DAY 136: ALTO - LUFKIN, TEXAS

Lakes continue to be just about everywhere in this part of Texas. One thing you CAN NOT get, is hard liquor. Beer can be purchased as a limited number of places, but NO hard stuff...the great number of Churches may have something to do with that.

We are coming into "Moonshine" country.

Patriotic home owner...has a Statue Of Liberty standing under Old Glory...looks nicer in real life than in this photograph.

Another Ranch Entrance...just as patriotic about the Old West.

US 69 South of ALTO, TEXAS.

Walked three sets of 11 miles today, leaving ALTO, TEXAS at daylight and checking into an RV Park just South of LUFKIN, TEXAS on US 69.

Will follow US 69 for another 10 miles or so, then turn onto US 63 where we will walk for two days to the town of JASPER, TEXAS. From JASPER, we will take US 190, crossing into Louisiana at the town of BEN WIER, TEXAS.

We will follow US 190 for a number of days, as we walk between Lake Pontchartrain and NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (may take a day to drive into N.O. to take our Blog into the French Quarter...where I have already visited a time or two...can be entertaining, but also can be raunchy).

We will cross the Mississippi River South of NEW ORLEANS, where the river flows into the Gulf Of Mexico.

In the interim, it is US 69 for another half day...until we branch off onto US 63 at ZAVALTA, TEXAS, about 20 miles South of the RV Park we will stay at tonight.

SPIA's fresh water tank is nearly empty and her "black" water is nearly full. Also, gives us a chance to cool down with AC electricity to operate SPIA's Air Conditioner.

Since it is still early in the day, think I will cook up some Spaghetti for din din.

Walking under an overpass, hundreds of Sparrows flew out and around me. As I was taking this photograph, a fledgling fell at my feet...actually flapping his wings on my shoe trying to get back airborne. He may have hurt one wing. I reached for him (could have easily picked him up), but held back because my hands were sweaty and covered with Sun Block. If I touched him, he may have been rejected to his parents who were buzzing me.

Some of the Swallow nests under the Overpass. Yes, those nests are made of mud.

This enterprising rancher was trying to sell water from his small lake (Click to enlarge).

A feature of Texas Highways I should have shown long ago. With so much rain - when it does rain, it rains many inches in a few minutes - there is usually a small flood covering everything. All roadways have rather elaborate concrete pipes under the roadways and along side to channel the water away from the pavement. Click to enlarge to see this detail along US 69.

A nice ranch scene along US 69.

Many ranchers offer Black Angus Bulls for sale. These big guys know where to find the cool spot.

Two small dogs are frustrated they cannot reach me...a large field of Cat Tails block their way.

I should know the name of this tree...but, I do not. The blooms are beautiful.

Sore Thumbs sticking out of these two Daisy Blooms.

A rare find in the South...a Log / Lumber mill. That is a very OLD Gantry Crane in the background. I worked for over 20 years in the Crane Business, so I was interested to see this unusual design being used in the mill.

Log Trucks have returned. Have not seen them since leaving Northern California.

DAILY UPDATE: Walked 33 miles today.

SEE YOUR IMPACT.ORG: Credit 33 Miles @ $0.02 per mile = $0.66 for the day.