05 Cycling LE GRAN Texas
Out on the Heatland, out on the prairie, we had a wide shoulder, friendly vehicles and room to ROLL! However, it was more ROLLIN’ ups and downs than ROCKIN’.
- Cycling Le Gran Texas
04 The Heartland of Texas
Well, we’re definitely in the Heartland. Out of Frisco and onto the vastness of Texas. We began to leave the city behind and roll into rolled hay and big, BIG TEXAS ranches. Good road and mostly friendly vehicles, too, as they say here in TX.
Where the City Meets the Prairie
Texas Country Classic
Big Texas Countryside
03 Cycling the Shawnee Trail
Dallas is traffic and as we set off on Preston Ave we were in a swarm of mostly friendly cars. Well, Cat points out that there are more pick-up tucks and RVs than cars. Not much room for bikes on Preston. At one intersection a gal in RV with yapping dog pulled up and offered advice. “Turn left here for about 1/2 mile and take the street that parrallels Preston, this road is too dangerous. We headed off then decided to take the route we know. Once back on Preston we pressed onward then the road widened. Hectic at times but all in all not a bad city ride. We found the Holiday Inn Express, 40 miles from the Bronze Longhorns in just over 4 hours. We’d been told of bronze statues along Preston, these are a couple of examples.
The Test of a Young Brave
Early Texas Surveyor
02 Pioneers? American Gothic!
Setting off up what some have called the Shawnee Trail, we felt like the Pioneers or Drovers that set off across the prairie back in the mid to late 1800s. That brought to mind a photo we took in South America. In a modern sense, we are PIONEERS!
True Blue American Gothics
11 Ron the Semi Homeless Philosopher
Another benefit for old guys, like me, is that along with $2.00 fare they provide special seating.
- Special Seating for Special People!
While waiting for the train Cat struck up a conversation with Ron, a guy who has that dark, been in the sun too much complexion with sun bleached hair and mustache. As the train pulled in he assisted a woman lift the baby stroller aboard. Once we were seated he joined us and told wonderful stories. He lives on his VA benefits and visits with veterans who are sick or wounded. He was what he called a “Hollywood Navy Seal”. His service was all peace time. He’d had a troubled childhood, shuttled through 18 Foster Homes so the Navy gave him a life. He was married and had a daughter. Crashed his car and lost both of them. Lost his way, became angry, joined the Hells Angels and led a less than an exemplary life. Anger and bad deeds led to 5 prison terms. He’s just 50 and quite a handsome guy with the exception of his missing teeth. He told of living with 2 beautiful women then said, “That was back before I lost my GRILL! His stories held us spellbound for the entire hour trip. He became emotional to the point of tears when telling of the death of his mother. We wanted to get his picture but when the train lurched to a stop he jumped off and ran away. He waved and said something about getting to his Vets.
Okay, whether all was truth or not almost didn’t matter. I suggested that he whould write his stories down, they’d make a great book whether FACT OR FICTION!
01 On the ROAD AGAIN, out of Dallas
It’s been a while since we loaded the bags and prepared to ride. In fact it was one year ago, today, June 9, 2009 that we flew home from Southeast Asia. Slow progress, we had the bikes put back together and Hotel Lawrence’s manager, Sebron, was kind enough to allow us to keep them in a Conference Room. Finally, after 10:00 AM, we rode down the elevator, rolled through the lobby and out the door. Sebron and Mike, the Hotel Driver who has shuttled us to the gym and grocery store posed with us for photos. Karen, who is here for the Realtor meeting ran to her room for her camera then took these photos with our. Thanks Karen!
Hotel Lawrence Send Off with Mike and Sebron
Caught in a Bronze Stampeed
10 The Murder of JFK
We can see the Texas Book Depository from our room here at the Hotel Lawrence. A short walk and we were in the building that is now a museum. It’s all so familiar, the same black and white pictures the same conjured up feelings of CONSPIRACY? Could this have just happened? Could one guy have been able to get a rifle, find the window on the 6th floor and get off three well placed shots in quick succession?
The Grassy Knoll
The Texas School Book Depository
The single most interesting thing we learned was how the extreme right wing was so down on President Kennedy. If you fast forward to today you can see the same kinds of hateful things being said about President Obama. As though some of us haven’t learned anything from the loss of a President in this brutal manner. The main difference, then and now, this flyer and the full page add that President Kennedy’s opponents published thousands of them. Today talk shows and the Internet send off this kind of vitriol wholesale, by the millions. Doesn’t it look shamefully familiar? Haven’t you seen e-mails that look like this with President Obama pictured with a Hitler mustache or the Communist Hammer & Sickle?
Like Ronald Reagan, we believe that the Presidency is more than just one man. It is the foundation of our Democracy. Thre was an attempt on President Reagan’s life but nothing as organized around political hatred. We feel that once elected a President shold be allowed to choose the directions our country takes. That’s why they got the majority of votes, RIGHT? To UNELECT a President with a bullet is so THIRD WORLD. This is AMERICA, this shouldn’t happen, don’t you agree?
We may not all agree with a President’s decisions but we should always agree that the President is THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF!
- Our President, WAnted For Treason?
Seems like the SHOOTER, Lee Harvey Oswald was a Communist sympathizer? Married to a Russian girl?? So why would he shoot a Communist??? That is if you believe the flier and the article in the Dallas News?? ?? Still smells fishy especially when wrapped in old Dallas Newspapers, doesn’t it???
09 Drovers & Longhorns
Drovers, those harty folks that would leave Texas for points north, driving a herd of cattle to the Railway and Slaughter Houses of the east. Here in Fort Worth they have a small herd of Texas Long Horn Cattle. They drive them down the main street twice a day for the pleasure of the tourists. Actually quite fun!
Lounging Longhorns
08 A Texas Guitarist
On the main street, we came upon a guy playing guitar. It seemed so Texan that we had to have a picture.
- Texas Guitar Player
07 Fort Worth, The Old Wild West
The best bargain for Seniors is the TRE, Trinity Reailway Espress. Cat’s ticket cost $7>50 but the old guy got on for just $2.00. It’s an hour ride from Dallas and you land in another glass and chrome skyline.
Glass & Chrome Ft. Worth Then, you jump on a bus ans take a step back in time. Fort Worth is a Cow Town, it's center is the old Stock Yards. Fort Worth the Cow Town
Main street Ft. Worth
Couldn't Pay the Rent
Looking down the old main street almost transports you back to a better time andplace. Then, you see that Joe’s Long HOrn Saloon has gone broke, they were evicted for failure to pay rent. Just like that, we’re back in 2010.