So, with my cocky and ill-advised confidence about the weather, I bade farewell to my mother and set off toward the Red River. Here’s the Day 1 itinerary:
My confidence began to erode almost immediately, and by the time I got to Llano, only about an hour away, the mist had already started. Anyway, I had a chance to photograph the still-clean motorbike at the Badu 1891 hi-so (high society) restaurant in Llano. It’s a new establishment being set up by some Austin entrepreneurs on the beautifully-restored framework of the old Badu house, named for the French family that once owned and loved it.
From Llano on to San Saba, where I wanted to revisit Young’s BBQ. I had gone there two weeks earlier with my dear Khun Lin, only to find it closed. This place has the best pork ribs I’ve yet sampled in Texas. The secret, I’m told by one of the Young boys, is that they use mesquite wood, which he said has largely gone out of fashion in the Texas BBQ circuit. I don’t know why, but these ribs are in the stratosphere of flavor and tenderness.
And a corner set aside for Steve Mitchell, Singing Cowboy…
By the time I got to Early, Texas, the first torrential downpour had arrived on the scene. I loitered at the gas station until the worst had (for the moment) passed.
First courthouse stop: Brownwood, county seat of (see if you can guess…) Brown County. Whereas typically, except for the big city courthouses, I’ve been able to shoot my obligatory courthouse photo without the clutter of other vehicles, Brownwood was doing a roaring business. Or else people had just come there to get out of the rain…
The Brown County museum was unfortunately closed, but it looks interesting…
Looking very “inner city”…
Quite a nice building for a local museum…
On the road between Brownwood and Santa Anna, a juxtaposition of the still partly clean BMW and a local red, white and blue background…
A smarter person than I might have reconsidered proceeding. But nah, it’s bound to clear up before I get there…
A version of memory lane…
That’s not really rain up there…is it?
I wanted to stop in Santa Anna. Recent excavations in family genealogy had identified a distant female relative who worked in a nursing home in Santa Anna, which was then apparently a bustling location because of the railroad. As best I can tell, she burned to death in a fire at the nursing home, so I wanted to look in the cemetery for any evidence of her. Beautiful cemetery, but I did not find what I was looking for…
Possible new home for me in Santa Anna?
First Christian Church, Santa Anna
Downtown Santa Anna
By the time I got to Coleman, seat of Coleman County, I was soaked. I travel with rain gear, but the onset of the deluge was so quick (how could I have possibly anticipated it?) that I was drenched in a minute or so. Leather boots sloshing water, every article of clothing dripping water. I waited around for an hour or so, hoping the socks and shoes would dry out, but that was in vain.
Note to self: Go to great lengths to avoid starting a 4-day trip with every single thing you own wet. When are you going to dry things out if you are traveling all day?
Coleman County courthouse, looking as wet and bedraggled as me.
Murals at the Coleman County Library
When the rain slacked off, I headed for Abilene, and managed to catch up with the worst of the rain, which accompanied me all the way to the Taylor County courthouse. Abilene was a much smaller little city/town than I had expected, but it had a fortress-like courthouse, of which this was the best view, as recommended by one of the local police guards…
After a renewed soaking between Abilene and Baird, seat of Callahan county…
Wet afternoon sights in Baird…
Finally, wet but not raining – on the road from Baird to Albany…
The gorgeous Shackelford County courthouse in the charming little town of Albany. The trees on the courthouse grounds were, uncharacteristically, mesquites, and they fit the scene perfectly…
Me, hiding behind the bike luggage. My jeans were so wet and heavy that my belt was unable to cope with the challenge. If I’d been wearing boxers this day I could have been very stylish with a 2-4″ strip showing from the top of my jeans. Though even at my best I still don’t have much of a plumber’s crack..
According to the historical plaque, Albany grew up around Fort Griffin, and “…the lawless settlement that grew up around the Fort attracted buffalo hide hunters and cattlemen driving herds up the western cattle trail”. That may have been a better time to have been in Albany…
Finally, headed west from Albany, the clouds began to clear and the road to Anson became gorgeous.
I was rewarded for the day’s efforts with perfect afternoon lighting on the red brick courthouse of Anson, seat of Jones county. This courthouse is situated in a garden in the middle of a large traffic circle, so you can just drive round and round admiring this fine building.
This county was named for Anson Jones (he seated in front of the courthouse), who was the last President of the Republic of Texas. Recall that Texas was an independent COUNTRY from 1836 to 1845, when it joined the United States as a state (and from which it seceded in 1861 – more on that when we get to the monuments to Confederate glory later in the trip).
The Opera House facing the courthouse, Anson.
I’m not sure what the intended meaning of this little arrangement was originally, but I’d say that if you are a praying person, this might be good advice.
The streets of Anson (to the tune of Streets of Laredo…Marty Robbins’ version).
On the road in Texas affords many opportunities for Fine Dining. This evening, still with water sloshing in my boots, at the Fish and Chick in Anson, Texas. Puts me in mind of Townes van Zandt’s immortal lyrics from “Pancho and Lefty”:
Living on the road, my friend
Was gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron;
Your breath’s as hard as kerosene
You weren’t your momma’s only boy
But her favorite one, it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams
And I sank into my dreams here at the Anson Motel, hoping for beautiful weather on the morrow…
End of Day 1 of the Red River Trip