Marfa to San Antonio, Miles and miles of Texas,Cannon Ball Day 3

Marfa to San Antonio, Miles and miles of Texas, Day 3

We are headed East on Hwy 10...   The Ciscos mountains lay ahead... We will cross via Paisano Pass...

Then through Alpine… through Sanderson with its abandoned railroad depot… Pictures were taken... of the depot, a store front, and an abandoned fire station… a sign on what appears to be the new fire station suggested that a fire truck is a “fire extinguishing device” 

On to Marathon and a stop for gas… we are moving fast across hard country…

We had considered stopping for breakfast in Alpine but didn’t…. considered stopping for lunch in Sanderson, but didn’t… we bought beef jerky and candy in Marathon… There are few other options...

In Langtry we stop… visit Judge Roy Bean’s saloon/courtroom… The railroad has bypassed the town, then the highway… the population is now 16…   It is a study in a town left to die, kept alive by the “Texas Welcome Center”, which preserves the Jersey Lilly ,and brings just enough tourist to keep the gas station open on Highway 90.  A sign on a store in town suggested ice cream might be available, but it looked closed...  Back to Hwy 90... back to the hard run

We crossed the Pecos… we crossed Amistad reservoir… and the country changed from vacant range to peopled country… our progress slowed…  east of the Pecos there were traffic lights (we hadn’t seen one since Van Horn)   with its line of cars, its dog, and the question, “are you US citizens” and again were allowed to continue…

We reached San Antonio about 4:00 and went straight to the Alamo… It was 105 degrees… we explored, glad we were there, but with less enthusiasm due to heat and crowds…. It is hard to understand the truth here… there are legends that may overwhelm the facts… There is hero worship.  There is a very large gift shop, with some artifacts tossed into cases in the middle to give context to the Alamo shot glasses, Alamo tee shirts (some with sequins) Alamo post cards, books, children’s books, coloring books, Christmas ornaments, planters, and other “stuff”…. Strangely, for me, I didn’t buy a book… I wanted one that discussed what happened here honestly, and didn’t find it… it may have been here, hiding among the “white picket fence” and “hoop skirt” histories, but I didn’t find it.

In 1947, the Mills Brothers sang; 

Across the alley from the Alamo
Lived a pinto pony and a Navajo
Who sang a sort of Indian "Hi-de-ho"
To the people passin' by…

Today, just across the street you will find corporate tourism of the worst sort…   Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum and Ripley's Haunted Adventure, ghost walks (including a couple of hanging trees…) and segway tours… Tee shirts may be available.  All that is missing is an Imax theater and putput golf…

Having “done” the Alamo, we reclaimed the car, and located our hotel (Best Western, River Walk) checked in and collapsed… The girls were overheated, over tired… the road was taking its toll…

I took a walk… to the river walk… by myself…  I returned to find the ladies refreshed… and ready to explore… we walked to the river walk, found dinner… sitting outside above the river and the walk… enjoyed… 

We returned via city streets rather than the river walk… regained the hotel… Now, at 10:30 are watching the Olympics… 

All are tired… Tomorrow is a light day… San Antonio to Lafayette… Texas has taken portions of three days and two full nights… There are miles and miles of Texas…