has to be a shrew, doesn't it?), I manage to take the wrong road out of town and started navigating up small country roads, wending my way back toward Alt 90. This yielded the second serendipitous moment of the trip.
Leaving Wharton, I cross the Colorado River.
A few turns down some rather obscure county roads and I find Hwy 71 a major (for out here) artery. A few miles up 71 and I'm presented with the little town with a huge inferiority complex, Nada, Texas. Although, one must admit, the name pretty much summarized the surroundings.
I join Alt 90 just west of Eagle Lake and head west for Hallettsville.
Lavaca County CH - Hallettsville, TX
"They take 'em frozen down at Hallettsvile, they don't take them alive."
Questions:
1. What is the source of the quote?
2. What are the frozen things?
3. And what do they do with them?
I take Hwy77 out of Hallettsville to Cuero, TX.
De Witt County CH - Cuero, TX
I took US87W out of Cuero, heading for San Antonio. I pulled into the motel about 5:00p.m., took one of those great hot ride showers I owe you a description of, lounged around a little and took off for Helotes, Texas, on Bandera Highway. (That sounds like it ought to be a song, doesn't it? If Ventura Highway gets one, Bandera Highway should too.)
What's in Helotes? Why the John T. Floore Country Store, of course.
John T Floore Country Store- Helotes, TX
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Link)
"John T. Floore was workin' with the Klu Klux Klan.
At six foot five John T was a hell of a man,
Made a lot of money sellin' sheets on the family plan"
Willie Nelson, 'Shotgun Willie'
We lived in the area in 1975-78 and again in 1980-82, and this was my favorite place. We used to come out and see Willie Nelson and a passel of country artists. When Willie talks about the early days and playing behind a chicken-wire screen to keep from getting hit with beer bottles when the fights broke out, he was talking about Floore's CS.
At least inflation hasn't hit John T's. The fine was the same in '75.
I seem to remember a sub-text that said, "Starting or Finishing." But that could have been just local ad libbing.
Best tamales on the planet, bar none. Great sausage sandwiches and my luck held out again. No tamales, no sausage sandwiches tonight. Tonight was steak night. Steak night? What? If I wanted a steak I'd ride down Scenic Loop Road about six miles and have one of the best steaks in Texas at the Grey Forest Inn. Steak? This is Floore's, I want tamales, beer, and sausage sandwiches. But, as the song says, "If wishes were a fast train to Texas, we'd all take a ride." Time changes everything...and not necessarily for the best.
So, I walk in the door, determine there's no big name playing tonight and step center stage into a love story. Can my luck get any "better" that this tonight?
As I take a couple of paces into the room I see this pretty young lady, one hand to her mouth, a look of surprise and amazement on her face, and, dare I say it, fear in her eyes. Suddenly, flashes are popping like strobes all over the place drawing my eyes toward this large crowd of people standing in a semi-circle around her. Then I, finally, notice a rather large young man on one knee in front of her. And there I am with a stupid look on my face wondering why all these people are taking pictures of me, while they, of course, are muttering to themselves, "Why doesn't that stupid, fat old fart get the hell out of my picture?"
Yeah, you got it, he's proposing to her. As my steel trap clanks reluctantly shut I jump to the side, take a couple of quick strides toward the bar, and order a beer, observing to a couple of guys standing there, and the waitress returning with my beer, that they had just witnessed the first step to divorce. The waitress, as I'm sure are all you ladies reading this, furrowed her brows unfavorably, and said something like, "No, no...don't say that." Hey, ladies...it's an even money bet. Check the statistics.
The newly entrapped
...I mean engaged...
couple.
(She's on the phone...dare you show surprise...telling Grandma.)
To accommodate "steak night" there are tables throughout the interior. This is usually the dance floor.
If a local, or a not so famous band, they play inside. We allowed it took three laps to qualify if doing the two-step.
If the band is a big one...and they still have them...they play outside on the patio. The patio will hold about five thousand folks. But, things change here too. I guess they didn't want to share what could be sold so they've surrounded the patio with a ten foot high tin fence. Not like the old days. It used to be surrounded by a three-strand barb-wire fence. I remember the girls used to get really pissed off (pun intended) because they had to go stand in line to use the bathroom. The guys just turned around and let fly outside the fence. Hmmmm, thirty years of urine...perhaps that's why the fence was put up. After a couple of beers I couldn't smell anything. Then, or tonight.
The answer to the questions about Halletsville:
1. What is the source of the quote? 'The Armadillo' - Robert Earl Keen
2. What are the frozen things? Armadillos
3. And what do they do with them?
"Walking belts and neckties, and boots for rodeos,
They don't run too fast, or waste much gas,
I'm makin' lots of dough."
Tomorrow: Lost Maples.
