. . . . . Motorcycle Hiccups

Trying to keep up with the eighteen wheelers on I-10, I was moving at a pretty good pace, and suddenly my engine red-lined. I pulled over and saw that my chain popped off the rear sprocket. Fortunately it did not break. Unfortunately, I had to put it back in place on the side of I-10, in the middle of west Texas, a hundred-some miles from anywhere, with nothing but passing semis to keep me company. Chain back in place, I continued on to El Paso. And despite the brilliant sunset above the city lights and mountain silohuettes, I do not care one bit for the city. By my translation, El Paso means, in English, "The armpit of Texas." Horrible drivers, rush hour, poorly marked roads, mountain passes and the cold night air put me in a foul mood. That along with the fact that I missed my intended turn on the other side of the mountains caused me to find a motel room in Alexander, TX. I did not get to camp out under the full moon.

Marfa, Mountains and . . .

After barely sleeping because of the cold, I crawled out of my tent early, saw frost on my motorbike, and decided to hike up a nearby mountain to watch the sunrise. Great view. Next, for no particular reason, I wanted to go to Marfa, TX (where James Dean filmed his last movie). So I went. Then took a curvacious two-lane back north through the Davis Mountains to I-10, which would lead me toward El Paso and Franklin Mountain State Park . . . . .

Mountains In Texas?

Before leaving Seminole Canyon I took the guided tour down into the canyon to see some prehistoric pictographs. The tour was nice but moved slow (because of the geriatrics and the obese) but being down in the canyon was the best part, another very different view of Texas. Then west again, across the Pecos River to Langtry, TX. Named after "The Jersey Lilly," Miss Lilly Langtry, a British actress, by Judge Roy Bean, "The Law West of the Pecos." He was the territory's Judge and town's saloon owner, and he used the same building for both of his professions. Next, the Davis Mountain State Park, nestled in the Davis Mountains just outside Fort Davis, TX, elevation 5,050 feet.

Del Rio

That means "Of The Rio," in English.
Headed southwest following the Texas Pecos Trail today. All day I saw few vehicles and lots of wildlife: deer, wild turkeys, antelope, buzzards, squirrels, birds of prey, one dead porcupine, but no armadillos, or alligators. I left the tree covered limestone hills and deep ravines, washes, gulches and draws of the beautiful Texas Hill Country and turned West at Bracketville into the rugged and desolate northern foothills of the Sierra Madres in SW Texas near where the Pecos River converges with the Rio Grande. Shortly after I turned west I was able to see the Sierra Madres on the edge of the southern sky. They beckoned for me to explore them all afternoon and into the evening. If only I had my passport . . . . .

Tonight I am camped beneath an almost full moon in Seminole Canyon State Park. 

Happy Veteran's Day

U.S. Army, Captain "Awsome" (a.k.a. D.M.F. M.D.)

Texas Hill Country

A few hours and a three digit service bill later, I roll out of the Alamo BMW shop and head north into the hills. A minor leak in a valve cover might slow me down and cause me mental anguish, but it will not stop me from exploring new horizons. I stopped briefly for some pictures at Pedernales Falls near Johnson City (think president L.B.J.) and then west again through Lukenboch, TX. I am not sure what all the country music fuss is all about, I blinked and almost missed it.  It looked like all the other tiny Texas towns I have passed through. Anyway I set up camp at the South Llano River State Park near Junction, TX and am enjoying a miniature pecan pie and a nightcap.

Enchanted Rock

A lazy Sunday: brunch with Brian, Brittany and David, watched some football, then drove about an hour north to see Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock State Park.

Enchanted Rock, David.

Sunset from the pink granite summit 1,085 feet above sea level.

David, Sam

Remember The Alamo

Sam, Brittany, Brian, David

Nighttime at The Alamo.

Back in the Big City

Packed up in the cold this morning (41•F) and took the 1604 Loop around San Antonio from the SE corner to the NW outskirts to the BMW shop. The bike is running well but still dripping oil and so just to make sure, I am going to have the mechanic take a look at it before I go further west. Maybe just a faulty valve cover, but hopefully just something simple, easy, and inexpensive.

Mmmm Beer

Stopped in the quiet town of Shiner, TX (pop. 2,070) this afternoon for a quick tour of the Spoetzel Brewery before turning west again. Tonight I am camped along the eastern shore of Calaveras Lake, and tomorrow will ride the twenty more miles on into San Antonio and stay in the city for a night or two.

Mmmm Breakfast

I had an amazing sunrise to pack up with this morning and as I was leaving the park I saw around twenty deer scattered amongst the trees near the road. Heading NE I stopped in Whitset, TX for some huevos and chorizo breakfast burritos before comtinuing on to Shiner, TX.

I Spy An Alligator

This sign is posted near my campsite. Good thing too, because I saw an alligator lurking in the water this evening. Hopefully it stays there and does not decide to try and get cozy with me in my tent tonight.

Cacophony or Symphony?

Before breakfast this morning, I took a nice refreshing plunge into the Gulf of Mexico. A bit salty. Then I loaded up my gear and headed north, taking my time and even stopping for a nap on a picnic table in Agua Dulce. Tonight my apartment is set up next to Choke Canyon Reservoir in Choke Canyon State Park west of Three Rivers, TX. The reservoir is an ornithologists heaven and it seemed like every bird was greeting me as I pulled into the park just before dusk. But now that the sun is down, it is just me, the crickets and the owls beneath the stars.

Texas is Big, Windy

Left Houston after lunch and headed further south toward Corpus Christi. Galvaston Island State Park was closed due to hurricane damage so I planned to stay on Mustang Island for the night. After some shrimp quesadillas in Port Aransas, rode ten more miles to Mustang Island State Park and set up camp beneath the stars and half moon. The wind was gusting to thirty mph but soon I had my tent up and then took a moonlit walk along the empty beach looking for fiddler crabs before I called it a day.

Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Today was relaxing, I took a shower, wrote a few postcards and went to the Museum of Fine Arts. Rode around the city to see what I could see, it is different, kind of disorganized (they have no zoning laws) and very big and very busy.

Sculpture by Alexander Calder, "The Crab"

Sculpture by Deborah Butterfield, "Apu"

Houston

The front door.













Originally I wanted to camp at Sea Rim State Park, south of Port Arthur, TX, on the gulf coast but it was closed because of hurricane damage as well. So I rode into the night and spent the night at my college friend Brian's house and will wander around Houston today and be on my way tomorrow.


Brian & Brittany (Brian is the big spoon).

One, Two, Three . . . Texas

I saw ONE alligator today. As I was heading west on I-10 between Baton Rouge and Lafayette, which is a split highway that runs almost the entire fifty-five odd miles through swamps, marshes and bayous and built about forty feet above the current water level on top of concrete pylons. From my safe vantage point, I would have to guess he was between seven and nine feet long. Following the scenic Creole Nature Trail (LA 82) SW out of Lafayette, then west along the gulf coast through marshes, prairies and a number of hurricane beaten communities. At Cameron, LA I had to board a ferry to take me across the waterway that linked Calcaieu Lake to the Gulf of Mexico and on the seven minute ride I spotted TWO dolphins playing in the ships wake. Further west the gulf coast was less than fifty yards from the edge of the battered road with sandy shores and multiple tire tracks leading away from the road. A bit envious of the previous thrill seekers, and filled with excitement, I made a quick left and then a right and was on the beach myself. Riding west into the setting sun with an enormous smile on my face, until large rocks and a diminishing beach forced me to return to the pavement almost THREE miles later. Then I was in Texas.

Go West Young Man, Go West!

"Eastward I go only by force; but westward I go free. It is hard for me to believe that I shall find fair landscapes or sufficient wildness and freedom behind the eastern horizon. I am not excited by the prospect of a walk thither; but I believe that the forest which I see in the western horizon stretches uninterruptedly toward the setting sun, and there are no towns or cities of enough consequence to disturb me. Let me live where I will, on this side is the city, on that the wilderness, and ever I am leaving the city more and more, and withdrawing into the
wilderness . . ."

- Henry David Thoreau, "Walking"

Cajun Cuisine

I wanted to set up camp at a state park SE of Lafayette but the state website said it was still closed for repairs after the most recent hurricanes. So I was headed for a different state park about forty miles to the SE of Baton Rouge instead. The website description said alligators could sometimes be seen in nearby Lake Maurepas. But it got late and dark, and I was tired and hungry. So I stopped just east of Baton Rouge at a KOA and had a delicious dinner of fried crawfish tails and etouffee at Don's Seafood Hut. So far, the only alligators I have seen have been the truck tire treads scattered on the shoulders of the highways. Perhaps tomorrow, I hope to ride along the gulf coast into Texas, if the road is passable.

Southern Sun & Hospitality

There was plenty of sunshine and friendly people as I continued South on my journey. Crossing the mighty Mississippi into Natchez, MI. I stopped briefly for some pictures and postcards then returned to Vidalia, LA where I saw this bold and unabashed advertisement. I had to get a picture but passed on the crack. LA 15 & LA 1 are more quiet two-lanes with big sweeping curves that followed the Mississippi River, the Old River and the False River sections south to Baton Rouge, LA. It was a picturesque ride through new country and for a couple of stretches of five or six miles I took the gravel maintenance road on top of the levee. The high road gave me an expansive view of the river basin to the East and acres of farmland to the West.

Of Peach Cobbler and Dutch Ovens

South of the capital, the the sharp corners and hairpin turns throughout the dense deciduous trees and steep slopes of the Ozark Mountains quickly change. They stretch out into shallow rolling hills
and big sweeping curves that cut through man planted forests of tall skinny pine trees destined for the local mills. If you keep your hand on the throttle and your tires between the ditches, in no time at all you're camped in Northern Louisiana having homemade peach cobbler, baked in a Dutch Oven, with some friendly Louisianans in Chemin-A-Haut State Park.

Presidential Stuff

The bike seemed to be running OK so I stopped at the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library & Archives in Little Rock. I liked the modern design and concept, but was disappointed with the way in which it was carried out. How part of the structure was engineered, specifically the fire-escape helping to support the main cantilevered part extending north toward the Arkansas River. A local I spoke with at a gas station referred to it as a "Waste of tax dollars that looked like a giant trailer on stilts." Rather than engage the man in a discussion about any nuances or theories concerning modern architecture or anything political, I changed the subject to the weather forecast and was soon on my way into Southern Arkansas.