Day 4, 03/16/16 – Miles, and miles, and miles across Texas on US 271 and US 82 are the easiest most pleasant routes to travel. I can only wish that all roads would be this relaxing. However be mindful that the speed limits are set very high at 75 but most of the vehicles are going 90. It is zoom, zoom, zoom out there.I witnessed everything that makes one think of Texas with antelope roaming, oil wells, cattle, ranches, miles of miles of land, large homes in the middle of the ranches and broken down trailers on the edge of towns.
The one sad and stinky oddity were the amount dead skunks along the highway. There was a lot of closing the nostrils to keep out the horrible smell.
Of course it made me relive the time in my teenage years when I was sprayed by a skunk.
When I was 16 my mom asked me to grab a garden hose out of our front yard and I must have startled a skunk, he sprayed me as I was walking away and I kept getting whiffs of something on the way back to the house, but did not realize how bad it was until I asked my mom to smell my hair.
All hell broke loose then with my moms startled scream, laughing at my predicament and racing to find any tomato juice in the cabinets. Nothing is more embarrassing than have to strip down in front of your mom and stand in the shower while she pours every tomato product she could find over your body including ketchup.
Needless to say I did not go to school that day and my mom burned my clothes outside. I pretty much did not live that one down for weeks and weeks.
We stopped along the way at Longhorn Ranch General Store in Whitesboro to stretch our legs, have a few snacks and check out the store. We chatted with the lovely owners, bought a few items and I asked them why the skunk population on the highways and they informed us that is was mating season. Poor skunks, they were just out to have some fun.
Check out the amazing furniture, they ship anywhere in the world, and they have restrooms.
We pulled into Wichita Falls and the first thing we did was visit Lucy Park and see the man-made falls that were a gift from the people of Niagara Falls. It was about a 2.5 mile walk, so it fit nicely within our exercise program.
As we were driving around the park, we also encountered one of the oddest things to date on our trip. This couple in their late 20’s, snatched a goose, shoved him/her into a plastic storage container, put it in the car and drove off. By the time we realized what had happened and turned around to follow them, they had sped off and could not be found.
The other goose was quite distraught and we both felt so very sad for it. What is wrong with people? I will never understand such things.
We reported it, left the park and went in search of a hotel.
We ate dinner (actually breakfast) at IHOP. Han had never eaten at one and he was pleasantly surprised and said it was the best omelet he had ever eaten. (Colorado Omelet).
After dinner we wanted to check out the downtown area, but the sidewalks roll up early here and it was like a ghost town, so we drove around sightseeing and snapping some pics. One unique building to see is the Newby-McMahon Building also referred to as the “World’s Littlest Skyscraper.” It now houses a unique gift shop.
Here is the wikipedia link:
Travel tip: purchase simple and inexpensive deer warning horns to place on your vehicle to warn all animals not to cross onto your path. Here is the link
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