New Old Turf - 276 miles

Leaving Texarkana under grey skies, we really expected rain. We put the wallet and phone away so if we get rained on it doesn't matter. Bring it on!!

But it didn't happen. The skies soon cleared up and we had a nice run along Hwy 82. Once again, we generally avoided the superslabs, 82 being mostly two-lane and through towns. But it looks like they are building it up slowly to be a town-bypassing super-slab. Pity.

We are now back in Texas, a state we have previously visited, but not the same roads.

You know, it is sometimes difficult to get a cup of coffee in this country. Oh yes, they have it in servos occasionally or there might be a Starbucks. McDonalds are everywhere and their coffee isn't too bad.

But if you look in any of the small towns for a cafe that might serve a cuppa and a snack, they are few and far between. You'd think they'd have a coffee cafe (tautology?) in a town called Paris, but no luck. There were three pharmacies, a few groceries supermarkets and heaps of antique shops, but no cafes. Dammit, I ended up promising Charleen we'd go to the real Paris one day, just for a decent sidewalk cafe. The things you have to do!!!

A couple of towns later we came across a Dairy Queen and that was good enough for now. I had an iced mocha (pronounced mow-ka here) which was pretty good considering the heat.

Just a hundred or so miles of high heat riding later - 102F on the dash - we got to our destination, Wichita Falls, to find Jack and Linda waiting. They had spent the morning in some great bookstores in a town nearby and decided to not face an afternoon slog into the west in 100+ heat. Sensible. Plus the motel has a pool, so no contest.

Todays shots:-

This crane was re-locating and things swinging wildly. Glad to wait.

Only water we saw all day - a change after Big River country

A lot smaller than the other one in Michigan

Some Coke history

But no sidewalk cafes

Even picnic spots look like oil wells

We're not sure what falls