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I've done my very best to get you here.
Stopping at some really groovy places.
Riding across the Texas plains.
Avoiding the big cities.
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Ballinger City Park
Tom Jones' BBQ Feast
At last I have brought you back to my primary destination. Remember – where is my campsite? I had to come back. I'll tell you why.
Tom Jones (Lone Star apron) and Rodney Johnston have this habit of cooking up some o'the best grub this side of wherever. I will, and have, traveled many miles for some of Tom's poppers. I'm sweatin' just thinking about `em. No matter where Tom sets up his outfits, he hands out some scrumptious vittles. Well Buckaroos – I'm going to finish this off with some stuff I did, some people I saw, and some of the roads I traveled. Thanks for making it to the end. I hope you enjoyed yourself and maybe, just maybe, you'll think about visiting some of the historic sites you've just seen. |
Tom and Rodney – you're the best!
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Now we eat.
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Here's the best part.
Revisiting rides we've done and places we've been. |
Early to bed, long ride home in the morning.
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Decatur Courthouse.
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RANDOLPH VESEY
(1832 – 1900) RESPECTED NEGRO CITIZEN AND HOMEOWNER. CHAMPION PIONEER FIDDLER, POPULAR AT FORTS BELKNAP, GRIFFIN, AND RICHARDSON AND OVER COUNTY. ONCE WHEN HE WAS AN INDIAN CAPTIVE, HELD IN KANSAS. TEXANS SENT PONIES TO RANSOM HIM. HE IS BURIED IN OAKLAWN, DECATUR. BORN IN GEORGIA, HE SERVED DURING THE CIVIL WAR AS BODY SERVANT AND VOLUTARY BATTLE AIDE TO GEN. W.L. CABELL OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY. VESEY'S COURAGE AND LOYALTY WERE TYPICAL. HUNDREDS OF SLAVES WENT TO WAR WITH MASTERS. MANY OPERATED FARMS AND RANCHES OF SOLDIERS AWAY AT WAR, PRODUCING COTTON AND FOOD FOR THE CONFEDERACY. OTHERS DID WORK FOR HIRE, WITH WAGES SUPPORTING THE MASTER'S FAMILY. ON PATROL DUTY THEY PROTECTED HOMES FROM INDIANS, BANDITS, OUTLAWS. DURING WAR YEARS, 1861 – 1865, SOME 30,000 TO 50,000 NEGROES — FREE AND SLAVES — AIDED CONFEDERATE ARMIES, THEY SERVED WITH THE NITRE AND MINING BUREAU AND DEPARTMENTS OF MEDICINE, ENGINEERS, QUARTERMASTER GENERAL, ORDNANCE AND COMMISSARY GENERAL. THEY BUILT FORTIFICATIONS ON COASTS FROM brOWNSVILLE, TEXAS , TO NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, AND AT INLAND POINTS. MANY WERE ARMY TEAMSTERS, WHEELWRIGHTS, BLACKSMITHS, BUTCHERS, SHOEMAKERS, COODS AND NURSES. TEXAS AND OTHER STATES LATER PROVIDED LAND GRANTS AND PENSIONS FOR MANY. [sic]
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Thanks!
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