Route 66 – 2017/2018:

November 5 to November 11

Well we are now at Holly Lake Ranch, Hawkins Texas. About 2.5 hours east of Dallas. Quite remote, internet is spotty at best and we have no cell phone in our condo.


This week was highlighted by several things. There is a day at a wildlife park dedicated to saving big cats (lions, tigers etc.). Then there is the day in Dallas where we went to Dealey Plaza and the book depository museum. And on Friday we went to Jefferson, Caddo Lake and Shreveport Louisiana. Caddo Lake is very beautiful. It was a steamboat route and basically it is a swamp with the giant Cypress Trees with the Spanish Moss hanging down. We took a boat tour for a couple hours. Well worth it.


Click on the photo for each day to view that day's photos.

Day 22 - nov. 5, 2017

Today I went into Dallas to go to the Dallas Cowboys vs Kansas City Chiefs NFL game. Joy stayed at the resort for some down time. As a result, these shot are mixed, depending on the time and place they were taken. The ones from Dallas are shot using my cell phone because they won't let my camera into the building. The first shot is a "self portrait. Can you find me?

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX Cowboys, vs Chiefs

Day 23 - Nov. 6, 2017

We spent the day walking a few trails at the Mineola Wildlife Preserve. We managed to get shot of some turtles, a large alligator, Northern Cardinals, and Eastern Bluebirds among other things.

American Alligator, Mineola Wildlife Preserve, TX

Day 24 - Nov. 7, 2017

Today was our day to tour Dallas. For those old enough to remember, you will know what I am talking about. The day the world stopped. I was only 10 years old but I remember it like it was yesterday. Where I was, what happened rest of the day, the rest of the month. I was already becoming politically aware. The Cuban Missile Crisis was still fresh and JFK was larger than life. For those too young to remember, think of the event that you remember where you were and multiply that a hundred fold. Elvis, Lennon, Princess Di. Not even close. 911 would be the closest thing I can think of. 1963 was another time. There wasn't a mass shooting every week. This was unthinkable. Literally, the entire world stopped for a week. Every TV on the planet watched and everyone held their breath to see what would happen next.


They have done a wonderful job with the book depository building. The bottom 5 floors are government offices, but the 6th floor where Oswald fired the fatal shots is a museum where people speak only in whispers. They have preserved the room where the window is and it is viewable, but not accessible. The 7th floor is more of the museum. If you ever get to Dallas, this is a must see. It is a place I always wanted to visit since that day. Today was the day.


Kennedy was flawed like all humans, and I certainly don't agree with all of the policies and things he did, but reading some of his quotes from speeches, at least he was intelligent and a leader. Unlike the complete void of leadership we have today at every level of government, in both the US and Canada.

Oswald's view from the 6th floor of the book depository

Day 25- Nov. 8, 2017

Not much today. It rained all day, so we just took a short drive down some country back roads.

Texas Longhorn

Day 26 - Nov. 9, 2017

Not far from our timeshare is the Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge. Here they take in large cats (Tigers, Lions, Cougars, etc.) that have been abandoned or otherwise in danger and care for them. They do good work here and this has been featured on National Geographic and Animal Planet. It is a tad difficult to take good pictures through chain link fence, but that is better than being eaten I suppose.


Then we toured around Tyler, Texas for a bit. Some beautiful old homes here. We had a very good lunch at a downtown restaurant in a 125 year old building.

Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge

Day 27 - nov. 10, 2017

This day was a really busy one. First we were off to Jefferson, Texas which was an important steamboat port and trade route that helped with the opening and settlement of Texas. Great old homes and hotels that have been wonderfully preserved. Excelsior House has been a hotel, in constant operation since 1858.


Next, off to Caddo Lake. Caddo Lake is on the border of Texas and Louisiana and is actually a swamp. The Bayou. This where the steamboats travelled to get to Jefferson. Giant Cypress trees draped with Spanish Moss make this absolutely beautiful. I would be spooky at night with fog and has been used in "scary" movies many times. Anyway, we found a tour guide who took us out into the lake where the old steamboats used to go. Lots of wildlife and there are some pretty good shots of Great Blue Herons and Snowy Egrets here.


Then we decided to go the Shreveport, Louisiana where we got a few night shots of an steamboat moored along the river.

Giant Cypress trees, Caddo Lake, TX

Day 28 - nov. 11, 2017

No photos today. Just the map of our trip today.