DAY 234: WRIGHT PATMAN LAKE - MAUD - NEW BOSTON - CLARKSVILLE, TEXAS

This is a first...A Senior Citizen's Park in the small town of MAUD, TEXAS.

It was so dark under the tall trees of the State Park, I was a bit late getting started this morning. Last evening, walked the miles to reach between MAUD and NEW BOSTON, TEXAS; so drove SPIA to MAUD, where we came upon the Senior Citizen's Park.

Took a couple rounds of the pathways...a very nice touch for the town of MAUD to give their Seniors; totally fenced, oodles of parking, benches along the trail for resting, a picnic area under cover, and lighted pathways. I am impressed.

Drove into NEW BOSTON, TEXAS, and walked back 5 miles & returned to SPIA. NEW BOSTON is a small village - about three blocks long...also with trails - which I did not walk.

Down town NEW BOSTON, TEXAS. There is also an OLD BOSTON...about 1 block long plus a half dozen homes....no businesses.

US 84 West of NEW BOSTON.

Walked four legs today...all in the new WALMART shoes...totaling 32 miles.

New feature on the highways: 18-wheeler trucks loaded with the Round Baled Hay...all heading West and North West. Many ranchers have already sold off their herds of cattle because there is no grass to feed them. Others are purchasing hay - as pictured above - from wherever they can find it. When this draught is over, there will be lots of catching up to do for the ranchers.
Many marginal homes and buildings are being renovated.

We have reached the Eastern Plains of Texas.

Trees have changed from "Conifers" (meaning Pine Trees) to "Decidenous" (meaning leafy trees such as Maple - which by the way are already turning brown and shedding their leaves...Autumn cannot be far off for North East Texas.

A very dusty job in the cab of this Road Grader.



Mamma Mare and her Colt. As I walked past, the Colt kept walking away from the Mare. The Mare dutifully followed with her head over the Colt's rump. When the Colt stopped to munch, so did the Mare...never more than a couple feet away. School must be underway.

Walked two 10-miles legs West along US 82, finally arriving at CLARKSVILLE, TEXAS.

The ever-present Water Tower.

Without question, the most impressive Court House I have seen on my walk. Said to have been renovated five years ago, it was built in 1884.

Next to this stone sign for the Court House was a monument to Red River County Soldiers who gave their lives in all wars since World War I. I could not get a decent photograph of the names.

The list of dead soldiers is under these two flags. It was 5:00 pm as sounded out by a large bronze bell in the above belfry.

CLARKSVILLE, TEXAS has a Town Square to rival any. Surrounded by timeless buildings on the four surrounding streets, the center is a monument with a statue of the town's Confederate Soldier on top. The pathways are paved in red brick, as are the surrounding city streets.

CLARKSVILLE is an old and impeccably maintained rather large town. US 82 has by-passed the town, but the town has taken advantage by widening the old US 82 which passes through the center of town, and paving it for easy access.

Much of the lost business seen in most such town is not happening in CLARKSVILLE. There is no shopping center - that I could find.

Down town CLARKSVILLE is still vibrant and busy.

The pedestal of the Confederate Soldier Monument in the center of Town Square.

His Nibs standing tall atop his stone tower.

Entire monument was too tall to get in one shot with my Panasonic.

A near by home. I was tempted to think of this home as The Gingerbread House...but not quite.

An interesting Reed plant; taken together, the plant is shaped like a vase.

Walking out of town, there were a few more of these leafless vase-like reeds.

The business-end of a large mower - as used by the machines mowing the grass along freeways.

What one sees at 4 miles per hour...a good game-question.

So, CLARKSVILLE was in place as early as 1833.

US 82 - Business - as it passes through CLARKSVILLE, TEXAS. Behind the camera sit DQ, McD, and a small strip mall of five or six stores.

Fire trucks filling their water tanks at the town fire hydrant. There were three such trucks filling up...the fire is about 5 miles away.

Made me wonder if anyone had considered keeping the fire engines - and their water pumps - at the fire line and bringing water by tanker truck to them ??? But, I am not out here to change things...just find what I can find and share it.

Entire bevy of fire trucks lined up waiting for water from a single fire hydrant. Within another block are several more hydrants...guess the fire is not so urgent after all.

I know, that remark was not called for...

Have a snug spot for SPIA at a Convenience Store at the West end of CLARKSVILLE.

In the morning, will walk West on US 82 towards PARIS, TEXAS, where we intend to shift over to US 271 which heads North into Oklahoma, about 4 miles away...then leans West to pass a bit under OKLAHOMA CITY.

Our final destination is WOODWARD, OKLAHOMA, about 75 miles West of OKLAHOMA CITY.