Backroads and Out of the Way Places

So today brought me closer to home. I started my drive in Burnet and left the hotel at about 6:45am to drive to Longhorn Caverns State Park. It was only a short drive to the park and I thought I could just park and hit the trails to look for boxes. But when I arrived there was a gate across the entrances. I was a little confused because I had looked things up on the park website and this is what I found.

Hours
Open daily from dawn to dusk.
Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
There is no gate.

I decided to wait a little while to see if a park ranger came and opened the gate. At 7:30am no one appeared so I decided if I was to get to my destination at a decent hour I really couldn't sit around and wait anymore. I was really disappointed that there was a gate - I was looking forward to seeing the park and also visiting Inks Lake State Park. But I made a decision to just hit the road and I would visit these parks at another time. I drove Park Road 4 to TX29 so that I could make my way to Llano. I had a clue for a box hidden at a roadside park off of TX29. The clue stated the park was six miles west of Burnet close to Lake Buchanan but I felt like I was a lot further from Burnet than six miles. But I found a roadside park that matched all the other descriptions so I thought I was at the right spot. Only problem was that I couldn't enter thea area. The guardrail for the highway looks like it has been extended to block off the entrance. I was thoroughly disappointed because the box there is a Boots Tex box called The Hot One.

Bald Eagles, Jess Thompson, Cottonwood Photography

Anyway I continued on. About half way between Buchanan Dam and Llano I turned into a pull out where there is an eagle's nest. There are two boxes here and there was one at the east end of the parking area. So I parked there since that is the direction I was coming. I went in search of Lone Star Quilter's box called Bald Is Beautiful. It was supposed to be hanging on a post but I didn't see. I looked around a little but still saw nothing so I got into my car and drove to the other end of the parking area to find ScooterBoots' The Eagle's Tree. This one was easy to find and after stamping in I replaced the box and decided to back and look for the first box. About a foot from the post there was a box (like a food box) on the ground. I decided to pick it up and throw it away and when I lifted it I found the letterbox. I took it back to the car to stamp in and then replaced it - there was no way to hang it so I just hid it at the base of the post (I did send LSQ a note about that). While I was looking for the box I was trying to see if there was a nest anywhere but I didn't see one. I had noticed a truck and someone standing near the fence but it was a little further west than where I was parked. At first I thought they were doing work on the fence or something then I realized they had a camera. So I drove over there and talked with this guy who had located the nest and was trying to get pictures. He had his camera on a tripod and this incredibly large lens. I felt a little silly with my camera and 300mm lens. Unfortunately after 15 minutes I didn't see any eagles and I needed to move on. I left the area and entered the town of Llano and made my way to the Llano City Cemetery to find Lone Star Quilter's Taken for Granite box. I found this box without any problems and sat and stamped in. The cemetery was quiet and peaceful and after stamping in and replacing the box I walked around a little took a few pictures. The box I found was about Frank Teich - a granite sculptor - very interesting story.
From Llano I took TX29 to TX71 to Fredonia and just before I arrived in Fredonia I took Deer Creek Cemetery Rd. to find Astro D's Hail, Fredonia! box. I always love finding Astro D's boxes and I loved this one. I stamped in and replaced the box and then got back on the road. From Fredonia I took Ranch Road 386 to Ranch Road 1222 to US377. As I drove north on US377 I kept an eye out for a picnic area just before the San Saba River. Here I found Get 'Cher Feet Wet by Pax Tecum. I stamped in and replaced the box (which has been found by more geocachers than letterboxers and had a few trinkets in it). Back on the road I continued on US377 to Brady. Once in Brady I drove to Richards Park to find Silver Eagle's Goat Cook-Off Microbox. I had a little trouble finding the box because it was buried a little. When I did find it and opened it I found the logbook soaked. Luckily, I had a film canister and a logbook in the car so I grabbed them and fixed the box up after stamping in. I then put it back in its hiding spot and continued on my trip.

Old School Gym, Indian Creek, TX

I drove north on US377 and stopped at the Heart of Texas Park. I climbed the little tower there and enjoyed the view and then continued my drive. Still on US377 I drove to FM586 and followed it to Indian Creek. I first stopped at the old school to look for Baby Bear's Old School House - Indian Creek. I didn't find the box but I did get a history lesson. As I was returning to my car an older gentleman stopped and asked if I needed help. I told him I was just driving back roads seeing out of the way places. He gave me a quick lesson of the area. He told me about John Chisum (and he made sure I didn't confuse him with Jesse Chisholm) owning acres and acres of land in the area where he free ranged cattle. He also pointed out that the old building I was just looking at was the school gym. The other buildings of the school were moved to the Brookesmith area during World War II. The area where the school was became part of Camp Bowie that had been established just south of Brownwood. It was an interesting visit and after 20 minutes I said goodbye and continued on. I left the old school and proceeded to CR237 to the Indian Creek Cemetery to find Lone Star Quilter's Home Again box. This box is about Katherine Anne Porter - a writer born in the area. I made it to the cemetery and followed the clues. I found the tree and a concrete paving stone but did not find the box. Back in the car I was boxless for this area but I did gain a lot of information. I retraced my drive back down CR237 to FM586 to US377. I then headed south a little ways on US377 to FM586 going west. I continued on FM586 to FM1176 to Trickham. I pulled into the cemetery and gathered my letterboxing bag and clues for three boxes here. I walked around the cemetery and found Baby Bear's Camp Collier, Boots Tex's Wrangler and Silver Eagle's Mukewater Moonshine (this box marks my 800th box found in Texas). After stamping in and replacing all the boxes I drove back to US377 using FM1176. I was just south of Brownwood and I drove into town and went to the corner of Brown St. and Baker St. to a small park. I followed the clues to Downtown Brownwood by Joemunch. I didn't have any luck here - the clues were a little confusing and I wasn't finding any of the bushes mentioned in the clues. So I called it quits and found something for lunch and filled the car with gas before continuing on.

Wind Farms near Nolan, TX

I continued from Brownwood on US64/87 to my next stop in Santa Anna  at the cemetery to find The Sheriff Wore Petticoats by Boots Tex. This was a quick and easy find and after stamping in and replacing the box I continued my drive. I left Santa Anna and continues on US64/87 for a short distance where I took US283 to Coleman and from there drove on TX153 through Winters until I reached FM126. This part of the drive was pretty uneventful but I did love all the windmills - everywhere. There has to be thousands of these all over the place - no matter where I looked there were windmills. I took this road to the Slater Chapel Cemetery in Nolan to find deniserows' Kodiak Bear #11. After stampin in and replacing the box I backtracked to TX153 and continued to TX70 to Sweetwater. I reached Sweetwater and stopped to fill the car with gas and get some dinner before checking in to the hotel. I had a long day but it was fun. I was able to travel some back roads of Texas and see some out of the way places. I need to get some rest tonight for the last leg of my trip back to Santa Fe.