Over the years, I often "take the untraveled route" when riding a official Rando Route or just riding around somewhere. From being shot at with a shotgun climbing up Honey Springs Road, an irate homeowner throwing trash cans at me on Kelly Lane (off Gopher Canyon,SD), being ask to leave a Denny's near Palm Desert (putting on muscle rub late at night) or the dark-early wild hog stampede off Road 1701 in Texas... I find some good trails and interesting things along the way. Such was the case with this ride.
I was riding around way up in the Northeast corner of Texas, not far from Oklahoma and a few miles from Arkansas. I first noticed a memorial to the Confederacy in the Clarksville town square. A tall statue with several plaques denoting the importance of Clarksville as a transportation hub during the Civil War.
Along the main and back roads in this area, there are numerous signs indicating locations of once private cemeteries. Most of these are far from the main road on narrow gravel roads... often time through ranchers fields. Many times I'll venture and check them out. They usually are well maintained and some have flowers growing.
Also I've noticed many "Historical Marker - 1 Mile Ahead". I always stop at these to pick up a little history of the area and try to take a picture (if I have the camera -Canon PowerShot A1100IS- probably 15 years in service) OR my little GoPro Sessions camera mounted). Historical churches, buildings, old bridges and even cemeteries. Much later I came across the plaque: "Reverend William Stevenson".
I managed a few pictures for posterity purposes and riding home I thought "what a great day this was"!
- randorides
