Oct 05 2016 Where is Charlie's stump?

Morning view from next to our campsite.

What was trying to get into our 'van last night?

Early morning bike ride around the park turned out harder than we imagined.  Plan was to go to the end of the road, take the  Coyote Run Nature trail down to the dam - back across the dam to the road and back to base.  2 problems.  First the path was a lot rockier and hillier that we guessed.

and second those paths dont connect.  When you get to the dam there is a massive deep spillway in the way - it hiding under the dot on the map.  So it was hotter and longer than we expected but we had a nice shower at the end so all was well.

Back in Cleburne we went to the museum in the courthouse.

Clare's other job is a safe cracker

Faces in the marble....

some of the wonderful murals in Wright Plaza...

And finally the mystery of Charlies stump.   One of the stories told in the museum is about a large tree stump that was brought up from down south and used in the local BNSF yard to hammer the large copper sheets used to make train boilers. It had just the right amount of give for the craftsmen to perfect their trade.  It was used for many years and even survived a large fire - though that cracked it so it was reinforced with a pair of steel rings.  After Charlie retired the stump went into storage then was sold a few times but eventually ended up on display in the next town over "between the cow pasture bank and the police station"   That sounded like a good place to end our trip.   The cow pasture bank is no more, but the old lady in the feed store told us to find the nice shiny Wells Fargo bank that took over the cow pasture bank..   The Wells Fargo folks of course knew nothing about Charlie but told us that the actual cow pasture bank was a few doors down. Sure enough an abandoned  bank was there - next to the locked police station, and  between the 2 was an old cabin.  Behind the cabin was an empty concrete slab and an empty plaque.  Is this where Charlies stump was?  We may never know...

stumped!

Oct 04 2016 Meridian to Cleburne

After breakfast....

took a nice long walk around the lake on the "Bosque Hiking Trail"

One day we will learn if these are dangerous!

Next stop Norse   In the second half of the nineteenth century a few thousand Norwegians settled here - partly because the countryside is about as Norwegian as you can get in the US.

They were accompanied by Cleng Peerson (1782-1865), “Father of Norwegian Immigration to America.”King Olav V of Norway visited the cemetery in 1982 to lay a wreath and dedicate a marker to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Peerson’s birth.

Then on to Clifton.  Another potentially nice town that needs a more 'browseable" center.

Art Alley

Finally to Lake Whitney State Park for our overnight stop - or so we thought.

Turns out its closed due to flooding.  Hmm Lake level can get no higher than the dam but closed due to flooding.  Maybe we will understand that one day.

So on again  - first to nearby Hillsboro.  Its Tuesday. Its 2pm.  The courthouse is closed.  Local citizens are rattling the doors and storming off in disbelief.  What is going on?  Anyway, another nice town to stroll around - and this one has made the effort to produce a short self guided walking tour. Thats all it takes to keep us there for a while.  So many other little towns give us the "its on our list of things to do" nonsense.  But we disgress.

Nice courthouse.  I wonder why there are no cars parked next to it.

Vistors center is in the relocated old railroad depot.  Nice lady inside was pondering whether to call the judge to find out why the courthouse (city hall) was closed.  Many people had asked her.  She was of the opinion that that it might be better not to know why.  We never did find out what was going on.

Can you guess where the oldest compounding pharmacy in the US is?

All roads lead to hillsboro...

Then a quick drive up to Cleburne State Park to spend the night,

Oct 03 2016 - Dinosaurs to Meridian

After the usual breakfast....

Its off exploring by bike to find some dinosaur tracks.  It doesn't take long (but you will get wet feet) and the real easy ones are underwater at site #2

More early morning exploring - 

this one got a bit too bumpy to continue...

Then back into town to explore the "big rocks"

before heading a few miles to the  Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant

As we approached the sign said call for tours.  We didn't.  Eventually found the visitor center and it said closed due to no staff.  But it was open.   Inside was a phone with a sign that again said call for tours.  On dialing the number from their phone you get a "mailbox full" message.  If you call the number from your cellphone the phone on the desk in front of you rings!  Hilarious.  We showed ourselves around the displays, one of which answered our question as to why here?  Lots of good reasons but one of them was "seismically stable" Guess that was before all the fracking started all the recent earthquakes

Next stop was the town of Hico.  The original reason for visiting was that the town was moved over 2 miles when the railroad came through, then burnt down twice before rebuilding in stone.  Bonus was the Billy The Kid Museum   One story has him living here until the 1950;s - not shot last century.

Now thats a real hardware store

Chick livers and gravy anyone?  Yum.

Billie The Kid

Then off to Meridian.  Jim spent a week here in a past life helping to renovate the clock that had been removed from the courthouse.  It was all filmed for a TV pilot, but nothing came of it.  The town was going to put the restored movement on display.  But unfortunately the judge that was pushing that project has died and the clock is again gathering dust in storage.

Meridian courthouse - clock is driven by electric motor!

A short dive up the hill and we are at Meridian State Park  After setting up camp we took a stroll around the little springs trail.  We didnt find any springs - put plenty of dry stream beds to cross.

Meridian State Park

Supper - if you can catch it

Oct 02 2016 - To the Dinosaurs

Today we are off again on another mini camping trip.
The plan is to get to Dinosaur Valley State Park tonight.

On the way we stop in at Acton State Historic Site to see Elizabeth Crockett's grave.
She was Davy Crockett;s second wife.   They were granted land near here as heirs of the Alamo defenders.   The monument towers over everything in the graveyard.

It was once the smallest State park in Texas at 21x26 feet = 0.006 acres.  It was handed over in 2008 to the Texas Historical Commission.

Then on to Granbury.  This is one pretty town.  Nice courthouse in the middle of the square that has shops/restaurants around it that you would want to shop in.  Why cant all towns be like this?

Fascinating museum in the old jail - the cells were upstairs - and this jail was used until the 1970s

Bad guys slept inside the cage - good guys on top.  No air conditioning of course.

Then on to Glen Rose

Another pretty town but closed when we got there (well it was a Sunday)
Finally to The State Park - hunting for Dinosaurs starts tomorrow

Oct 01 2016 Fun with concrete

This pointless plumbing was in the way of our extended front porch floor - so it got cut out and capped.

Its just in front of here now.
Final layer will go on in a few days - then add some tile.