NEW BOSTON TEXAS TO VERNON TEXAS: A VERY TIRING DAY SO WE HAULED OURSELVES OFF THE ROAD EARLY

WE TRAVELED THROUGH SOME NICE HORSE COUNTRY TODAY BETWEEN SHERMAN AND GAINSVILLE TEXAS

Thanks to Gordon Wolford from up there near that Ottawa place in Canada for noticing the mistake I made in my Monday posts title.  Moss Point is in Mississippi not Louisiana as I had  incorrectly stated.  And thanks to Martha for pointing out that the 2 bridge photos I took heading out of Baton Rouge were actually spanning the Mississippi River which I thought we had missed. Darrell at Goza's Wanderings and Wonderings also pointed that out as well.  And thanks to Gene S for identifying that unknown jet aircraft as an F111.  And while I’m at it just a great big thank you to all our readers for everything:)) 

I KNOW I KNOW, TOO MANY SAME-SAME ROAD PICTURES THESE DAYS

We had the big wheels rolling at 7:10 & after a quick fuel stop at the gas bar next to Walmart we were soon west bound on I-30 under a gray overcast sky.  But we didn’t go too far on I-30.    Our exit came up within about 5 minutes and we were soon off the interstate and headed northeast on highway 82.  I was so pleasantly surprised at the many improvements to this road since we last drove it about 6 years ago.  Much of the old 82 has been totally rebuilt and widened with new pavement running through sections of 3 and 4 lanes across.  Passing lanes added as well and the improvements just got better the farther we went.

ROLLING ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE ON HIGHWAY 82

The town of Paris has really grown and this time it didn’t chew us up and spit us out like a couple other times years ago.  Gainesville was not as I remembered it and I’m thinking they must have totally rebuilt the highway going through there.  I was so impressed with all the improvements.  Wide open spaces through gently rolling hills and had it not been cloudy with periods of rain I’m sure the scenery would have been very much more to our liking.

It was about 10 miles east of Sherman we spotted the big Cracker Barrel sign informing us of Sherman’s Cracker Barrel ahead.  We hadn’t even been thinking of stopping for breakfast but with that big signboards yummy suggestion we set a direct course for Crackle Barrel.  Could hardly believe how much Sherman has grown over the past 6 years.  Everything we saw looked new for miles.  Found us the Cracker Barrel and in we went.  A great bacon and eggs breakfast for us with enough grits left over to have myself a big bowl of grits with brown sugar and milk later.  I wouldn’t even think of eating grits without brown sugar and milk.  I think we have made more Cracker Barrel stops this trip than any other trip over the years.  I’m guessing our next Barrel stop will probably be on our way home next year in March.

OOOOPS, AN UNINTENTIONAL REFLECTED SELFIE WALKING INTO CRACHER BARREL

I KNOW I KNOW…..TOO MANY CRACKER BARREL PHOTOS THESE DAYS

AND HERE IS THE STACKED FIREWOOD AWAITING TRANSPORTATION TO THE BIG HEARTH FIREPLACE FOR ALL THOSE COZY COMFORTING WOOD SMOKE SMELLS INSIDE

It wasn’t until we sat down to breakfast inside that I realized how tired I was feeling.  I knew we would not be making it to Amarillo today as I had hoped.  Figured we’d be lucky to make it another hundred miles and I was right.  By the time we reached Witchita Falls wind gusts laced with sporadic rain squalls were picking up and we were bucking some menacing head winds.  We were both really tired and knew we had to get ourselves off the road and stopped for the night.  We pushed west to Vernon Texas and that was it as our Garman Gertie GPS thankfully led us to a Walmart.  I think the last couple of fast paced days had caught up with us so we just dropped anchor in the parking lot and headed for our rest areas.  Kelly to her bed and me to my recliner.  It was shortly after 2 p.m. and we were down for the day with not enough energy left to blow our noses.  A 7 hour day with 298 miles behind us.

OUR OVERNIGHTER SPOT IN VERNON TEXAS……I KNOW I KNOW, TOO MANY WALMART PARKING LOT PHOTOS THESE DAYS

Well a major turning point in American history today and we did listen to some of the action on our Sirius Satellite radio this afternoon.  But only some of it and that was enough of that.  I’m actually glad we’re on the road traveling and that I have missed ‘all that stuff’ over the past couple weeks.  Sometimes less news is good news and for me this has turned out to be so true in regards to this election.

HEADING INTO GAINESVILLE TEXAS

How nice late this afternoon to see a few rays of sunlight peering into our coach.  Skies finally began to clear and what a nice uplifting feeling that was.  Nothing like the warm soothing feeling of Old Sol’s rays to begin charging worn down depleted energy cells.  Works for me most every time.  I suspect we will be up early at the crack of dawn and on our way again.

LATE AFTERNOON AT OUR HOUSE IN VERNON TEXAS

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A defendant in a lawsuit involving large sums of money was saying to his lawyer, "If I lose this case, I'll be ruined." "It's in the judge's hands now," said the lawyer. "Would it help if I sent the judge a box of cigars?" asked the defendant. "Oh no!" said the lawyer. "This judge is a stickler for ethical behavior. A stunt like that would prejudice him against you. He might even find you in contempt of the court. In fact, you shouldn't even smile at the judge." Within the course of time, the judge rendered a decision in favor of the defendant. As the defendant left the courthouse, he said to his lawyer, "Thanks for the tip about the cigars. It worked."  "I'm sure we would have lost the case if you'd sent them," said the lawyer. "But I did send them," said the defendant. "What?! You did?" "Yes, That's how we won the case." "I don't understand," said the lawyer. "It's easy. I sent the cheapest cigars that I could find to the judge, but enclosed the plaintiff's business card..."

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A little girl asked her father, "Daddy? Do all Fairy Tales begin with Once Upon A Time?"
He replied, "No, there is a whole series of Fairy Tales that begin with 'If Elected I promise...'"

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“Did you know a sleeping bag is really a nap sack.”

MOSS POINT MISSISSIPPI TO NEW BOSTON TEXAS: SOME RAIN, SOME DEATH DEFYING CONSTRUCTION ZONES AND SOME LUCKY BREAKS

AHHHHH YES BOYS, REMEMBER THOSE GOOD OLD DAYS BEFORE SEATBELTS WHEN OUR SWEETIES SAT OH SO CLOSE:))

My body clock had me awake at what it thought was 5 a.m. but with 2 recent time changes the clock on the wall accurately stated the time as 3 a.m.  Needless to say I had a very early start to my day.  Kelly was up about an hour or so later and our overnighter at Cracker Barrel turned out to be a rather quiet restful one.  Under mostly cloudy skies we had the big wheels rolling by 7:30.  Decided this morning not to do the I-10/I-20 route with all it’s big city meglomaniac traffic madness.  Phooey on that stuff!!

SUNRISE IN MISSISSIPPI AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE WE BOTH MISSED CROSSING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY

MONDAY MORNINGS SUNRISE SHOWS HOW MY ANTICIPATED HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-10 NEVER MATERIALIZED

EVEN LITTLE ELMO NOTICED THE LIGHTER TRAFFIC

Caught ourselves a few good breaks today with the first one being the surprisingly lite Monday morning on I-10.  Thought for sure we would mashing it up with a congested mindless mosh of manic metal monsters massing menacingly all around us

 

TWO WATERTOWERS THIS MORNING WITH ONE BEING IN MISSISSIPPI AND ONE BEING IN LOUISIENA

Had checked the weather map first thing and saw we would probably be driving into a big rain front further west but the worst of it seemed to stay to the south for the first few hours.  Bit of a break there with our next break occurring when Kelly noticed on our Triple AAA TripTik that they had us getting off I-10 and heading west on number 12 to Baton Rouge LA instead of following I-10 south down along the Gulf Coast close to New Orleans.  That was a bonus break and saved us some miles and traffic aggravations.

CONSTRUCTION CREWS MASSING TO START A NEW WEEK

Our next break came east of Baton Rouge when we decided to check our Garman GPS to see if Baton Rouge was included in our pre-loaded western maps.  Oh how nice it was to hear Garman Gertie’s voice mechanically pop out of the GPS orienting herself to our position.  What a huge relief to know she was back on duty and would take over leading us through Baton Rouge and all major cities beyond.  We just caught the tail end of the morning rush and it was a bit of nail biter making our way through the morning madness.  And then there was the usual narrow lane death defying construction zones.

HEADING INTO BATON ROUGE TO DO BATTLE WITH THE LOCAL ROUGERS

GLAD TO BE HEADING AWAY FROM ANOTHER LARGE CITY

From Baton Rouge we made our way over to Lafayette whereupon we got ourselves off I-10 onto I-49 heading Northwest for Shreveport Louisiana.  It was at this point we encountered a steady rain for the next couple hours.  I-49 was another big break for us.  A great 4 lane highway with very little traffic.  There were times I could look ahead and back and not see another vehicle.

WE DIDN’T LET A 2 HOUR RAIN PUT A DAMPER ON OUR DAY

HARDLY ANY TRAFFIC ON I-49 BETWEEN LAFAYETTE AND TEXARKANA AND WHAT A GREAT STRETCH OF HIGHWAY ESPECIALLY NORTH OF SHREVEPORT

KELLY HANGS ON AS WE ROLL OVER A BUMPY SECTION OF ROAD

Had it in the back of my mind when we set out this morning to maybe make it to Shreveport and with the good roads and lite traffic that is just what we did but not wanting to stop south of Shreveport then have to do the morning rush we decided to push our way through.  And it turned out to be a tricky bit of business.  Garman Gertie had nothing in her memory banks about the newer I-49 between Shreveport and Texarkana so Kelly had to quickly pull a few Rabbits out the hat.  Using her maps and the fast talking GPS Gal on her Blackberry plus our own eyeballs for road signs we twisted and turned our way through connecting roads, highways, and interstates. Throw in a particularly nasty section of confusing construction and we considered ourselves very lucky to have made all the last minute right decisions as to where to go.

IT WAS QUITE A JUMBLED JAM OF CONSTRUCTION AREAS AROUND SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA TODAY

THE NAVIGATOR’S SIDE OF THE RIG

THE PILOT’S SIDE OF THE RIG

The afternoon was wearing away and we knew with Texarkana only another 60 miles up I-49 we had better make fast tracks and get ourselves on the other side of Texarkana as well.  And that is what we did.  No way do we ever stop for the night then decide to drive through a big city in the morning rush.  Lunacy!!  We beat the afternoon rush and luckily Texarkana was not as busy as I had feared and we were soon through it heading west on I-30 towards Dallas but have no fear we had no intentions of going anywhere near Dallas.  We were on familiar turf now and new exactly where we were and where we were going.  Headed for a familiar place called New Boston, punched ‘Walmart’ into our GPS and without further adieu we were soon pulling into the parking lot and shutting it down for the day.  It was shortly after 4 p.m.   Good old Walmart.  Found us a good spot then headed off into the store for some groceries and stuff.  I don’t care what anybody says, I like Walmart.  Yes I know there is that China connection but I just like going in to walk the isles looking at bunches of neat stuff.  I like seeing all the Walmartians as well and with the way I am usually dressed I fit right in with them.  You should have seen the big tear I had in the side of my shirt.  I’m sure my fellow Martians saw it:))

SPOTTED THIS NEAT-O 61 CHEVY IMPALA CRUISIN BY

EVEN LITTLE ELMO WAS GIGGLING AND ROLLING OVER LAUGHING AS THIS PASSIONATE YOUNG COUPLE BLEW BY

WE REALLY HAD TO PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO ALL THE EXITS, ENTRANCES, LANE CHANGES, AND MERGES

MERGING ONTO I-30 WEST BOUND

WE WERN’T IN ARKANSAS LONG THEN WE WERE IN TEXAS

 

PHEEBS WAITING AND WATCHING FOR MOM TO RETURN WITH SOME YUMMY SNACKS

MAYBE ALASKA TOM KNOWS WHAT THIS ONE IS

When the numbers were added up today it looks like we were on the road for about 9 hours and traveled 491 miles.  I really hadn’t intended on coming quite this far but with the lite traffic and great roads it was hard to reign Libby in.  She just wanted to run like the wind so we just sat back and let her have her way.  Our travels Tuesday will take us along an old familiar 2 lane highway we used for about the first five years of our travels between Bayfield and Southeastern Arizona and points beyond.  We will travel through memorable places for us like Paris, Sherman, and Gainsville Texas.  Looking forward to touching a few basis along the way where we made stops with our 3 original Bayfield Bunch Amigos, Max, Checkers, and little Cora aka Motormouse:))

A BIG BATON ROUGE BRIDGE OVER A LARGE BODY OF WATER

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A guy named Bob receives a free ticket to the Superbowl from his company.  Unfortunately, when Bob arrives at the stadium he realizes the seat is in the last row in the corner of the stadium -- he is closer to the Goodyear Blimp than the field.  About halfway through the first quarter, Bob notices an empty seat 10 rows off the field right on the 50 yard line. He decides to take a chance and makes his way through the stadium and around the security guards to the empty seat.  As he sits down, he asks the gentleman sitting next to him, "Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?" The man says no. Now, very excited to be in such a great seat for the game, Bob again inquires of the man next to him, "This is incredible! Who in their right mind would have a seat like this at the Superbowl and not use it?"  The man replies, "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me, I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Superbowl we haven't been to together since we got married in 1967."  "Well, that's really sad," says Bob, "but still, couldn't you find someone to take the seat? A relative or a close friend?"  "No," the man replies, "they're all at the funeral."

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A football fan is a guy who’ll yell at the quarterback for not spotting an open receiver forty-five yards away, then head for the parking lot and not be able to find his own car.

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A young boy had just gotten his driving permit. He asked his father, who was a minister, if they could discuss the use of the car. His father took him to his study & said to him, "I'll make a deal with you. You bring your grades up, study your bible a little & get your hair cut, & we'll talk about it."  After about a month, the boy came back & again asked his father if they could discuss use of the car. They again went to the father's study where his father said, "Son, I've been real proud of you. You have brought your grades up, you've studied your bible diligently, but you didn't get your hair cut!" The young man waited a moment & replied, "You know Dad, I've been thinking about that. You know, Samson had long hair, Moses had long hair, Noah had long hair, & even Jesus had long hair ..." To which his father replied, "Yes, & they WALKED every where they went too!"