UPON MY return to the Lone Star State, the first thing that catches my attention is how polite the people here are. This happened when someone said to me "Yes, Sir" causing me to feel the urge to say "You don't have to call me Sir."

However, I bite my tongue upon recalling my rearing ¹ and how mother taught me to say sir and ma'am to everyone without exception.

Living on the West Coast for so long a time had compelled me to forget at least this aspect of my upbringing.

Now that I am once again in Texas, I've come to feel a special affinity for these friendly and polite folk, despite their thick southern accent.

It is quite warm when I get up and go directly into Fort Davis National Historical Site for a short visit, it being convenient to stop here before getting on my way. However, I am not too impressed with this national park site. Next, I drive to a general store, buy coffee and ask to see the phone book only to find that there is not a hall near by. So I continue to Alpine, Texas where I stop to do laundry.

While in town, I check my tires and decide to put two of the new tires ² on the front of the van because the tread on the four old fourteen inch tires are nearly gone and there are even steel belts starting to show on the two front tires. Methinks, if I were to have a blow out, it would be better it happen on a rear tire. I leave the two old tires on the rear of the van to allow them wear a little more before I replace them with the new ones. Meanwhile, I will continue to stop at wrecking yards until I find one more fifteen inch wheel for a spare. When I do, then I will get rid of all of the fourteen inch wheels but now I keep them as spares.

Finally, I drive 130 miles to Big Bend National Park and stop first at the Basin where there is a store and a visitor′s center. I am surprised to find an entirely different environment here than I had expected. Yes, this entire area is a desert, however, here in this isolated Basin I find a lot of trees, both conifers and woody dicotous. Too, there are many animals in this small refuge within this huge desert.

This is my first time in this national park, having never wanted to come here for at least two reasons: (1) Big Bend is a desert mountain range and I have always preferred the less hostile forested mountains, and (2) it has always been too far out of the way and I never had the time. However, now that I have the time, I will stay here tonight to explore the "Window" to take some photos and then in the morning drive to the river. Later the wind picks up and the clouds block out the stars.

I awake long before dayspring, at about six-thirty. In Texas during late October just before Daylight Savings Time takes effect, it doesn′t get light until eight in the morning. I will wait here until sunglow before driving to the river. The sun finally makes a show but because the cold front that blew in last night brought with it a large cloud cover, it is past eight before I get started.

I drive up out of the Basin into the clouds to reach the pass. Then, I drive down from there to the desert floor and out to the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic Riverway at the Boquillas Canyon overlook which does not provide much of a view of the canyon. Because of the lack of a river view, I am not near as impressed with this portion of the park as I was with the Chisos Basin. Too, the desert here is just that, another desert. Well, I then drive back to the junction and out the north part of the park. I guess to really see the river and the canyons, one must take a river ride and I don′t see that happening for me any time soon.

After leaving Big Bend, I drive east and come to the Saloon-Court House of Judge Roy Bean where I stop for a short tour. I am told that this house is the original one used by the judge.

Next, I drive across Amistad Reservoir, the name meaning Friendship in Spanish. It is well after dark when I arrive at Garner State Park for the night.

Awake at six this morning, done with sleeping and now need to wait for the sunlight to see where I am driving so as to enjoy the terrain. I left the "Texas Mountain Trail" yesterday and now I am driving on the "Texas Hill Country Trail." Today, I spend much of my day stopping at numerous used tire stores and wrecking yards but when the day is done, I still have not found the spare wheel. I do stop at Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park, which is the birthplace, childhood home and the Texas White House during his presidency.

At about three in the afternoon, I begin to search in the yellow pages for nearby halls and find three, one in Brady, one in Junction and one in San Angelo. I choose the one in Brady and begin driving there and on the way, I see so odd looking mammals, which look to be a white, brown and black deer, but only with vertical, curved horns protruding from the forehead. I take as many photos as I can before they disappear in to the forest.

I then call my brother, describe the animal to him and he says, That is a Blackbuck, they are imported for hunting and some got away.

I continue my drive to Brady and arrive at six-thirty to find several cars in the parking lot. The schedule says the meeting is on Thursday but I talk to a brother and he says that the circuit overseer is visiting this week and tonight is the school and service meeting. This is exactly what I need since I missed the overseer in Oak Harbor when I left on this Journey. I will stay here until Sunday and enjoy the visit. Now it is after eleven so I will get some sleep.

I get up immediately to ready for the service meeting where there are some twenty people and I am assigned to work with the overseer, a sister and her father. It is a nice morning in service but not too many people are home.

Afterwards, I drive toward the San Saba River hoping to locate the train trestle that I sketched thirty years ago when I passed through the area. In fact, I have long wanted to return here to sketch this trestle again.

Leaving Brady, I cross a railroad track and think, "This looks promising." Just north of Brady, I turned east on US 190 and drive for about forty miles, seeing the same railroad tracks several time along the way.

Upon arriving at the river, there it is, the trestle bridge that I sketched so many years ago. The trestle has not changed a bit, even the pecan tree that I camped under is still here. However, most of the trees that were near the trestle are larger now, but that is no bother to me as I am glad to return to this spot.

I grab my sketch book, walk to the pecan tree, find a comfortable spot in the shade, sit down and begin my new drawing of the train trestle.

Later, I return to Brady, stop at the d-mart to restock my pantry and afterwards park my van for the evening. While I am sitting on my stool next to my van, Julio and Koneta who I met at the meeting last night, drive up and ask if I would like to go with them for supper. They tell me that they have been looking for me and Brady is not that big of a town. We go for Bar-BQ and then they drop me back where my van is parked. What a nice couple.

Up again for the nine o′clock service meeting, out with the group and later break for lunch until the group meets back at one-fifteen. Later, we have the bible study and the special talk by the overseer.

Again, I awake early, but after sunrise, this time just before eight and the eastern horizon is aglow with an orange hue and then what I have come to call crepuscular rays. Before I found crepuscular in the dictionary, I created the word "crestpula" a word not found in the dictionary, but one methought was descriptive of what I was seeing but have since discontinued it′s use.

Another day with the service group, both morning and afternoon. In the late afternoon, I drive north to Brownwood to check the wrecking yard there for a wheel. I buy the one they have and now need to find a used fifteen inch tire and I will be set. Before I drive back to Brady, I put the final two new tires on the rear of my van and I am amazed by how well the Windjammer goes down the highway.

At one point, I stop at a monument marking the geographic center of Texas. Then this evening, I decide to try to fix the Internet connection problem that I have been having by using the Windows Restore feature to return the operating system to an earlier setting. Amazingly, it worked so I go into town to find a WiFi hot spot to get connected. I check my email, make a few calls and upload some of my photos. By the time I am finished working on my computer, it is close to midnight, so I drive to a d-mart, park, climb into the back and go right to sleep.

Once again, I meet with the morning service group and am assigned with Thomas a brother who I have worked with several times this week. We have come to be quite good friends in the few short days. Today, I am invited to his home for supper and Carla makes a great casserole dish. I also help Thomas and Carla set up their web site while I am there.

I am up late tonight working on my journal. I have done a lot of work to Quire One and I am close to completing it. Also, I complete chapter sixteen, the beginning of, Quire Two. However, I still have a little more to do in chapter seventeen, The National Parks: Backpacking. I hope to finish chapter seventeen next week.

At the beginning of this journey, I never expected that keeping an online journal and uploading photos would be so time consuming. Yes, even now after spending several days getting caught up, I still need to take several more days off from this journey so I can continue to update my journal and add the photos. I have even streamlined my entries, making and using templates to copy and paste in order to reduce the time involved, but still I am so very far behind. I hope to have the time to catch up soon.

The time changed from Daylight Saving to Standard Time happened last night, so I am able to sleep in an hour extra this morning. Still, I get up at the beginning of dayspring, get dressed and head for to the f-mart for coffee. I get a coffee and sit outside of the restaurant so I can use the WiFi from the motel next door. After checking my email, I work on my journal for a while and then head back to the hall to prepare for today′s study. I walk into the hall at about nine-thirty and take my seat. The talk is entitled: "Resurrection, why the hope should be real to you" and is well presented by the circuit overseer. The study is about the qualities of the Christ that we should imitate and this is a good study.

I leave directly after the meeting and head south from Brady. The next stop is Luckenbach, Texas, yes, the one Willie Nelson sings about. It is not on my GPS so I have to ask directions and then find the town very easily. The town of Luckenbach, Texas, population 2, consists of two houses, a bar, food stand, post office and dance hall with a large field for a parking lot. There is lots of people just sitting around eating, drinking beer and listening to a cowboy sing country songs; kind of like a bar in the city only this has a country setting. I do not stay long but head southeast to Blanco, Texas, drive to the state park and check in.

Now, normally, I would not pay the twenty dollars just to park my van so as to sleep but this parking lot come with a few extra perks. First, I get a free car wash (well, really just a faucet at the campsite to use to wash my car). Second, I get a hot shower with all the hot water I want. Third, I get an electrical plug to charge all my batteries. Fourth, I get free WiFi here in the park, (I am really impressed that they have WiFi) and fifth, check out is not until two o′clock tomorrow afternoon.

Awake and working on my journal before by dayspring. It is cold so I wrap myselƒ with my sleeping bag to keep warm. After about an hour I hear other campers starting their generators so I too start my engine with the heater on to warm up the car. After the sun comes out, it begins to warm us nicely. Later, I will go out for coffee and sometime before noon, I will drive to my sister′s house in Wimberly, TX. Meanwhile, I will keep working on my journal, endeavoring to get it caught up. I have been working on the missing entries in Quire One and hope to have all the text entries done this week. Adding the photos will be a project for later.

Just before eleven, I drive onto the ranch, along the driveway curves, and up to the gate. The sign says ”Electric Fence“ and ”Use stick to push button to open gate.“ I remember when John and Elise lived in Houston and had a pool in there back yard. John built a six foot wood fence and put signs on the outside of the fence which read ”Beware of the Dog!“ They did not own a dog but just used the sign to keep unwanted people out. I wonder is this ”Electric Fence“ warning is the same type of tactic. I still use the stick to push the button an enter. I then call Elise and ask ”Is the fence really electric?“ and she laughs. As I drive up the driveway to their home, both John and Elise come out to meet me. I get the five dollar tour of the ranch first from John and then from Elise. Later, John gives me the ten dollar tour of the ranch and introduces me to the llamas, horses, and the goats.

After sunset, John cooks supper consisting of barbecued salmon and baked yams. Elise makes a salad and then we sit down to eat a nice meal. Afterwards, I go to the guest house, take a shower and get comfortable in the room.

Just before retiring to the guest house last night, John tells me that he will be up early. I expected him to come by with a cup of coffee in his hand during early dayspring. This morning, I arise, make the bed, sit down to work on my journal and drink two cups of coffee. The sun is now four fingers above the horizon and I am still working on my journal but I have not seen John or Elise yet. So, I will go over to the main house to see if they are up.

John asks, ”Have you had coffee yet?“ and I reply, ”Yes, two cups but I would enjoy another.“ Then John asks me, ”Would you like to see my catfish?“ I reply, ”Do you mean the frozen ones?“ He says, ”No, the live ones in the pond.“ ”Sure,“ I tell him and we get into the car, grab some fish food and drive to the pond. I am surprised by both how many there are and the size of the big ones, between eighteen and twenty-four inches. We return to the ranch house and John has to leave for a dentist appointment while Elise and I go shopping in town. Later, after a great supper, I retire to my room to work on my journal.

Awake at five and can not sleep any longer, so walk out to my car to check the temperature while the coffee is brewing. Upon returning I pour a cup and work on my journal. Later, I read for a while. At eight, I hear the dogs barking and walk over to the ranch house to find everyone up. We have oatmeal for breakfast and then try to get online with the internet but something is happening with the service and it is intermittent at best and non existent most of the time. We decide to try later and take a walk around the ranch. Then we drive to Guene, Texas on the Guadalupe River for lunch at the old Grist Mill Restaurant. After lunch, we head back to the ranch and try to get online again without success. John and I go back to Wimberley to get some medicine and upon returning, John drives down Jacob′s Well Road to show me the local Kingdom Hall. We continue to try to get online and after getting tired of trying, I excuse myselƒ, say goodbye because I will be leaving early in the morning and retire to my room.

Up at five once again, long before the dayspring begins and make coffee. I leave the ranch before seven and drive to the Kingdom Hall to check the schedule. I find that the meeting is on Tuesday night so I drive east across Texas to the small town of Coldspring and stop to buy gasoline and water. I also stop at an herb store and the clerk suggests a type of acid supplement for my digestion to help with the mucus, gas and stomach problem. I use the phase ′stomach problem′ because some of my friends who have read Episode One suggested that I not use the other word because and they put it, ”Nobody wants to hear about diarrhea.“ Anyway, I think this supplement is what John in Oak Harbor has previously suggested.

Later, I drive to Double Lake Recreation Area in Sam Houston National Forest in east Texas, which is just southwest of Coldspring, Texas, check in and set up camp.

A lot has changed since I was last here but it still looks like Double Lake I remember. This place has always been special to me. The first time I camped here was in 1963 with the Boy Scouts at the age of thirteen; not just the first time with the Scouts, but the first time camping in my life.

I returned here many times as a boy, also as an adult once even bringing my wife camping here with me.

When I begin my training for the Appalachian Trail, I can think of no where else to camp but Double Lake. Following the completion of the AT, whenever I leave Houston to go out of state or return to Houston from out of state, I stop here for the night, usually to make sure my head is affixed correctly before entering a megalopolis. I suppose for years, this place has been serving as a sort of serenity blanket for me. Now, as I have come to within a half day′s drive of Houston, here I am again in east Texas at Double Lake campground. However, I am not sure yet if I am going to Houston or to Tennessee first and I need to talk to my friend Joe in Tennessee before making that decision.

It is after dark when I began cooking and have rice with onions and soy sauce for supper. It is warm and there are mosquitoes to contend with so I use a little of my Deet even though I don′t like using it. After cleaning the dishes, I get into the van and close the doors. Then, I clean up and wipe as much of the insect repellant off and get ready for bed. It is way too warm for me here in east Texas.

Last evening was so warm that it made me not want to go to Houston but instead to Tennessee. I receive a call from Joe this morning and he tells me that they have highs in the mid sixties and very cool nights. Decision made! I am going to Tennessee to wait for Houston to cool down. When I grew up in southeast Houston, there were four seasons, December, January, February and Summer and so I will wait until the first of December before heading for Houston.

While still in the park, I take a walk south on the Lone Star trail to look for the tree bridge but after one mile without finding it, I turn back to the lake. I will try to find the tree bridge again when I return to Texas in December but will dress for a day hike. I drive over to the group camping area and check it out. Not too much has changes except the park roads which have been freshly paved. There is also a new bath house in the group area plus a lot of RV spaces added on the lake side loop. It appears that all the old original CCC structures are still intact.

I drive out of the park thru Coldspring, then east on Texas highway 150 to Sheppard, north to Livingston and then east on US 190. I continue east through the Big Thicket National Preserve and then into Louisiana across the Sabine River. I stop in Nachitoches to see the Cane River National Historic Site which is much like Bourbon Street in New Orleans, but facing a river. Then I set my GPS for Poverty Point National Monument and arrive after dark and there is no where to park. I return to Epps, LA, drive around town until coming upon the high school where there has been a ball game of some sort and I drive slowly into the parking lot across the street. There are numerous people standing about as well as many of the mothers who are waiting for their kids to take them home, so I park in the back area turning off my lights. Then I wait and watch as, one by one, the mom′s load their kids and head for home. Next, the two police officers get in their cars and leave. Finally, the man with the key locks up the gymnasium, gets in his car and drives away, leaving me alone here in the parking lot. I get in the back and start pounding on the keyboard. Another stealth evening.

I did not know what to expect when approaching the Poverty Point national monument gate this morning. I was thinking that the name indicated that this is a national monument memorializing poor people, but as I entered realize that this is an ancient mound builder site. Like the endless ruins of Anasazi, there are so many mound builder sites that they could not be all counted. I was really disappointed with this national monument because the Louisiana State Park does not accept the National Park′s pass like they are required to do, and so I did not pay the fee to enter the museum. Really, it is not even near as interesting as the Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville, Illinois near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. The Cahokia site is the one mentioned in the Awake magazine and has the Woodhenge. ³

Next, I drive through Vicksburg, Mississippi and connect with the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail and the Natchez Trace Parkway. From here I begin the drive north on the parkway which is a slow paced, leisurely drive, only fifty miles per hour. I don′t mind the slow drive because I am in no hurry on this journey. ⁴

During the northbound drive, I stop at several spots, get out and walk the Natchez Trace, also call the Old Trace. I continue north for over two hundred miles just past the Alabama state line and stop at Buzzard Roost Springs; it is long after sunset. This roadside stop like most along the Trace has a parking lot just off the parkway which doesn′t have a sign stating "no overnight parking." I look forward to filling my water bottles in the morning.

This morning, I slept in until six-thirty but get up immediately. There are no facilities here so I go for a walk in the woods and carry my toilet bag (spade, paper and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.) Next, I walk to the spring which has a ten foot wide creek flowing from the bottom of a large ledge. I can see why it is called Buzzard Roost because the ledge above the spring is big enough for several buzzards. I wash my face in the icy creek water and then begin driving north on the Trace.

Soon, I arrive in Tennessee and recognize the town names, especially since for almost two years, I lived in Centerville, which is only twelve miles west of the Trace. I stop at the Meriwether Lewis National Monument and learn much about the death and burial of Meriwether of Lewis and Clark. Afterwards, I continue to Duck River in Hickman County and then drive east on to Henry Horton state park for a shower. After putting on clean clothes, I drive to Spring Hill and park near the restaurant where Joe and I last had a meal together. It has Wifi and here I check my e-mail.

Later, I am able to contact Joe and he gives me direction to his home because even though I have been to his home before, it has been over eight months and I don′t recall how to get there. Sarah provides a wonderful meal and then I retire to my birth in the windjammer.

Joe and I go to the shop and we load and transport the shop recycle items. Later, we return back to his home for a wonderful supper and then I retire early.

Joe spends the morning working on his talk for tonight′s meeting and I ride with Sarah to the shop to work on my van. After Tim installs the radiator, I drive to Franklin to buy some new work clothes. Wow, I fit into a 38 inch waist again! I am pleased and amazed because this has not been the case for more than ten years. Afterwards, I return to the shop and work on my van until Joe arrives and I help him do some more clean up in the shop.

We close the shop just after five and head back to Joe′s home where Sarah provides another superb supper. Then we prepare for the meeting which I look forward to because Joe has told me that they are having their circuit overseer′s visit this week. Late night.

Up at five and get dressed for early service with Joe. Later, we both go to the shop and Joe takes care of his business while I work on my van, installing a tire on the rim I bought some time ago. After all the workers leave, Joe and I replace some worn parts on my van, particularly the front wheel bearings. Afterwards, we go to his home for pizza. Another late night.

Today, Joe and I arrive at the hall right at nine for the field service meeting. We work in a territory which is almost all not at homes. After changing, we both go to the shop and while Joe takes care of business, I get out the mop and after sweeping it, mop the break room and employee rest room. Later, we go to the meeting for the Congregation Bible study and the CO′s talk. One tidbit I enjoyed is that Christians do not get tempted even if Satan sugar coats sin. It is eleven before hitting the sack.

Up at five again this morning for early service but our plans change and spend the whole day at the shop. I ask Chris, "Do you know what the most important thing about cleaning is?" He says, I don′t know, what? I tell him, "To do it the right way the first time in order not to have to do it over again!" Asleep by ten-thirty.

Each night, I park in the driveway at Joe and Sarah′s home to sleep in my van and each morning go in for coffee. Today, Sarah prepares breakfast for all of us. Just after nine, I head for the hall for service and afterwards go to the laundry to clean my clothes and my van. After looking online at the Texas weather, I decide that I should head there in a week or so. I would like to spend time with both my family as well as some of the friends before I move south to the border. Once at the border, I will go to the Mexican Consulate for information about driving my van into the country. For now, I must remain close to Spring Hill for a few days so that I can receive the title to my van that is being sent here.

Later, I drive into town and park for the night so as to hear the special talk in the morning. Asleep by nine and feel like I am getting back to my normal routine.

I awake early again, drive to the coffee shop and prepare for today′s study. Then I drive to a grocery store to buy some gift wrapping supplies and prepare a gift for Sarah for her hospitality. Upon coming out of the store, I notice the hills blanketed with fall colors that surround this location. I arrive at the hall just after nine and put my meeting clothes on. Soon, the friends begin to show up and in no time, the meeting begins.

Afterwards, I go to the bowling alley and watch as Joe and friend bowls a few games. Then, after saying goodbye, I head out of town towards Russell Cave National Monument. I arrive by eight-thirty, park in a roadside turnout to read and write before getting prone.

Up before sunrise, about six and turn on my car to warm up. Since the park does not open until eight, I prepare a cup of coffee and begin to wonder what this National Monument has to show me. The location is a small valley with wooded hills on both sides. The sign I saw last night showed a man with an atlatl which is a device used to aid the throwing of a spear. This made me think that there were ancient indigenous people who lived here.

After a short tour, I talked to the ranger who suggested I see Little River Canyon National Preserve. I had thought that most preserves were just a stand of trees that gave shelter to animals. Was my thinking wrong! He explained that it was a limestone canyon cut down from the plateau of Lookout Mountain. Upon arriving, I really enjoyed the rim drive and the views from the several overlooks and several large birds flying overhead.

Afterwards, I drive through the Appalachian Mountain in Alabama, into Georgia and north toward Tennessee. I stopped at a shopping center to spend the night arriving at eight-thirty and get out to move to the back of the van. As I begin to climb into the back, I see a meteorite in the western sky. In the sack before nine with a warm evening.

Awake at first light to a misting rain. First coffee and then begin the drive back to Tennessee to check on my mail. Once in Spring Hill, I go to a WiFi location and do some work both on and off line. I did receive a paralegal job and spend time to complete the initial documents today. After checking and finding that the package has not arrived, I call to find out that it was not mailed until yesterday and now, I will need to decide how to use the next day or two. I go to a restaurant for supper and continue in the Bible study book while eating. A woman with two young boys sit down at the table adjacent to me and she asks where I got my book from. After I told her, I found out that she was my spiritual sister. Small world!

After eating, I drive north to Franklin and locate the hall before finding a place to park for the night. I have decided to use the next couple of days visiting with the friends I know here and working on my journal. Arriving at a d-mart by six this evening and begin pounding the keyboard. Asleep by eight-thirty.

The morning is overcast but mild and I meet some of the friends when they come for the minstry meeting. One sister asks if I need a place to stay and I explain how I am comfortable in my little motor home. She comment "It sounds like you will be ready when Armageddon comes" and I reply, "I sure hope so." Then I spend the early morning working on inserting photos into my online journal and later go to the library to access the Internet and upload the photos.

Upon awaking, I drive to get coffee and then to check on mail, which when I go to the auto repair shop, I am given the package. Good, now I can head south and drive first to Henry Horton State park for a long hot shower. Then, I drive east towards the Trace and stop at David Crockett State Park to get some information. The park is located where Davy Crockett had a business and home for several years.

Leaving the state park, I drive east to the Natchez Trace Parkway and travel south arriving a Rocky Springs just north of Natchez, Mississippi.

Such a long day; one with many miles behind me. It began with a short drive to the Mississippi River to visit Natchez National Historical Park where I see a river boat, antebellum ⁵ homes, and buildings that are two hundred years and older.

In fact, the visitors center is in one of the downtown historical buildings. I especially like the old massive trees covered with Spanish moss.