Monday, April 25, 2011
A Good Map
In my travels, I've found that there really is no substitute for a good map. A physical map. Something made of paper and ink. Something that doesn't rely on batteries, a power supply, an Internet connection, or a satellite. A GPS is handy in many situations, but if one wants to wander down country roads a detailed physical map is a must -- and a state road atlas is even better.
For Texas, the best one I've found is Mapsco The Roads of Texas (ISBN 13: 978 0 7625 6833 8). I picked up my copy locally at One Map Place in Carrolton, TX for $21.95. It can also be found at the publisher's site -- Universal Map. Oddly enough, there isn't currently a reasonable offering for it on Amazon. This spiral-bound pot of gold shows all the roads in Texas, from the interstates to the dirt roads that one might mistake for a tractor trail if not for the sign with the county road number. Best of all, it actually names all of them. It doesn't offer great detail in the urban areas, however. If you need detail for the suburbs of DFW or Houston, you'd be better served with a city-specific road atlas -- or put the old GPS to work.
The DeLorme Texas Atlas & Gazetteer is also quite good, and while it shows all the county roads, it doesn't name all of them (at least in my 2005 edition). I have also used DeLorme's New Mexico Atlas & Gazetteer with very good results.
For Texas, the best one I've found is Mapsco The Roads of Texas (ISBN 13: 978 0 7625 6833 8). I picked up my copy locally at One Map Place in Carrolton, TX for $21.95. It can also be found at the publisher's site -- Universal Map. Oddly enough, there isn't currently a reasonable offering for it on Amazon. This spiral-bound pot of gold shows all the roads in Texas, from the interstates to the dirt roads that one might mistake for a tractor trail if not for the sign with the county road number. Best of all, it actually names all of them. It doesn't offer great detail in the urban areas, however. If you need detail for the suburbs of DFW or Houston, you'd be better served with a city-specific road atlas -- or put the old GPS to work.
The DeLorme Texas Atlas & Gazetteer is also quite good, and while it shows all the county roads, it doesn't name all of them (at least in my 2005 edition). I have also used DeLorme's New Mexico Atlas & Gazetteer with very good results.
Blind Lemon & Robert Johnson
Earlier this spring, Henry and I decided to take a trip to Blind Lemon Jefferson's grave site, in Wortham, TX on Highway 14. We also wandered around Richland-Chambers Lake a bit, and snaked our way through some little towns.
Entrance to cemetery
Grave & Marker
Historical Marker
Headstone
On the way back into town, we swung by 508 Park Avenue in Dallas. This is where Robert Johnson did his last recordings over two days, including "Hellhound on My Trail". This building, just a couple of blocks from Dallas city Hall, has long been on the target list of buildings that the City of Dallas would like to see torn down. Just last year, the Historic District was successfully enlarged just enough to include it, so hopefully that will save it from the wrecking ball for some time.
To finish off the road trip, we swung by Elbow Room for what might very well be the best pizza in Dallas and a couple of ice cold Shiner Bocks.
Entrance to cemetery
Grave & Marker
Historical Marker
Headstone
On the way back into town, we swung by 508 Park Avenue in Dallas. This is where Robert Johnson did his last recordings over two days, including "Hellhound on My Trail". This building, just a couple of blocks from Dallas city Hall, has long been on the target list of buildings that the City of Dallas would like to see torn down. Just last year, the Historic District was successfully enlarged just enough to include it, so hopefully that will save it from the wrecking ball for some time.
To finish off the road trip, we swung by Elbow Room for what might very well be the best pizza in Dallas and a couple of ice cold Shiner Bocks.
First Post
A buddy and I took a random, extended road trip over Easter weekend. We often do hit the road in search of nothing when we have some spare time, just to get away from the city and unwind. During our travels across tiny backroads in the heart of Texas, he suggested I blog about it. So here we are. I know blogs are a bit passe, but what the heck. These random thoughts may amount to nothing more than litter along the highway, or maybe they will provide a glimpse of something unusual or overlooked. There will hopefully be a little bit of both.
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