Monday, August 24, 2015

Headed North on the Jefferson Highway – Day 1 – 331 miles



Left Evant TX about 7:30 AM – Thanks to Brenda and her family, I managed to get loaded without any extreme respiratory distress.   Heat and humidity were both high when I left.  Stopped at the Czech Bakery/Deli in West to pick up a week’s worth of sausage kolaches for breakfasts on the road – and of course I couldn’t get out of there without a couple lemon/cream cheese kolaches for snacks along the way! 
 
Headed up I-35 East thru Dallas.  I think they have a problem figuring out how to finish road construction –  such a mess – I thought Chicago screwed up roadways, but Dallas is right behind them when it comes to mess.  Did manage to get in the wrong lane and had to make an exit – thanks to the construction, it took me about 10 miles to finally figure out where I was and how to get back on Hwy 75.  Ahhh…what’s a little side trip here and there!

Drove around Denison TX,  that is where I picked up the Jefferson Highway.  Went out to Eisenhower’s birthplace but it was closed – I found several ‘historical’ things were closed on Mondays.  So, if you are into history and traveling Oklahoma, don’t plan on seeing much on Monday! 

Denison is doing a great job removing the asphalt from their streets and uncovering the brick streets.  Going to be quite attractive when they finish.   One of the buildings has been painted to recall the older stores that had been in the area.  I do love building murals.  


On to Oklahoma – stopped at the Choctaw Nation Welcome center and picked up some literature.  Terrific place to stop – very very helpful….added a few more sites to my list!  Crossing the river, I got a pic of the old iron bridge - I love old iron bridges!



Left there and headed to Durant – never did find the giant peanut statue – guess that’s my loss!   Missed the turn off for Fort Washita – 12 miles later I turned around and back tracked.  A few signs would be nice!  Traveled on down the road, about 20 miles out to the fort.  Got to the turn off – Road Closed!  Local Traffic Only.  I wasn’t sure how ‘local’ it would be to the fort but I kept on trekkin’.    Found the fort and the “Closed Monday” sign….back track back to the highway…..head back up Hwy 75.   


Drove thru Caddo.  Tried to get a picture of the Welcome to Caddo sign they have across the entrance into town.  Small community – older town, quite well kept.   Caddo looks much like it did when the town was established on a buffalo trail long before statehood.  The Indian Museum of Caddo wasn’t open – must be MONDAY!

By the time I got to Atoka, I decided to stop – even though it was only 2:30.  Figured I wasn’t going to be able to visit the Boggy Spring battle field (it’s Monday!) so I’ll catch it on my way out of town in the AM.
While heading back to the highway, I saw a really interesting mail box post.  Sun was in the wrong spot to get a great pic, but it was  a tree with wrought iron animals in the tree – an eagle, a buzzard, a small bear cub climbing up the tree and a raccoon or some other little critter on one of the branches.  Somebody did a lot of work to get that made and put together.

Found a “mom-pop” motel in Atoka for $45/night!  Can’t beat that!

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