Day 16 - Back In Fairview for a few days of rest

 

 

Today was about visiting people I met along the walk, and just getting back to Julie's house for Christmas. One thing I've noticed is, just as my life has changed since the walk, so has some of the people I met  along the way. There's not a lot to see, at least in a car, along 180 between Anson and Albany. But Albany is one of the nicer towns I passed through during the walk. It has a nice downtown, and many of the buildings look original and still neat and well maintained. The courthouse square is one of the nicest, and the whole area is clean and well maintained. There's a "Flying A Car Museum on Main Street, and although it was closed I could see through the window it had lots of nice displays.

 

I stopped at an auto supply store and bought some tire foam.....I washed the car yesterday, and the tires look bad and I wanted them to shine. I applied it in the store parking lot and waited a few minutes for it to dry. Next I drove to the Dairy Queen to try to find Joe Dillingham, a interesting guy I talked to on the walk. Finding it closed, I stopped at another place and inquired where I might find him. Most everyone in town knows Joe.....it's a small town and Joe is unique. I was told where he lived, but the woman didn't think he was there any longer. I drove over there, talked to a neighbor, and learned Joe was now living in an assisted living home in Clovis, NM. I hated that. was really looking forward to visiting with him.

 

I had talked to both Kim Lawler and Wes Adams about stopping to visit with them, and both were going to be home. Kim and her family are now living in Weatherford, TX, having moved recently from Milsap. We met at a local restaurant, talked for a while, and then drove to her house. Kim's daughter Olivia has 12 or 13 chickens that lay eggs most every day, and Olivia sells them to neighbors and friends. We talked for a while, I had to get on my way, so headed out to find Wes Adams in Arlington.

 

Finally found Wes and we arranged to have dinner at a place in Ft Worth named "Dixie House Diner". Wes has a talent at finding these great, local places to eat, and this was another one. Wes is a motorcycle rider, and is thinking about coming east to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway and several other scenic roads. I invited him to come by the house if he needs a place to stay when in the area. The diner was getting ready to close, so with directions from Wes, I drove the 50 or so miles to Julie's house in Fairview. My other daughter Susan and her family had arrived, so everyone is getting ready for Christmas.

 

It seems this driving is almost as tiring as walking. I'll be off-line for a few days to rest and enjoy the family. On Wednesday after Christmas I'll head out through the states east of Texas where I walked. Hopefully I'll be able to visit others I met. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy, and prosperous, 2013.

 

Pictures:

A restored Sinclair service station in Albany. My Dad ran one that looked a lot like this one, and that was one of my first jobs;

The Albany courthouse square;

A unique house in Albany;

Kim Lawler and daughter Olivia;

Wes Adams, Arlington, Tx.