Winter in Denton Square

More people and activity downtown now than when I lived there twenty years ago. You may still think its pretty run down by the look of it but that is not infrequent in these old cities. Check out my other posts how downtown Denton is changing. These old Texas courthouses remind me of a time when justice was not fairness for many people. It's now a museum although I've never been in it. Texas courthouse buildings seem like haunted houses to me and I wonder which one was the hanging tree. 

Disc Golf Throwing Park in Denton

I love to chuck discs at this park. Good elevation change and throwing downhill is always fun. You could easily set up a temporary course with friends that would be way better than the official disc golf course in Denton just a few miles from here north on Bonnie Brae. When I do go there I usually gonzo throw it. The lack of interest in these places lets you do what you want to do. Primitive graffiti underneath the canopy is interesting but you have to zoom in on it to see the best stuff.

The Old Downtown in Aubrey, Texas

Its funny how many times these old towns have compact buildings like this that are run down. It tried to go dense but it didn't grow enough to continue. And then people stopped building like that. I biked out here from my parents house. Lots of homes and ranches on the highway out there. Great view of the run down when you get out there.

Lake Lewisville

View of the lake from the disc golf course. Disc golf courses are often within marginal land and in places that can get flooded or water drains into. The shoreline holes here feel especially so. As with every lake but one in Texas this one is artificial.

Abandoned Building that was a Segregated School in Rural Texas

We got lost trying to make the right exit and turn in Lockhart for the best barbecue around. What a lucky chance to come across this building. We looked inside and it appeared to be one of those big room and stairwell and ceiling building. I would have loved to walk inside but it also looked dangerous, and I guess that would be trespassing. It's fascinating confronting the brutal past of the South in these sites and the injustice and violence that lay behind it. I've also heard African Americans talk about their experiences in these segregated schools with pride and nostalgia and praise for all the good work and accomplishments that occurred there.

Route 66

There are little tourist towns along Route 66 and this one in Arizona is not too far from the Grand Canyon. I think many of the old towns  on Route 66 died off as the new interstate system bypassed some of them. Some continue to survive with the help of travelers like me and my parents. It's hard to beat good BBQ and beer in the afternoon. I remember regretting to buy some local craft beer and loving that Elvis statue. These places are so much better than the McDonald's along the freeway. My Dad has told me stories about heading West on the old highways like Route 66 when he was a kid.

Rest Stop in the Desert

The desert environment is so peculiar to me that I can't imagine how anything survives in it. Apparently most animals get enough water to survive by eating other animals. I guess most living creatures are mostly water. I'm always glad to make it through alive.