It’s been 18 months since I took a courthouse picture. Friends ask if I wasn’t doing that anymore. So, like every other person, business, anything else, I blamed my lack of performance on COVID. I’m not going to admit that I’m getting old(er) and my motivator is just not what it used to be. But I had a couple of occurrences that got me moving. First my friend Johnny called and said he was on his way back from Terlingua, taking US190 all the way to Huntsville. He reported seeing some really nice courthouses along the way, and I should consider that same route and actually take some more pictures. Then later that day my friend Bad Bob (remember him from some of my other travels) called and invited me to ride to Big Bend with him and a couple of his friends. I liked the idea, but decided to meet them in Terlingua. It was time for me to take some more courthouse pictures.
My plan was to ride west on US190 from Point Blank to Iraan, and take pictures of every courthouse I passed. Spend a couple of days in and around Big Bend National Park, then take US90 east for a while. Visiting some out-of-the-way counties.
As it turned out Bob and I miss-communicated and missed each other, but I had a good trip (except for the wind, six days and it never let up) and got some nice picture to share. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did taking them. I will break-up the pictures and store to reduce the volume and spread the stores out.
Also, for this trip I choose my 2018 Triumph Bonneville T120. Its never been on a road trip, but it was the only bike out of six that was registered, serviced and ready to go (I am so far behind with the things I need to be doing). So, here we go.
Easter Sunday morning I took off on US190 with an overnight stop at our other home in Temple. Got a good night’s rest and a good healthy breakfast before hitting the long road west.
04/18/22 – Four more Courthouses and a very long day.
Monday morning my first stop was San Saba, Texas and the San Saba County Courthouse.
I didn’t find a historical marker; however, saw this one and learned the gangs haven’t changed much over the years.
Back on the Bonneville and a short distance on US190 I came to Brady, Texas the county seat for McCulloch County. The wind was kicking up and required complete concentration: however, traffic is light and I’m making good time. Here’s the McCulloch County Courthouse.
I went looking for a courthouse marque. Didn’t find one, but did find a great granite sculpture of the State of Texas that identified Brady as the Heart of Texas. I was not aware of that fact. You can learn a lot of valuable knowledge traveling through Texas.
I asked a local lady/woman walking toward the courthouse entrance for a recommendation for lunch. Usually locals know the good places. She suggested Sandy’s Kitchen and Catering which was right on my way out of town. Well, I road right past it (didn’t see the sign) and stopped at Down Home Country Cooking. I ate a big unhealthy lunch, which came with chocolate cake for desert. Why is this one of the only meals I remember from this trip?
Oh well, now it’s west on US190 to Menard, Texas.
I really enjoy seeing the different architectures of the Texas courthouses, but many have become inaccessible for my purposes of taking a good clean picture of my motorcycle posing in front of the marvelous buildings. Trees that were planted 50 or 100 years ago cover the view, or public parking takes up the perfect spot for my bike to set for the picture. As I’m looking for that perfect setting in Menard, I find they have built a city park and swimming pool between the parking and the front of the courthouse. The courthouse is so far back you can barely see it (not really), but it does present some challenges for my desired photo setting.
Here’s the marque telling about the courthouse.
The courthouse is behind the marque.
Here’s the courthouse.
It’s really a beautiful ol’ courthouse.
So, I’m off to Eldorado, Texas and the Schleicher County Courthouse. On the map it shows to be 51 miles ( I like using paper maps, and find them to be a bit more reliable than Google Maps or some of the other Web based stuff). My motorcycle seat is telling me it must be more than 51 miles, but I still have about 150 miles to get to Ft. Stockton today. It’s only 3:00 PM so lots of daylight left.
Got to Eldorado and found an okay parking spot. Some of the locals were visiting in the parking lot, and I guess they were interested in why someone would want to take pictures of their courthouse. They sent a delegate over to check me and the Bonneville out. Guess he was okay with what I was doing, told me to “have a good day and ride safe”, then went back to his friends on the other side of the parking lot. They all waved as I rode away.
Here’s the history.
It is kind of hard to read. I took these picture with a point-n-shoot instead of my nice big camera. Had to use the cheap camera ’cause I didn’t have room for the big one.
Waved good-bye to the parking lot crowd and proceeded west on US190 to Iraan (pronounced Ira Ann). It is where US190 ties into I-10 about 60 from Ft. Stockton. I was beat by the time I got to Ft. Stockton, so found a room, had dinner at K-Bob’s, and went to bed early.
Tomorrow I need to find the Pecos County Courthouse, and report my adventures. Ya’ll be safe.
Later, Bud…
Texas Courthouses - A Motorcycle Photo Tour 